Baby Bump Wednesday: Week 17

I've been thinking all day about how crazy it is that I'm in week 17 already. Back in the 5th and 6th weeks I felt like the days were slowly trickling by, like time was literally taking a break. No need to move forward anymore! There's no time like the present! Probably because it was all so new and exciting and I just wanted to see RESULTS and BUMPS and BABIES. And now I'm thinking, holy crap, in just a few weeks I'll be 20 weeks, at the official halfway point. It feels as if it's flown by, and at the same time, I feel like I've been pregnant forever. And I'm not even halfway yet.

So this last week was full of fun things, namely finding out that we are indeed having ourselves a man-child. The tech also took a look at the measurements and bumped up my due date to November 9th, which techincally means I was 17 weeks on Sunday, but I'm keeping this on Wednesdays. Partially because I'm not a huge believer in the same numbers for each kid, and partially because, well, I was there, and there's only a little window in which we could have become pregnant. Not that I mind bumping up the due date, I'm secretly hoping this baby comes in October, because I have issues and don't like the idea of having a baby with a birthdate with such crazy numbers. 11-something-of 08? Maybe you don't know, or remember, but I'm a little freakish, and like nice even numbers. I'd be much happier with a 10-something, even an odd something - 08. Do you get what I'm saying? I'm saying I don't know if I could handle an 11-09-08 birthdate. Because I am odd and strange and crazy.

The baby is roughly 5 inches now, and just starting to get a little meat on it's bones. Sorry, his bones. I've got to get used to this...One site I read said that my baby is "primarily composed of water" at this point. I find that an odd piece of information to put out there to all the pregnant women, even if it's true. That baby that made you sick, and is making you gain weight, and making your back hurt, and giving you round ligament pain, well, it's just water, that's all! What's the fuss about? IT'S ONLY WATER. I don't know, it just doesn't sit right. But whatever. Freak us out. We don't have insanely large amounts of hormones running through our veins...

The baby can also supposidly hear sounds outside the womb now, and can become startled by loud noises. Like, maybe, my constant sneezing (seriously, the runny-nose symptom? The one I was never told about? DRIVING ME INSANE.), or that website Caleb and Mark made me go to, the one where the music suddenly blares out, causing my heart some major palpitations. I have no doubt Mr. Man-Child was just as surprised as I was, jumped just as high (seriously boys, you're lucky I didn't have the baby right there and then). It's exciting to think that he can hear me, and also somewhat unnerving. While learning the sex of our baby made it all seem a little more real, I still find myself freaking out every time I look in the mirror or try to zip up my pants. I'm afraid I'm never going to become connected to this pregnancy, that I'm going to be in for a major shock when someone places my very own child in my arms. That's mine. That I cooked all by myself.

The sites also talked about how I should be feeling the baby move now, and lots of fluttering, tickling, butterflies, rainbows, and sunshine, and I started freaking out, because have I? I don't think I've felt the baby move! How am I supposed to tell? So after a rather large sneeze I sat and concentrated and waited...and then I think I felt something, like a very tiny stomach shudder, so small that seconds later I completely disregarded it. Couldn't have been. Probably just more of that whole "blood pumping" my body is doing. Right? Or....maybe. So I find myself sitting and waiting a lot, half excited, half thinking that nothing is ever going to happen.

We've spent the last few days quietly mulling over the boy thing, and out of the blue Caleb will start talking about how he's going to teach him all about fixing cars (can you tell it's on his mind lately?) and how to play baseball. And then we'll continue on with whatever we're doing, and later I'll suddenly ask Caleb what he thinks he'll look like, if he'll be blonde like Caleb was when he was little, or have my hair color. Growing up in an all girl family, I can't fathom what a boy would look like at all. I asked this to my sister who is serving her mission for our church, and she said, "Probably like me, but with short hair.",  and I got this image of Kathy when she was little, her fly-away hairs blowing in the breeze, a permanent red Kool-Aid stain above her upper lip, and thought, I wouldn't mind that.

Comments

[Kjersti]

I love the comment about the raging hormones, because I'm right there with you on that one!!! I'm so excited for you and you're little boy, and I totally understand the fears of never really contemplating the pregnancy and worrying about feeling disconnected from your baby, but you have nothing to worry about! You and Cabe are going to be amazing parents! I'm so excited for you!

[Heather]

He will be adorable! Chances are, he will be an adorable counter of all things even! :)

[Abby]

They should have said your baby is mostly water and fur. This is Caleb's baby, after all...
That was an awesome post, btw. Made me fetchin tear up. Fetch.
And NO I'm am not sick for the reasons that you think that I am sick, though it crossed my mind more than once. Up until this morning that is, when I got a nasty and little surprise.

[Sherri]

Sorry, I couldn't help but leave a comment. I've caught up with you through KellyA's blog. When I get to that time in my pregnancy and wonder if the baby's starting to kick, I lay on my tummy on a bed. (Which at this point in your pregnancy it's ok to do, I think -mine have come out ok.) :) Just in case you haven't felt it kick yet. Good luck! Funny girl, blog -you do have talent.

[Kimba]

Thanks for the tip Sherri! I'm going to have to try that. Also, welcome! Hi! Comment anytime. (Would love for you to link to a blog if you have one!)