Weeks 18 & 19 - where did my waist go?

Holy growing uterus, batman!  I look more and more pregnant everyday and really, that's the only thing there is to report for the last two weeks.  I'm pretty irritated that the super comfy "below the belly" maternity pants that felt great before I had a baby bump the size of a soccer ball now cut me in all the wrong places.  I actually broke out the one pair of pants that I kept from my previous pregnancy because they were simple and basic black and didn't have the icky front panel of stretchy material in them.  They do, however, have a super nice waistband that goes over my belly and rests up where there's no problem for elastic to make.  Is it insane to want to find THOSE kind of pants again?  I'm sure not a fan of the new "hidden belly" pants that are all the rage!  I caught a glimpse of myself from the side angle today and about shit my pants!  I guess viewing straight on in my bathroom mirror I can still pretend like I have a figure since my belly sticks out front and I can still see waist on either side.  BUT from the side?  Whoa nelly...  THAT'S A BIG ASS BELLY!

What is IN that big ass belly is starting to kick me at regular intervals and sometimes even tells me when she is unhappy at what I ate.  Ok, I have no idea of the accuracy of that statement but my hypothesis holds true since she seems to be way more active when I eat something spicy - say 30 or so minutes after when the digestion process is in full swing.  I'm looking forward to the months where the internal acrobatics can be felt by her daddy and her big sister....  I'm craving everything bad for me - like donuts and candy - and blame all of it on the baby.  There's now a running joke at work that the baby will have a list of demands which it needs met in order to get whatever the team needs/wants in the coming months.  Not sure if anyone really buys it but it is fun to hear the banter.

Next big milestone is next Wednesday when we have the 20-week ultrasound scheduled...  Stay tuned!  Will the baby's parts still be girl parts or did her parents in fact get to impatient and go too early?  And will the pesky "short" cervix prove long enough to let me do some more jogging or will I remain benched for the long haul?  Inquiring minds want to know!  In the meantime, I'm knitting up a storm and can't seem to get enough of it.  I guess the nesting phase has officially begun!

Book List Archive 2008

A little "house-cleaning" is in order... Chalk it up to "nesting" if you will.  BUT, it must be done!  I am a pack-rat at heart and merely taking off last year's books from the long (and very out-dated) list on the sidebar was just not going to do... So, here's the list of all the books I read (or were noteworthy enough to be listed on the blog) for historical reference.  And, of course if you're reading this it is a glimpse into the insane world that is my reading life!  Enjoy....

Swallowing Darkness, Laurel K Hamilton
The Choice, Nicholas Sparks (book club)
Someone Not Really Her Mother, Harriet Scott Chessman
The Screwtape Ltters, C.S. Lewis (book club)
Blood Noir (An Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Novel), Laurell K. Hamilton
Lover Enshrined, J.R. Ward
Breaking Dawn, Stephanie Meyer
In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan
Elantris, Brandon Sanderson (book club)
Letters for Emily, Camron Wright
Gone With the Wind, Margaret Mitchell (book club)
The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini
The Other Boleyn Girl, Phillipa Gregory (book club pick)
The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls (book club)
Tall Grass, Sandra Dallas (book club)
The World Without Us, Alan Weisman
Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte (book club)
An Echo In the Darkness, Francine Rivers (book club)
A Voice in the Wind, Francine Rivers (book club)
Sex Signs

All quiet on the home front - week 17

Week 17 kind of slipped by me without much fanfare. It almost seemed anti-climactic this week with nothing major to worry about and nothing exciting to look forward to. Some of the highlights of the week were: We went camping and yes, I slept in a tent at 4 months pregnant much to the amazement of several of my friends. I actually got the hubby to measure where I want the desk from the baby's room to come to final resting AND admit that it is a good spot in the house for the new computer location - something he has been resisting for several months. (Now to get him to actually move furniture... but one step at a time, right?) We measured the ginormous window in the baby's room for curtains and/or blinds since the existing blinds are broken. And, I took our daughter shopping for the first baby items. She went crazy wanting to buy every cute baby outfit she laid eyes on and I had to steer her to the basics and the practical - like onesie's and pajamas and socks/booties. Together we got a solid start on things we will need to welcome her little sister home in a few months.

I went to the doctor for a routine appointment this week - where I heard the heartbeat and got the first measurement of my growing belly. My blood pressure is still extremely good and even on the low side (yipee!) and my baby bump is measuring exactly as big as it should be for my stage of the game. I begged my doctor to sneak me into the ultrasound room and tell me what I am having (of course I didn't mention it would be a second opinion!) and he laughed and looked at my chart and finally said the only thing he could do was to make my next appointment in only 3 weeks instead of the standard 4 weeks - putting me right after I hit the 20-week mark. I guess I'll take what I can get and really, I just want my trusted OB to tell me the girl parts are still the girl parts before I continue spending money on pink things a little baby boy wouldn't be caught dead in.

I'm still only 2 lbs heavier than I was at the end of my HCG regiment (and realistically that was the time of conception!) but my Dr says not to worry since I'm staying very active (although NOT running like I'd like to be and feel very up for every day!) and the baby is obviously thriving in there. Maybe the baby will just eat my ass and thighs and I won't gain more than a few pounds through the course of the entire pregnancy! Wouldn't that be a nice pipe dream...