25 Weeks! (Finally a blog update!)

**Disclaimer, this is a long post. I was trying to catch up after having not blogged in SO LONG. Thank you for your patience with me, we've been super busy with holidays, travel, moving, starting back at work, getting over being sick and the last thing on my priority list has been the blog.**

This week is brought to you by apologies, new shoes, new bra, and cereal, lots and lots of cereal.

Weeks Pregnant: 25 weeks 6 days (6 and 1/4 months preggo)
Weight: 165.8
Total Weight Gain: 7.8 pounds (I was 158)
Waist: (at the belly button) 41", that's 7.5 inches so far!!!
Bust: 41", that's 5.5 inches so far!!! I've even had to buy several new bras as this change has occured. Jude is going to be one happy and fed baby!
Butt/Hip: 45.5", that's up 2 inches... not too bad considering I'm still able to wear the same maternity jeans I bought in the very beginning.
Average number of times up to pee per night: 2, although during the day it seems like I'm in the restroom every half hour.
Size of the baby bean: Baby Jude is now around 13 inches (the size of a large eggplant).
Weight: 1.5-2 pounds (I'm guessing he's bigger since his 18 week ultrasound had him 2 weeks ahead in terms of weight... he was already .9 oz then)
What baby has been up to: Our little guy has been very busy this week! He's now starting to gain baby fat all over his body and it's predicted he will double in weight this week. Jude's circulatory system is under serious development this week and capillaries are forming on the skin to give it a cute pinkish color.  His little lungs are starting to develop and although these take a while to become fully formed, if he were born this early he would have a better chance of fighting since this development has already begun. The statistics say babies born around 25 weeks have a 75% survival rate. We obviously want him to cook much much longer, but I find comfort knowing we're getting closer. He has already started practicing breathing, although he is still in water he is practicing this reflex for once he's out of his temporary housing. What's really cute about this new development is that he sometimes gets the hiccups. And it is the CUTEST thing ever! I can feel the difference between hie sweet little hiccups and kicks, it is several little flutters in a fast rhythmic pattern... much faster than our hiccups. Over Christmas my SIL Kim was asking if I had felt them yet and described what to look for, it was only a week or so later that I felt my first little batch of hiccups. Baby Jude is covered all over in goo called vernix, which I just found out is there to protect his skin from the amniotic fluid. I didn't realize this, but with out the vernix his skin would look all pruney (think about your toes and fingers after a long bath or long time in the swimming pool). That's just crazy cool!! Another neat fact, his little testicles have started to descend into his little scrotum already! That'a boy! At this stage he can hear us talking to him. I try to talk to him all day and tell him I love him and how excited I am to see him. My books say that male voices penetrate better through the walls than female voices do, so daddy (Jeff) spends lots of time talking to Jude as well. Every morning when we wake up he says good morning to Jude and rubs my belly and when he gets home from work at the end of the day he always greets the two of us. It's really super cute!

Other pregnancy related stuff
Emotional: As I'm sure my poor, sweet husband will tell you, this week has been brought on my a few tears. I have been super sensitive lately and although I physically feel great, I am starting to "feel" huge! I know that my body is changing to accommodate this little miracle growing inside, but I can't help but feel a little less attractive these days. Jeff's been great about trying to make me feel better and even surprised me with flowers and cookie dough the other night (the way to my heart these days is through freshly baked cookies). I've started setting up our registry and picking out little things for his room has really made it set in that there is soon going to be another member of our family. The realization that not only am I pregnant, but I'm soon going to be a mom is overwhelming me with joy and excitement. I just can't wait to meet him!
Physical: This trimester has been fantastic! Herald the 2nd trimester! I have a tons of energy and excitment about this baby lately. Although it is getting much harder to bend over and put my shoes on or pick something up off the ground, I don't feel uncomfortable. Jeff took a picture of me the other day because the way I was sitting really made him laugh. I was bent forward texting someone on my phone and had both my elbows resting on my knees.... but in order for my elbows to reach my knees I have to separate my legs so my belly can hang between them. He thought I just looked sooo funny. I didn't even realize I was sitting like that until he showed me the picture. I look like I'm sitting in a dugout or something like that.
     I've had some major physical changes to my body the past several weeks, including a much larger tummy, rounder face, and huge growth in my chest. I know that my body is preparing to feed my son, but my goodness do they need to grow so big so quickly!!!?!??! I have already gone up 3 cup sizes and just 3 weeks ago bought a maternity bra on sale because my regular ones were so uncomfortable. Today, 3 weeks later, I've already outgrown it & gone up two more sizes!!!!!! Good thing it was on sale! I keep joking that by the time my milk arrives I'm going to need a forklift to carry this bad boys around! Yikes!!! My feet have also started to change. They haven't really looked swollen, but they have grown wider. None of my old go to slip on shoes for work fit me anymore. I had to go buy a new pair of slip on shoes during my lunch break yesterday because my feet felt so cramped inside my shoes. It's not all weird physical changes though, the best physical change by far has been experiencing Jude's little kicks and movements. It is so fun to lay in bed at night and feel my son kick. He's woken me up between 2-4 in the morning several times during the week with those strong kicks of his. Although I love my sleep, I love feeling him kick even more. Jude tends to kick the most in the morning when I first sit down to check my emails at work. It can be very distracting because I want to just close my eyes and focus on him during those moments instead of reply to my work emails. :)
What I want to devour: Hmmm.... does everything count? Mostly I'm loving meat these days. Sausage, Turkey, Chicken, you name it and I'll probably start salivating. Along with my meat cravings, I've also gotten my sweet tooth back. I crave warm cookies, fruity cereal, grape jolly ranchers, chewy sweet tarts, and the other night Jeff and I ran out to the store at 11:00 to pick up the ingredients to make chocolate dipped strawberries (and boy were they good!!!).
What makes me gag: Nothing!!! YIPPIE!!! I'm telling you, the second trimester is a breeze!
Activity: Now that we are all moved into our new house I haven't been taking Bear on his daily walks around the apartment complex, I walked him around the neighborhood once after work and he was so hyper and excited to smell all of his new surroundings that we just turned back around to go home. It would be easier to walk if Jeff were with us. I have been doing a ton of walking around work with subbing and moving/rearranging the stacks of books. I need to make more effort to be active, I know it will help me come delivery time, it's just very hard to get tennis shoes on and tie them myself.
Boy? or Girl?: BOY!! A little sweet boy!
Name: Jude Michael Gilbert. We picked Jude because "Hey Jude" is both my and Jeff's favorite song and the meaning of the name is "to give praises". Michael is Jeff's dad's name and we decided to name our first born son after him. Michael means "one who is like God" and in my opinion if Jude is anything like his grandpa  he is sure to live up to that meaning.

The new bra that I've already outgrown!! 

A really funny kicking incident at work while I was checking my emails.

My new shelf comes in handy while enjoying my Caffeine Free Diet Dr. Pepper's.