40 weeks

due date: jan 10
how many weeks down/days left/days of work left: 40 weeks/0 days/done
baby is the size of: a small pumpkin
sleep: sleep is elusive.  i wake up several times per night, either to pee or to just roll over or just because i'm uncomfortable.
best moment this week: last day of work!
what are you looking forward to: meeting our little boy!  definitely happening this week (see below)
what do you miss: sleep. pain-free movement.
symptoms: pain in my pelvis (baby's dropping).  painful and swollen hands.  big old belly. 
weight gain: 33 pounds.
movement: he's still moving, but not as much. 
gender: baby boy!
belly button: it sticks out a little bit, but i definitely wouldn't call it a "popped" belly button.
rings: all off.

we had an appointment on tuesday night with the ob.  still only 1cm dilated, which i've been now since 36 weeks, and about 50% effaced.  my practice does not let you go more than a week late, so we talked about induction.  if baby doesn't come on his own before then, we'll be induced on thursday morning.  we'll go into the hospital wednesday night for cytotec, which is a cervical ripening agent.  the goal there is to help my cervix dilate and shorten, and then help to kickstart labor without having to actually induce with pitocin. 

still really hoping to avoid having to do any kind of medical induction, but i feel better with starting with cytotec than going straight to pitocin.  in the meantime, i'm trying all kinds of diy-induction techniques.  now that i am officially out on maternity leave, i'm taking walks (thank you, weirdly warm january weather).  bouncing on my birthing ball.  eating pineapple and dates and spicy foods.  picked up some raspberry leaf tea.   and then there's the old stand-by - sex.  sex has been terribly uncomfortable for me for most of this pregnancy, but i may just suck it up and give it a shot.  dr. tara also reminded me about castor oil, but....that's a last resort, i think.  it just sounds too risky to me!

39 weeks

due date: jan 10
how many weeks down/days left/days of work left: 39 weeks/5 days/3 days
baby is the size of: a mini watermelon
sleep: rough.  waking up at least once to pee.  sweating like crazy.  and rolling over is excruciatingly painful.
best moment this week: new year's day - another lazy day in our pjs at home.  perfection.
what are you looking forward to: fingers crossed, baby boy will make his appearance this week!
what do you miss: sleep. pain-free movement.
symptoms: big belly.  swollen and painful hands and feet.  back and pelvic pain.  contractions on and off since new year's eve.
weight gain: 31 pounds.
movement: still moving quite a bit.  but it's definitely different. 
gender: baby boy!
belly button: i definitely dropped this week, which I think puts less stress on my belly, so my belly button is actually back to flat rather than kind of popping out.
rings: all off.

38 weeks

due date: jan 10
how many weeks down/days left/days of work left: 38 weeks/13 days/7 days
baby is the size of: a leek
sleep: rough.  it is really difficult and even painful to roll from side to side at this point.  i need to fully wake up in order to do so, then i end up need a drink or having to pee or just laying there awake for a bit.
best moment this week: christmas day.  matt and i slept in till 9 and just lounged all day long...i didn't even get out of my pj's.  and matt got me the camera i've been wanting for like a year - the olympus pen!
what are you looking forward to: last visits with my family before baby arrives!  dad is coming down on saturday and i think we're meeting my mom and jeff at a restaurant in between us to watch football on sunday.     
what do you miss:  not waddling.  and being able to open things up by myself - my hands are now very swollen all the time, and i feel like i have arthritis.  i have a new level of respect and sympathy for people who live with actual arthritis day in and day out.  it is the pits. 
symptoms: big belly.  back, hip, and pelvic pain.  lots of  peeing.  puffy feet and hands/hand pain.  congested.
weight gain: 29 pounds.    
movement: still moving a lot.
gender: baby boy!! 
belly button: still not what i would call an outtie, but it's more out than in.
rings: all off.  i'm not even comfortable wearing the opal ring anymore. 

