23 Week Diary

Oh wow, it seems to be going so fast although I have to admit my impatience is not holding very well at the moment.

I feel I want things to slow down so I can enjoy it and still try to take it all in that it is still happening and I am going to be mummy again but I also want it all to just happen, like have the baby now, but I am scared still of the whole birthing experience although I have been through it before .
I guess I am just the type of person who constantly worries for no reason at all.

I think it has finally sunk in now (although I knew months ago) that I have this amazing being growing inside of me and I think this week it has finally hit home that it still amazes me at each and every feeling we as mums to be's get with all of the physical motions of that tiny being moving around inside our tummy.
I seem to stop and freeze in the middle of anything I am doing as soon as I feel that slight kick or turn of the baby boy inside me and the feeling makes me wide eyes and excited knowing that he is trying to tell me that he is ok and happy where he is. It gives me peace at mind all is ok.
 
Events - 
There have been times this week when I have tried my hardest for my husband to feel the movements of our son by placing his hand on my tummy and after an hour of me giggling to myself at every movement, my husband just stares at me in disbelief as if to say '' What, I cant feel anything?''.
Well as I sat quietly on the sofa this week, my husband finally got another response which he knew he had a few weeks back and so it was another great feeling that he was feeling those kicks along with me now as they are growing stronger.

It has not only been my husband who has had a response this week from our bump but also our eldest 11 year old daughter who seemed very freaked out at seeing my belly doing a strange looking slow motion jiggle . 
Sian knew it was baby moving but it was the first time that she has actually seen it for herself as with other pregnancy's she has been a little young to understand and take notice.
My youngest son aged 5 years however calls bump his baby and lays his head regular on my tummy to talk to his baby brother and laugh at the strange noises he says he can hear. 
The other day he said baby bump was crying and I had to tell him it was my tummy rumbling for something to eat but it was so cute at how concerned he was and I even got told of from him when I told bump this week to stop being naughty and giving me a pain when walking to school with the children one morning. 
Supposedly I am not aloud to tell his brother of .

How is baby ?
Baby bump has most certainly got a little bigger, I can tell as the kicks seem to be wider around my tummy than they were before, I feel movement above the tummy button and further around and not just on the lower tummy area.
Supposedly, at this stage of the pregnancy, our baby is around the size of a mango , we still have 17 weeks left and I feel big at this stage already , I can not seem to imagine how big I will be at full term.

Each day , the pattern of when baby is awake and kicking and asleep is now more apparent. 
This little one seems to wake around late evening and wriggle from around 7pm up to 11pm , I usually get a good morning wake up at 7am and then again 12pm when I am having my dinner and if I am hungry , my bump will wake and tell me by giving me a quick nudge .
 I know it sounds strange but it is true and he was very pleased with a late night fish, chips and curry sauce the other night when I did not feel hungry yet he certainly quietened down once I had eaten .

He is starting to hear noises more easily and I can play music on the tv (not through a speaker like before on the tummy) to feel him enjoy a wriggle dance at a song , he loves the choice I choose as our lullaby which I have played each day for the past month or so called The secret garden sleepsong.
If I have a quiet dance myself he knows it too .
We are enjoying speaking to baby knowing he can now hear our voice.

How am I doing?
Oh I am feeling absolutely fantastic this week, well anything is better than the last .
My energy is back , I feel I am able to do more , sleep whenever , eat whatever and I have even enjoyed sitting in the garden enjoying the sunshine without headaches or sickness.

My tummy is looking plump and still growing and I feel it is looking full but know there is still plenty of room left for baby in there as he will grow rapidly in the next 17 weeks .

My cravings have disappeared , I feel like I am topping up on fluids to hydrate myself mostly now and the only issue I am having with my skin is that my feet are getting very dry on the heels with the extra weight I am carrying.
My boobs seem to be still leaking but only slightly so I feel I still do not need any breast pads as it only seems to happen in very warm conditions and with the weather being rather cool , I feel safe to go out in just a bra and t-shirt. I must buy some ready though.

My husband asked me if I was using any sun tan products this week to, I had to tell him I most certainly was not as we have noticed my skin colour is changing very slightly , I seem to have an added slighty yellow toned tan to my whole body .

All in all , by body and self is feeling very refreshed this week, next week I go to see the midwife which will be interesting.
I feel like it was so long ago since I seen anyone regarding this pregnancy , a whole four weeks seems a long time to not see or hear our bump so I will be excited to see if we get any listening ins or measuring but for now , me and baby are doing great and already I am practising with cloth nappies , I feel determined to give them a try this time around so any useful tips and help would be most appreciated.