My little papaya is a squirmy one! He is definitely moving around in there, especially when I sit down to relax after work or lay in bed before I go to sleep. I love watching my belly move as he kicks, and it has been really fun to have Geoff feel the baby move more often. The baby even kicked for my mom while she was in town for the weekend, so it was nice to be able to share that with her.

While my feet are still normal-size (knock on wood), my belly button looks like it is about to pop. I’ve been in denial about this happening, but I think I’ve finally come to terms with the inevitable. I removed my belly button ring a few weeks ago, and I’m pretty sure that helped speed the process along. UGH. Stupid belly button.

Other than that I’m just trying to catch up on sleep from camping all weekend. I slept pretty well since we planned ahead and I didn’t have to sleep on the ground. We had cots topped with ground pads, plus sleeping bags and liners, comfy pillows, a nice new tent and a tent fan in case it was too hot. Luckily, our 95+ degree days melted away into some beautiful weather, and we spent all day Saturday at the beach, then snuggled up around the fire at night as the temperature dipped closer to 60. We had such a great time – I wish all camping trips were as smooth, comfy and fun as that one!

We had another doctor appointment on Monday, which was the same as all the others, but when I stepped on the scale I realized I was over the “normal weight gain” by a few pounds. I should point out that the range I’m referring to is according to the books and websites I have read, and that my doctor just said, “good” when she saw my weight. Maybe I’m just worrying for nothing, but as long as I’m gaining enough to keep baby healthy I’d like to keep it on the minimal end so I don’t have to work as hard to lose it after he is born. I’m hoping that this particular surge in weight gain was just due to all the junk we ate while we were camping (hello, Goober and jumbo marshmallow pudgie pies). I’ve actually lost a few pounds since the appointment, though not on purpose, and I’m now back in the normal range, so yay! I just have to watch what I’m eating a little better from here on out so when junk food weekends happen it won’t throw me completely off track.

This week according to What to Expect:

These days, the only things growing more rapidly than your baby’s senses may be her mommy’s feet!

Your Baby in Week 22 of Pregnancy

This week, your baby weighs in at a whopping pound and measures nearly eight inches, about the size of a small doll. But your little doll (who now has eyebrows, eyelashes, and maybe even some hair on that little head) is a living one who can now perceive light and dark. She can also hear your voice, your heartbeat, your gurgling stomach, and the whoosh-whoosh of blood circulating through your body. And as her brain and nerve endings develop, she may reach for her face (or whatever she can reach) just to experiment with her newfound sense of touch.

Your Body in Week 22 of Pregnancy

As if an ever-expanding belly wasn’t enough — now your feet are getting in on the act! That’s because the pregnancy hormone relaxin, which loosens your pelvic ligaments when you’re expecting, loosens every other ligament too — including the ones in your tootsies. In turn, the bones beneath those ligaments spread slightly, which results, for many women, in a half or whole shoe-size increase. So if you haven’t already stashed away your stilettos, now’s the time to bid them farewell — at least for a while. Besides, you need sensible shoes to help you balance that big belly and your changing center of gravity.

WIAW Weekly Recipe: Oriental Cole Slaw

This one comes from my mom, and is one of my favorite summertime salads. It’s sweet with a bit of saltiness, is great as leftovers and is super easy to make. The amounts listed below could feed a small army, so if you’re just cooking for two or three I recommend halving the recipe.

Dressing
3/4 c. vegetable/canola oil
1/3 c. white vinegar
1/2 c. sugar
2 pkgs seasoning from Chicken Ramen Noodles

Salad
2 pkgs Broccoli Slaw
2 bunches green onions with greens
2 pkgs uncooked Chicken Ramen Noodles, broken up
1 c. chopped celery (I leave this out)
1 c. toasted almonds
1 c. salted sunflower seeds

Directions
Whisk dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Toss salad ingredients together in a salad bowl. Top salad with dressing just before serving.