Baby Update: Week 24

24 weeks = 6 months pregnant! This child has had no shortage of movement this week. He's quite the active one. Here's my 6-month picture. And the comparisons:
Month 1, Month 2, Month 3, Month 4, Month 5, Month 5.5 ...and this would be the Month 6.

Yesterday morning, I had this lovely beverage to consume for breakfast. I was told that I could eat nothing past 10 p.m. the prior evening and nothing in the morning until I was tested for gestational diabetes. They recommended drinking with a straw or over ice (but obviously cold). I thought it was weird that they sent me home with this a month ago (at my last appt.) and that they trusted I would drink it! Of course I did, but I just felt they would prefer have me drink it in their office. At 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, I sat down to drink. I was nervous because I had heard horror stories about how disgusting the sugary liquid would taste. Honestly, though, it tasted like a non-carbonated Sprite! I was not struggling to finish it and I had no desire to become sick. It was perfectly fine.

When I went into the OB's office to have my finger pricked and blood drawn, they immediately cleared me of GD. At the same time, they are testing your iron levels. Being a bit nervous about this since Anemia runs in my family and it is not rare to become Anemic while pregnant, I braced for the worst. It also doesn't help the cause that I'm a vegetarian! It turns out that my iron was at 12.2, which is above the requirement of 12. She also told me the average pregnant women is at a 12. Awesome! I weighed in 3 lbs more than my 5-month appointment, the heartbeat was great, and the measurements were great according to the doctor. Something awkward... a women went in for her GD test right before me and apparently failed. They sent her back in the waiting room with a bunch of paperwork and then I went in. After I passed, the nurse told me not to smile too wide as I walked back into the waiting room because the lady before me had failed. How terrible to disclose that to me, a complete stranger!


How far along?: 24w2d
How big is Baby?: Baby W is over a foot and almost 1.5 pounds! The fruit chart labels him a papaya (again, anyone ever seen a foot-long papaya?), but I refuse to believe their measurements.
Maternity clothes?: Yes. Pre-pregnancy shirts are still used frequently, though. T-shirts are becoming more uncomfortable as they hug my belly. I sometimes forget I'm pregnant-- like last night when I attempted to zip up a hoodie sweatshirt (could fall be finally relieving us from this incredible heat in the Midwest?) and realized that I couldn't because my belly was too far out. Haha.
Sleep?: I sleep quite well on my left and right sides. I haven't had any of those terrible leg cramps at all this week! Although... I've read from other pregnant women that it doesn't necessarily mean they're gone.
Best moment of the week?: Watching my husband wear the empty Baby Bjorn around the house last night in preparation for our little guy. And then I attempted to put it on and snap it closed (though I did manage) and realized... oh yeah... that belly just may be in the way! {Baby Bjorn Active purchased off Craigslist last night for $25! I still want the Ergo, but the price is a bit much for now and they don't offer the cover for the winter like the BBA does--I registered for one of those. Maybe we'll switch to the Ergo in the summer of 2011.} On that note, we also visited Once Upon a Child (favorite baby consignment store!) and bought this (exact) awesome JJ Cole Urban Infant carseat cover for $12! It retails for $40 and we bought it-- no joke-- in practically new condition. If you wrapped it in plastic and stuck it on a shelf, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Though we registered for the stroller cover since it's freezing during Chicago winters, we won't really need it until winter of 2011/2012. So, that's no rush. Once Upon a Child was also selling those for $18, but I wanted the Urban style and I didn't see them. I'll be on the lookout.  :)
Movements?: Nonstop! Of course until others want to feel and then he seems to nap during that time. Ray finally was able to see Baby W kick as he looked at my belly. It's wild!
Food cravings?: Not really...
Aversions?: Not really...
What I miss?: I miss riding a bike. I wish we had them here. I am still able, but we just don't own them yet. I'm still attempting to jog at this point and plan to go for a jog later this afternoon. I don't overdo it, but I have to enjoy this amazing outdoor weather while I can. Soon I will want nothing to do with anything outside.
What I'm looking forward to?: A fun night at Pei Wei (just opened on Tuesday in Chicago) and seeing Million Dollar Quartet at the Apollo Theater in Chicago. A friend of mine {who also blogs} was able to score us a couple VIP tickets! We have a fun weekend in store and my parents are coming into town in 8 days!!!
Anything else?: Baby W can now hear quite a bit from inside the womb and his cute little face is pretty much fully developed.
This week in history: We're in the midst of a major egg recall across the country from some salmonella-contaminated eggs. Schools in our area are back in session as of yesterday. It's fun to see the school bus drive by, but a little sad I'm not impacting those kiddos. I'll be subbing until the baby is born.

What's going on this week (with us)?: So much fun. I mentioned quite a bit above, but we're just getting things figured out around the house and spending time with friends. We have plans to hang a couple items in Baby W's room this weekend and we tentatively scheduled our massive bedroom wallpaper strip and paint (UGH!) for the month of October. It's that big of a project that we have set aside an entire month! It would be nice to have it done before the baby arrives. We're also thinking about getting insulation quotes so we can be prepared for the winter. Our attic (and possibly basement) could use some more insulation so we're not paying ridiculous amounts for energy loss during the winter months. Any advice on that?