Baby Bump News: 24 Weeks!

24 Week baby bump photo with our baby girl!

And the comparison photo: At 24 Weeks with Austin.

I can't even explain how excited we are to have a baby girl on the way! I have been having fun planning out bedroom decorations, looking at adorable outfits and headbands online, and Josh talks all the time about how protective he already feels over her and loves putting his hand on my belly whenever we are lying down to feel the baby move :).

I have been feeling soooooo exhausted! I thought it was bad the last pregnancy but this time around is so much worse! I think it has to do with chasing Austin around and never getting a chance to catch up on sleep.

It seems like I'm always sick nowadays :(. Almost like this baby is sucking the life out of me and making it impossible to get better! But I'll forgive her for that ;).

Drinking my tea and attempting to heal my sore throat. It's been awful :(.

At work, super sick, and wishing I was home in bed....

Austin loves patting my belly but has no idea what's inside. I've been watching him and wondering how he is going to do with a baby sister. He loves seeing babies and points them out whenever we see one on the TV or when we are out and about. However, when I was babysitting one of his little friends the other day he kept trying to push the kid off my lap and I instantly got worried about bringing a brand new baby into the mix. We will see!

I haven't been craving anything in particular. That might have to do with me being too sick to eat much lately though. I remember with Austin I was really into spicy foods but this time around they give me instant heartburn....

I feel baby girl kicking all throughout the day but I think I remember Austin being a lot more active. Maybe she's still too small for me to feel it? Or maybe our prayers have been answered and she will be much calmer than her older brother?

My pregnancy symptoms have been getting much better in most areas, but sadly, not all. The acne has gone away, HALLELUJAH! And I am no longer a crazy emotional mental case. But sadly I have discovered the joys of hemorrhoids and it seems like I have constant acid reflux and heartburn. My hip also pops out of place whenever it feels like it which makes it really awkward and embarrassing when I am in public and suddenly can't move. I'm also dealing with serious water retention and leg swelling whenever I go to work because I am on my feet all day long. I wear compression socks but they don't help much :(. It's amazing what we go through to bring these little bundles of joy into our lives!

We have been working on picking out a name and think we have chosen a favorite! Now to figure out how we want to spell it....

I got my gym pass back after getting permission from my OB to exercise again. I haven't had any spotting since the first trimester and the placenta has moved up and away from my cervix so he is no longer concerned about it. It feels wonderful to get some stress out but it totally wipes me out afterwards.

And here's a picture of me the morning of my first day of work. You can see how much my belly has grown in just one month! I had woken up early because I was so anxious about starting a new job so I had plenty of time to relax and munch on a doughnut while I watched the morning news :).