Belly Diaries, Week 20: Halfway There

Poor E. We found out this week that he's officially outnumbered 3 to 1. My premonition from March came true: this little kicking babe is a girl. He said he won't be worried unless the NEXT one is a girl, too. (HAHAHA, the next one. He must mean in about 10 years when we can afford a night nurse and a nanny???). All I can think about are my two girls, growing up best friends together, dancing together, cheerleading together, apparently playing soccer together (According to E--I guess I'm going to be a soccer mom--), playing string instruments together for orchestra, complaining about piano lessons together, shopping with their mama at the staples: Nordstrom & Gap & Target, and NOT sharing rooms when they're teens so that they have the possibility of NOT fighting every day like me and my sister. So many, many things to be excited about!

How many weeks?: 20 exactly today
Size of Baby: Small Cantaloupe, 6.5 inches, 10.6 oz
Countdown: 20 weeks left! I can't believe I'm halfway there. It's all downhill from here?
Total weight gain/loss: +6 lbs. 5 L-Bs in THREE WEEKS. Oh hey weight gain, nice to see you. I've packed it on, as I was horrified to learn at my appointment (apparently my scale at home has been lying). My doctor's not worried, but my iPhone pregnancy app so aptly puts it: "You are gaining an excessive amount of weight... You need to watch what you eat and gain a little at a time... You are gaining at an extreme pace." Ooookay, but sometimes I just want an ice cream cone instead of watermelon. IS THAT SO BAD???
Maternity Clothes?: Maternity shirts are SO COMFORTABLE. I think I might wear them for the rest of my life. My favorites are from Target and the Ross maternity section.
Energy Levels: Well, when your 14 month old is getting all her molars in, and she's up half the night, that means YOU'RE up half the night, which results in being exhausted all day. I still exercise though. But other things, like the blog, or finishing decorating my room, or cleaning my room, fall through the cracks.
Exercise Habits: Doing great, especially since I'm trying to even out the weight gain a little at a time (a fat-shaming iPhone app gives me great motivation). 45-90 minutes of cardio, weights, and my PT exercises. Lots of yoga and lots of stretching. Also-- anyone else mad that Netflix got rid of all their fitness videos on instant streaming? I now have to decide WHICH prenantal yoga video I'm going to buy from Amazon. Most likely going to stay with Crunch Mama Yoga, but if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.
Physical Therapy: Swimming helps my achy back but I've developed sciatica which has come and gone since a cheer injury in high school. This is extremely painful and if I don't sleep with a huge pillow between my legs, I can't walk in the morning. I should probably see my physical therapist about this.
Sleeping?: Ah, my sleep schedule is off because of the teething babe. Last night I couldn't fall asleep til almost 4 am. I in no way blame all the new library books I got on my Kindle (Curse you, Percy Jackson)..............
Worst Moment in the past 3 weeks: Realizing I have to watch what I eat and force myself to eat a LOT more vegetables and a LOT less sugar.
Best Moment in the past 3 weeks: Finding out my mother instinct was right and we are having another GIRL! Also, watching her on the ultrasound. I love seeing her squirming and moving and watching her hands and feet and face move. (Except full-frontal face pictures from ultrasounds are CREEPY! You can only see the eye sockets, and it's not pretty. But the cute baby face silhouette is always beautiful.) Also, finding out one of my best friend is pregnant again. Last time I was 8 weeks behind her and this time she's 8 weeks behind me! I love sharing my pregnancies with her.

I can't believe I'm having another GIRL!

Isla's Reactions: Loves my belly. I taught her the right way to pet an animal (as opposed to pulling noses and tails) and so now she pets everything: me, my belly, her baby friends, the couch, her dad.We're getting closer to having almost-always nice reactions to me and other babies.
I miss...: Getting through my workouts fast! It's a pain to take an HOUR to swim just 1750 yards (that's 70 lengths of the pool) . I used to be able to do it in 30 minutes. Now going to the gym, getting ready (if you're not using a swim cap, you're not really exercise-swimming), using my handy-dandy mini white board to write down my workout, warming up, swimming, cooling down, all takes at least 80 minutes.
Movement: I see and feel her kick daily. LOVE THIS.
Morning Sickness?: Still bad nausea in the morning and when I have to change diapers. I can mostly  Lamaze-breathe through it.
Food Cravings: Candy. Ice cream. Peaches. Bananas with PB or nutella. Chocolate milk. Pizza. (I don't give in to most cravings because I'm too lazy to drag Isla and myself out of the house, thank goodness.) Raspberries. Milkshakes (preferably with brownie chunks in them).
Food Aversions: Pears. French fries. Cheeseburgers. Tacos.
Showing yet?: I guess so. I still don't feel like a stranger could pick me out of a crowd as pregnant. The baby is still SO LOW.
Gender: It's a girl! I've already bought two matching outfits for Isla and her little sister. (Oh heavens, I'm turning into my mother already. My 13.5-month-older sister and I were always matching for church, every Sunday when we were little.)

Labor signs: The braxton hicks started a few days ago. So uncomfortable when I'm exercising.
Moods: Majorly stressed for no reason. Weird things stress me out. I've avoided the internet like the plague since my last post last Friday. I'd rather read my Kindle.
Not Looking Forward to: Trying to convince my husband to name the girl the ONE name I love. I haven't decided if I'm keeping it a secret yet.
Looking Forward To: I can't wait to see my baby girl for the first time. I'm seriously so excited for this part. (Even though I know the first time I see her, she'll look like a little wrinkly lizard, I've prepared myself, and I won't care this time, right?) I successfully swaddled and rocked my friend's fussy baby to sleep last week. This gives me hope that I can calm down my OWN future fussy baby and I'm so excited to have another one, even if I don't really love the newborn phase.

I love silhouette pictures, so I'm going to take a (very grainy) weekly one from now on.