Just kidding! Last weekend I went shopping for some maternity jeans. I went to one maternity-specific store (the others were just regular department stores with a maternity section) and they had these little pillows you could strap around your waist to see how clothes will fit when you're further along in the pregnancy. It was pretty funny to see myself with such a large belly! Hopefully my real big, pregnant belly won't be lumpy like this pillow belly. ;-)
At this point I can't really fit into any of my non-pregnant jeans. I mentioned getting a "Belly Band" a few weeks back (the elastic band that you can use over unbuttoned regular jeans) it was terrible. In the few hours I tried to wear it, the band kept flipping up and it felt like a tourniquet around my waist. It went back to the store pretty quickly to say the least.
As a tall woman, shopping for maternity jeans was no easy task. Even in my non-pregnant state I often have a difficult time finding jeans (or pants, in general) that fit well around and in length and that are not ridiculously expensive. Adding the elastic waistband factor made it all the more difficult. Macy's was my last stop at the mall and they actually had a decent selection in their maternity section. I found some jeans that fit perfectly (for $35 with tax!) and I literally pumped my arms over my head in victory! I wore them pretty much every day this week and it was like heaven compared to my unbuttoned, too tight regular jeans. By the way, I had an elastic looped through the button hole and around the button so they weren't flapping in the breeze or anything! At this point, I don't really need maternity shirts. I tried a few on and thought they just looked sort of baggy, so I decided to hold off until my waistline is a bit "fuller".
Now that you know more about my clothes than you ever cared to know.... ;-)
I continue to feel great on the "how are you feeling?" front. I've noticed a new pregnancy symptoms, though. Lately my joints have been popping and cracking. I'm not doing any of it on purpose-- I'll just stand up or move a certain way and it's "Snap! Crackle! Pop!". During pregnancy the female body produces ten times the normal amount of a hormone called relaxin that loosens joints in preparation for childbirth. I have a feeling this hormone has kicked in and that my looser joints are the reason for all the popping and cracking. Fortunately it's not painful or anything.
Here's what the baby is up to this week:
Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.
In my (real!) weekly belly photo I am starting to look a little more round. As I mentioned earlier, though, you can't really tell when I'm wearing regular clothes.
We're headed to a HUGE baby and kids consignment sale in Chattanooga this weekend to hopefully get some great deals on "baby gear". We went to another consignment sale at a church this past week and got about $165 worth of stuff for $36.50! I'll share all the details and photos of everything in next week's post since we'll hopefully have some more "wins" this coming weekend. Like the wedding industry, everything labeled "baby" is super over priced. These consignment sales have gear in really great condition at a fraction of the price, so it is a fantastic resource! More later... :-)
