21 Weeks and POOPED

**This is a pregnancy-related post, so please feel free to skip this post if you're not up for it. God bless.**

Hello lovely ladies (and any handsome men that might be stopping by)! I hope you’re all having a wonderful and blessed week. I am running on very little steam today as I am still recovering from a BUSY BUSY BUSY weekend in Washington D.C. celebrating a dear friend’s wedding, so bear with me—this will probably be short and a little cuckoo.

First things first…HOLLA HOLLA I’M 21 WEEKS! And do you want to know something weird? Even though I was running around like crazy all weekend, I hardly worried about the babe at all. I can’t yet say with complete honesty that I DID NOT worry, but I can say that my worry was significantly less than it has been lately. And I suspect that is due to a few things:

A)     Prayers

B)      Grace

C)      Distraction

D)     Increased movement!

I’m not sure if Peanut was excited about her Aunt Lauren’s wedding day or she’s simply waking up from a week-long growth spurt, but she is definitely making her presence a bit more known these days! I am still not getting the HARD KICKS that I dream of (though my doctor smiles and assures me that I will eat these words once babe is wedged up there in my rib cage—bring it on little one!) but I am definitely feeling more nudges, pokes, and big rolls. It is wonderful—a feeling I know I will never tire of.

So okay, a brief recap of the week/weekend.

T left for his fishing trip, waaaaah! I miss him so much and am feeling especially clingy. But I have called in reinforcements so that I do not have to stay at home alone, making the clinginess a LITTLE better.

I was supposed to leave for D.C. after work on Friday. HOWEVER! I get to the airport and it’s pouring rain outside, which led to major delays and a big-time messed up flight. My options were to fly to Atlanta (location of my lay-over) and stay overnight on my own dime, or to wait until the next morning to start my long voyage. And so, a tired and frustrated mama, I waited—and ended up missing my dear friend’s rehearsal and luncheon. AHHH! Still, I was able to catch the earliest flight and was there in time for her bachelorette/lingerie shower. A small victory, and it was a lovely evening.

All of the women gathered to celebrate Lauren! I'm in the back, with a weird smile on my face...ha!

The next day was the wedding, which was BEAUTIFUL. My friend was an absolutely stunning bride, and we spent the day toasting to her and her new husband at a winery colored by a gorgeous pink sunset. I was truly honored to be a part of her big day, and so glad to see so many old friends on top of that! Every bit of exhaustion was WELL WORTH IT! Some pictures for you, cuz I know you’re dying to see what a pregnant bridesmaid looks like in sequins…

My stunning bride!!!!

Two of my very best friends from school. So sorry for the decolletage!

I got home on Monday, but I haven’t quite caught up on my sleep yet. Still, babe must have because she is still groovin’ in there! I love it!

The rest of the week will be cleaning, shopping, and organizing so that I can RELAX this weekend. T and I have a lot of house projects to do, and I mean a LOT, but we need one weekend in here to just kick back and chill. I vote now. Know what I mean?

Large and in charge ;)

BUMP!

How far along?  21 weeks…bok-choy-sized! Mmmm, I want Chinese food!!

Clothing? Maternity on the bottom, MOSTLY pre-preg on top. But still pushin’ it…

Stretch marks? Nothing new!

Sleep? Not terrible, but still making multiple bathroom trips/fending off those midnight Charlie horses!

Best moment of this week? Seeing my lovely friend marry the man of her dreams, hearing an AMAZING pregnancy announcement from another dear friend, and feeling the babe wigglin’ up a storm!

Worst moment of this week? The travel was a bit stressful, and I was definitely a sleepy girl. Still, all in all I can’t complain.

Miss anything? Would’ve loved a glass of wine at the wedding, but c’est la vie!

Movement? Yes, definitely more than last week! Still ready for those hard kicks babyboo!

Symptoms? Fatigue, a touch of heartburn/indigestion, random dizziness, rib pain, sore back/RLP, a BIG growing belly, achy joints, Charlie horses (hate them!), terrible sinuses, and my (crooked) linea nigra!

Food cravings? I’m not kidding, since I typed the words “Bok choy,” I am dreaming of an egg roll. Doesn’t that sound so good?! Also, with the sudden onset of fall weather yesterday, I was super-duper craving a warm apple galette…so I spent 1.5 hours baking last night… and ate ¾ of it already. Not sorry!

Gender? Still feeling girl, but I feel SO confident that I think, what if I’m dead wrong?! For the record, I will beSO STOKED EITHER WAY!

Labor Signs? No siree.

Belly button in or out? Increasingly unattractive, and different-looking every day.

Wedding rings on or off? On, but fingers are swelling occasionally.

Mood? This week, HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY, clingy, and feeling blessed.

Rituals? Nighttime lullaby, holy water on the belly in the morning, holy oil on the belly at night. And staring at my ultrasound pictures/watching the videos as often as I can!!!!! Along with routine bedtime chats.

Milestones? Feeling the bigger movements is a milestone for sure! I also was fully OUT at this wedding, large and in charge with my belly, and it felt great to celebrate this miracle without fear!!!

Looking forward to? MY FIRST REAL STRONG "OW THAT KINDA HURT" BABY KICK, seeing my husband so very soon!!!, along with my 24-week appointment on Oct. 1!!!

This week's pregnancy-small-talk-gems (aka things other people say to pregnant ladies without thinking): Had a few run-ins with other pregnant women this week, who looked AMAZING, but they went on and on about their symptom-free pregnancies! I think I’m just jealous, but at the same time I was like…hush up now, this mama has not been blessed in that way! Ha!

And now, I'll leave you with a bit of inspiration...this was one that REALLY SPOKE to the IF in me. Sometimes I still wonder why God put me on this particular path. But then He reaches me in unexpected ways, and my heart is at peace once again.

Wishes for peace and joy this week, for each and every one of you!