Pregnancy update at week 18 + belly pics

I started taking belly pics at week 8, so thought I'd share my photos from week 8-17. I'll do the same for 18-28 and 28-...whatever I get to...

Here I am weeks 8-17

Belly: Now I'm in my 19th week I'm noticing a belly all the time and a lot of other people have started noticing it. I'm loving seeing it grow so far, but we'll see what I think about it in a few months!

Baby's size: Apparently baby is now the size of a kumara (sweet potato)...mmm sounds delicious.

Weight gain: I've gained 3-4kg from the start, so am on track with that.

Movement: I've started feeling popping, but nothing definite yet. BUT, I have seen my belly move a few times, and it can only be baby, so that's exciting! (I'm feeling little pops as I type this, so hoping this will become more defined over the next few days.)

Scans: We're just waiting for the 20 week scan in 1 1/2 weeks- can't wait! We're not going to find out the sex, but get the sonographer to write it on a piece of paper. We'll give the paper to a baker and get a gender reveal cake! Wohoo. So the Saturday after the scan we're having an afternoon tea and we will find out the sex of our baby with our family and friends :)

Boy or girl?: I have a feeling baby is a boy, but who knows! Matt dreamed it was a girl and only one of us can be right.

Midwife appointments: Currently 4 weekly, and all is well. I love hearing baby's heartbeat, and Matt came today and got to hear it which was special.

Bleeding: stopped at 14 weeks wohooooo!! 

Symptoms: All day nausea and sickness stopped at about week 12, but I have still been vomiting nearly every morning since then. But I generally feel fine the rest of the day so I can handle it. I'm hoping it's starting to taper off though, it's not the nicest thing. I'm super tired all of the time, and very hungry (but that's normal for me.) 

Baby's room: We moved house last week, and now I can start collecting all the baby stuff we've been offered/are borrowing from amazing friends. My parents bought us a lovely change table and we'll start putting things together and decorating over the next few months.

All in all everything is going well. I still can't believe I'm pregnant sometimes. Other times I have my 'holy crap we're bringing a living being into the world, we have to look after it for 18 years' moments. It's a BIG commitment, but I'm excited!!

Life, lately

Things are happening around here (although obviously not right now while I procrastinate and write this blog!).

So- we're moving house. We love our current place. We've only been here 6 months, but the landlord has decided to sell (grrrrr!). So we've found a new place, not too far from where we are now. The inside is bigger and better than this place (it has DVS, yay for no mould! Yay for a large kitchen pantry!). But the outside isn't as nice. It has a bit of a garden but it's all muddy at the moment, and it won't get as much sun. But you win some you lose some.

So this is the state of our place at the moment:

The state of our house makes me feel itchy

Moving and packing only 6 months after last time is NOT FUN I tell you. I can't wait till it's over. And, we've only been here 6 months and yet we have 4 bags of stuff for a charity shop and several boxes of stuff for the junk truck that's coming tomorrow. How did we fit all this stuff in our last (smaller) place? Where did it all come from? It's a mystery to me. (I secretly think junk replicates to fit the space you live in.... it's a theory I'm working on.)

Since I'm all preggo and stuff, and can't lift everything like last time (I was a super mover I tell you) we're paying movers, so at least it should only take a few hours as opposed to all day last time. And they are coming bright and early on Friday, so who knows, by Friday lunch time it could be all over!

In other more exciting news, also happening this weekend (the day after the move), my parents are coming for a few days to stay! Yay!

Parents are nice

It will be nice to see them. Also, it's the first time they've seen me since I've been pregnant and my mother is excited about getting her hands on my belly....haha. I think there will be much baby talk!

Matty, my super hubby, is not only working full time, he is studying too and doing his assignment basically every single spare moment he has. Also, still cooking, telling me we need to vacuum (haha), tidying the garden, and trying to sort through his junk before we move.

