Showing off for Daddy!

Tonight Lane felt the baby move for the first time!! He had his hand on my belly, and before I even told him the baby had kicked, he knew it. Baby Grover must have been showing off for Daddy or something, because that little rascal was moving around like crazy! We just giggled together as we felt the baby move over and over again.

Week 20

We're half way there, and I can hardly believe it!

Baby Grover's permanent teeth are starting to form behind the baby ones. Around this week, babies are supposed to start being more active at certain times of the day. I've noticed Baby kicking and moving around in the late mornings, around 1 or 2 in the afternoon, and also around 8 pm or so. By this time, Baby Grover can also hear sounds like my voice, heart beat, and stomach growling. Apparently, Baby Grover can hear outside noises too, and might even put its hands over its tiny ears if a loud sound is made nearby.

I am still feeling really great - totally normal, and regular energy levels, with the exception of some late night leg cramps.

evening update - so of course after I post this, I go to work and feel so yucky I decided to go home at lunch time. I hardly ate anything (soooo unlike me), and I slept all afternoon. So much for feeling normal still. I'm trying to figure out if this is pregnancy related or just some bug, since lots of people at work are sickies.

*May* Showers

I am SOO excited!!! I just got news that my sisters are going to give me a baby shower! My mom and Theresa in California have already made their flight arrangements, and Cynthia is going to fly in from Boston!

This is really wonderful news. I was bummed that they'd most likely miss out on all the fun. To know I'll get to share this special time with them in person, if only for a little while, is really exciting.

Yay for family!!!

Is Baby Grover a BOY or a GIRL!?!?

There's just a little more than ONE week to make your guess about Baby Grover's gender. While you're at it, take a guess at the other arrival stats - what day and time, and how big (or tiny) you think Baby Grover will be. Just click on the ExpectNet banner and make your best guess!!

March 3rd is our next ultrasound appointment. This is where we'll get to take a close look at all the baby's organs to make sure they are developing correctly. Baby Grover's gestational age will also be determined, giving us a more accurate estimate of the due date. And, extra special added bonus is that if our baby is an exhibitionist, we will also get to find out the gender. Many of Baby Grover's bones have hardened since our last ultrasound in mid December, and so much growth has happened since then. We are really excited to see how much our little guy or girl has changed!!

Pregnancy Hormones

What you can't tell from the picture in yesterday's post, is that I had just moments before overcome a bout of outrageous pregnancy hormones. I asked Lane to take a picture of me since it was Tuesday Picture Day, but he was somehow enthralled with a Subway commercial. Naturally, I started crying. Luckily this outrageousness lasted about 5 seconds, and then I was ready to smile for the camera. I'm glad that both Lane and I recognize that this craziness is all hormones.

Week 19

This week, hair is starting to form on Baby Grover's little head. Baby Grover's brain is really busy these days, specializing areas of the nerve cells that serve the senses of touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing. And as strange as it may sound, Baby Grover may already have developed a preference for the left or right hand!

These days I'm still feeling mostly normal. My only complaint is that I've started waking up all throughout the night again - not to pee, but because my knees are killing me!! I think it's because I'm producing super levels of a pregnancy hormone called relaxin. Relaxin loosens and widens the hip joints to make childbirth easier. But it also loosens other joints. boo. I'm feeling guilty about not exercising, and whenever I read about pregnancy exercise, I feel like someone is scolding me disapprovingly for not being more active. So, out of complete guilt, I decided to take a walk outside today in the 47 degree weather. It wasn't really *that* cold, but my walk lasted all of 7 minutes or so. So much for that.

and i'm really good at crying these days.

I'm a Walking Disaster

Someone please let me know - does pregnancy make you super clumsy?!?! Since Wednesday, I have grated my knuckles, sliced off part of my middle finger, cut my thumb, gotten a "paper" cut on a Costco cardboard box, dumped a pitcher of Brita water on the floor, and knocked over a big glass of water on our desk (full of papers and pictures and CDs). I swear I am not normally like this!! Am I doomed to 5 more months of this madness???