20 weeks (and we have movement!)

20 weeks came along rather uneventfully. I even forgot to take a bump photo this morning because I was rushing for work. So I took it tonight.

I have noticed that my cats have been much more interested in and demanding of sitting on my bump. It started well before I had a bump but it's quite obsessive now. Even Emma (not pictured below) - who has never been one to sit on people - does it all the time. Anyone else experienced this phenomenon? I googled it a bit and learned that it could be a hormonal thing they're picking up on as well as them noticing my slower movements and more lying around than before. Whatever it is, it's fascinating!

Symptoms this week:

--- my feet still ACHE and I noticed last night at an outdoor concert, that my knuckle on my left pinky is all swollen. Ouch. I have been icing my feet as much as I can and it helps ... temporarily.
--- HOLY ITCHY SKIN! My neighbor gave me some oil against itchy skin a few weeks back and I didn't think I'd need it. And then this week struck and I have been lathering myself with it. My tummy is so so so itchy!

WE HAVE MOVEMENT! I started to officially feel the girls move. By "officially" I mean I think I've been feeling them move for a few weeks now but now I know it's them. They tend to be more active in the early morning and then in the afternoon. It's a wild feeling, not strong enough for my hubby to feel, but definitely something I'm aware of. Which is a new cause for concern when - like yesterday - I didn't feel them much and I go into a panic and pull out my doppler (long live the doppler!)

Four more weeks to viability and then 4 more weeks until our RE said she'd be ok with them coming out (28 weeks) and then 7 more weeks until we are ok with them coming out (35 weeks).

On the nesting front, we have been doing mad house projects:

--- each summer, I clean the windows and screens. Am too tired to do that this summer so we're having them professionally cleaned for the first time ever. I'm excited to see how they turn out!
--- we're having a hole in our driveway resurfaced
--- we had our blinds professionally cleaned - they've been up for about 6 years and we have a lot of fur creatures - again, I'm excited to see how they turn out.
--- we are having paint jobs that have been on the "to do" list done.

ALL OF THESE PROJECTS ARE HAPPENING IN THE NEXT WEEK!

Our bedroom furniture was my hubby's uncle's in the 60s. My hubby is sanding and restaining the two pieces and they're becoming the girls' room furniture. We will be investing in some lovely new bedroom furniture for ourselves!

And, finally, I have allowed talk and planning on baby showers to occur. One in Chicago and one in Portland, both in September. Which, as someone pointed out last night, IS ONLY SIX WEEKS AWAY!

On the non-planning side, the babies enjoyed another concert last night. We saw a Portland group - Pink Martini - at an outdoor venue with friends last night. It was just spectacular and knowing they can now hear (that's what I've been told, at least) made me so happy. It must be great for their developing brains to hear such beautiful voices and instrumentals. Simply marvelous evening.