37 weeks

yikes!  excuse my terrible hair!  but go steelers!!

due date: jan 10
how many weeks down/days left/days of work left: 37 weeks/21 days/11 days
baby is the size of: a stalk of swiss chard
sleep: not too bad.  slept through the night a couple of times, up to pee once a couple of other nights. 
best moment this week: ob appointment wednesday - baby's head is "very low," and i'm 1cm dilated. 
what are you looking forward to: remember last week when i said we were shopping, installing car seats, and packing hospital bags?  well, we shopped.  but we didn't get the car seats installed or the hospital bags packed (though i did at least start a list).  so we're doing that this weekend.  for sure.   
what do you miss:  not waddling, ha ha! 
symptoms: big belly.  back, hip, and pelvic pain.  lots of  peeing.  puffy hands and feet.  congested.
weight gain: 29 pounds.    
movement:  i seriously think he's trying to swim out.  i just feel this constant movement at the top of my belly - it feels like he's doing bicycle kicks in there!
gender: baby boy!! 
belly button: still not what i would call an outtie, but it's more out than in.
rings: all off.  i'm not even comfortable wearing the opal ring anymore. 

36 weeks

*once again, written on thurs, posted on monday.  it's a bit hectic around here!*

 

due date: jan 10
how many weeks down/days left/days of work left: 36 weeks/27 days/16 days
baby is the size of: a crenshaw melon
sleep: a bit better.  i count myself lucky, as most books i've read make it sound like by now i should be getting up 3-4 times a night.  i get up once, usually sometime between 2-5 to pee, and then usually fall back asleep pretty quickly.  i'm still congested, but not sick-sick like i had been.  and not snoring, according to matt.  
best moment this week: our family christmas party on saturday!  we had about 21 people at our house, so it was crowded but it was wonderful.    
what are you looking forward to: this weekend we're planning to finish our shopping at babies r us, install the car seats, put together the pack and play, and start packing the hospital bags.  in other words, we're finalizing preparations for baby boy's debut!   
what do you miss:  being able to do much of anything without getting short of breath. 
symptoms: big belly.  back and hip pain.  lots of  peeing.  my hands are still pretty swollen most of the time, so i'm going to address that with my ob today.  and like i said, i'm still congested, but i think that is mostly pregnancy congestion at this point - i think my cold is gone.
weight gain: 27 pounds.    
movement:  he's definitely still moving around in there, but i have noticed a difference in the movements this week.  as he runs out of room, i think i'm feeling fewer little kicks and stuff, and more bigger movements. 
gender: baby boy!! 
belly button: still not what i would call an outtie, but it's more out than in.
rings: all off.  i'm not even comfortable wearing the opal ring anymore. 

35 weeks

*having serious timing issues.  written on thurs 12/6.*

due date: jan 10
how many weeks down/days left/days of work left: 35 weeks/35 days/21 days
baby is the size of: a honeydew melon
sleep: not good.  i still have that cold, so i'm up to blow my nose and/or sneeze and/or cough several times a night.  still also snoring, so poor matt.  
best moment this week: we successfully pulled off a surprise party for my mom on sunday.  it was her 60th birthday on 11/24, plus she and my step-dad retired on 11/30.  she was completely surprised!  
what are you looking forward to: saturday we're hosting our entire families at our house for a christmas party.  we can't go home for the holidays this year, so we decided to celebrate with everyone all at once.   
what do you miss:  sleep. 
symptoms: big belly.  back and hip pain.  crappy sleep.  lots of  peeing.  the braxton hicks contractions have slowed, though, so that's good.  my hands are also swollen to the point that they hurt, and my grip is seriously affected - it's like having arthritis.
weight gain: 26 pounds.  i lost a couple of pounds, which is unbelievable considering the amount of water i'm retaining.  
movement:  he is so active.  i will miss it.
gender: baby boy!! 
belly button: it's not an actual outtie, but it definitely sticks out.
rings: off.  i'm wearing my opal in place of my wedding/engagement rings, so at least i still have something there.

