Bumpdate - 26 weeks

Every week, I feel like I need to double check what week it is.

I can't believe I'm now 26 weeks pregnant, and about to enter my third trimester...

During Week 25, Baby R was the size of an eggplant, measuring between 13.6 and 14.8 inches, and weighing somewhere between 1.5 and 2.2 pounds. His or her sense of equilibrium began kicking in, and Tuff was learning to distinguish right side up from upside down.

I read somewhere that Baby's most active time is typically between 24 and 28 weeks, as he or she will then be too large to do a lot of the summersaults and such. So I'm trying to enjoy every little jab - even when he/she is still kicking at 1 a.m.!

No linea negra yet, thank goodness. But I have a feeling my belly button will pop any day now, and I'm really not OK with that.

I'm just going to be honest and admit that this past week hasn't been the greatest for my self esteem. First of all, I've outgrown ALL of my regular pants and have to wear the band with them, and they're still kinda tight in the hips and thighs. I bought a pair of mat jeans at a yard sale around 10 weeks and they are actually kinda tight in the legs now :(
I gained 2 lbs this past week, which combined with the three from the previous week, puts me at 5 lbs. in two weeks. My face has been breaking out again. My back hurts on the daily. I'm not saying that all this won't be worth it come November, but I'm not trying to sugar coat it either. I just feel like a big whale, and I know I'm going to get even bigger.

Told you guys that feeling of being "cute and pregnant" wouldn't last long.

Luckily, J's boss' wife just had a baby and sent me a few pairs of pants that will definitely help tide me over. And we're gong shopping tonight, so I hope to find a pair of jeans that I like and fits me well. I figure since I have three months left, it will be money well spent.

Tuff had a couple of late nights last week with the rodeo. He/she LOVED the nachos though. On the night that Gretchen Wilson and Big & Rich performed, Baby cracked me up. During Gretchen's song, he would kick up a storm, then quit when the guys started singing. But once Gretchen was singing again, he was kicking again. This has a few people convinced the baby is a boy :)

We're hoping to get the nursery all cleaned out and painted soon. It's just difficult to figure out what to keep/get rid of/alter and where to put it all. I think that just doing that and putting the crib together will make me feel a million times better, even if the nursery isn't perfect yet.

I think that's it for the week. So, here's my pictures:

Never thought my butt would actually look small!

PS --- Tuff just kicked me. I think he wants to tell you all hi :)