Category: Pregnancy

Yesterday marked the beginning of week 23.  While last week brought the re-introduction of the pregnancy pillow, this week brought its removal.  My hips and knees still ache when I sleep, but a flatter pillow seems to work better for the time being, and I don’t feel quite so much like I’m being eaten alive by my bedding.  The acid reflux continues to be a problem, but we’ve upped my meds and I’m working very hard to eat smaller amounts (i.e. if I eat one flax seed too many I can’t breathe — I have a lot of incentive to succeed here…).  I’m starting to feel more tired more quickly, which concerns me, because I have too many things left to do before my energy goes away.  Something tells me my opinion doesn’t seem to matter for much on this one.  I’m still wearing my rings, but I have ordered a stand-in wedding ring because I’m a realist and I know my time is coming…Anyway, on to the pictures (we’ve got a bonus shot this week):

23 weeks pregnant with Liam:

A classic Matt picture (holding the camera out in front of us) reveals that from above I still look semi-normal at this point (look how excited and clueless we were!):

A head-on shot reveals that the-girl-who-ate-Shannon is definitely coming into being (and I left out the shots that Matt sent me of my bare belly and an oh-so-attractive shot of my backside while doing dishes– no one needs to see that at this point):

Week 23 in my pregnancy with Baby Girl (I don’t see much change from last week, but I know that the space between my chest and my belly that used to reveal my ribcage is slowly disappearing…):

And that’s the news from Lake Wobegon.

Yesterday marked the beginning of week 22.  The only major developments are the reintroduction of the pregnancy pillow into our lives (and into our bed) and acid reflux.  Lots and LOTS of acid reflux.  I wheeze.  I cough.  I can’t breathe.  I can’t eat very much at one sitting for fear of the wrath of the burning esophagus.  At this point I’m just doing everything I can do without taking any more medication and we’ll see what the midwife says at my next appointment.  Now, on to the pictures!

Week 22 in my pregnancy with Liam (It looks like the morphing from Shannon to whale has begun here.  I can see that I’m already wearing my rings on a necklace around my neck and I look (and probably felt) completely exhausted.  I am reminded that I ought to break that dress out again soon, though…)

Week 22 in my pregnancy with Baby Girl (Aside from knowing that I was toast when this picture was taken, I think things are still looking fairly positive.  Now the countdown begins to see how long I can wear my rings on this go ’round.)

Over and out.

Today marks the beginning of week 21.

As of yet, there haven’t been any major changes in the way I feel, but a few of the highlights are:  I’m feeling her kick a lot more frequently (and definitely with more gusto), my hips and knees are beginning to ache while I sleep (causing even more restless sleep than I was already experiencing), and (although I drink copious amounts of water and have been watching my sodium levels) the swelling seems to be rearing its ugly head again (tight rings, tight watch, etc.).  Other than that, things here at the ranch are moving along swimmingly and I’m so looking forward to finishing the last few house projects and putting the nursery back together.  Time is flying by!

Here I am at 21 weeks with Liam (This marks the first time I look more rested during my pregnancy with Liam than this pregnancy.  The reason is obvious when I look at the background of the picture:  we’re clearly in Siesta Key!):

Here I am at 21 weeks with Baby Girl (Much paler, but definitely less puffy.  Also:  exhausted.):

Onward and outward!

Yesterday marked the beginning of week 20.  Last week was a blur of sickness and inactivity, but I think we’ve all mostly recovered.  I know I’m ready to get back to having energy for Liam and for myself.  I’ve got a to-do list a mile long and I’m ready to get to it!  Tomorrow is the “big ultrasound.”  If Baby Connolly decides to spread ‘em we’ll have big news tomorrow morning.  Now on to the pictures…

Week 20 in my pregnancy with Liam (Just another example of how bad our previous camera was — this was the closest to in-focus that I could find.  The other thing that sticks out at me (besides my midsection and behind, which were sticking out at everyone and in every direction by this point) is that I can tell how swollen my wrists and fingers were.  I drank a ton of water, but it looks like by week 20 it was already not enough to flush my system properly.  Fingers crossed that things don’t get that bad again this time…):

Week 20 with this pregnancy (From what little I can tell from this picture, it looks like I’ve got more belly but less of other things than at the same point last time.):

The End.

One of the major differences between this pregnancy and my pregnancy with Liam has been the cravings.  First of all, they’re not as strong or demanding.  I don’t usually need something right away and in an unequivocal way.  Secondly, I’ve been craving things like salads, seafood, and smoothies.  Last time it was calzones, donuts, and jamocha shakes (although let’s be real: Who doesn’t want jamocha shakes pretty much anytime they’re offered, pregnant or not?).  I even have photographic evidence to prove the point.

Last Time (Yes, that is a pan of rice crispy treats.  I waited as long as I could to make them.  I needed them.  I did not need for Matt to take that picture, but that’s a different story…):

This Time (That sandwich consists of hummus, sprouts, cheese, and an entire tomato on a 7-grain bread and I needed it just as much as I did the rice crispy treats, but I didn’t have to delay gratification this time.  How great is that?):

Now if I can just hold onto these cravings after the birth…

Apparently men can get pregnancy brain, too…

A few days ago I was downstairs entering the information about my workout into the computer when I saw a few folders that Matt had created.  He was starting to organize the pregnancy pictures by week so it would be easier to put them up on the blog.  The only problem was that I noticed some discrepancies in the “organization.”  By this I mean that I saw sets of pictures that were labeled as being later in the pregnancy than I knew they were.  I could tell because I looked smaller, happier, and much better rested…

This post will serve as a correction.  There will be a new post either tonight or tomorrow with the 19 week picture from this pregnancy and then we’ll be all squared away.  Here we go:

16 weeks pregnant with Liam:

16 weeks pregnant this time:

17 weeks pregnant with Liam:

17 weeks pregnant this time:

18 weeks pregnant with Liam:

18 weeks pregnant this time:

We will now resume our regularly scheduled program.

Yesterday marked the beginning of week 18.  I might actually be able to tell a difference between this week’s shot and the last two week’s shots.  The big shocker is seeing what 18 weeks looked like last time…

18 weeks pregnant with Liam (note the beginning of the Michelin Man Neck and once again just how unbelievably awful our previous camera was):

18 weeks with baby #2:

I warn y’all, things are starting out slow, but regardless of what I end up looking like this time around (whale, elephant, etc.) the pictures from last time make taking a look worth the trouble.  Seriously, by the end I looked like I had eaten the previous version of myself…