Week 20

Well, today I found out something that I was anticipating would come much later on: My belly button is disappearing.  Let me back up... we spent today doing many baby errands, one of which included going to Target.  While we were there, I decided to try on a few maternity clothing items.   So there I was trying to maneuver around in the small box of a dressing room, innocently taking off my many layers of clothing, including the eighteen straps that are included in the Baby Hugger (don't worry - pictures to follow).  I nonchalantly happened to peer in the mirror.  Double-take: Holy shit - where is my belly button.  Move closer, bending over and squinting slightly: whaaa??It's turning inside out!  Isn't this supposed to happen at eight months and not five?   Does this mean that soon I will be able to see it pop out through my shirt? Groty.  So, I'm a bit shell shocked as I make my way out of the dressing room.  "What's wrong?" Aaron asks. As I regale my tale from beyond, he looks at me totally unsurprised and said, "yes, this has been happening for awhile".  Why didn't he tell me???  How have I been in denial??  Will it come back??  We didn't even get to have a proper good-bye!

As I was stunned, wandering aimlessly through the baby aisles of Target, thinking about how large I was getting, I was reminded of some interesting  pregnancy literature I came across this week that I hadn't been able to properly digest yet. It was about the average growth journey of the breast of a pregnant woman.  Let's just say that it was once again a reminder that I'm definitely not average (does that make me above average?).  Let me paraphrase below:

US literature (measured in ounces): "The average breast before pregnancy weighs about 7 ounces and during pregnancy each breast can weigh up to an average of 14 ounces." For those people counting, this is less than a pound each at the end of the pregnancy.

Culturally sensitive literature (measured in grams): "Before pregnancy, the average breast weighs about 200 grams.  Near the end..., each breast may weigh up to 800 grams!"

Lisa (I'll take pounds or kilograms, Alex):  Before pregnancy, your breast will be heavier than the average post pregnancy breast.  And, by week 20, each breast will weigh-in at over 4 pounds (measured accurately by a kitchen scale - wouldn't you have liked to be a fly on the wall for these weigh-ins?).

For those who need visual representation, I've included a diagram below. In anticipation of this potential discrepancy, I've been charting my breast growth (something meaningful for the baby book, I thought...).

Switching subjects, Aaron maintained the productivity after we got home from errands today!  We think we found the cribs and dresser/change table that we want!  So Aaron spent part of the afternoon taping off the nursery to make sure we have room.  Silly Turtle is falling off the crib.

And I'm embarrassed to say that there was one thing that played a way larger role in picking out the furniture than it should have.  Not so secretly, all I want is a diaper depot.  In fact, we were going back to the drawing board on the crib/dresser until my friend Katie alerted me to the fact that there was a version that hung over the side of the crib.  Phew - we can now proceed with our selections and not have any organizational concerns.