Picture Journey of Baby 11 - 21 weeks

It's been 5 weeks as far as pictures go for this baby and the request have started coming again. I haven't been able to see any huge growth so haven't really thought too much of pics. Even comparing pics now growth is much slower with just 1 baby than it was with two at this point. Beginning at 21 weeks with our little guys I began to leap ahead of gestational weeks and never slow down until babies came at 40+ weeks. I'm still lagging behind the normal 2 cm with a single baby like I usually do. But I have indeed grown according to caregiver's measuring tape. Baby's heart rate continually stays in the low 140's. I'm beginning to have my doubts that such severe morning sickness is sure sign of baby being a girl. We have yet to have a girl with such a low heart rate, as they've always stayed in the 160's for the girls and been in the low 140's for boys. Suspense will end come mid March.


As fun as it is feeling baby regularly now and knowing this little one thrives, watching the weight pile on is always difficult...every. single. pregnancy. Butt, thighs and arms seem to grow so proficiently that they exceed the growth of stomach. Fun. And knowing I haven't run or worked out at all during this pregnancy...besides the sheer physical effort involved with moving your entire life 1500 miles....isn't really helping the mental game at this point. So, P90X is once again in full swing and I've begun running again. It's slow....alot slower than it was. But I figure anything is better than nothing. I read something the other day that said "Even at your slowest pace you're still passing everybody up that's sitting on the couch" or something to that affect. Pretty true. So, I run again and it feels good. It'd feel better if elephant status wasn't in full swing....but I love the high that comes with running...whether feeling rather weightless or thudding around cracking concrete at rhino size. And I'm sure the high of running and working out will once again be felt when I get over feeling like I've lost so much ground as far as what my body is capable of. If it pays off in the form of a shorter labor and less painful birth....which it did indeed seem to do last time.....than I'm all there.


So, I run once again and I P90 for the high that it brings and the feeling of strength...the determination and competitive drive that rises within and empowers the mind to go farther, faster and harder. I fight for it, the body that it will bring with it and the fact that I refuse to be elephasized by the end of this pregnancy. I think whale like state is just a given once anybody reaches 40+ entire weeks of pregnancy but I can refuse to tack on the whalelephant part that has the ability to accompany it. I run in crunchy leaves, and cool...really cool...or mostly just cold...fall mornings. I wake with husband at 5:15am and as he leaves to crossfit I go seek solace in the morning dark....in the 36 degree air...as feet hit ground and body remembers what it is to be pushed out of its comfort zone. Mind embraces once again what it is to overcome the inner scream and war that wages within and overcome it all. So, I'm going running. I'm P90Xing. And it feels pretty good. Or, it will in time. I think the self discipline feels better than anything right now. Hopefully the changing muscles are not far behind.

21 weeks with Baby 11

Last pic taken at 16.5 weeks. Pretty much looks the same to me. Except for the butt and thighs. They seem to grow really well in pregnancy.


And 21 weeks with 1 baby....

...vs two! The difference now becoming fairly visible between the two pregnancies. Up until about 21 weeks size is relatively the same whether pregnant with a single or twins.