Bridgefest and Round Ligament Pain

  Well, mid-60's with a cool-ish breeze at times, overcast and overall not a sparkly day made Bridgefest not as fun.  We went for the Atlantic salmon, chicken wings and fries.  The food was good.  The seagulls were lurking too closely at times.  Only saw a few people we knew.  I think it is strange that when people recognize me they say, "I know you."  And today that was followed by, "I was just talking about you the other day."  Who knows what that means.  I did not ask.  I got to wear my State Wide Real Estate jacket I just got monogrammed this week.  Sweet.  The hood helped with the periodic sprinkles and to keep the wind off of my ears as they were aching from walking into the wind on the second half of our walk to our car.  My right side, my lower abdominal area started getting painful while walking.  It worsened the more I walked so I rested on a bench and Tony dutifully walked all the way back to the car by himself, then came and picked me up.  I feel better now I have rested and am no longer walking.  I think it is just round ligament pain, but rest is fine just to be sure.

  I got an accepted offer on my first real estate deal today!  This is half way to closing the deal.  So excited.  It is comparable to driving by yourself for the first time, making your first professional presentation or living in your own place for the first time.  What an accomplishment it feels like.  I cannot wait to get paid for my work also.

  I look forward to fireworks tonight after getting Nikki's birthday present ready.  She's getting a compilation book of photos I have taken over the years.  I have never given her copies and this way the pictures will be novel to them.  Mostly they are at family gatherings and I am trying to incorporate everyone from the family in them, but since I am behind the camera I am sorely lacking in presence in front of the camera.  I will have to resolve this at future functions.  Fun to look back at the girls growing.

20 WEEKS!!!!!!   Half way there!

How your baby is growing:

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure,measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

How your life's changing:

Congratulations! You've hit the halfway mark in your pregnancy. The top of your uterus is about level with your belly button, and you've likely gained around 10 pounds. Expect to gain another pound or so each week from now on. (If you started your pregnancy underweight, you may need to gain a bit more; if you were overweight, perhaps a bit less.) Make sure you're getting enough iron, a mineral that's used primarily to make hemoglobin (the part of your red blood cells that carries oxygen). During pregnancy, your body needs more iron to keep up with your expanding blood volume, as well as for your growing baby and the placenta. Red meat is one of the best sources of iron for pregnant women. Poultry (especially the dark meat) and shellfish also contain iron. Some common non-meat sources of iron include legumes, soy-based products, spinach, prune juice, raisins, and iron-fortified cereals.

If you haven't already signed up for a childbirth education class, you may want to look into one, especially if you're a first-timer. A structured class will help prepare you and your partner for the rigors of labor and delivery. Most hospitals and birth centers offer classes, either as weekly meetings or as a single intensive, one-day session. Many communities have independent instructors as well. Ask your friends, family members, or caregiver for recommendations.

I found out just this week that the pre-natal vitamins I have been taking (4 horse pills per day) have NO iron in them.  I have been lacking iron this whole time!  Ridiculous!  I started on iron yesterday and I feel better already.  I felt dizzy, nauseated and like I was going to pass out right after my business photo session yesterday.  Dehydration and low iron will do that to a pregnant girl.  Lesson learned and problem rectified.