feeling big.

(note to brother: I know I didn't roll my shoulders back...I felt like this was the most accurate view of my posture these days...as sad as that is.)

25 weeks sneaked up on me. I looked in the mirror the other day and thought to myself, "Wow, I'm big." Truthfully I have felt big since 13 weeks when my protruding stomach hung over my normal jeans. I didn't show with my other peanuts until 18 or 19 weeks so it was so weird to be tugging at the top button of my jeans so early on in my pregnancy. It really toyed with my emotions.

Although my belly sprouted earlier and grew faster, I feel like things are slowing down just a bit. I can't really imagine getting much bigger than I was with my other girls so I think my body is just adjusting to the weight, which really makes me smile. It has taken so much more effort to stay healthy during this pregnancy mostly because I no longer possess a gym pass. With Mya, I walked/ran several miles a day. I also mowed a really large lawn weekly and was constantly busy cleaning apartments for extra money. Staying fit wasn't a problem. With V, I was really involved with Zumba (oh how I miss that class) and rode the elliptical on the off days. I was also working full-time so snacking wasn't really a problem because I was so busy. 

This pregnancy has been different. With two needy and usually very hungry peanuts, I feel like we are snacking all day. I also feel lazy because we are home most of the day every day. I joke with Tim that I don't take more than 100 steps a day (which I know is false but that's how it feels sometimes). Around 13 weeks I decided I needed to make exercise an essential part of my day. (I had been running prior to my pregnancy but the morning sickness really did me in during the first trimester so I stopped). I started waking up early in the morning and walking alone. I push myself to walk hard and fast and find myself constantly out of breath. Thank goodness there is a McDonalds on my route because I normally stop for a bathroom and water break. The people there look at me like I'm crazy, but they are very kind. I sweat more the bigger I get. It's a good feeling. 

Walking has been a blessing in my life. I feel like it will help me resume my running habit once baby girl bounces out of me. I do think she will bounce. She is a mover. Along with walking, Tim and I also changed our diet thanks to some motivation from our best friends on the cruise. We switched to ground turkey, chicken and tilapia for our main dishes. I hadn't eaten red meat for a month before I caved and devoured half a hamburger last night for dinner. I should note that the article I posted about hamburgers last month really kicked my burger desire to the curb. I am really into chef salads at the moment. So here's to feeling big but staying healthy. 

For those of you wondering about baby girl, I'll tell you that I think she is a healthy little swimmer. I've had a dozen ultrasounds for health reasons, and I'm always reassured that she's growing great. We don't have a name. We have a couple in mind but haven't been overly impressed one way or another. She beats my other girls in the heart burn department. I have already chewed through two bottles. And she loves to put her pointy elbow in my ribs. Most days I still look in the mirror and wonder what the heck I am going to do with three kids (two of which will be eighteen months apart) and other days I feel completely calm about the whole situation. People really freaked me out before I had V telling me "Having two kids would rock my world." It didn't. It actually grounded my world, and I've loved having them. I do think three will challenge me, but I am going to take it one step at a time. 

peanut wondering: what did you or your friends do to stay in shape during pregnancy?