Baby Stuff!

I feel like Christmas came early! The nice UPS man just delivered me some baby stuff...a carseat and a stroller! THANKS, PATSY! I also found the bedding we want on super discount on ebay, and it should be delivered tomorrow. I've been trying not to spend a bunch of money on baby things yet, so having stuff to play with and set up is QUITE exciting. And Shawn's not around tonight, so he won't be rolling his eyes at me as I play. Woot for baby stuff!

Ultrasound Results

Shawn and I had our mid pregnancy ultrasound today. It was really long, took about 45 minutes. How awesome though! We got to see just about everything - the brain, the eyes, the nose, the ears, the spine, ribs, hands, feet (too cute), bladder, stomach, heart, umbilical cord, etc. The whole shebang. No spina bifida, no cleft palate, no club foot. All four chambers of the heart were present and accounted for, the umbilical cord was normal. This office had the technology to do the 3D stuff too, so they gave us a few print outs of 3D profiles. It really made this more real than the other appointments have. The baby is measuring in the 68th percentile for size, weighs 10 oz, and measuring 3 days ahead of my due date. The tech said that's totally normal, and doesn't really mean much. Also important, the placenta is where it's supposed to be. In the last two days I thought of placenta previa as a whole new thing to worry about, so I was relieved to find out that it was right in its normal home. So, to repeat what I've been hearing: This is a boring pregnancy. Which is great. Now, I'm just worried about the birth. Based on Kate's experience, easy pregnancy led to terribly difficult birth, while difficult pregnancy led to easy birth. Which brings me to my next point:

Happy Birthday Nuri!
Happy Anniversary Connie and Jelani!
Waiting with bated breath for news from the Gibbens!

Turns out August 19th is a very important day in our CA circle of friends.

Confessions

- I have not taken my prenatal vitamins every day.
- I still drink caffeine, although I have cut back significantly.
- I have slept on my back during the second trimester.
- I have eaten shellfish.
- I have eaten sushi.
- I have eaten lunch meat.
- I have no plans to discontinue eating any of the above.
- I have taken Nyquil (I swear, it's on my doctor's approved list! Why do you think I'm still with her?)
- I have used chemicals that I suspect are verboten (benzoyl peroxide? sounds scary enough.)
- I don't wash fruit before I eat it.
- I may have blinded my baby in utero by provoking early movement with a flashlight for my own selfish pleasure.
I confess this to the world with no reservations, so that when this baby comes out totally normal, other mothers can relax and be ok with the decisions they make every day. OR, so that when the baby comes out disfigured, my conscience will be clear. Either way.

Belly Picture

Here it is. Not much yet, I guess, but at 18 weeks, this is it. Shawn commented as he was taking the picture, "This isn't very flattering, is it?" No. He asked what the point is in taking these pictures. I guess it's so in December when I'm roughly the size of an ocean liner, we can look back and laugh at how I thought I was big then. My coworkers are laughing at me when I wear maternity clothes, because they say I'm not big enough yet. Exactly when does this awkward stage end? I'm about halfway through this, and I still don't look pregnant to anyone who doesn't know me. I will be kicking myself later for thinking this, but I can't wait to be big enough that people give me their seat on the metro, or at least recognize that I'm not just overweight.

In other news, we have our big ultrasound appointment on Tuesday! We're not going to find out the sex of the baby, but we'll get to see it, and check on major organs and parts. (I think I'm most looking forward to getting out of work early.) If we can get on it, we'll post any pics they give us when we get back.

Packin on the Pounds

A topic no pregnant woman wants to discuss: her weight. Whether with her doctor, her husband or her friends, the subject of weight is always touchy. As I have discussed here before, spending at least the years since puberty concerned about weight gained and lost, and how and why clothes fit the way they do, then being suddenly expected to gain weight is a mental shift to say the least. I've known women who saw pregnancy as a long awaited opportunity to eat what they wanted, when they wanted. (Just as an observation, not such a great idea.) I've met women who didn't seem to notice any difference, just gained the weight. I've met women who lamented the weight they were gaining despite knowing it was coming, and appreciating that it was important to gain it. I have not yet met someone with my problem, which is somewhat difficult to discuss: an inability to gain weight. I mean, only during this pregnancy! Don't get me wrong, I'm perfectly capable of gaining weight at any other time in my life. Apparently. However, after a first trimester with minimal nausea and no vomiting, I can't explain how I lost several pounds. My theory is that with no alcohol and loads more fruits and veggies, my body finally trimmed those obnoxious few pounds I've been holding on to. Which was all FINE with me. Then I hit my second trimester. I started reading about how you are supposed to put on about one pound per week from the 13th week until birth. Ok. That meant that by the last time I saw my doctor, I should have put on 2 pounds. Instead, I lost one. My doctor told me it was time to start gaining. I swear, I am eating all the time. I don't work out. I don't eat diet items, like low fat, or low sodium, or low anything really. I like fat. I like sodium. I have no idea how this has happened.

Today, however, things seemed to have shifted. I weigh myself every morning, at least since I found out I was pregnant. This morning I finally am back at my prepregnancy weight! Whoo! Normally this kind of announcement comes from a woman who has a small child and has been working to lose weight. I imagine this will be the only time in my life I will utter that sentence with the full intention of going on to put on more weight than my prepregnancy amount. Hopefully, things are headed in the right direction. I was getting worried I was going to have to have milkshakes every day...which doesn't sound too terrible, come to think of it.