34 weeks

*didn't take a bump picture this week, either, but got some pictures at my mom's party...more to come on that*

*written on friday 11/30*

how far along are you: 34 weeks
due date/days left: jan 10/41 days
baby is the size of: a canteloupe
sleep: pretty terrible this week.  i got a cold (stuffy nose, sore throat, coughing).  not only does it make my sleep terrible, but apparently i'm snoring quite a bit, so poor matt is suffering, too.       
best moment this week: not 1 but 2 showers this week!  i had my big friends/family shower on sunday, and then my department at work threw me a shower on tuesday!  hoping my mom emails me the pictures soon.   
what are you looking forward to: planning to put some stuff away in the nursery and starting the baby's laundry this weekend. 
what do you miss:  sleep. 
symptoms: big belly.  back and hip pain.  crappy sleep.  lots of  peeing.  the braxton hicks contractions have slowed, though, so that's good.   
weight gain: 28 pounds.  yeah, i put on a few extra over thanksgiving weekend...  
movement:  he is so active.  i will miss it.
gender: baby boy!! 
belly button: it's pretty close to popping!
rings: off.  i'm wearing my opal in place of my wedding/engagement rings, so at least i still have something there.

33 weeks

*we didn't get an actual bump photo this week, but we have lots of pictures from the baby shower, so i'll be sure to post those as soon as my mom emails them to me!*

*also, i wrote this thinking i'd schedule it to post on thursday.  i forgot.  so it's a few days late.* 

baby is the size of: a durian fruit (a what?!)
how far along are you: 33weeks
due date/days left: jan 10/49 days
sleep:  i had a few nights where i actually slept through the night.  but then i woke up at 3am tuesday and couldn't go back to sleep.      
best moment this week: our childbirth class.  initially, the videos made me want to keep this kid in me forever, but then the actual education made it seem a little less scary.   
what are you looking forward to: it's a big week!  thanksgiving on thursday, 15th class reunion on saturday, and my shower on sunday!  we're gonna see so many people, i cannot wait! 
what do you miss:  sleep. 
symptoms: i felt enormous this week.  i swear i could actually feel myself getting bigger at some points.  and my back and hips hurt constantly.  i have an appointment with a prenatal chiropractor on monday.  i hope it helps.  and swelling. 
weight gain: about 23 pounds.  
movement:  like crazy!
gender: baby boy!! 
belly button: shockingly, still in!
rings: off.  )c:  when i wake up in the morning, my hands and feet are pretty puffy.  my feet go down eventually, but my hands stay at least a little puffy all day.  i am no longer comfortable with my rings on because i worry about being able to get them off.  a few times it was pretty difficult, and i'm just not willing to take the risk anymore.  one of my high school friends just reminded me that they had to cut her toe ring off when she went into labor with her daughter!

32 weeks

 
baby is the size of: a jicama!
how far along are you: 32 weeks, 3 days
due date/days left: jan 10/53 days
sleep:  still not great - up anytime between 3-5 to pee, chug water, eat tums, and take off my pants.    
best moment this week: the weekend.  we took it pretty easy.  it was nice, for a change 
what are you looking forward to: our childbirth class on saturday (technically yesterday) 
what do you miss:  sleep. 
symptoms: when people ask me how i'm feeling, my standard answer now is, "pregnant."  nobody wants to hear that my back and hips hurt constantly, that my knees hurt, that i feel like my stomach is going to split open, that i can't breathe, that i am gtting heartburn, and that i generally just feel huge and sluggish.  they don't care.  so i just say i feel pregnant.  cuz i do.
weight gain: about 23 pounds.  
movement:  he's gonna be a dancer, i'm sure of it.
gender: baby boy!! 
belly button: shockingly, still in!
rings: on, but i find myself removing them pretty frequently. 

on another note, in an email chain with my sister and mom, i thought it would have been cool if i'd cooked a meal each week using the fruit/veggie that is the size of the baby.  way too late this time around, but maybe with the next baby i'll do it.  i'll write a blog about it.  and then it'll get popular and someone can write a movie about me.  i wonder who would play me in a movie.....?

and just for fun, here's another picture.  padfoot wanted in on the action...

