Halfway There! My 20-Week Pregnancy Update: Navigating HG, Baby’s Journey & Our Big Gender Reveal

DISCLAIMER: Before delving into this personal update, please take a moment to understand the significant journey we’ve been on for the past five months. For context on our struggles, especially with Hyperemesis Gravidarum, please read: Hyperemesis Gravidarum, it’s not Morning Sickness. This foundation helps to truly appreciate the milestones and challenges shared below.

Embracing the Bump: My 20-Week Pregnancy Milestone

It’s truly surreal to be sharing this picture, especially given my notorious track record with selfies! I’m certainly no fashion blogger, but I’m excited to bring you up to speed on our journey. Here we are, a monumental 20 weeks pregnant! Can you believe it? We’ve officially reached the halfway mark, and it feels like an incredible achievement, especially after the difficult start.

The baby bump is undeniably making its grand appearance, and with it come a cascade of new thoughts and feelings. To be completely honest, it feels a little… awkward at times. Perhaps it shouldn’t, but I often find myself feeling like every eye, whether in public or on social media, immediately gravitates towards my belly, scrutinizing every curve. And if my clothes happen to bunch up in an unflattering way, the whispers or comments about “getting fluffy” inevitably start. While I know these remarks are often well-intentioned and signify the healthy growth of our little one, they do give me a chuckle. This time, I decided to lean into it, donning my tightest attire to proudly display the evolving shape of my pregnancy. Unfortunately, I feel this photo doesn’t quite capture its true size and glory – a testament, perhaps, to my ongoing struggle with the perfect selfie!

What’s particularly striking this time around is that I’m observing the most prominent bump I’ve had at this stage of pregnancy. It’s a curious development, as it feels like this baby is making its presence known much faster than my previous pregnancies. The picture might not fully convey it, but the growth is rapid and undeniable – a truly wild and wonderful experience!

Navigating Hyperemesis Gravidarum: Finding Strength in the Journey

Many of you have followed our story and understand the immense challenges brought on by Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). So, I want to share an honest update on what daily life looks like now. While the most severe, relentless vomiting of the early months has subsided, the battle against persistent nausea continues throughout the day, often intensifying as evening approaches. It’s a constant ebb and flow, with “good days” offering moments of respite and “bad days” bringing back that debilitating sickness, making it nearly impossible to eat.

However, I’ve noticed a significant shift. Even on my toughest days, the vomiting isn’t as extreme as it once was, and I find myself able to leave the house when necessary. This seemingly small victory is monumental. Regardless of how unwell I feel, I’ve made a conscious effort to put on a brave face, plaster on a smile, and push forward. This precious time, despite its difficulties, is a profound blessing, and I am determined to embrace every moment with gratitude.

This journey has taught me invaluable lessons about resilience and the incredible power of attitude. Deciding proactively that I am not alone, that I possess the inner strength to overcome this, and that there are blessings to be discovered in each day has made the experience far more endurable. It’s a profound lesson in choosing happiness and finding light, even when navigating the darkest shadows of illness. The weekly ultrasounds, a silver lining of managing HG, have also been incredible blessings, allowing us early glimpses of our little one and providing much-needed reassurance.

Our Little One’s Journey: Kicks, Concerns, and Hopes for Delivery

Now, let’s talk about our sweet baby. Each ultrasound brings new insights, and we’ve learned that our little one is currently measuring about a week behind schedule. Interestingly, this is a pattern we’ve seen with all our children, who consistently measured a bit behind but then surprised us by arriving two weeks early! I won’t lie; I am wholeheartedly hoping for another early arrival this time. While I know patience is a virtue, the thought of enduring those two extra weeks feels daunting, especially given the ongoing challenges with HG. We are just so overwhelmingly excited to finally meet our little one, and as long as it’s a safe and healthy time for baby to make an appearance, we are absolutely ready!

The baby currently seems to prefer a breech position, with feet settled down low, which explains why I’m feeling those energetic kicks in such a uniquely low spot. Our primary hope, of course, is for the baby to turn head-down by the time of delivery. However, we’ve also received some news regarding my placenta. It appears we are dealing with a condition called placenta previa, where the placenta is covering the cervix. This means a C-section is currently on the horizon unless, by some miracle, the placenta moves as my uterus grows and stretches. We are pouring all our hopes and prayers into this, as I would dearly love to experience a vaginal delivery, just as I did with my first two children. The thought of a different birth plan brings a mix of emotions, but our ultimate priority remains the health and safe arrival of our precious baby.

The Anticipation Builds: Our Gender Reveal Story

Ah, and now for the big secret that many of you have been so eager to hear! Our two daughters have done an absolutely phenomenal job of keeping this under wraps for over a month now. Their dedication to secrecy has truly impressed us all! (And no, before you ask, it’s not twins – the girls simply had their hearts set on a “cute” gender reveal concept, and they chose baseball caps.)

The idea was simple: find two adorable baseball caps to announce the gender. What wasn’t simple, however, was the actual execution! After an exhaustive search of virtually every store in Utah, I discovered that finding plain baseball caps for little kids is an unexpectedly impossible task. It seemed every cap was adorned with characters, logos, or glitter – none of which fit the vision for our reveal. We finally had to settle for these two bright orange caps, which, despite not being our first choice, served their purpose perfectly in the end. The anticipation in our home during those weeks was palpable, and the girls’ excitement was truly infectious as we planned this special moment.

It’s a Boy! Overwhelmed with Joy and Gratitude

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for! We are thrilled, beyond words, to announce that we are having a BOY! And I must admit, I absolutely win bragging rights on this one. From even before I could take a pregnancy test, I harbored an incredibly strong, intuitive feeling that I was carrying a little boy. Our girls and my husband, Cade, knew how strongly I felt about having a little man in there, and to see that intuition confirmed on the ultrasound screen was just an incredible, heartwarming experience.

A profound sense of peace filled the room as the ultrasound technician confirmed the gender. We were all utterly overcome with so much joy and pure happiness that I genuinely struggle to put it into words. The thought of welcoming a “little Cade” into our family fills my heart with an overflowing love. In fact, even as I write this, I cannot stop the tears from flowing. We are beyond humbled and incredibly grateful for this precious opportunity to expand our family and raise a son alongside our two beautiful daughters. It feels like our family is becoming wonderfully complete. Now, the exciting, and sometimes daunting, task begins: figuring out the perfect name for our sweet baby boy!

Thank you for being part of our journey, for your love, prayers, and understanding as we navigate these incredible highs and lows. We are so excited for what the next 20 weeks will bring and look forward to sharing more updates as we prepare to welcome our son into the world.