19 weeks 1 day

19 weeks 1 day... I did actually open this and start it yesterday, but never got a chance to finish.

Anyway, I'm almost halfway and growing, growing, growing! I can definitely feel my belly beginning to tighten, and the start of my belly button wanting to start popping out. I'm actually starting to really believe that I look pregnant, not just pudgy round the middle, haha. Like I've mentioned, my weeks just seem to be passing by in a blur... which this past week I was glad of, cause it meant I didn't have time to dwell on or worry about the upcoming scan. Still, as my scan got close I couldn't help but worry - especially as I'm still not feeling much in the way of movements. A few possible ones, but not much.

Anyway, after a busy day yesterday (meet up with friends in the morning, lunch at mum and dad's, school pick up), it was time for my scan. We got to the hospital (St Lukes - had never been there before) and waited, and waited... my full bladder did not appreciate the waiting! Oh, and the kids were starting to get crazier and louder the longer we were waiting. Anyway, eventually I was called in and straight away, there was my little bubba bump up on the screen.

Bubba spent the scan wriggling around and moving. We saw lots of legs moving and little feet and toes, arms waving about. Hubby is pretty sure he saw bubba sucking it's thumb too!

The kids came to the scan too, and they were really good... hubby kept them busy with snacks, and by the end, games on our phones. The little man especially was very interested and kept asking where the baby's arms/legs/head, etc were.

The technician we had was nice, but not hugely chatty, so I wasn't told heaps about what we were seeing. From what I could understand and make out, everything looks really good, and bubba seems healthy and happy. Bubba is also measuring perfectly. I saw the technician doing some of the measurements, and they always came up about 19 weeks 1 day or so. Perfect.

We got a CD with heaps of images from the scan, but most of them aren't lovely shots you can easily make out... The one below is the best one we have.

And after much sitting on the fence for a long time, hubby and I decided we would find out the gender of bubba bump... We weren't really given a straight answer, as bubba wasn't in the best position for looking between legs, but the technician said 'there were no obvious boy bits' and she would 'put her money on it being a girl'... so it looks like we might be expecting another little princess. Still, it's not 100%, so I won't go crazy stockpiling pink everything... we'll find out for sure in about 4.5 months.

(sort of) Finding out the gender has made me realise how I really wasn't fussed about whether I was having a boy or a girl. Still, I am itching to go out and buy a cute girly outfit... just to make it feel a bit more real. Yes... I am still semi in denial about this whole pregnancy. I just have so little time to focus on it, it is very much in the background. I'll probably be shocked when the baby actually comes out!

I have had a good week in the healthy pregnancy side of things. I went to the gym last Tuesday and had my program done up, and then went back Thursday. The kids are both in bed by 7pm these days, so I can just go out after they're in bed, do a quick workout, and be home again before 8pm. It seems to work well. I'm planning on going again tonight.

I also went back to pregnancy yoga on Sunday, and this time the usual instructor took it. It was very different from the previous week - much more focused on birth. It was awesome actually. We did some visualisation about the baby, and I honestly almost started crying (I had a couple of tears). Just to actually feel connected to this baby for a moment, and allow myself to be in the moment with nothing but love for the baby growing inside me... it was really lovely.

We also did a few poses helpful for birth, as well as looking at some breathing that will hopefully be useful too. At the end, a very pregnant mumma (41+1) shared a story in front of the class about an experience she had with the midwives at the hospital - with the moral of the story basically being that you always have a bit of wiggle room with their requests and policies, etc. Be assertive, etc. I wish I had been doing this class in my first pregnancy... maybe I could have avoided the caesarian.

Anyway, it was a great class and I'm really looking forward to going again next week.

Oh, and eating... well, I'm trying to up vegetables and not go overboard on the other stuff... but many improvements could still be made.

And below is my belly pic! Definitely growing, and I may even pop a bit more as bubba moves up above my belly button! I actually need some more clothes... wardrobe choices are very limited at the moment!

20 weeks next week!!!