What must Eve have thought when "the first child that ever was" started kicking inside her? (Let alone what she thought when she pushed it out of herself!!!!)

I mean, SERIOUSLY!!!!! Imagine not knowing what the freakin' heck is squirming around in there and kicking you like it's going to come bursting out like an alien at any moment.

It must have been quite disturbing.

Along those same lines, what do animals think since nobody ever explained the birds and the bees to them? I mean, you should have seen the look on Sierra's face (my now departed dog) when she let a big fart rip! Not to be gross, but she got up and ran away like some alien just crawled out of her butt!!!

If a mere fart is that scary, then WHY do mother animals LIKE their little babies and protect them with their lives instead of running away when they ploop out?

Granted, puppies are MUCH cuter than farts, but still! Do you ever wonder what goes through their heads?

Ok, so I've been sitting here playing "tap the belly and wait for the response" too long tonight, and in the down time between responses I've been doing some deep philosophizing, but is that so bad?

More work on the nursery this weekend and enjoying the long weekend.

We went shopping for a dresser for the baby's room and found a nice tall one that looks ok in there. We talked about putting some cute kiddie drawer pulls on it to "kid" it up a little, so I found some that we can paint ourselves later when I finish all my other projects.

The weather has been pretty good this weekend, but still warm. It's been nice for eating outside (in the shade or in the evening only) and even went for a swim yesterday! As usual, it took me forever to get in, but once I was in, it felt good.

Marti and I bought a mirror for the baby's room instead of painting a window on the blank wall. I'll frame it and put shutters on the side to match the real window and that will be a lot easier.

I forgot to mention that I've been sleeping in the extra bedroom for about a week now. I like sleeping on my side (which is good for the baby I hear) except my belly is getting so big that it doesn't let me roll over far enough to stay on my side. I always feel like I'm going to roll onto my back (which is not so good for the baby I hear).

To fix this, I prop a pillow behind my back to keep me from rolling over, but that takes up so much room in the bed that we can't all be comfortable.

So, off to the spare bed I went! :)

Marti doesn't have to listen to me snore, I get to sleep with the blinds open and wake up to sunlight, and the dogs get all the room they want - as well as a choice of scenery depending on who they choose to sleep with that night. It works for us.

Eugene said we should put both beds in one room and have a SUPER bed, but Marti didn't like that idea. I think he's enjoying the peace and quiet! But, it's funny to imagine 2 queen size beds in our master bedroom anyway!

So, what's the deal with Motherhood Maternity Store? They have a 10 day return policy on normal items and all bathing suits are final sale! Ok, probably works for them, but if the tags are on it and I decide I found something better the next day, I'm out of luck.

I took may chances and bought it since it wasn't too bad, but I'm still insulted by the policy. What I wanted to do was go next door to see what Kohl's and Target offered, but Motherhood was closing a half hour before them, so I just bought it and figured it was good enough.

Turns out Kohl's had nothing and Target had absolutely hideous suits, so it was the right choice, but I still would have liked the option.

So, the point of the story is, we're going swimming on Sunday and I needed a new bathing suit! What a joy that was to buy! I chose a modest suit that covers the entire belly with a skirt thingie attached to the top. So, it's not as hip as a tankini, but it gets the job done. Had to get a large because the medium cut right across the middle of my belly and that didn't feel good now - let alone by the end of summer!

I tried pushing it down, but that just seemed dangerous - even with the skirt hiding any wardrobe malfunctions that could occur from not having the bottoms pulled up all the way.

So, I have this monstrosity of a bathing suit now that comes nearly up to my chest from the bottom and down past my hips from the top.

Gramma would have been proud!

Doctor said everything is fine again today. Nothing new to report there.

My belly continues to grow and my belly button has been flattening out the last few weeks.

I visited Mom last night and she felt the baby, but Ron wasn't able to feel her yet. He thinks his hands are too burley to feel anything that delicate yet. We'll keep her in training and soon he can feel her kicking him!

Mom and Beryl gave us some more stuff for the baby last night. Lots of really cute clothes and another snow suit for up in Heber. That makes one for 18 mo from Nonnie and one for 24 mo from Mom. Easy on the snow suits if you are considering one for us. Hahaha! I think we're pretty well covered there for a while. I mean, there is Heber, but how many more do we need? Tee Hee! (I have to admit they are cute by nature and they make me giggle, though!)

So, we're getting lots of clothes and I think the dresser shopping is going to take top priority in the next week or two. This stuff needs a place before the nursery gets out of control.

Also, we have a project on our hands with that closet revamp. I'll figure something out there soon.

I feel SOOOOO spoiled because we are getting so much stuff. I guess the family LOVES the idea of a new baby to spoil! :)

Well, today was a big day. Other people can officially feel my baby dancing around in there!

