Pregnancy Update: 19 Weeks

Baby size: mango, 6 inches

How far along: 19 weeks

Total weight gain: 10 pounds. I made it to double digits. I'm feeling better about the gain since my bump is prominent now! I am also feeling less bad about gaining weight. This is all for my baby.

Sleep: I'm still sleeping great, though I had some issues in China falling asleep. Jetlag doesn't bother me so much. I have been sleeping with my feet on pillows to reduce the swelling, but sleep hasn't been a problem at all.
Maternity Clothes: I wear them all the time with a few shirts from my regular wardrobe. Love my maternity jeans (got them hemmed in China in ten minutes for only $4!)

Food cravings: sweets but that's probably more because I just got back from China where nothing is sweet

Food aversions: none

Symptoms I have:
Bloody nose in the morning - just when I blow my nose, I see blood. No gushing, just morning tissues. Gross, but it's normal apparently.

Forgetfulness - but it might also be a combination of jetlag with pregnancy.

Stretchmarks: Got my first ones. Very light and on the sides of my bump near my hips. Now that I have them. I documented them in my blog, and this section will go away. Damn my genes!
Doctor’s Appointment: Today!

Movement: I felt the baby kick! It was so crazy! It was adorable and awesome. I secretly wish for it all the time now. Baby

Gender: Tomorrow. I had an irrational feeling that my baby was a boy from the beginning. Partially because when I was little, I loved the baby in Peter Pan. I always hoped I'd have a little boy just like Michael Darling. A boy would be so cute because I imagine he'd be a lot like Bryan. I grew up with all girls, and I wonder what it'd be like to have a son.

Though, I really love the idea of a daughter and raising a cute little girl. A little me! I especially love the idea of Bryan being a sweet dad to a hilarious, adorable little girl. I think that's so sweet.

The excitement of finding out if our baby is a boy or a girl truly represents the reality that we actually ARE having a baby. I'm dying to know what's inside, what our first born child will be. I'd like to say that I will post here immediately, but I will have to call my short list of family and friends with the news - and there's a (small) chance that we'll make a gender-reveal video. As soon as the news is public, it will hit this blog!

Best moment of the week: Coming home to Bryan last night - though probably my whole China trip was incredible. Post coming soon!

baby's first trip to the Great Wall

What I’m looking forward to: TODAY'S APPOINTMENT! I better get to see my baby's undercarriage. I need to know if I've got a baby boy or girl!

What I miss: nothing lately.

What I've bought this week for baby: A cute baby outfit for a baby boy and a baby girl from China. One for each!

I'm so excited for tomorrow's appointment. I'm so excited to learn a little more about our baby: whether that baby is going to be a son or a daughter. It will probably be the second most exciting part of the pregnancy (aside from finding out that I was pregnant) thus far. I am excited, and I can't wait to know!

I'm a little nervous that my "gut" instinct that I'm carrying a boy will be wrong, and I hope that doesn't mean anything about my instincts as a mother. I want a baby, and I don't really care if it's a boy baby or a girl baby. I think it would be super freaking awesome if  I was right, and I'm carrying a boy just like I've been thinking and wanting for the past few months. I'm trying not to wish too hard one way or the other. It's a really crazy thing, and I should probably just stop typing. I imagine my gender post last this week will explain more of my feelings.

It will be awesome either way. A little me or a little Bryan.