Super-Matty

He seems to have a lot of energy on little sleep, so this all bodes well for life with a newborn ;)

And in other, other news, yes I did drop out of university. It felt like a weight off my shoulders and I know it was the right decision for me, even though I would usually characterise this as very un-Jenn behaviour. Oh well, you have to live on the wild side sometimes, and quitting uni (ok postponing) is about as wild as it gets for me now (well apart from that one time with the virgin margaritas, but we won't go there).

And that's life, lately.

Opinions: People have them

So, now that it's becoming more widely known about baby on the way, people feel very eager to share their opinions with me and tell me why I'm wrong. It has begun!!

Now that I'm around 16 weeks pregnant, the most common question I get (apart from 'was it planned?'....um... don't really wanna share about my sex life with you, random stranger) ahem, anyway, the most common question is 'will you find out the gender?'

Fair enough question. At the moment we think yes we will, although that may change. And it is SO crazy the amount of people who don't just disagree with our decision but tell us we're wrong and stupid. Sure, disagree away about our decision, but attacking us is not really fair. Comments we have had

"People can't keep anything a surprise anymore, it's the 'now now now' generation."
"People can't keep anything a secret anymore it's so stupid."
"Back in my day I never found out the gender and I don't know why people would today, it spoils it."

And so on.....

And, the birth. I'm having a hospital birth, probably with some form of medication (I'm keeping an open mind). I may have to have a C-section (medical reasons), and someone was dismayed by this. A c-section isn't a real birth you see. If I have the condition that means I will need a c-section, if I try and give birth naturally I would bleed out and die. Is that natural enough for you?

Come on, I am over 5 months away from birth anyway! And really, my private birth experience is only the concern of me, Matt, baby and the midwives/doctors. No one else needs to know, and giving opinions like that is not helpful.

Another decision (not really a decision at this stage, just a thought) is to go back to work for a day or two a week 3-4 months after baby is born. I don't need to tell you about the looks I have been given for this one. Sigh.

I had heard about this type of judgement that people feel free to give to expecting mothers, but man I have never been so judged in my life before about pretty simple and private decisions. And what is to come? I can only imagine it will get worse as the pregnancy progresses and then baby is born.

Look, I am happy to hear differing opinions on issues. That is how I learn. But not in such a disrespectful way. And if you are a stranger to me, I probably don't want to hear it. I'd rather learn from those who I trust, and who respect my final decisions.

'Reach Me' free pregnancy pack

If you're like me there is nothing that can make your day like a package in the mail full of free goodies. Today I received my free pack of samples from 'Reach Me,' and for free samples, it's pretty good!

What's inside:

• A parenting magazine
• A ricochet baby bib
• Libra maternity pads
• 2 Treasures newborn nappies
• Travel wipe sample pack
• A sachet of Eco store stain remover
• Eco store hand cream (full size, pretty stoked about this one!)
• Bepanthen nappy rash cream
• Travel size packet of corn thins (perfect for pregnant ladies on the go!)
• Phloe bowel health capsules
• Lots of vouchers for discounts of baby products

Reach me also have a pack for when the baby is a newborn and a toddler, and I will definitely be getting those!

I'm pretty sure this is all run by treasures nappies, as since I signed up for this I have received an email promoting treasures. I don't really mind, it would be easy to unsubscribe if I wanted, and you can't complain about free things.

Adding this to my bounty pack (which you receive at the GP's when you're first pregnant) I'm feeling pretty stoked.

(I think this pack is only available in NZ, sorry ladies!).

"The Child who was never born"

I found a picture of this statue a while ago

"The child who was never born" by Martin Hudáčeka

I feel like I am in a place now where I can appreciate the raw beauty, sorrow and hope this statue creates.

Although this statue was apparently created for the situation of abortion, and the pain after that, art is in the eye of the beholder and for me this statue is just as poignant for those who have gone through miscarriage or stillbirth.

I am so grateful for my current pregnancy, and I will never forget the hurt of the loss of the two earlier ones. But this pregnancy is healing me, and I can look back with less grief in my heart now. I will never forget, but I feel like I can move on.

This statue will be such a lovely memorial to those mothers who have lost their babies too early. It would be moving to be able to visit it and to have a moment remembering those gone too soon.