24 Weeks

How far along? 24 weeks
Baby is the size of a cantaloupe!
Total weight gain: 13 lbs, pretty sure it's all in one area. All of the books say I'm at the point of carrying a basketball, and my back is feeling it every day.
Maternity clothes: Two pairs of maternity jeans, sweatpants, sweatshirts, and t-shirts. That is my uniform.
Stretch marks: I thought so, but now I can't find them. Is that my superpower? I can disappear stretch marks!
Sleep: I look forward to sleep so much...I will cherish every second of it before the baby comes. Oh wonderfully-warm bed, please never leave me.
Miss anything? I miss not feeling bloated and having control over my body. Being able to bend over to pick things up off the floor without feeling like there's a road block in the form of a belly. Having a back that doesn't ache every day.
Best moment this week: Finishing the painting of the house, building the crib and dresser, starting to organize the nursery!
Movement: Every day there's movement, and Billy finally felt it kick really hard! Four times in a row. I think it was ticked off about something.
Food cravings: Macaroni and cheese shells (the cheap boxed kind).
Food aversions: Not really into baked goods right now. Other than that, bring me all of the food.
Gender: Billy and I know! We'll be having a gender reveal party for our immediate family this weekend.
Labor signs: None.
Pregnancy symptoms: Do I really have to list them? Let's bring back the heartburn, the need to vomit if I don't eat within 45 minutes of waking up, back pain (did I mention that already?), belly, and a state of impatience filled with joy.

Emotional state: Feeling anxious about the level of discomfort that's going to come as my belly grows since I already feel like a balloon ready to pop. I've been checking the chart for fetus viability multiple times a week and have been wanting to get to 24 weeks for that 50% chance of survival if it was born now. It may be morbid, but now every week adds about 10% to the chance of survival, so I can finally start to get excited about Billy and I actually getting to have, hold, and keep this baby. The fear of loss is very real, and it's not something people talk about a lot.
Looking forward to:  Excited for the holiday season and Hallmark movies. Dreaming about the long weekend (five days).