31 weeks

 
baby is the size of: baby center says 4 navel oranges, which is the weirdest comparison yet, i think.  so i'm going with the bump's fruit of pineapple.
how far along are you: 31 weeks, 3 days
due date/days left: jan 10/60 days
sleep: pretty awful.  by about 4 or 5am, my i can no longer find a comfortable position for my hips.  i am also getting up at least once to pee, at which point i also find i need to take tums, chug 1/2 glass of water, and take off my pants because i'm sweating through my shirt.  overshare?  sorry.   
best moment this week: my friend's wedding.  i saw so many people i haven't seen in ages.  and everyone kept telling me how beautiful i look, which sounds really conceited, but it was really wonderful, considering my coworkers just like to tell me how huge i am (one in particular has taken to calling me "big mama," which makes me want to smack the shit out of her). 
what are you looking forward to: having a weekend off.  we have some things to do around the house, but for the most part we will be laying low. 
what do you miss:  sleep. 
symptoms: big belly.  definitely feeling some braxton hicks.  my hands and feet are swelling a bit.  and i definitely am experiencing pregnancy congestion, which is fun. my back, hips, and now my knees hurt pretty much round-the-clock.  i'm going to talk to my ob on tuesday about seeing a prenatal chiropractor.
weight gain: about 23 pounds.  
movement:  baby boy is really grooving in there.  the other night we were watching tv and he was moving like crazy.  i sat there, with my hand on my bare belly, feeling him dance around, and just cried.  it was so incredible, it just overwhelmed me.  matt has gotten to feel him really moving around a lot, too.  he says it's weird.  and it is. but it's awesome.
gender: baby boy!! 
belly button: shockingly, still in!
rings: on, but i find myself removing them pretty frequently. 

30 weeks

baby is the size of: a head of cabbage
how far along are you: 30 weeks, 3 days
due date/days left: jan 10/68 days
sleep: sleep has been awful this week.  we lost power monday night with the storm, and as of right now (thursday morning) it has not been restored.  i slept terribly on sunday due to anxiety, and then monday night once we lost power, i barely slept at all.  tuesday night and last night we slept on our pullout in the family room so that we could be near the wood-burning stove and have some warmth, but pullouts are - as i'm sure you all know - not very comfortable period, let alone for a 7+ month pregnant lady!  today my hips are killing me - i am waddling, and it's not from the pregnancy!  needless to say, i am exhausted. 
best moment this week: at my 30-week appointment, we found out that i am still measuring right on track, so i'm not have a monstrous baby like some of my coworkers want to believe.  we also found out that baby boy is head down.  hopefully he stays that way!
what are you looking forward to: one of my dear friends from high school is getting married on saturday, and i'm so excited to go to the wedding and catch up with people i haven't seen in far too long!
what do you miss:  sleep.  and electricity (not that that has anything to do with the baby)
symptoms: big belly.  definitely feeling some braxton hicks.  my hands and feet are swelling a bit.
weight gain: about 20 pounds, give or take.  
movement:  he's a mover and a shaker.  as much as it hurts sometimes, i love feeling him move around.  it is the most amazing feeling.
gender: baby boy!! 
belly button: still in!
rings: on, but i find myself removing them pretty frequently. 