I got up and had a bowl of cereal in bed, and waited for the entertainment to begin. (Usually she gets active after I eat -- presumably because of the burst of sugar and nutrients she gets from my blood)

She started kicking around and so I had Marti put his hand on my belly and wait.

First kick: blank stare on Marti's face.
Second kick: blank stare on Marti's face.
Third kick: Marti's face!!!! hahaha! That was it! Yup, that was our baby. He's a little amazed and a little freaked out about it I think. It's a cute little mixture of both.

Last night was funny! I think our little one got her hands around my guts and started yanking! I can't describe the feeling, but it was tickling from the inside and it made me laugh out loud in my bed. I finally was able to feel it from the outside, but by the time Marti made his way over to where I was, it had stopped.

If that's what "real" movement feels like, then this is going to get fun! Up until now it's felt like nothing more than maybe a baby rat (or if you prefer, a baby bunny) squirming around in there, but now things are getting interesting!

If this is what it's going to feel like, I can just see it now! My, sitting in my office laughing for no reason. They are going to take me away!

Half Way Mark today! Yeah! That seemed to fly by quickly!

GOOD GOD! Who turned up the heat???? It got so hot all of a sudden this weekend that I think my body went into protest.

We went to pick up a changing table and then took Danny to a movie since we were in the neighborhood (meaning within 30 minutes of Nonnie's house!). After that we went home and hung out and then out to dinner. I wasn't even out in it that long, but I was woozie and almost didn't make it in to dinner!

Luckily, a good blast of A/C and I was good to go.

It will be a very long summer - this I am sure of.

I'm still just waiting until the baby moving around can be felt from the outside so Marti (and anyone else that wants to) can feel it jumping around in there.

Jane Granna watched the first ultrasound video and commented on how active this little bugger is. I feel it wriggling around all the time.

It's not really kicks; it's more like scooching around.

I guess this waiting will end in the last milestone that I can think of before the birthday. I was thinking it was just growing until then, but I really am looking forward to sharing that big deal.

Marti and I have been talking about names and can't agree on one thing. We originally decided we liked the name Hannah, so we're kind of stuck on it.

However, he wants a middle name starting with A after his grandfather Alec.

My problem is that Hannah ends in an "A" sound, then you jump right back into another "A" sound and it sounds like you're choking on her name!

It seems Marti is more tied to the "A" for Alec idea than Hannah, but he hasn't really given up Hannah yet, either.

Stay tuned, as there will surely be more developments later.

Little did he know picking a MIDDLE name would be such a big deal to me! hahaha!

For those of you that don't know her, we have always called my grandma in CA "Jane Granna." In a recent conversation, we were discussing what this child will call her.

Hmmmmm. She's got a point. I mean, "Jane Great Granna" is a mouthful for even me!

So, now we not only have to start thinking about what to name the baby, but people we've called one name our WHOLE LIVES will now be known by new names.

This baby thing is getting complicated!

Nesting instinct is really getting strong these last few days. With all the great hand-me-downs we've gotten in the last week or so (Thanks Nonnie and Ted!) I've gotten to the point where it needs to go somewhere.

I found a changing table and will get a good solid dresser that will last rather than some overpriced combo that we may not really want to have in the room once it's not a nursery anymore.

I also decided to take the closet doors off for now to open up all the space in there and install some kind of organization system. You can't really hang onesies anyway, so what do we need with a rod that is about 5 ft from the ground and all that empty space under it?

The only problem with that is the closet is stark white and it will stand out against all the painting I did last year. Or was that the year before? Seems like I've been in various stages of pregnant for 3 years now!

I know dry skin is somewhat normal right now, but this is getting ridiculous! Sometimes I feel like sticking a big piece of duck tape across my forehead and pulling it all off! It's a never-ending peel going on these days and I can't tell if it looks better or worse with make up on.

Oh, back to the hand-me-downs! I figured out the bouncy swing Ted gave me finally! Hung it from the door frame and it looked good! It was only missing one thing -- a baby! Well, I can't do much about that for now, but decided if I stuck Joey in there, it wouldn't be so bad. She's about 18 lbs now, so she's about the right size. Besides, she stands straight up like a person a lot of time, so she doesn't mind being upright.

I'll post a picture of her in it later.

Posting another belly picture tonight, so check back later to see what 18 weeks, 3 days looks like.

Marti and I discussed the fact that he doesn't want a lot of pink stuff now that we know it's probably going to be a girl. I'm sure he was happy to hear I agree!

We just can't stomach seeing pink everywhere we look every day and that is what usually happens to little girls, so we're avoiding it. If a little pink sneaks through, that's fine, but we're just not targeting pink.

