Baby Shelley: 19-20 Weeks

19-20 Weeks
Weight gain: 3.5 lbs
Maternity clothes: Got a new amazingly comfy waterfall cardigan from Loft that I'll be wearing pretty much every day because it's wonderful.
Sleep: Sleeping pretty well on my left side lately, which is the recommended sleep position so yay! Hardly slept at ALL the night before the ultrasound. That's the first event in my life when I've really had a hard time sleeping beforehand. Before other big life things like our wedding I slept like a rock, haha.
Medication: Weaning off of the Zofran more, but I took it a little too far this week. I've been trying to do just one pill a day, but my body couldn't take it on Thursday and I almost didn't make it to pulling over when I was driving Jordan's car. But I made it thankfully! I always feel bad for the people who have to witness my side of the road vomiting. Sorry, people. I feel like fruit snacks are my second medication these days. If I start feeling bad I sit still and eat them very slowly and it helps, haha.
Gender prediction: We found out on Thursday! Will announce this weekend. :) SO PUMPED!
Food cravings: BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP all day erry day.
Food aversions: I tried some Goldfish for the first time since July the other day and they were alright, but I wasn't really into them. Maybe someday my love for them will return.
Mood: I was FULL of anticipation and some anxiousness for our anatomy ultrasound. So thankful that I could talk to the Lord about it, He definitely gave us peace and reminded me that He already knows everything that's going on in there! And since the ultrasound I've been getting more and more excited as the thought of the gender starts to sink in. AHHHH!
Movement: Moving so much! I was informed at the ultrasound that the baby is hanging out toward the surface with the placenta behind, so that's one reason why I've been able to feel so much movement fairly early on. Last night before I went to sleep my hand happened to be resting on my belly and I felt the baby externally for the first time! It was so cool. I could even feel it shifting and moving. I thought about waking Jordan up but he had just fallen asleep and will feel it in due time. :)
Milestones: Well we are HALFWAY and we FOUND OUT THE GENDER! And that the baby is super healthy and developing wonderfully so far. It was just so amazing to see the baby moving around, waving at us, grasping its leg, opening its mouth, and looking positively adorable in my opinion. It made it even more real and exciting.
Best moments of the week: Well, it's been two weeks...so let's see. We had a fabulous time at Jordan's Granma's house for their annual weenie roast with almost all of the cousins! Jordan had his test that day so the weekend consisted of him winding down from that. We had a wonderful date night to celebrate -- Japanese food and (cooked) sushi at our favorite place provided by Jordan's parents, and then a cookie cake with ice cream from my parents. They are so, so good to us! Then this past week we had the ultrasound first thing in the morning on Thursday with a Bojangles breakfast date after. It was SUCH a great morning. Friday night we went to a little costume party with some of our favorite people. Saturday was our church fall festival (that felt like a WINTER festival) and we loved spending time with our chapel family singing praise songs around the bonfire. We started on some house projects and are going into full nesting mode! So far this involves purging and painting.
Quotes: A bank teller congratulated me on the pregnancy and asked what the baby is the day after we found out, so I mayyy have told him, haha. I won't say where because my mom might track the guy down and corner him.
Jordan quotes: I need to start writing these down because I forget them! The one I can think of was on Halloween when Jordan was dressed up in a ridiculous costume. He's the one on the right.

So when he was putting it on, it started inflating through the fan where that little circle is. He then said something about dressing up like me. As in my body is already inflated. As in comparing me to the giant blob you see above. Bahaha. It may sound mean but it was hilarious, and he has sweet comments too I just can't remember them right now besides gender related ones. :)

Verses I've been dwelling on: In my pregnancy devotional book, it had a devotion about the anatomy ultrasound. It REALLY helped with my nervousness about it so I'll put the excerpt with the Scripture here.

"His disciples asked Him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned,' said Jesus, 'but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.'" -- John 9:2-3

"As the day drew near for our baby's twenty-week ultrasound, I was both giddy and fearful. I couldn't wait for the sneak peek at our little one, but I also couldn't help worrying that the ultrasound would reveal a genetic abnormality or problem. Try as I might, I couldn't block out this fear.

What if the ultrasound had revealed a serious medical issue? Thought it would have taken some time to adjust to this new reality, the truth is that God would still have been at work glorifying Himself through the situation. As in the story of the blind beggar whom Jesus healed, I could have rested in the fact that 'this happened so that the work of God might be displayed.' I could also have rested in the truth that God would give me enough grace for each day He had given me with this little one.

Is your God big enough to carry you through whatever comes your way? Will you praise Him in the hard times as well as in the times of rejoicing? These words aren't meant to cause undue worry, but to spur us to cling to the truth of God's goodness no matter what trials come. They also remind us that every child is a gift."

-- Catherine Claire Larson, Waiting in Wonder

I HIGHLY recommend this devotional book (thanks, Mom!) as it has been so encouraging with prompts for me to write out prayers for the baby and our family. It starts at 5 weeks so get it early in your pregnancy! :)