One of the things I obsessively do now is check those pregnancy week-by-week calendars. I want to know what to expect, you know? Only thing is, no matter what they say, it’s not exactly, precisely, definitively exactly how I feel. And this is an issue for me. It’s partly my fault for bearing twice the fruit, and things are a little different for us pregnant with multiples. But still, since I read every single “week by week” pregnancy website ever created, it seemed only appropriate to litter the net with yet another take on the experience.
By far, the best pregnancy calendar out there is Amalah’s, hosted at Alphamom. Go on, see for yourself. It’s totally the best out there and I’m not even going to try to compete. So instead, I’ll rip. According to Amalah, who is also currently pregnant, (and due damn soon, I think) this is what’s going on with my little masterpieces-in-waiting:
Your Baby:
- Is about the size of your fist, unless you have giant man-hands or something, so maybe I should just compare it to a peach instead.
- Has a strong, whoosh-whooshy heartbeat that can usually be found pretty easily now with a doppler. It’s much faster than yours (between 120 – 160 bpm), and sounds vaguely like a washing machine.
- Has probably started sucking its thumb.
I don’t have man-hands, but I still prefer to think of them as little lemons. Maybe it’s all the lemonade I’ve taken to drinking since I’m off the Diet Coke wagon.
Other developments with my little ones:
- they’ve now formed their baby cajones! I hope they’re big like their mama’s.
- they are covered in a fine fuzz, kind of like baby chicks I think, only hopefully less yellow.
- they can each make a little fist, but hopefully haven’t taken to biting it yet, like my Aunt Gloria used to do whenever you’d bring up thin crusted pizza or living together before marriage.
- they are moving around a ton now, though they say I can’t feel it yet. I’m not saying I believe them.
And, how do I, the ever expanding watermelon-woman feel?
- like I always have to poop, even after I just did.
- my neck and back ache. Really ache. I thought it was bad posture from being hunched over the computer, but multiple sources (here, and here) say it’s part of tri-2.
- I get weird pains in my abdomen, but they are extremely mild. I don’t even feel right calling it “pain” as it’s more, “what the hell is that feeling?” than pain.
- I had three days of headaches. That sucked, but it seems better now. Yes, I called the doctor (as I always call the doctor when I have an excuse. In fact, it’s hard to stop myself from calling when I don’t, just to be like “Hey, it’s me. Just calling to see what’s up…”). The doc’s word on my headache was “Take two extra strength Tylenol and have a cup of coffee.” Well, I took the Tylenol but skipped the caffeine. I did not put myself and my husband through two weeks of hell getting off the stuff to jump back in bed with java now. And I’ve been headache free for a few days, so that’s cool.
- like, should I tell everyone yet? My parents have told nearly everyone, but I haven’t told a lot of my friends yet. My husband says, “week 20″ and I’d agree but I can hardly see my feet now – I think people may begin to notice in the next 6 weeks that something’s up. “We’ll deal with it then” he says, and is probably right.
- I wake up happy every day. I guess it’s a combination of things like not being sick to my stomach all the time like I was. And having the world’s most amazing dog at my feet, licking my toes when I wake up. And the guy next to me, who rolls over every morning and puts his hand on my gut and says, “hi guys!” with just about the sweetest voice you’d ever imagine.
Week 14? So far, good times. For me, anyway. I can snark all I want about it, but the truth is I’m really, stupidly happy. I’ve got plenty to worry and fret over. Finances. Health insurance. House repairs. Politics. But I’m not really feeling stressed at all. Hey – is this me? Hellooo? Who the hell just wrote that sentence?
Well, I wish whatever magic these hormones are doing would stick around when the pregnancy part is over, because something tells me when I’m not getting my 9 hours of sleep a night and trying to balance two sets of diaper changes and feedings, I’m going to need some in a hard way. Until then, I’m all schmaltzy smiles and stuff. And I like it.
Gratuitous adorable dog pic:
That’s my amazingly wonderful black lab, Mason. This was taken when he was a 13 week old pup, but still, how could you not wake up happy looking at that face? God, I hope my babies are half as cute!