29 weeks

we didn't actually take a picture this week.  too busy running around, getting ready for "frankenstorm."  to those of you in its path, i wish you the best of luck!  be safe!

baby is the size of: a butternut squash
how far along are you: 29 weeks, 2 days
what's happening with baby: muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is getting bigger to make room for his growing brain.  *i'm going to stop this question, because it's pretty much the same from here on out*
due date: jan 10
sleep: i'm finding that i'm really tired.  i either fall asleep on the train ride home or need a nap as soon as we get home.  i am often falling asleep on the couch before we go to bed.  i sleep for about 6 hours straight before i need to get up to pee, strip off my pants (because i'm sweating), and chug water.  i fall back asleep pretty easily.
best moment this week: my sister's great news is finally out of the bag - she's 12 weeks pregnant!!!  i am beyond excited that we are having babies 4 months apart!
what are you looking forward to: making some progress on the nursery - hanging the paper lanterns and some of the prints! 
what do you miss:  not being punched in the ribs.  sleeping through the night.  pain-free days.
symptoms: big belly.  pain - from under my right boob, around the side, and across my back.  and i'm definitely waddling every now and then.  my belly gets very heavy, especially towards the end of the day.  
movement:  he moves a lot!  i can now definitely feel him punching/standing on my bladder, which is weird.  the ob had me start kick counts this week.  i'm supposed to mark how long it takes me to get 10 movements.  i do if after dinner, and it usually takes less than a hour, and often less than 30 minutes.
gender: baby boy!! 
belly button: in, but not for long, i think.
rings: on, but i find myself removing them pretty frequently. 

28 weeks

baby is the size of: an eggplant
how far along are you: 28 weeks, 2 days
what's happening with baby: baby's eyelids are able to open and close, and he now may be able to sense light filtering in through the womb.
due date: jan 10
sleep: i usually wake up once between 3-4 to pee.  if i sleep too long, my hips really start to ache.  there have been times when i've tried to sleep in a bit but i can't because my hips hurt. 
best moment this week: the negative ffn test on wednesday night.  knowing that baby boy will keep cooking for at least another 2 weeks.
what are you looking forward to: nothing big this week, actually! 
what do you miss:  not being punched in the ribs.  sleeping through the night.  pain-free days.
symptoms: big belly.  pain - from under my right boob, around the side, and across my back.  and i'm definitely waddling every now and then.  my belly gets very heavy, especially towards the end of the day.   
movement:  he has been a very active little boy this week!  i feel like he moves more than he's still.
gender: baby boy!! 
belly button: in, but not for long, i think.
rings: on, but i think my time is limited on that.  

27 week

man i look tired!

baby is the size of: a cauliflower
how far along are you: 27 weeks, 2 days
what's happening with baby: baby is sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing little eyes, and perhaps even sucking on his fingers.  with more brain tissue developing your baby's brain is very active now.  the lungs are still immature, but they would be capable of functioning - with a lot of medical help - if he were to be born now.  chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on.
due date: jan 10
sleep: have actually been getting up in the middle of the night this week - usually to pee, but then i also need to drink some water and take some tums. 
best moment this week: being at my college roommate's wedding on sunday.  i am so glad we took the trip down to obx for it!
what are you looking forward to: tuesday night is my first movies and martinis night with my girlfriends from work in months, and i cannot wait!  i'm making greek yogurt chocolate truffles.  yum! 
what do you miss:  a full night's sleep.  getting through a day without back pain.
symptoms: big belly.  had some swelling in my feet during our long drives to/from obx.  heartburn.  and back pain.  oh the back pain.  i think he must position himself on a nerve sometimes, because i'll get screaming pain in my right shoulder blade and my left shoulder blade will get numb and tingly. 
movement:  i think i'm starting to be able to distinguish between a foot/hand and his butt/head.  we can see my belly jump when he moves.  i'm waiting for the day we can actually see a foot/hand drag across my belly. 
gender: baby boy!! 
belly button: in. there are lips around the edge, though, so i am anticipating that it will pop pretty soon.
rings: on, though i had to take them off several times while we were down in the outer banks. 

