Week 23

How far along: 23 weeks

How big is baby: Eggplant or green onion in length.

Best moment of the week: This is going to sound terrible, but the sick day I took yesterday. I woke up dizzy and nauseous, so spent most of the day sleeping.

Food cravings: Eggo waffles for about an hour last week. Not any waffles. Just Eggos or nothing. I settled on nothing. Right now, feta cheese, because we rarely have any, but we bought some on Friday for a recipe we were taking to a barbecue on Sunday

Symptoms: Self-induced: back pain. Ok, Cara, don't kill it at the gym on a Friday and expect to rake a yard and keep up with toddlers on a Saturday AND be able to get off a couch on Sunday. Not self-induced: despite drinking 72-84 ounces of water a day, moisturizing daily and gaining weight slowly and steadily, I still managed to get stretch marks. These white lightening bolts are all over my hips, thighs and presumably butt (I didn't have the heart to look and will be avoiding the mirror beside my shower for the next year). Harumph. "Badge of honour" my ass.

Gender: Still a girl. Trying to open my mind to the possibility of a boy, again.

What I’m looking forward to: Raking the lawn next spring, when I don't have an aching back, and the neighbours aren't peering through their curtains to see "The New Neighbours," and then bringing over baby stuff and asking when we're due the minute they spot the belly, before we've even been introduced. Raking the lawn next spring is going to be so much easier both physically and mentally.

What I miss: The ability to do stuff. Again. Seriously, nothing is more of a kick in the pants than having to take a break from raking, only to find yourself watching people frame and drywall your basement. You know what never seemed fun until all of a sudden you're not allowed to do it?

Husband perspective: I'm content just waiting for the baby to be a baby. I don't notice a whole lot of the right now (I scowl at him... must be nice)