Top 25

To commemorate reaching the 6 month mark, or 25 weeks, as well as having 100 days left (hopefully) in the pregnancy, I have compiled a Top 25 List of pregnancy-related observations and thoughts:

1. I cannot see my feet when I stand up straight due to my ever-expanding belly.
2. You wouldn't think I was pregnant if you looked at me from the front, but my profile view is shocking.
3. I feel the baby's kicks much more strongly now. They started out as flutters, then felt like bubbles popping, and now feel like jabs and punches. Shereif even felt them for the first time last week, which was amazing! The baby kicks mainly at night and after I eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
4. I only feel slightly uncomfortable after having a large meal. I experienced a little bit of indigestion last week for 1-2 days so I try to eat smaller portions throughout the day.
5. I am starting to have "placenta brain." It takes me a few extra minutes to remember certain things, which is frustrating. Shereif can't believe it sometimes since I was the one who used to remind him about everything.
6. My nails are the hardest/strongest that they have ever been and have been growing very fast. It must be all the bananas Monkey and I have been eating.
7. Less of my hair falls out when I brush it, but it is still the same thickness. How is that possible?
8. I have started to see the linea nigra. It makes me laugh because it looks like an obtuse angle with my belly button rather than a straight line through it.
9. Speaking of my belly button, it has started to flatten out slightly. I wonder if it will "pop out," which I hope will not happen (fingers crossed).
10. No one can believe that I am 6 months along, but I have gained about 13 lbs., and Baby Pea D is right on track with his/her size.
11. I have not had any cravings, but I always feel like I want to eat food that I see in stores or on commercials. I have never eaten a corn dog in my life, but I wanted to have one so badly when I saw the package at the store the other day. Needless to say, I don't act on those fleeting urges, but it is still a strange feeling.
12. The strangest feeling, though, is not feeling pregnant at times. When I wake up in the morning, it doesn't feel like I am pregnant. It is only when I am (trying to) get out of bed that it hits me. It especially hits me toward the end of the day and after eating a large meal...those times are when I feel the "biggest."
13. We started to shop for furniture for the nursery. We want to buy a convertible crib with matching pieces so that Pea D can grow with the set and have the same furniture for many years to come. Hopefully, Pea D will love whatever we choose.
14. My hands, feet, and stomach have started to itch. I don't know if it is due to the weather, but Shereif finds it comical when I scratch my belly. Maybe it reminds him of monkeys :)
15. The more we discuss impending parenthood, the more we realize how much we are like our parents. I admire them for all that they have done for us and continue to do. I love my parents very much, and I can't wait to experience the love a parent has for his/her own child.
16. Shereif and I often wonder what Monkey will look like. I wish he/she has Shereif's long eyelashes, height, and dark complexion as well as my athleticism (since Shereif is admittingly uncoordinated), nose, and hair. :) We joke about the traits we don't like, but we know it is in God's hands and only hope that Pea D is healthy.
17. I have had more vivid dreams that are easier to recall since being pregnant. I could never remember my dreams before, but now I can share them with Shereif...which is not necessarily a good thing since many of them are just plain bizarre and make no sense.
18. I had a lot of round ligament pain early in the pregnancy. It worried me then, but I knew it would subside. I am not looking forward to Braxton-Hicks contractions and all the other aches and pains I might be experiencing in the ensuing months.
19. My belly is getting so big that I accidentally bump into the kitchen counter/sink a lot. I can't bend over our bathroom counter because it is tall (and I am short) so I often use the guest bathroom sink to get ready.
20. The time has passed way too fast. I feel like there is still so much to do and not enough time to do it all, but (at the same time) I wish Baby Pea D was here with us now.
21. I am amazed at all the products out there for babies. I have been researching and reviewing items for our registry and cannot believe the amount of things we will need (or are told that we should get). I have tried to explain the function of a lot of the things to Shereif, and he gets frustrated. He sounds like a dad already when he says that he never had those things growing up. :)
22. Shereif and I went to our first baby class this week. We learned a great deal about car seats, safety, and CPR. The infant CPR portion was a refresher for us since we took a First Aid Class and CPR course in college during our sophomore year...I can't believe we have known each other for 10 years!
23. When I remind Shereif that our house is not child-proof, he just replies that we should wrap Monkey in bubble wrap since people worry so much about baby safety.
24. We are looking forward to the birthing and child care classes in March and April. I tried to sign Shereif up for a Daddy and Me class, but he thinks he will be the only one who shows up. Maybe he will change his mind as the baby's arrival approaches...
25. Shereif has been a great husband and an amazing friend the past 6 months (as always). He continually helps me with all the small things--like carrying the laundry basket for me--to all the big events--like going to each of the prenatal appointments. He truly is my best friend, and I am extremely fortunate to share this journey with him. He is going to be such an unbelievably loving and amazing dad!