23 weeks!

Today is 23 weeks and boy, he sure is a mover and shaker! I feel him much more often throughout the day, now, and he seems to stay focused on my right side, and lower and upper middle. Not sure if it's his feet or hands, but anyway, it's great!!

I've been good about doing my pilates and yoga stretches I found in a magazine and book along with some light arm weights. This seems to really be helping my pelvic pain. It's not gone completely, but it really has subsided. I also sleep at an angle in bed which means I don't flip around as much, which also helps.

We will pick up the crib today from NFM and hopefully paint next weekend. I ordered the bedding yesterday and it should arrive next week. Here's what we ended up getting:

We'll paint the room a tan, not this dark, and I didn't order the border. Hopefully I like it as much in person as I do online!

Here's what babycenter has to say:
"How your baby's growing: Your baby is more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound. His skin is red and wrinkled. Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare him for breathing. He can swallow, but he normally won't pass his first stool (called meconium) until after birth. Loud noises heard often in utero — such as your dog barking or the roar of a vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze your baby when he hears them outside the womb.

How your life's changing: If you dealt with headaches in your first trimester, they might be subsiding now. (Many women have headaches in early pregnancy, thanks to pregnancy hormones, changes in circulation, and/or sinus congestion.)

You may notice some mild swelling sometime during your pregnancy, especially in your ankles and feet. It's called edema, and it happens because changes in your blood chemistry cause fluid to shift into your tissue and because your enlarging uterus puts pressure on the veins returning blood from the lower half of your body, slowing circulation in your legs. Edema is often worse at the end of the day and in the summer. Your body will eliminate the extra fluid after you have your baby (which is why you may urinate often and sweat a lot for a few days after delivery). In the meantime, put your feet up when you can, stretch out your legs when you sit, avoid sitting still for long periods, exercise regularly to increase circulation, and wear support stockings (put them on first thing in the morning). You may be tempted to skimp on liquids, but you need to drink plenty of water, because keeping hydrated actually helps prevent swelling. If you notice severe or sudden swelling in your hands and face, be sure to call your midwife or doctor because it may be a sign of a serious condition called preeclampsia."

I've had mild ankle swelling but only when I've been working and it is warm. So, I guess that probably means I'll have swelling this summer...woohoo! We've played some music for our little guy through headphones but haven't decided if we should continue or not since his hearing is very sensitive. Anyone know if this is okay or not? Don't want to hurt our little guy's ears!!

Here's a picture of 23 weeks:

Well, have a good week!