26 weeks

whoa, way late!  we were out of town for a nice long weekend, hence, the hold up.  i'm also gonna change up the survey a little bit.  at this point, it's pretty obvious that i'm in maternity clothes, and since i haven't had any food/smell aversions the entire time, i'm just gonna drop that question. 

 
baby is the size of: a head of lettuce
how far along are you: 26
what's happening with baby: baby can now hear mine and matt's voices while we chat.  he's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs.  he's continuing to develop baby fat.  his testicles are beginning to descend.
due date: jan 10
sleep: going ok.  not great.
best moment this week: we had our last ultrasound on monday.  she didn't do a measurement, but said all of his organs are developing perfectly!
what are you looking forward to: trip to the outer banks. 
what do you miss:  sleep. 
symptoms: big belly.  back pain.  and definitely feeling him up in my ribs.
movement: lots of movement.  there's no set time, but i definitely feel him moving around multiple times a day.  matt has gotten to feel him move around more and more, too. 
gender: baby boy!! 
belly button: in. there are lips around the edge, though, so i am anticipating that it will pop pretty soon.
rings: on, and for most of this week it was ok.

25 weeks

baby is the size of: a rutabaga
how far along are you: 25 weeks 3 days
what's happening with baby: Baby is beginning to exchange the long and lean look for some baby at.  As this happens, wrinkled skin will smooth out and he will start to look more and more like a newborn.  Baby's also growing more hair - if we could see it, we'd be able to discern its color and texture!
due date: jan 10
maternity clothes: everything i wear is maternity, at this point, with the exception of a few open-front cardigans and a couple dresses.    
sleep: not going well.
best moment this week: baby went to his first concert last saturday.  we went to see farm aid in hershey.  it was so much fun.  baby was pretty quiet, but that's probably because mommy was up dancing quite a bit.
what are you looking forward to: we have one more ultrasound on monday.  this will be our last look at baby boy until he makes his grand entrance! 
food cravings: nothing in particular this week.
food/smell aversions: nothing.
what do you miss:  normal sleep. not worrying about whether or not i have gestational diabetes.
symptoms: big belly.  back pain in the middle of the night.  heartburn.  and still this issue with processing sugar.
gender: baby boy!! 
belly button: in. but it's definitely stretching, and if i stretch the skin around my belly button, it starts to pop up a little. 
rings: on, and for most of this week it was ok.

24 weeks

 
baby is the size of: an ear of corn
how far along are you: 24 weeks 3 days
what's happening with baby: baby gained about 4 oz since last week, putting him a just over a pound.  his brain is growing rapidly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop.  his lungs are growing branches of the respiratory tree, as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his lungs inflate when he hits the outside world.  his skin is still thin and translucent.
due date: jan 10
maternity clothes: everything i wear is maternity, at this point, with the exception of a few open-front cardigans and a couple dresses.    
sleep: not going well.
best moment this week: matt finally got to feel baby boy!  and i've been feeling him much more often lately.  i know eventually i'll be cursing him kicking my ribs or standing on my bladder, but for now, i absolutely love it.      
what are you looking forward to: 24-week appointment on thursday.  i am having some concerns about my ability to process sugar these days.  i also want to ask the doctor about these red marks i have all over my upper body.
food cravings: cinnabon.  i have not given into the cravings, though, because i am sensing that my body is not processing sugar well.  every time i eat something moderately sugary, i get the shakes and i feel like i'm having palpitations.  
food/smell aversions: nothing.
what do you miss: sleep.  and being able to eat a normal meal without feeling uncomfortable for 2 hours afterwards. 
symptoms: thankfully, the tailbone pain is either getting better or i'm getting used to it.  but as i said, i'm having this weird reaction to sugar.  and my back hurts.  and i'm definitely feeling more emotional and hormonal.
gender: baby boy!! 
belly button: in. but it's definitely stretching, and if i stretch the skin around my belly button, it starts to pop up a little. 
rings: on, but had to remove them the past couple of days.  

