25 weeks

I had my 25 week appointment with the midwife on Monday and it was a rather unremarkable visit, which lasted all of 20 minutes. The only part of the visit that was vaguely interesting, though not at all out of the ordinary, was the trouble I had with depositing the requisite urine sample. By the looks they give me every time I respond to the question of "can you give a sample?" with an "I'm still working on it" as I grin and clutch my water bottle, you'd think I'm the only pregnant woman who has trouble peeing on command. I guess we're not supposed to have difficulty in this area, right? Right.

So there I am, 20 minutes after finishing my bottle, attempting to deposit a sample... THINKING ABOUT WATER... mountain streams, waterfalls, the ocean! And finally, success. Except I almost missed actually collecting the specimen. Oh, the hardships put upon us by modern prenatal care! :)

In other pregnancy-related news, my blood pressure is back up from the almost dead (108/58) to a more normal 127/78. I think, having recently resumed my 1-cup/morning coffee habit may have something to do with that. Baby's heartbeat, as expected, was also a little higher, in the 160s. She continues to measure a little bigger than her age.

Other than that, there's not much else to report. I am feeling very well, I'm one of those people who doesn't get any pregnancy symptoms really, and even the lower abdominal stretching pains I had early in the pregnancy have now disappeared. I am looking decidedly pregnant; surprisingly I've gotten to this stage much faster this time than the first time around. So it looks like I will have to buckle and buy some maternity clothes for the last few months. (Last time, I existed in black pants and a few choice maternity tops in the last trimester, which was winter, but I don't think I can get away with that through the humid heat of May, June, and July.)

I realized that I haven't posted any pictures of my blossoming belly as of yet and this pregnancy is nearing the third trimester!! We need to remedy that quickly, otherwise, Summer Baby may feel cheated out of being documented in her preborn days. (Though, I must point out, she has had more ultrasound pictures taken and posted than Caleb ever did. Which are actual pictures of her, instead of me.)

With both of us working so much, this is the best I have so far, but I'll get Ron to take more pictures in the coming weeks.

Summer Baby, safely tucked away in my 25-week tummy

- as currently seen from the outside world.