20 weeks

We've finally reached 20 weeks!  I have my appointment on Wednesday but I wanted to post a couple pictures from our family photo shoot today.  Thankfully this has been a fairly uneventful pregnancy though I'm still feeling exhausted, light headed and much more uncomfortable than I remember being with Ava.  I thought I carried Ava low but this baby is low.  I feel a lot of pressure and it is already difficult to get up from the couch, lean over and do other such daily maneuvering since I feel like I'm squishing a too-full water balloon between my hips.  My body has also been feeling very overworked but I have yet to figure out where resting and putting my feet up fit into my day.

I am also happy to report that in the last two weeks Ava has made a turn for the better.  After not sleeping well since I got pregnant and upping the defy-o-meter, she has all of a sudden started sleeping better at night and taking longer naps again (and consequently has in general reverted back to a normal measure of defiant two-year-old).  I am praying that this is the 180 we've been waiting for and that she will continue in this trend!  It is so much more fun to enjoy this pregnancy with her rather than to trade it for the constant need to discipline.

I mean really, have you seen a cuter big sister?  Last night I was feeling quite awful and laying on the couch and Ava came over to me, stroked my back and said, "Mommy, it gonna be okay.  I will always take care of you."  Melt this mama's heart.

On the 19th we will also (hopefully) be finding out the gender of our baby!  I can't even tell you how excited I am.  We will be keeping it a secret until Saturday when my friend Erin is graciously throwing us a shower and gender reveal party.  I am so looking forward to this in so many ways, to celebrate with friends and family and to have a moment to make a big deal out of this baby!