If I have my way, Auntie Jessica will teach my little girl how to play basketball and we'll have lots of skinned knees, but no frilly pink dresses. That's my idea of a perfect little girl. :)

Yes, I can regularly feel that little baby jumping around in there. That is what it is, I'm certain of it.

I seemed to have an appetite which until now I've escaped. I ate a full plate of spaghetti for lunch and then a girl in the office said there was leftover food on a buffet in the next building, which we promptly raided. Well, what harm would another plate of pasta with a side of green beans and a couple of cookies be? :)

Today was the "big day." Well, it was about as big as it gets for us so far and until the birth day.

Today we had the 18 week ultrasound and, while the baby was "demure" as the doctor called it, they were pretty sure it is a girl.

This news came with a warning to keep all the tags and a statement that they do not re-paint nurseries. :)

So, from what we could see, it looks like we're going to be parents to a very modest, bouncing baby girl!

In 2 more weeks we'll be half way there!

We had Mother's Day dinner at our house and I discovered I can't be on my feet for too long. By too long, I mean all day. HAHAHA!

It felt like my calves were going to POP!

I think it was a combination of the standing plus being on concrete or tile all day - with a hint of crappy shoes - that made my legs hurt so bad.

I think I'll have to do things in little bunches from now on until the baby is born. No more marathon sessions and then standing to cook dinner on top of it all. Next time, it's cleaning on Saturday then dinner on Sunday. Not both in one day.

Well, if it's not the baby dancing around inside me, then my long lost tapeworm is back and it's doing "River Dance" in my belly. I thought I lost that thing when I shot up from a size 4 to a 10 (or so) in the years Marti and I have been together.

Ok, ok, I know it's the baby and I know there really wasn't a tapeworm, but it was kind of fun thinking about getting back to a size 4 again!

Today Marti was working on the shelves for the little stuffed birdies we're going to add to the tree. Tomorrow I'll get him to paint the crackle paint on them so they match the bark of the tree, then next week we'll get those hung.

Also ready to hang are the 2 window boxes I made and covered with fabric. I can hang one now, but will wait and do them both together after we buy a little dresser/changing table for the nursery. I don't want to mount that one too high or too low and have to rehang it later.

I think I'll add some cute little stuffed flowers to them that will stay, while the stuffed animals, etc. can come out and play. I think it will make them look more like window boxes if they have some kind of flowers in them.

When they said pregnant women get nasal symptoms worse than most, they were not kidding! My allergies are acting up and I feel like I'm going to sneeze (but then I don't) for the better part of my waking hours. Then, at night it gets a little better in that I don't feel like I'm going to sneeze, but instead, I just can't breathe at all!

It's a great way to be for days on end.

The better news is, we have scheduled the 18-20 week ultrasound and will know the sex of the baby shortly! Stay tuned for the big day. We'll be posting those results sometime next week!

On another note, I've discovered I'm one of those silly women that love being pregnant! Well, at least so far, that is. But, we all know each pregnancy can be different, so there's no saying the next one (if we're so lucky) will be so lovely. I'll just enjoy this one for what it is and worry about all that other stuff later.

:)

Good news! The AFP screening came back with less than normal risk, so that's another little triumph for this mother of "advanced maternal age."

To read more on AFP screening, check this site:

http://www.ucsfhealth.org/childrens/medical_services/preg/prenatal/afp.html

They give a pretty concise description of what it is if you're curious.

Finished one of the "window boxes" today. Managed to devise a plan to get the fabric around the box and get it all tucked in without any raw edges showing. It took me a full day of trial and error to figure it out on Sunday and I finally got to finish it today.

One down, one to go.

WEIRD! I am sitting here and I can feel my heart beating in my belly!!!! Must be the placenta. I thought it may be kicking (been feeling a little something down there lately from time to time, so we think that may be the baby) but this is constant and rhythmic, so definitely not the baby.

Now I can't really tell when I'm feeling my heart or the flutters that I think are the baby. It's all jumbled!!!

Booooooo for the jumbles!!!!!

So, I'm driving down the road and I get an itch on my arm. You know, that fat white part of the fore-arm that has the consistency of uncooked bread dough? hahaha!

I feel a little bumpy and think it's just the dry skin thing I have spreading below the elbow, but when I looked down, there was this big patch of bumps and I had a rash! It startled me so much that I sort of screamed - but not really loud - and startled Marti, too! It was the kind of noise you'd expect when someone sees a cat in the road at the last second. Well, most people would make this noise. I'm not one of those sick people that squeals "Yee haw!" when they see a cat in the road.

Thankfully it's going away now and I don't need to think about that anymore.