18 Weeks

This pregnancy is flying by fast! I can't believe I'm a couple weeks from the halfway mark. We find out on Friday if we are having a boy or a girl. I am so excited! Boy or girl, I'm just hoping for a healthy baby.

I just started training at my new per diem job at the hospital. So far, I am enjoying it there. The therapists and nurses are really friendly and helpful. The physical therapist who is training me is also pregnant! She is 12 weeks along and is combatting dizziness and morning sickness. I really feel for her, but reassure her that she'll feel better by her 2nd trimester...we hope! This is her 2nd child and has had the same symptoms as her first. The difference is that she wasn't working with her first, so has found it much different now. I also didn't work much my first trimester and if I did, I can imagine feeling pretty crummy since you're on your feet so much and doing pretty physical labor.

It has been pretty tricky trying to get my snacks in-between meals and unfortunately, it hasn't worked out. So I end up eating breakfast, lunch and dinner without snacking. Once in awhile, I'm able to sneak in a banana or granola bar...but rarely. But I make up for it by snacking at night. My doctor said she'd like to see me snack more between my meals, having more of a balanced diet, but is reassured by me gaining the right amount of weight; especially since I've increased my physical activity by working full-time. Just as long as I'm not losing weight and not starving, that's fine by me!

I told a few therapists at work that I'm pregnant. They are surprised, like the majority that I've told, that I'm pregnant because I don't look pregnant. I tell them "Check my side view out."! It's hard to tell from the front angle. Though Chuck and I can totally tell that I'm pregnant. Of course, we've seen me more and are more familiar with my body. It'll be a nice change, though, for people to tell that I'm pregnant.

How Far Along: 18 weeks
Total Weight Gain: 11 lbs.
Maternity Clothes: Only thing I wear for pants, except for my scrubs and stretchy pants. Some maternity shirts with regular shirts that are long.
Sleep: Sleeping through the night!
Best Moment of the Week: Hasn't happened yet...will be on Friday when we find out the baby's sex.
Movement: Not yet :( The doctor said for first-time moms, it's around 20 weeks....maybe in a couple of weeks?
Food Craving: Goat cheese, anything sweet.
Food Aversions: Still poultry....though I ate a little last week and it was just ok. Still grudgingly eating veggies.
Morning Sickness: Nope!
Gender: We find out on Friday!
Labor Signs: I hope they aren't....I think they're just round ligament pains. They go away and have been more dull aches than contractions.
Belly Button: Still an innie :) Though my belly has been getting stretched.
What I Miss: Beef jerky, tons of sugary sweets and caffeine, sushi and a gin martini with a twist. Same as last week :)
What I'm Looking Forward To: Finding out the sex of our baby, some sort of job enjoyment. Same as last week :)
Weekly Wisdom: As long as you follow the precautions at work, you should be just fine. And it is safe to get a Tb test done, which I did yesterday. Hoping for a negative result so I don't have to get an x-ray!
Milestones: Starting yet another job and getting to have another ultrasound on Friday to see the baby's privates!