Babies: The leading cause of belly deformation

Last night, just before turning in, I made a huge mistake.

Since this is my first baby, naturally I am curious about what lies ahead. So, last night I hopped on Google and found a pregnancy belly gallery. It was fun seeing other women who are 19-20 weeks pregnant and comparing it with my own apple-belly. A wiser woman would have stopped there, but I've never paid much attention to proverbs about cats. So, I went ahead and searched “39 weeks.”

Now, I know that pregnant women are supposedly glowing goddesses of creation and all that, but... not at 11 pm. Not when you are all alone in the dark and it's storming outside and you have only a bottle of Palmer's Cocoa Butter to defend yourself as visions of the future loom before you, backlit by lightning and dancing to the tune of the howling winds! Now that's some scary stuff. Happy Halloween, guys.

Nesting

Until yesterday, Babbit's nursery had nothing in it. It was completely, absolutely bare... except all the bits of shiny and brightly colored objects I found. Magpie-like, I collected and stored every pretty little thing I found and put it in the nursery nest. A plastic beaded necklace, red and yellow autumn leaves, even (I wish I was joking) a bit of rainbow-colored ribbon. It was when I lovingly draped the bit of ribbon over the window latch that I realized I had gone too far. As though a hypnotist had just snapped his fingers, I awoke to the situation and thought, What on earth am I doing? This has got to stop.

Of course I know whose fault this is, Baby. (But I did leave the ribbon.)

Merry Cribmass!

Babbit has a long list of thank you notes to write when he (or she) makes his (or her) grand introduction to society, I will tell you that. Already, giftiness has begun! The kiddo got a fantastic onesie from friends Becky and Jon, and I spent a few hours today assembling a crib, on loan from my uncle David and aunt Angela. Isn't it pretty?



Here is the onesie



Hooray, the baby won't be naked!



Since it was requested, here is what I look like today, at 19 weeks. (Oh gosh, almost halfway there. That is scary.)


Only I'm actually a bit happier. I was just concentrating on keeping my balance while staying in focus.

I am very excited for my first doctor appointment next week. I hope it's a fun visit and not just a takes-your-bloods visit.

Bye brain

It is an alarming side effect of pregnancy that you lose your brain. I have to keep a little notepad with me at all times to write notes to myself. Easy, simple things. "Buy candles" "Mail card" "Return library books" "Get laundry from laundry room" "Brush your hair" It's getting ridiculous. I called my sister Ashley today because I forgot how to cook a sweet potato (and the internet was down). Thank goodness it is working now because I wanted to have acorn squash with dinner tonight and I have also forgotten how to cook that. I know the nefarious purpose of this horrible memory loss. It is to make me forget how awful and hellish the first trimester was so that I will want another baby. And it is working! I don't even have one baby yet but I am already agreeing with Mike that we should make a friend for this baby in a couple of years.

I know this is the baby's fault. I know it because I read it in my pregnancy book. Chapter 5: Blame the baby. Blaming the baby has been my favorite part of pregnancy so far. Feeling the baby move is a close second, sure, but having a scapegoat is really useful!

I'm going to have to cut this short. The baby is demanding that I go make some nachos. Darn that baby.

These conversations evolve when you don't have a television

Mike and I just realized that our baby's stripper name* will be Psychoface Queen! You're welcome, Babbit.







*based on the meme that your "stripper name"= first pet's name + street name of first home.

This seems big. Is this too big?

What do you think...? Twins or too many icees?

ooooooo it's time for elevensies!

I eat more meals than the average hobbit. I'm not kidding-- already today I've had breakfast, second breakfast, and I'm currently working on elevensies. I'm hoping that Mike will join me for lunch in about an hour.

Mike and I moved into our very own apartment yesterday, making us official Philadelphian city-dwellers. Babbit, too. I am getting started working on the nursery. Stay tuned for photos!

More pregnancy observations:

-Pregnancy is a little bit hairier than I thought it would be.
-I think I felt a baby in there, but I'm not positive.
-Mint toothpaste makes me ill. I now brush with a kid's toothpaste flavored "Sparkle Fun."
-Nothing is better than sleep.
-I have never been more aware of my belly button. Or more resentful.
-Why are showers so awful?


This week's poll is boy's names. We'll be finding out the sex sometime this month.