20 Weeks: The Halfway Point

As I say hello to week 21 of my pregnancy, here are a few highlights that I’d like to remember from week 20:

Day to Day Life: The nesting instinct is starting to set in. While I don’t yet have the desire to get on my hands and knees and scour our entire house with a toothbrush, I do feel an overwhelming urge to start shopping for baby essentials and decorating and organizing the nursery in preparation for his arrival. Spurring this on was probably the fact that his nursery is no longer bare. My parents bought his crib and a rocking chair with a matching ottoman this past weekend, followed by us finding the perfect dresser and bookshelf to match.

Weight: The total amount of weight I’ve gained thus far is a little sketchy, as it’s been fluctuating day to day. It’s somewhere between 8 and 10 pounds.

Fashion: I’m in that awkward stage where my pre-pregnancy clothes are getting a little too tight and my maternity clothes are a little too big.

Sleep: I'm finding it more difficult to sleep comfortably through the night. Given the cramps, backaches, heartburn, and my frequent urge to use the restroom, I've accepted the fact that uninterrupted sleep is a thing of the past.

Cravings: My cravings this week have consisted of ice water and fresh fruit. While grocery shopping yesterday, our cart looked like a giant fruit salad, full of bananas, grapes, oranges, peaches, plums, kiwis, and strawberries.

Movement: At my anatomy ultrasound, I found out that I have an anterior placenta. So, for now, we’re barely able to feel his kicks with our hands because the placenta is serving as a cushion between him and my belly. However, I can sure feel him kicking and punching my insides! He’s a little bruiser. For the past few days, I’ve had an ache in my right side, the exact area where I feel most of his movement.

Milestones: After finding out that our little peanut is a boy, Leo and I agreed upon a name - Chase James. Initially, Leo liked the name Chance, but he kept mistakenly saying “Chase” instead. After hearing it so many times, it grew on the both of us. It’s unique, and despite how large both of our extended families are, it’s never been taken. Chase’s middle name is in honor of the important men in his life – his daddy and two grandfathers. (James is my dad’s first name, and it’s the middle name of both Leo and his dad.)

The Bump: It's growing at a rapid pace!