today i am 20 weeks pregnant — exactly, and with my first kid. boom. and i can’t believe i’m already this far along. time has flown, no… like seriously. just the other day i was soul coastin’ up and down the streets of DC, MD + VA where i’d called “home” for the last 8 years. but now, well now as of July 2017… i’m blossoming quite nicely with my mate and a bump, in the sunshine adventures of miami, florida.
new city, new job, new opportunities, new life. wow. what a journey it has already been and i’m only just 20 weeks in.
i wasn’t sure how i would start off by sharing this journey to the world; or even when i would share. i’ve pondered and pondered + pondered and technically, i still never decided on anything “concrete”. this is a journey that i’ve been extremely excited about since the day we found out many weeks ago; but if you know me and you follow my social channels, then you should know how private i am. i’m just one of those people that tends to enjoy life and all that it brings without having the desires to share every little piece and detail of it with the world. BUT how could i NOT share THIS blessing?
today was the day of the BIG 20-week anatomy scan appointment and my, oh, my what a day it was.
wait freeezzzeee. let me back up real fast. perhaps to the beginning. i feel it’s beyond necessary to pause and just brag about my lover, partner + best friend who has been by my good + bad sides since day one; especially since half of this journey so far was spent long distance. anything i write is always raw + unfiltered, so i will be honest. he’s really amazing when it comes to this stuff. without him (and of course our super supportive families), i don’t quite know for sure how i would have made it this far. yeah there were (are still) those times when i just could not fight the petty hormones that come along for the 1st trimester ride and stick around a little bit in the 2nd. during these past 20 weeks, i’ve had my share of attitude and simply not wanting to be bothered and at times, only the thought of food or milkshakes in return put a silly grin on my face. i mean, go figure. but not once has my partner reacted in the same manner. not once has he been impatient with me. not once has he gone a couple hours or so without checking in to see how i’m feeling or rubbing on my tummy. not to mention, he gives the BEST feet and back rubs. and while i’m at it, he feeds belly + baby pretty darn good too. once we found out the news, it became GO TIME for him and he’s been “super daddy-to-be” ever since. i’m grateful, appreciative and thankful for everything he does to ensure this first journey is one to remember.
okay, un-freeze.
ANATOMY | i had my first ultrasound at 9 weeks (3 days before moving to MIA) and at that time, baby was about the size of a large grape — definitely viable with a solid heartbeat; but today was the day of the biggie appointment. you know the one where they check every single detail about sweet baby on the ultrasound screen for you to see? yeah, that part. and i do mean every detail from the spine to the tiny toes. i’m so happy and over-joyed to say that our baby BOY is healthy and growing right on schedule, weighing in at about 11 ounces. while i sit here typing and mentally revisiting the events of today, i can’t stop seeing his cute little fingers and toes; and how his legs curled up to his chest. OMG. and let my sonogram tech tell it, little one is pretty damn cute. as my family likes to say during joyous occasions… PRAISE THE LORD that we can breathe just a little bit better as we inch closer + closer towards our February 2018 due date.
“For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.” — Jeremiah 29:11
NUTRITION | when it comes to my current eating habits, not much changed from before. i had already been eating fairly clean prior to becoming preggo. i made little adjustments, but if you’ve followed my instagram + insta stories, you may have seen where i started documenting a bunch of healthy snack foods a few weeks back: watermelon, oranges, grapefruit, grapes, boiled eggs, cheddar cheese, blueberries, cucumber salad, apples, bananas, cantaloupe, loads of H20 + the occasional smoothie have all been my go-to’s as far as in hefty nutritional value.
FLUTTERS | the moment i felt the first flutters of my baby boy was actually 1.5 weeks ago during monster hurricane Irma’s eventful time spent on the islands and in southern florida. we’d made the extended drive to Georgia during that time as it was a mandatory evacuation in our area. on our third day is when i felt them. soft + subtle while i laid quietly watching the aftermath of natural disasters on CNN. and let me just tell you, ain’t nothin’ — ain’t no other feeling quite like the movements of LIFE inside of you. i fall in love with them every day now as they get a bit more defined and consistent. pretty much the highlight(s) of my day — pretty much.
CLOSING | just a quick catch up on what’s been going on with me as i close with the symptoms and cravings that i’ve experienced thus far. i’ve been fortunate not to have any vomiting or any of the major symptoms. in fact, i’ve had a breezy pregnancy so far! thank you for stopping by and congratulations to all the women who are currently expecting! growing and giving life is the most precious gift + miracle. what an exciting time.
stalk me in cyberspace: @pslovecharlixo
(warning — the below info may be TMI for the fellas)
1st trimester symptoms + cravings:
- light cramping (didn’t really bother me much. put it off as the uterus preparing for growth)
- breast + nipple tenderness
- lower back pain
- mild headaches (when i went too long without eating)
- increased urination
- mood swings
- sausage + cheese biscuits/breakfast food (scrambled eggs, pancakes, etc.)
- milkshakes
- skittles (the purple pack lol)
2nd trimester symptoms + cravings (so far):
- round ligament pain (uterus stretching)
- lower back pain
- runny/stuffy nose, mild cold + cough
- breast growth, nipple sensitivity
- major fatigue (weeks 14-17)
- milkshakes
- sour candy (gummi worms, sour patch kids)
- dill pickle chips
PSLovecharliXO 