As 20 weeks is technically the halfway point, I probably should have posted this even earlier. Still, my anatomy scan was later (this past Monday) so I didn't feel like posting a halfies post without having completed my signpost moment in Western medicine.
Thankfully, the kiddo is perfect. Actually perfect.
Kiddo matches my dates perfectly, in size and weight (this is pretty rare as most women don't know exactly when they conceived and few babies follow a pattern). Brain and spine are perfect. Heart is perfect. Abdomen and everything inside look perfect. Hands and feet are perfect. Nose and lips are perfect. I can't tell you about the genitals, because I refused to look (as did Christian), but the tech didn't say anything was amiss with that either.
She even called our baby "good-looking." I assume this is because of measurements, although our tech seems to have been doing this a long time. I suspect she's seen her fair share of unborn babies. A scan that can take as long as 1.5 hours only took about 30 minutes, because well, this lady is pro. Her fingers danced across dials to get things properly lit up, and her hand shifted the wand just slightly and got a perfect view in a matter of seconds.
She knew what she was doing. So if she said kiddo is good-looking, kiddo IS.
Of course, it is possible our baby could look super goofy or troll-like. Some babies do (anyone who says anything otherwise is a liar - or delusional). Still, based on Christian's beautiful family, and my own breeding, I think it's safe to expect some serious cuteness happening here. Sugary, ridiculous, pudgy, cuteness.
Oh. My. God. I CANNOT WAIT!
Just writing that made me want to go all Elmira on this kid.
But even if my kid is goofy looking, I won't care. I'm their mom. I will still go Elmira on them - hugging them so tight they'll be practically smothered in love. My hormones will go into mama-bear mode when there's even the tiniest hint of a threat. I won't be able to help it - it's how we're programmed, and what I learned about mothering from my own mom (Baby just kicked. Maybe s/he knows.).
Needless to say, having the anatomy scan under my belt, I feel like I really am halfway done. The intensity of baby's kicks is increasing and my belly is so big I can't comfortably lounge or touch my toes. Basically anything that smooshes my abdomen is a no-go.
But other than the need to keep my posture perfect, and avoiding the lower rack of the dishwasher or feeding the cat, I feel pretty good. I sleep pretty well these days. My heartburn seems to have calmed down (although it always reminds me it hasn't completely disappeared). I have enough energy to write or edit regularly, apply for jobs, and go for walks. I'm trying to regularly lift, but that comes and goes (the current heatwave in Oakland makes exercise a real chore, and the parents' visit derailed some of my efforts temporarily as well). Still, I'm getting in more steps than I did before I was pregnant (woohoo!) and I'm eating pretty healthy meals to fuel all this energy.
Sure, I get the occasional ache or pain from shifting too quickly, or staying still too long. Sure, I get moments when nothing feels comfortable. All in all however, the second trimester is pretty awesome.
I'm not sure how I'll feel in two months when kiddo's frequent strong kicks connect with my ribs and my sciatic nerve, or in August when it's hot on my second floor and I'm so big I feel like I'll burst. But that's then. I'll deal with it when it gets here (and hopefully with a whole lot of swimming). For now, I'll enjoy the regular movements letting me know just how healthy and perfect my kiddo is. I'll enjoy the attention I get from my coworkers, friends, family, and Christian. And while I wait for the inevitable, I'll enjoy fantasizing about all the stuff that comes with it - from cleaning poop and spit-up, to singing lullabies and giving tickles. I really can't wait.
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