20 Weeks

I can’t believe I am at the halfway point…on one hand I feel like it was only yesterday that I took the pregnancy test and on the other hand I can’t remember what it was like not carrying my little boy. 

I have spent a lot of time looking at sheeting fabric and pricing crib bedding at target.  The goal is to have much cuter and more unique bedding for a fraction of the price.  I went to 2 wholesale markets in Shenzhen and the Fabric street market in Hong Kong and came back with a wad of cash and an empty rolly cart.  I could not find a print that was good enough for my boy, unique enough, or something that I totally fell in love with.  I had a plan in my head and so far it is not working out.  I think I have decided to go with a solid color and do bright accents…so back to my fabric market on Wednesday. The problem I am having is the fabric looks either too babyish (I don’t want pastel or primary colors) or the fabric has cartoon characters all over it…not for my kid…at least not until he can talk, and maybe not even then (God forbid he turns out like me where he can out stubborn anyone until he gets his way…only room for one of us in this family). 

I am exclusively in yoga pants or maternity pants…I love that my jeans have the feel of yoga pants but the look of jeans.  I have yet to find a maternity shirt I like so I am just wearing things that are long and baggy.  I have had plenty of things copied at the Tailor, so I am all set for fall/winter…however it is mid November and I haven’t seen a sign of fall yet.  Next trip I am having some of my shorts copied only with a maternity band and some warm weather clothes for my Christmas/Summer vacation in Australia.  Until then I am wearing the same 4 shirts (if I am at home I wear old t-shirts so I can use my 4 good shirts a few times before washing).

Right now I am all baby…the only place I am gaining weight is in the belly (up another pound…only 8 more to go until I am at pre-pregnancy weight).  I am really excited that I am gaining my pound a week (well for the past 2 weeks) that I should be gaining.  I have gotten to the point where it is uncomfortable to bend at the waist.  My ligaments on the sides of my belly are stretching (and painful) and my hips are spreading again.  I walk like a duck, I stand up like an old person, and I nap and eat like a toddler…no doubt I am pregnant.  I love looking pregnant (I know I said this before but I really mean it now) and there is no question there is a baby in there. 

I know living in America I would have had this weeks ago but I had my first ever conversation with a stranger about pregnancy.  I was in Hong Kong, which is probably why I was able to have this conversation and the woman was from Texas, which is probably why she felt like she could ask me about it.  I was at Outback Steakhouse and really wanted a salad and a bloomin’ onion.  Adam was at a work meeting so I was “that pregnant lady” who goes to Outback and orders herself a bloomin’ onion.  A woman from Texas and her husband (from Turkey) sat beside me and she immediately started talking about how they had to get a bloomin’ onion and how Americans LOVE them.  Then she started talking to be about the onion then we got to my favorite question “how far along are you?”.  I have been waiting for people to talk to me about it (and not just about me to other strangers).  That little question totally made my day!

*****Cool Week 20 Fact: Baby can hear now…he can even cover his ears if he hears a loud noise (he will have a lot of practice with that here in China, never mind with the construction in the apartment above.