Week 24: Goodbye Feet, Hello Jimmy Legs

Things have been relatively peaceful in the world of pregnancy over the past few weeks - I must be experiencing the time that is supposedly the "most comfortable stage" of pregnancy. I still tire pretty easily, but that horrible, sickening exhaustion I was going through seems to be long gone. I'm more prone to heartburn, but as long as I keep an eye on what and how much I eat, and take Pepcid at the onset, it's not too bad. Minor backaches are almost a constant now - doesn't matter if I've been sitting, standing, or laying down - but they've yet to be so bad that I can't handle them and have to take Tylenol. As my feet have disappeared from a straight-down view, I've also noticed that my belly button is beginning to become more and more shallow. I don't know why, but this totally creeps me out so all I can do is try not to think about it or watch it happen. (Although, you know there'll be a future post on my new outie.) With the belly gaining circumference, it seems my center of gravity is beginning to either shift or disappear altogether. I know it's very hard to believe, but lately I've found myself stumbling significantly more than usual. In fact, on Sunday I gave everyone an unnecessary scare when I fell at Mom's. You know if, God forbid, I were to slip in the tub or fall down the stairs and hurt the baby, I could chalk it up in my mind and conscience as a complete accident and maybe one day forgive myself. But, falling because I'm frantically running from a bee as if I were a five-year old child? Honestly, if something had happened to the baby, words can't even begin to describe the amount of guilt I would carry around with me the rest of my life. Fortunately, my right knee and one of the baby's future milk sources managed to somehow break my fall, so I didn't land on my stomach at all. I knew there was another reason women's boobs grow larger during pregnancy - landing gear!

If you're still worried about my tumble, Baby Neener has still been kicking the crap out of me since then. Maybe even more so. I do believe my stupidity has officially pissed him off.

I swear, every week his movements become stronger and more noticeable to me. I feel him almost constantly now - not just when I lay down on my back and concentrate. However, sometimes it's when I'm laying on my back that he puts on the best shows. Last weekend, for instance, I witnessed him press himself (his head or his butt, not sure which) up against my stomach so I could see a large bulge rise up, then slowly move across my belly, then slowly back. It was the weirdest thing and made me equally joyful and creeped out. So anyway, his actions are continually growing more forceful, though they are still enjoyable to me. I do believe he may have inherited his daddy's jimmy legs, and in a couple of months I'm not so sure these kicks will be as wildly entertaining to me as they presently are.

Baby Neener is now around eleven inches long - that's almost a foot long fetus! - and weighs approximately 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 pounds. It sounds like he's pretty busy with important things right now, like more fully developing his brain and lungs, and growing taste buds.

Ever since seeing him during our ultrasound, I find myself spending great amounts of time envisioning what exactly he'll look like. Will he be hairy like me, complete with a little hair patch on his lower back and thick bushy eyebrows? (Thanks, Dad - that's always becoming on a girl.) Will he inherit Stephen's slightly crossed eyes? I hope he inherits my butt, teeth, hair, and feet, but gets Stephen's nose, face shape, hands, and smile. Between the two of us, though, he's bound to be fair-skinned and suffer from acne. Sorry, little sweetie. You'll still be the most handsome Baby Neener of all and, more importantly, you're also apt to inherit some pretty sweet sarcasm skills. Which, I know, one day we will rue for giving to you.