23 weeks

 
baby is the size of: a mango
how far along are you: 23 weeks 3 days
what's happening with baby: baby's sense of movement is well-developed and he can feel me moving about.  blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and his hearing is becoming more clear.
due date: jan 10
maternity clothes: all maternity.  old navy just had a big maternity sale, so i ordered a few more items.  i think at this point i'm all set for the remainder of the pregnancy.   
sleep: i am definitely waking up early due to getting uncomfortable.  they recommend lying on your left side to improve circulation, but i am much more comfortable on my right.  sleep is not my favorite these days, and that really sucks.
best moment this week: matt finished painting the nursery on wednesday.  we still need to do touch-ups on the orange wall, but it looks awesome!  
what are you looking forward to: well, had i done this update on time, it would have been our babymoon in nyc on saturday.
food cravings: nothing in particular.
food/smell aversions: nothing.
what do you miss: being able to stand up without my tailbone yelling in pain. sleeping comfortably. 
symptoms: tailbone pain.  big belly.  back pain.  and my feet and hands are definitely swollen by the end of the day.
gender: baby boy!! 
belly button: in. but it's definitely stretching, and if i stretch the skin around my belly button, it starts to pop up a little. 
rings: on. still having a hard time by the end of the day.  hoping it gets better.

the picture this week is from our babymoon.  i'll do a post about it soon. 

22 weeks

i wasn't feeling very photogenic last week, and was also feeling too lazy to do a 21-week update.  sue me.  still not feeling very photogenic, but matt insisted we not skip another week.  so here you go.

baby is the size of: a spaghetti squash
how far along are you: 22 weeks 3 days
what's happening with baby: baby's eyes, eyelids, and eyebrows are now more distinct.  he even has tooth buds forming under his gums!  his eyes have formed, but his irises still have no pigment.
due date: jan 10
maternity clothes: all maternity pants.  mostly maternity shirts.  and dresses.   
sleep: once i'm asleep, i sleep through the night.  but my back hurts on waking up.    
best moment this week:  finally started feeling movement!  a few times i even felt him from the outside, but so far matt hasn't felt him yet. 
what are you looking forward to: painting the nursery (started yesterday...debating a third coat on the orange accent wall).
food cravings: tuna?  i normally rarely eat tuna, but i've had it 3 times in the past 10 days.  i don't go out of my way to find it, but every time i'm looking at a menu or something, i gravitate to it. 
food/smell aversions: nothing.
what do you miss: being able to stand up without my tailbone yelling in pain. 
symptoms: tailbone pain.  big belly.  back pain.  and my feet and hands are definitely swollen by the end of the day.
gender: baby boy!! 
belly button: in.
rings: on.  definitely uncomfortable by the end of the day.  hopefully now that the weather should start cooling off, this won't be a problem anymore.

20 weeks

 
baby is the size of: a banana
how far along are you: 20 weeks 3 days
what's happening with baby: baby is swallowing - and tasting! - more amniotic fluid.  he is also producing meconium.
due date: jan 10
maternity clothes: mostly wearing maternity pants now.  the belly band still works, but zipping up my pre-preg pants is getting a little difficult.  still wearing mostly pre-preg shirts, but the ones that still work are slowly dwindling. 
sleep: not great.  still having back issues.    
best moment this week: finding out we're having a boy, obvi!  and calling and telling our families and friends. 
what are you looking forward to: 20-week check up on wednesday! and a cloth diaper class on saturday (now yesterday).
food cravings: still velveeta shells and cheese.
food/smell aversions: nothing.
what do you miss: being able to stand up without my tailbone yelling in pain. 
symptoms: tailbone pain.  big belly.  back pain.  and my feet and hands are definitely swollen by the end of the day.
gender: baby boy!! 
belly button: in.
rings: on, but tight.  getting to the point of being uncomfortable after my walk to the train station at the end of my work day.