week 26 - cucumber!

Six and a half months! Hazelnut is ~14 inches long and weighs ~1 2/3 pounds. Apparently his immune system is getting pumped up for this big bad virusey world, and his EYES are now forming. We're hoping and praying that they form perfectly and wonderfully withOUT Retinitis Pigmentosa!

On week 24, I was told that my picture with the corn looked phallic which was TOTALLY UNINTENTIONAL (although the comment DID make me laugh). I was a little paranoid taking pictures with the long skinny CUCUMBER (quite possibly the most phallic-y food of all) and tried really hard to avoid giving anyone any type of phallic impression…success? I hope so (even though I just used the word 'phallic' 16 times in one sentence).

Let’s talk symptoms. For the record, overall I feel great and fantastic, and I think I’m a pretty lucky pregnant lady. HOWEVER, I DO have a fun new symptom to report.

Reflux. It came on with a vengeance during a deep water jogging class. I thought it was a result of the belt squishing my insides, but the reflux has persisted (although the belt definitely did exacerbate it). It basically feels like I throw up in my mouth every 6 seconds or so. Delicious.

Lowell is so funny. Since living with a pregnant me, he’s been advertising that pregnancy is not so glamorous. Apparently it's not hot to rub ointment on my bacne, watch me massage on support hose with rubber gloves, witness me aspirate on my reflux, or observe my waddle. BUT… he does it anyway, and that’s why we love him.

While we’re talking about exciting pregnancy symptoms, let me continue to enlighten you. Bloating. Normally I’m not a fan, but I have a theory. I call it my bloating theory. If I continue to bloat daily throughout my pregnancy, then my growing belly will constantly be pushing the envelope a bit more before returning to my new normal. I’m thinking this will reduce my chances of getting stretch marks because the skin is stretching ever so gradually. Wishful thinking perhaps… but let's just go with it.

This past weekend, my good speechie friends congregated in Lethbridge for a little reunion. We all missed our dear Ann-Marie (who’s gallivanting around LONDON!), but Kendra probably missed her the most. Had Ann-Marie been here, Kendra would not have been the only non-preggie. That’s right- four of us are with child and all due 2-3 weeks after each other. It’s an epidemic…better be careful!

This is us in our innocent pre-pregnancy days (2007)...

And this is us now. Married and knocked up...

We were all a leetle bit jealous of Kendra's rock hard abs, but our payback was to share as many juicy details about pregnancy as possible. You know-- the fun ones (reflux, veins, back pain, acne... the stuff they DON'T show in the movies). That'll be good birth control for a little while...

Oh, and one more thing.... we're PAST the one hundred day countdown!!!!! EEEEEEE!!

And that, my friends, is all for week 26 and our little cucumber!