26 weeks

How far along? 26 weeks (and 1 day)  

Due Date: August 2, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: 11.5 pounds

Maternity clothes? Oh yes and I'm loving them!!  It makes me wonder why you'd ever want to wear jeans that don't have the comfort of a full stretchy panel over your belly.

Stretch Marks? Nada...keep working for me, Bio Oil!

Sleep: Same as last week.

Best moment this week: I had a great day last Friday.  I was on-call all day at work, so I stuck around Indy just in case they needed me.  (Thankfully, I never did get called in!)  My mom and I went shopping and to lunch at Petite Chou with my mom, one of her work friends and her friend's daughter.  It was so much fun and the food was outstanding!!!  I'm dying to go back there!  I even picked up a book called Baby Bargains, which I had heard I NEEDED to get.  I read it all in about 24 hours and it helped me clean up my registries a TON!  I definitely love and recommend this book to all first time parents. 

Movement: She's moving more and harder all the time.  I'm also feeling way more kicks above my belly button, which feels so weird after feeling her so much so low for the longest time.

Food cravings: Seafood!

Food aversions: CHICKEN!  (Will I ever look at you the same?)

  

Gender: Girl (at least I hope she still is or I'm gonna have to start returning some things) 

Labor Signs: I'm still having random contractions, but definitely less this week than I have been having.  That makes me happy.  :)

Belly Button in or out? Innie, although it's getting a lot more shallow and I'm wondering if it will eventually get flat.  The top of it is getting stretched a lot though and it itches all the time!

What I miss: Sleeping on my back without feeling a little paranoid and being able to shave my legs and tie my shoes comfortably.

What I am looking forward to: Heading up to my hometown this weekend to spend some time with my family and my best friend!!!

  

Milestones: The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. She may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. She's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of her lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when she's born and takes that first gulp of air. And she's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel.