Week 27

The three pics at the top are from week 26 at Wrightsville Beach (just outside Wilmington, NC), and the three pics below those are from week 18 in Jamaica. I remember being so happy that I was finally showing in Jamaica, but looking back at the pics, I was still so small! It's crazy how much my tummy has grown in the past 8 or 9 weeks.

Everything continues to go well, and I only have one more week of teaching left! These last couple of weeks have made me especially ready for the break as they've been overloaded with end-of-course testing and remediation. I'll definitely be hitting up the pool in the weeks to come.

According to my glucose test, I don't have gestational diabetes. The baby's heart rate measures in around 140 bpm, and my tummy growth is right on target. I've gained about 20 lbs since the beginning of the pregnancy, and the doc said I should be gaining around a pound a week from here on out. That will most likely put me at a total gain of 35 lbs by the due date. The recommended weight gain for a person of healthy pre-pregnancy weight is 25-35 lbs, so I'm on the high end of that. I have to admit, I definitely haven't been exercising like I should (I'll blame it on feeling drained from my job), so hopefully, I'll be able to do more yoga and walking over the summer. I used to run a lot, but after I miscarried, I got out of my routine and didn't get back into it for this pregnancy. I don't want to overdo it, but I think some exercise will give me some much needed third-trimester energy (which, by the way, will start in just one more week!). I'll also blame the gain on my carb cravings! :)

Here's what I've read about the distribution of weight gain:

Nutrient, protein and fat stores: 7-10 lbs.
Extra blood volume (It increases by 45-50%! Crazy, right?): 3-4 lbs.
Retained fluids: 3-4 lbs.
Breasts: 1-2 lbs.
Uterus: 1-2 lbs.
Amniotic fluid: 2-3 lbs.
Placenta: 1-2 lbs.
Baby: 6-8 lbs.

Baby continues to move around like crazy. Yesterday morning, I was spooning Mike, and he could feel the baby kicking his butt. So cute! As excited as we are about our baby's arrival, Mike and I definitely want to take advantage of our time alone together this summer. Since I won't be able to fly or travel long distances once August hits, we're trying to get as much togetherness and as many trips in as possible this month and next month. We definitely want to "live deep and suck the marrow out of life" together, as Thoreau would say, while our stresses are still limited, budget is not too tight, and Mike is actually in the US.