My 26 week prenatal appointment was on Friday, January 7th. We heard the baby's heartbeat for like 5 seconds (literally) and it was 145bpm (the lowest so far. Does this mean that it might be a boy this time? An old wives tale!). I was measuring right on and only gained 3lbs over Christmas! My doctor told me I did very well as she sees women gain a lot of weight between weeks 22 and 26. So far I have gained 18lbs, according to the doctor so that is right on. I am well pleased. Here is a picture of my belly:
25wks 2 days
I also started my HypnoBirthing* classes on January 5th. They last 4 weeks, every wednesday in January. So far they have gone well. I only had a hard time this last class as they showed 2 births right off the bat. If you know anything about me, you know that I am squeamish and therefore watching a birth is just not my cup of tea. I don't want to see my own baby come out let alone someone else's'. Lol. To say the least, I spent half of the class trying not to cry. I regained my composure though and will be fine and will have a wonderful, natural, childbirth :)
*"HypnoBirthing is as much a philosophy as it is a technique. It is a rewarding, relaxing, stress-free method of birthing based on the belief that all babies should come into the world in an atmosphere of gentility, calm and joy. When a mother is properly prepared for birthing physically, mentally, and spiritually, she can experience that sort of joy, birthing her baby in an easier, more comfortable, and often, even pain free, manner. Through a well-thought-out program of deep relaxation, self-hypnosis, and education, HypnoBirthing returns to a woman the art of birthing in a way that allows her to summon her natural birthing instincts and to birth her baby in safety and with ease. HypnoBirthing is based on the belief that severe discomfort does not need to be a natural accompaniment of birthing." Taking the Birthing World by Calm, HypnoBirthing, The Mongan Method.
I also was able to get my hair cut a couple of days ago and love it! I got it done at Great Clips (a great place for our budget) and the lady did a wonderful job. I got 4 inches cut off and lots of razor-like layers put in. Finally a style! I no longer feel like a frumpy mommy :) and to do this before baby comes just makes me feel so cute and good about myself. Something I waited until after Ella was born to do. :) Here are some pictures:
Front
Side
Back
And miss Ella wanted to get in a picture with Mommy too!
*The pink shirt I am wearing in these pictures I won from my friend's website, flybelly.com. You should check it out if you or someone you know is expecting. She has great style :)
Because this is Ella's blog, I thought I should include a cute pic of her loving on her baby brother or sister. So sweet!
