Pregnancy is absolutely flying by! Week 24 begins today — so below, I’ve summed up Weeks 19-23! So much has changed since Week 19, and I can hardly believe we have just 16 weeks remaining! In March, we’re looking forward to our babymoon and baby shower (I finally found my baby shower dress!) so I have a feeling our spring is going to continue flying by.

Second Trimester of Pregnancy: Weeks 19-23

Week 19 of Pregnancy

Week 19 was a busy week — putting the finishing touches on our new brand and web design for With Grace and Gold. We celebrated the launch of our all-new brand and web design, brand story video, and more — and I was so engaged in work, my week truly flew by.

I began feeling Teeny more than ever before — just little tickles or rolls every now and then, with the occasional tiny thump. Because of my anterior placenta, her movements are dulled, so I’m really grateful and excited when I do feel any type of sensation.

Week 20 of Pregnancy

On Monday of Week 20, we had our long-awaited anatomy scan! In all my preparation, I’ve read how anxiety-inducing an anatomy scan can be — but because Ben and I have had a wide variety of tests throughout our pregnancy so far (The “perks” of having an advanced maternal age pregnancy! 😉) I had so much peace of mind about our scan. I also knew our anatomy scan would be our final ultrasound for a long while, perhaps for the remainder of our pregnancy, so I really wanted to be present and have a peaceful experience overall.

Our anatomy scan took about 1 hour, and I think we could’ve stared at the screen all day. She was really active during the scan — kicking and pedaling, and tucking her hands near her face. It was so amazing to see her moving! She moved around so much, I needed to move around to help our ultrasound technician to get better views of her heart. In the end, our anatomy scan went really well — and a doctor called us to confirm she looks good and healthy. Now, it’s all about growing!

By the end of Week 20, I was unexpectedly exhausted. Ben and I ran errands on Friday morning, and by Friday afternoon, I desperately needed a nap! I had avoided napping all pregnancy long, but for some reason, napping was unavoidable. Luckily, I was able to get some really good quality rest, thanks to my trusty pregnancy pillow.

Week 21 of Pregnancy

This week, Ben was able to feel Teeny move! Toward the middle of the week, her movements changed from being tickles and rolls to full-force thumps — some I was even able to see! So, Ben felt her movements for the very first time, and it was such an exciting and emotional moment for us both. I’m so grateful it happened because based on everything we’ve read, we weren’t expecting Ben to feel her movements until Week 26 or so.

For the rest of the week, I was able to feel and sense her movements or patterns better than ever — knowing she’d move about 45 minutes after I was done eating, etc. It’s truly so exciting and heartwarming every time it happens.

These days, my belly is large. I’ve experienced so much growth over these past few weeks — it’s like I woke up and my belly doubled in size over the course of just a few weeks. Luckily, I’m still enjoying the maternity yoga pants and cropped sweatshirts I picked up months ago — comfort is everything these days.

Lastly, this week, we booked our babymoon! After much deliberation, we decided to book a spring babymoon and all of the details we know so far are here.

Week 22 of Pregnancy

In Week 22, I felt Teeny move more than ever before. After several days of more consistent movements, I can better predict what will cause her to move or when she’ll move: she moves around 6:00 AM, after I have breakfast, when Ben talks to her, etc. While most of her movements are cute little bumps, some of her movements — specifically big bumps after I’ve finished eating — have made me a little queasy!

On Wednesday, we had another check-up, where we got to hear Teeny’s heartbeat, measure my bump, and ask questions. Everything is on track, which is always a relief to hear!

We ended the week with a board game night with our neighbors, a birthday party, and some projects around the house. Every weekend this spring, Ben and I are picking a room or a few rooms to organize and clean — which has been a really helpful way to get ready for Teeny’s arrival.

We also started ordering a few things for her nursery — some stuffed animals, a diaper caddy, and a few other odds and ends. I hope to have as much organized as possible before our baby shower, so our baby shower will be the cherry on top of our preparation. Speaking of our baby shower — I finally found my baby shower dress! I love how perfect the pattern is for spring, and how stretchy the fabric is.

Week 23 of Pregnancy

In Week 23, I started having a bit of trouble sleeping. My hip has been hurting, so even with my pregnancy pillow, finding a comfortable sleeping position has become more challenging. I was told my hip pain will be resolved right after giving birth, so Ben has suggested some stretches for me to do, and that’s been really helpful in the meantime. My morale dipped due to a lack of sleep, but a weekend visit from our family, including our nephews, and a trip to the aquarium helped to turn things around.

Over the weekend, I was also able to nap — which I hardly ever do! After last week’s huge 2-foot Minnesota snowstorm, we got lucky with a really sunny afternoon, which made the conditions perfect for a slow and relaxing afternoon.

During the week, many of Teeny’s things began arriving — including our glider! It’s so fun and exciting to see everything come together.

Teeny is moving more than ever, and I finally feel familiar with her routine — when she’ll likely move a great deal and when she’s likely sleeping. Ben had a chance to feel her really firm kicks, and it’s always so exciting for us to experience together.

Now, I can hardly believe our third trimester is just 4 weeks away! I’m hoping for more opportunities for relaxation and more comfort, too!

More Motherhood Posts

I’m sharing more about our journey in my Motherhood category. There, I’m gathering up my favorite resources and documenting pregnancy week by week!