18 Weeks

Stearns & Foster side sleeper pillow - $59.99, Laura Ashley body pillow - $19.99, getting a good night's sleep...priceless. After weeks of nagging back pain, several friends suggested trying a body pillow. I should have listened sooner. Disclaimer - James, this does not mean you are exempt from being my personal masseuse. I thought back pain was only associated with carrying a baby in the 8th and 9th months, boy was I wrong. I'm crossing my fingers I'm not experiencing early stages of sciatica. Another trick I learned - using a donut cushion at work. Sitting at a desk all day was making matters worse so a fellow mamma-to-be let me in on her secret. 

Aside from the back pain, I've been feeling great the past few weeks. My energy levels are coming back which means exercise is becoming more regular, my belly is starting to form a nice 'bump', and in less that 2 weeks we will know whether or not Baby J is a he or she! James has a very scientific theory when it comes to predicting the gender which I'm sure he will share with you all. 

Lastly (my eyes are getting heavy as I type...) another milestone to note - I wore maternity jeans for the first time. I purchased them from Baby Gap a few weeks ago because they I found out they were no longer going to carry maternity clothes. I got a great deal on them and I knew that I would eventually get a lot of use out of them. After a few weeks of wearing the Bella Band with my regular pants I gave in...and they were AMAZING! Did I really need to wear them? Probably not but they are my new favorite pair of jeans and will be for the next 4 1/2 months. The Bella Band will probably work for a few more weeks but I should probably start investing in some work clothes. We've planned a shopping trip to KC next weekend with my mom and Judy, perfect timing. Other items on the list: nursery furniture & accessories, diaper bag, and Five Guys. What more could a pregnant woman want!