20 + 21 Weeks Pregnant

I said it a lot earlier in the pregnancy, but holy cow, was it a week. Except multiply that by 2.

Our dishwasher broke two weeks ago and we got a new one. Jack figured out how to install it instead of waiting over a week for someone else to do it because neither of have the patience for doing large quantities of dishes in addition to work and other chores. And then we realized our basement was very damp and had to buy a shiny new dehumidifier. We also went to Atlanta for a couple days over Labor Day Weekend for my uncle’s 1-year-late wedding reception. I’m exhausted, and I sucked at keeping track of pregnancy-related things.

So, things are very good, but very hectic.

Previous Updates

I’m Pregnant! + The First Trimester

14 Weeks Pregnant

15 Weeks Pregnant

16 Weeks Pregnant

17 + 18 Weeks Pregnant

19 Weeks Pregnant

At 20 weeks pregnant, baby girl was supposedly the length of a papaya. At 21 weeks, a grapefruit. I’d have thought grapefruits were smaller than papayas, but I’m apparently no expert.

Symptoms

I’m still nauseated more days than not.

If I take aloe water, senna, and a stupid amount of magnesium, and don’t travel, the constipation is manageable. It’s quite the regimen.

Still pretty sure I have sciatica. It’s mostly there at night and it makes laying down hurt.

I have to pee all the freaking time.

The pregnancy brain thing is still happening. I lose my train of thought in the middle of sentences all the time.

I’m still sleeping a lot. I nap whenever I can, and I even slept in till almost-7 a few days last week.

I have a little bump sometimes. It’s mostly visible when I lay down, but I think I only have another week or two in my one-size-too-big shorts.

I think I’m feeling kicks most days now. The description I’ve heard most is that it feels like a light tapping from the inside, but I don’t relate to that. Then, I read someone say it felt like little gas bubbles popping internally and that’s what made me realize I’m feeling them.

Food

My diet is still pretty much my normal, minus reduced healthiness while we traveled. In addition to many meals out, dinners looked like:

• Chicken thighs with fried cabbage (+ lots of extra seasoning) and roasted potatoes
• Bruschetta chicken with roasted Brussels sprouts and cheesy bread

• Crab cakes with mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli
• Sweet and sour pork
• Chili and cornbread
• Cajun salmon with roasted sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts

When I’m feeling extra sick in the morning, I graze on berries or watermelon, and I occasionally need a spoonful of peanut butter or something protein-y to tide me over till lunch.

Exercise

I’m continuing to follow the Expecting and Empowered pregnancy guide, so that covers three of my workouts a week. Aside from that, I’ve mostly been walking the dogs and doing chores around the house.

Stories

Jack was trying to feel baby kicks through my skin and said, “Oh, wow. That’s a bump. There’s a baby in there!” But, no, he can’t feel the kicks yet.

Ben has taken to sleeping with his back to my bump or directly between my legs whenever we’re on the couch. It’s very sweet.