"Whoa, We're Halfway Thereee..."

Despite the unseasonably cold temperatures and odd precipitation, I have managed at the very least 3 runs a week. Yay me! I refuse to run less than 3.1 miles regardless of how long it takes me. Every step of the way I remind myself that I am __ weeks pregnant, and I'm still going! I have made more of an effort to lift and practice my prenatal pilates, because it's my alone time, my "me" time, and it doesn't cost me a thing.

Although, being pregnant and trying to workout has been some work, it's work that I am willing to put in because I would rather have to work now, rather than becoming 40 lbs overweight, and have to start virtually from scratch when it comes to loosing the weight and working out. It was a long, hard road to get to the point that I was prior to becoming pregnant, and am at now. Granted, I definitely indulge in a day here and there of skipping a workout, eating some cheese, and/or cake- I mean, it is only fair, isn't it? ;-)

(Thanksgiving was, well, fine. It was only slightly annoyed, and minimally accosted by family. So, it was bearable even without alcohol).

20 weeks 2 days

 Here it is the meat and potatoes of it all. We are half-way there! Holy cow, how time flies. My belly is small, and I still feel pretty good. A lot of pressure in my pelvic/hip area, which is completely normal. I like to describe to other women who have inquired what it feels like as a sack of sand laying within your pelvic floor. Shirts are more snug that I would like them to be, as are some pants. I am still completely in regular non-maternity clothing, but I am fortunate enough to have a best friend who has a wide range of maternity wear that she has lent me when the time comes that Iggy "POPS". The nurses in the doctors office are betting that I will pop by 24 weeks, (December 26th).

I still have no food cravings, nor do I have any aversions, although due to my gastrointestinal history and distresses, there are certain foods that do not digest well, and cause a great discomfort, red meat, potatoes of any kind, and most dairy products. Lentils, peanut butter and jelly, spinach, red peppers, onions, mushrooms and BREAD, BREAD, BREAD seem to sit the best. Although, I hate to admit it out loud, but considering I plan on either printing or transferring most, if not all this information to some kind of pregnancy/baby book, I have gained about 6.5 pounds. I feel every ounce of those 6.5 pounds.

20 weeks 1 day

At 20 weeks 1 day exactly, RB and I went for my anatomy scan. It happened the day after Thanksgiving, giving us more things to be grateful for. Iggy looks great. Iggy was making it rather difficult to be seen, and measured, but nevertheless the tech did the best she could with a shy, yet stubborn little Iggster. She asked if wanted to know gender, to which RB said, "I do, she doesn't." The tech obliged our request to keep it to herself, writing the gender on a sonogram picture and putting it in a sealed envelope. The doctor at the hospital that we go for the tests, said that I needed to come back in two weeks to have Iggy remeasured, as Iggy is measuring a a week to two weeks smaller than it should be. I am not worried, RB of course was white. I informed him it's okay for the fetus to be a smaller now, it means that there is less of the chance of gestational diabetes. As for the envelope, it is in our home. I have not looked because I still do not want to know and most of the time, I even forget that I can know whenever I want to know. RB however, does know. We weren't going to tell anyone that he knows, but who cares. RB won't tell anyone, and he loves being the only one who does know. (Don't bother, he won't tell you!) Iggy has got a big head, apparently, all fetus' have big heads; more room for its glorious brain. When I sent this sonogram picture to my cousin, who has been amazing these last few months, she said Iggy looked so happy in this picture, a happy, healthy baby. Almost like it were laughing. 

This weeks milestones, LOTS of activity. Iggy likes to dance, and moves more with music, and when I am sitting with my knees up. Iggy is "quite" after a run, or any workout, a often will stop moving the second RB wants to get a feel, (poor guy). Last night as we were laying in bed, we saw my belly wave, and move because of Iggy's powerful little kicks, turns, and twists. My favorite part of being pregnant, the moving. I love the science behind feeling this kid move around, kick, and listening to it's heart beat the most. Seeing it on the screen is cool too, but certainly not my number one in the awesome department. I don't feel like a mother, or this intense connection to Iggy. Most of the time I feel like a hippo, but then I feel that awesome little kick, and nudge, reminding of it's existence and I feel like a happy, hippo. 

Whoa, we're halfway thereeee.... now to get through the holidays :)