22 Weeks! Is that even possible?!?

The velocity at which this pregnancy is speeding along is really starting to be quite evident to me.  Obviously, it's not a new concept and this isn't the first time I've mentioned it here on this blog.  But, as I get closer and closer to the culminating event, I am keenly aware of everything I have to do beforehand!  I am trying not to freak out but rather use that awareness as motivation to get things done.  Today, I have been tackling the not-so-fun task of estimating costs of hospital birth vs. home birth vs. birth center.  This is especially important because I have to decide by tomorrow whether I want to change my insurance plan at work for the coming year.  The good thing is that even though I have not totally figured out how much it will cost us to do any of the above options, I have realized that if I change my plan, I will most likely be paying more than if I keep my current plan with higher premiums but a lower deductible.  So, I'm trying to gather as much information as possible and trying really, really hard to remember to give all of this to God in prayer so I can make the very best decision about where to give birth to this baby!

Otherwise, we had a very busy but fun weekend spending time with my family.  Saturday, we celebrated my Gran's 80th birthday (her birthday was back in August but this was the first chance for us to pull off such a big party).  I'm not sure we got an actual head count but there were approximately 60 people there.  Here are a few pictures from the party.

 Me and my Grandparents

 My Momma and Daddy

 Me and my Aunt Marjorie (Grandma's Sister)

Left to Right:  Mom, Aunt Joan, Gran, Papa, Aunt Kim, & Uncle Rusty

Jeff and I went to a play at his school on Sunday afternoon.  One of his students had the leading female role.  It was really funny and very entertaining.  They did a really great job!  My sister and her family and my Dad left that afternoon.  My Mom and Aunt Kim stayed until Tuesday.  On Monday, we went to lunch at Magnolia Foods.  Then, we went and got apples at Morris Orchard.  We went shopping at Kohl's and I got two pair of sneakers and a pair of boots.  I was in desperate need of shoes.  My feet have grown due to pregnancy and a lot of my shoes are no longer comfortable.  I also scored four maternity shirts on sale.  For dinner, we met Jeff at Rivermont Pizza.  It was super yummy.  I love that place!  Tuesday, my Mom, aunt and I met my Gran, Papa, 2 great aunts, and my Mom's cousin and her granddaughter at King's Island, my grandma's favorite Chinese restaurant.  It is pretty yummy and I haven't been there in years! 

Yesterday, we celebrated my sister-in-law's birthday by eating at Texas Roadhouse and having pumpkin pie that I made for dessert.  I've gotten my energy and motivation back to do some baking.  Unfortunately, all this baking and eating out was quite evident when I stepped on the scale this morning!  This time of year is never good for my weight gain anyway!  I told Jeff to hide the Halloween candy so I don't eat it all!  Haha. None of my pictures turned out all that great because of the horrible restaurant lighting but here are a couple.

The beautiful birthday girl and her lovely sister.

The pumpkin pie I made for the occasion.

Robin sporting her new footie pajamas (Dr. Suess's Cat in the Hat if you couldn't tell).  Hazel insists upon being in the picture but refuses to smile.  Silly girl.

Back to my pregnancy, here is my ever-growing "bump"

And here are my stats for this week:

How far along?  22 Weeks

Baby is the size of a: Spaghetti Squash or Papaya

Maternity clothes? Almost finished washing everything and finding a place for it in my closet/dresser...soon enough I won't be able to fit in hardly any of my regular clothes!

Symptoms:  Overall, I feel really good!  I still have some reflux (but not heartburn, thank goodness), hyper-gag reflex, increased appetite.  I've been on the lookout for varicose veins and swelling and so far, so good!  I really can't complain!

Sleep: I've had some weird dreams here and there but overall, I'm sleeping well.

Best moment this week: Not having to work quite as much and being able to visit family and friends. 

Miss Anything?  Not really. 

Number of times I get up to pee each night: Just once!

Food cravings: French fries and sweet stuff!  Nothing new!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope.

Gender:  It's a girl!  Really starting to think more about names and nursery decor.

Mood: Other than crying super easily, I've been in a good mood!

Looking forward to: Starting to do some more practical things like register and decorate the nursery.

What the baby is up to this week according to Babycenter.com: 
At 11 inches and almost 1 pound (about the size of a spaghetti squash), your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. Her lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and she's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath her gums. Her eyes have formed, but her irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers her body and the deep wrinkles on her skin, which she'll sport until she adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside her belly, her pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.