More Pics

Here's a top-side view of the baby. Slightly cute and slightly scary. I can see her little face but skeletal views are very weird to look at. You can see her tiny arms and a hand close to her face.  The next photo you can see one of her tiny feet.

The Admiral's Daughter

Yes, you read it right. IT'S A GIRL! Wow. My premonition was right.  We just got back from Hawaii and baby's first trip to the Pacific and snorkeling, and it was time to get our ultrasound. I've uploaded the pics and you should be able to see all the details. We were ecstatic! Chris is already smitten. She was sucking her thumb, and kicking, and playing with her toes.  You should have seen Chris's grin. We're now 21 weeks along and already her kicks and nudges are strong enough that Chris has actually been able to feel them when he puts his hand on my belly.

Badge of Honor?

Okay, so this is more of a question than a post. And, a bit of a rant too. Why do other mothers feel compelled to tell horror stories about birth and pregnancy to first-time moms-to-be? I'm already a worry-wort and obsess about everything. Why do other women feel the need to freak me out even more so?

I have no idea how my own labor and birth experience will be. For all I know it could be completely normal. Nothing out of ordinary. No horrible, traumatizing, agonizing moments. But, it sure doesn't help when women around me like to leave that seed of doubt in my brain and the thought that I possibly 'could' be just like them. Nor does it help when other women tell painful and terrifying possibilities of stillbirth and death to a young mom. The last thing I want to hear is, "oh, you're nearly 5 months?! My daughter lost her baby when she was 6 months pregnant and she had no warning or complications."

AHHHHH. Why would anyone say that?! I sympathize. I truly do, but I am not the person with whom you should be discussing this. The LAST thing I need to stress about is the myriad of ways I could lose my baby. Thanks. I really needed that. Have any other mothers out there been through this? What do you do to get through all this with your sanity intact?

Weird little changes

I can tell that my perspectives are changing gradually. Granted, part of this is due to the wonderful part of pregnancy that involves huge doses of hormones being pumped in larger- than- normal volumes throughout your body.

But, let's face it newborns look strange. They just look weird. And, to top it off I could never stand the idea of watching a birth video. It completely freaked me out. Yet, lately I've found myself intensely engaged in watching numerous online videos on Babycenter.com on c-sections, and water births, and inductions, and newborn after-birth medical care. It didn't matter how gorey it was, I was completely fixated on that little squirming, wailing baby as it came into the world. I would cry right along with the mother in the video and think, "What an incredible moment," "What a beautiful baby" even though it's covered in guck. Strange, how mother nature can change your mind.

18 Week Pictures

As promised (though a bit delayed) here are the latest pictures. I'm 18 weeks right now.  The baby bump is becoming a little more pronounced but I still wouldn't say that I've 'popped' yet. I have a long torso so the doctor said it could be closer to 5 1/2 or 6 months before I'm really showing.

Mythbusters: 2nd Trimester Edition

I've heard that the 2nd trimester is the easiest and so far this is true. However, some of my worst nights so far have been within the last week. Whoever said you'll get more sleep in the 2nd trimester was clearly lying. I've had less sleep due to the terrible heartburn that won't go away so I end up sleeping while sitting up. Between the heartburn, the aches in my hips and sides from sleeping on my sides more often, and worst of all, horrible leg cramps, I've had some pretty miserable nights. I haven't had a Charlie Horse that bad in years. In fact, my right calf is still sore. owwweeee!

Chris's Adventures

Chris had a field day today. He used to work with several special needs kids throughout Denver but was recently moved to a different scouting program. However, one of the special needs teachers, Ms. Karen Baker, who he used to work closely with has stayed in touch and invited him to two recent events that have both touched our hearts and had us rolling with laughter.

His first reunion with Ms. Baker was a month or so back when she invited him to join her class at "Disney on Ice". They needed a vehicle and driver (i.e. Chris) to get them there and they would take care of the rest. So it was that Chris was reunited with the special needs kids that would make him smile routinely. They immediately bum-rushed him in a gaggle of flailing arms, and smiles, and squeals of "Hi, Mr. Chris." He was nearly knocked down by the lot of them. His next few ours during the show, which he thought would be boring and tedious was actually hysterically amusing as he watched all the kids going absolutely bonkers over every Disney character that skated out onto the arena. Those kids were more fanatical about Disney than a group of soccer hooligans at the World Cup! They screamed and danced in the aisles and generally went nuts. He loved it!

Then, just today he was invited again to join the class in watching a movie with them. The show had already started in the classroom before he had arrived, so he snuck in the back and took a seat hoping they wouldn't notice. Ms. Baker, however, DID notice and immediately turned on the lights and announced to the class, "Someone special is here and what do we say?" To which, Chris was bum-rushed AGAIN with squeals of "Congratulations on the BABY, Mr. Chris!" The funniest moment, had to be when one of the girls calls out, "Congratulations to yo' baby Mamma!" The teacher began laughing hysterically and ran out to tell the other teachers.