Twenty Six Weeks

How far along: 26 weeks as of March 27, 2012.
Size of baby: Beansprout weighs about 1 pound, 10 ounces and is about 14 inches long (length of an English cucumber)!  The nerves in his ears are better developed and more sensitive than they were before, so he may be able to hear Mark and me when we talk.  Uh, oh--better watch our language!  He is inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, which will help his lungs develop and is good practice for breathing. 
Movement: His movements are getting stronger and more frequent!  I love it!  Yesterday, I used the heart monitor for the first time in awhile, and he appears to be head down.  Hopefully he will stay that way, so we won't have to schedule a c-section.
Sex of baby: Boy!!
Sleep: I wake up a few times a night, but the bigger problem is that my back and left hip start hurting after several hours.  I am supposed to sleep on my left side to maximize blood flow to the baby, so my options for shifting when I'm uncomfortable are limited.  I usually can readjust pillows and get back to sleep that way.
What I miss: Not having to worry about whether everything I eat is safe.  It will be so nice to eat whatever I want once Beansprout is here!
Cravings: Cereal and milk this week.
Symptoms: Back pain, back pain, and more back pain!  It varies in intensity.  Some days are awful, while others aren't too bad.  I got a new chair at work with more padding, which is helping.  I also put a small box under my desk to put my feet on, since that alleviates the pressure on my back. 
What I'm looking forward to: Not to get ahead of ourselves, because Beansprout has at least 12 more weeks of "cooking" to do before I'd like him to arrive (so don't get any crazy ideas, Beansprout), but Beansprout's newborn photo shoot!  I booked it today with a photographer who went to Wake Forest!  She will come to our home and take photos in the baby's room, in the backyard, etc.  She brings all of her own props, although I did buy a crocheted hat with an anchor on it, and a matching diaper cover, to coordinate with the nautical nursery theme.  I am very excited!  But again, the shoot will not be until late June/early July, so keep looking forward to it, Beansprout.

P.S.--Happy Birthday, Mark!!  You'll be a great dad, I am sure of it.