southern style mama

how far along?  22 weeks

development: now that we're in month five, our little man measures about 10.5 to 11.8 inches from head to toe, weighing between 12.7 and 20.8 ounces. he's a little over the halfway mark in growing in length, and then the majority of it will just be filling out that little chubby body. he's got more developed eyes and lips, looking more and more like a newborn, and is sleeping in 12 to 14 hour sleep cycles. his white blood cells are also developing, which will fight off disease and infection later.

from thebump.com

maternity clothes?  just a few things. might take another trip to motherhood maternity in the next few weeks.

sleep?  pretty much normal, sleeping through most of the night

stretch marks?  none

best moments this week:  everything about our little vaca south • coming home to our fender and cuddles on the couch • receiving cute, unexpected clothing/gifts for our little man

miss anything? no

movement:  mostly in the evening, not too noticeable to anthony yet from 'the outside'

food cravings:  need to stock up again on my cranberry and soda/sparkling seltzer mixers

anything making you queasy or sick? no, thank goodness! i read that i should probably avoid spicy and greasy foods to ward off the heartburn and/or indigestion. avoid spicy food? uh, no.  :)

gender:  boy: noun - a noise with dirt on it.

pregnancy symptoms:  achy belly muscles and some dry, itchy skin as it stretches. other than that, we're all good!

have you started to show yet?  yes!

wedding rings, on or off?  on

happy or moody most of the time?  happy!

looking forward to:  enjoying the next few months • getting ready for the holidays • picking out a crib and painting two dressers for the babe's room (or supervising dad, wink wink) 

notes from dad:  back to life, back to reality. the reality of things i have to do in the next four months is setting in.

catching up... here's a pic i took two weeks ago, right before instructing my last zumba fitness class. i will miss teaching my monday nights! i attended a class this past sunday and felt a little out of it, partly because i hadn't been there in a few weeks and maybe that i've got a few extra lbs weighing me down. ;)

and now for photo overload. loved, loved our trip south...

foodie highlights: a muffaletta sandwich (oh myy, the olive salad)... a fresh louisiana crab cake sitting atop a fried green tomato at the crescent city brewhouse... sweet, sweet southern pralines... a cold st. pauli girl na during the monday night football game at a local college bar (bears win!)...

and powdered sugar covered beignets and a cafe au lait at the famous cafe du monde in the french market (a tourist must in new orleans. i'm sure locals probably steer far clear of this place, haha)...

things checked off the 'to see and do' list: streetcar hopping... an interesting and touching few hours at the national world war II museum...

hoofing it through the french quarter past bar after bar, antique shops, courtyard art galleries and quirky little specialty shops in new orleans...

honey island swamp tour in slidell, louisiana...

a quick casino lunch stop on our drive through biloxi, mississippi... a day trip to pensacola, florida to the national naval aviation museum and a few days at the beach in gulf shores, alabama... whew!

if you ever get the chance to experience the city of new orleans, take it! this was my second visit, just as good a time as the first! (minus a tasty hurricane at pat o'brien's)

back to baby - next checkup appointment is in two weeks. glucose test is scheduled for december 20. week 22 gone, 126 days to go!