Yup. I played the pregnancy card.

Normally I'm not one to take advantage of being pregnant. When I'm at a store with special parking for expectant mothers, I don't use it. I can walk the extra distance. I'm fine carrying boxes, groceries, etc (within reason). However, this past weekend we went to Maine. Traffic was horrible! I needed to take a bathroom break, but it wasn't worth getting off the highway. Finally we came to a rest area/ welcome center. I think everyone else stopped there too.

I left Chris outside to get my mom out of the car and into her wheelchair while I ran in. The line for the ladies' room was out the door and wrapped halfway around the building. I went towards the front of the line and asked, "will anyone take pity on a pregnant woman and let me cut in line?"

The teenagers at that point in the line looked at me with two heads, but then there was a woman who pointed out the separate (single stall) handicaped bathroom to me and suggested I go there. At first I wasn't going to, but after seeing people leave it I decided to go ahead. Sweet relief! And then perfect timing- by the time I got outside Chris was bringing my mom in. A mom with small children had gone into the handicapped stall in the meantime, but we were soon able to get in.

I told my mom and Chris what I had done. Chris was a bit surprised that I did that, but my mom understood. I guess it's one of those things where you have to have been pregnant to understand.

26 Weeks

Your baby is as tall as an English hothouse cucumber and weighs about 1 2/3 pounds. (Length: 14 inches, head to heel.)

26 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby weighs more than 2 lbs (1000g), measures 9.6 inches from crown to rump (24cm) and its total length is about 15.3 inches (34cm). If your baby were born now, she would have about an 85% chance of surviving. Nonetheless, your baby still needs another 13 weeks of in utero development to be considered full term.

Your baby's eyes, no longer fused shut, are now open.

Your baby's skin still has a very wrinkled appearance, but it is protected and nourished by the covering of vernix, a waxy coating that keeps the skin supple.

Your baby looks almost like a full term baby, but is still much thinner and smaller than she will be at birth.

Your Body This Coming Week

The end of this week marks the end of your second trimester.

Regular weight gain will continue until about the 36th week of pregnancy. Your breasts may be sore and uncomfortably heavy since they have increased in size.

You can be susceptible to urinary tract infection from this stage onwards. Drinking plenty of water can help.

Your cholesterol levels may be elevated, though this is usually normal in late pregnancy as cholesterol helps build up the pregnancy hormones that are being produced by the placenta. Of those hormones, progesterone is particularly important right now as it aids breast development and the muscles of the uterus.

26 Week Journal

How far along? 26 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Ugh. Up 3 pounds this week. Didn't think I was eating that much more.
Stretch Marks: Nothing new.
Sleep: Usually sleeping through the night. Had to get up a couple of nights to go to the bathroom, but luckily I'm able to fall right back asleep. Wondering if I'll continue to have that ability once Baby is here.
Best moment this week: Not baby related, but we finally got a new storage cabinet for all of our games. We've had so many that they were spread around in a couple of different places without enough space. Chris was going to build a cabinet, but on the way to the lumberyard we stopped at Ikea. We found some great deals in the "as is" area. And there's even an area reserved for kids games and toys, although I know it won't be nearly enough space.
Chris also pointed out that there are now fewer than 100 days until my due date.
And congrats to my cousin Beth who announced that's she's due in Jan with #3.
Movement: Baby has been kicking/ punching up a storm this week! In the past I would usually feel the most movement when lying in bed. Now it's in the car, sitting at my desk at work, sitting at my sewing machine... For the most part it's nice, but sometimes I have to tell the little one to calm down a bit. S/he doesn't listen.
Belly Button in or out? In. I keep thinking this won't last much longer, but I still have an innie.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
What I'm going to miss/What I can't wait for: I can't wait to be done sewing Baby's quilt! It's taking much longer than I would have anticipated.

25 Weeks

Your baby rivals the average rutabaga in weight -- about 1 1/2 pounds. (Length: 13 1/2 inches, head to heel.)

25 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby weighs just under 2 pounds (850g) and could possibly survive if delivered now. Your baby measures approximately 9.2 inches (23cm) from crown to rump.

He is growing fast and gaining weight now. His skin is less transparent and is becoming opaque as fat builds up.

Your baby's heart is beating 120 to 160 beats per minute, as you have already heard at several doctor or midwife visits.

Until now, your baby's eyes have been sealed shut, but he reopens them this week. The eyes are almost fully formed and the retinas contain all the layers they will have when your baby is born. Your baby's eyes are blue right now, no matter the ethnic origin or eye-color of you and your partner since eyes do not acquire their final color until months after birth.

Your baby is lean right now, but is getting fatter all the time as fat is being deposited. Your baby's skin is getting thicker and paler and is becoming less red and wrinkled as more fat is deposited.

Your baby has eyebrows, eyelashes and fingernails, though all are short and need to grow more.

Your Body This Coming Week

You feel definite movement now as your baby does gymnastic routines in your uterus. This may even cause you some pain under your ribs and in your lower abdomen as your baby now has some force. Lying on your side may help to alleviate this kind of pain.

You may have fluid retention, particularly in the facial area.

The top of your uterus is now between your bellybutton and your ribcage.

Your increasing size may cause increasing discomfort. You might be experiencing back pain, leg cramps, headaches and pressure around your pelvic area.

25 Week Journal

How far along? 25 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Up one more pound. (Total of 19 pounds so far.)
Stretch Marks: Maybe a couple of little ones on my hip, but nothing to worry about.
Sleep: Decent, although I've been staying up way too late.
Best moment this week: Making progress with the bedding. Bumpers are done and the quilt is in progress. I'll be glad when it's done. The first order of cloth diapers arrived and I used my old Cabbage patch Kid, Eleanore, to practice putting them on.
Worst moment this week: Frustrated at my OBs office who keeps calling me to reschedule appointments. And the new times they give me aren't convenient at all!
Movement: Moving up a storm, or at least I'm noticing movement more than usual.
Labor Pains: Nope.
Belly Button in or out? Still in.
Wedding rings on or off? On. However in the heat and humidity they can get pretty tight.
What I'm going to miss/What I can't wait for: Anxious for the next few months to go buy quickly, but also not feeling ready yet.
Weekly Wisdom: Don't overdo it. Take it easy when you can.
Milestones/Fun Moments: Baby went to Fenway Park for the 3rd time. However, this time wasn't for a baseball game. Fenway was hosting a football match (that's soccer, in American-speak). And the team we were rooting for won. Lots of fun.