Momma Tips from Claire & Natalie (ages 7 and 4)

As we were eating dinner tonight with Claire and Natalie, Natalie pointed out that I was a momma, and I would *definitely* be a momma when the baby comes out. So I took this opportunity to ask two little girls for good tips on how to be a good mommy. Here's what they told me.

* Put them in time out if they be bad
* Let them watch TV when they want (Claire says when you say they can) and Natalie added but not if it's too late
* Say "just a second" if you have to change
* Take them to nice places if they're good
* If your daughter is scared at the movies or on a ride, you can maybe hold onto her
* If they want lunch, give them lunch
* When she's a baby, rock her.
* Take them to school
* If they touch the fire, give them a paper towel with an ice pack
* If they're sneaking out the door, close it.

I'm so glad I wrote these down so I could share them on the blog!!

ATTN DC METRO RESIDENTS: There is something in the water!

There are two ladies at work that are also due the same week as me.

There are two other guys at Lane's work that are expecting babies.

Lane's supervisor just announced that she's having a baby and is due in September.

Our 12th floor neighbors just found out they are also having a baby!!!

Holy Babies!! I don't know if we are just more aware of these things now that we are pregnant, or if there's some strange phenomenon going on here! In either case, we're really excited for everyone!

A Daddy Picture!!

Lane has been grossly under-represented in this Baby Blog. He cooperated with me when I asked him to take a picture with this super cutsie duckie towel that Malia gave us for Baby Grover.

Thanks, Malia! We can't wait to bundle Baby Grover up in this adorable towel!

Week 24

Baby Grover weighs just under 1.5 pounds, and she's supposed to gain more than six ounces just this week! Also this week, her nostrils will begin to open and blood vessels will develop in her teeny lungs. Baby Grover's little feet are just under 2 inches long right now.

I'm just starting to feel the extra weight I've been carrying around (all 18 lbs of it!). I think I'm starting to move a little slower than normal and my lower back is starting to bothering me a little. Lane is a sweetheart and has been rubbing my back for me like a good husband :)

I wonder what the heck I'll look like when the baby is 7 or 8 pounds, if I'm this big when she's not even 2! Watch out for my tummy, Washington DC!

Showing some Love

At 5:45 this morning, Lane kissed me goodbye as he headed off to work. Then he told the baby he loved her and kissed my belly. Immediately after that, she gave a little kick – her first of the day. Coincidence? Perhaps. Precious? Definitely!

Week 23

It seems like I was just 17 weeks pregnant, and now there are only 17 weeks left to go. This week, Baby Grover is just over 11 inches long and her unique little hand and footprints are forming.

After recently signing up for prenatal yoga classes, I’ve also signed Lane and myself up for a Baby Care Basics class and an Infant and Child CPR class.

In other Baby Grover news, we decided that once we choose a name for our little girl, we will keep it a surprise until she's born. But at the rate of progress we are making, we probably won’t know her name until after she’s born either!

I have been getting numerous suggestions at work, some just silly and others for real. So I decided to make a Baby Grover Name Suggestion Box. It is right by our goodies table at work, so people are regularly submitting their entries. I have also received suggestions from family members. My mom suggested Maria Elena (her name) and reminded me that she named her daughter after her mom. David thinks I should get ahead of the curve and name our daughter Davida, before everyone else catches onto the name. And my brother, Timothy Alexander suggested the name Alexandria.

I must now look super pregnant, without a doubt. Because as I stepped onto the metro yesterday THREE people simultaneously offered me their seats on the metro. I felt a little guilty because really, I'm not feeling the weight, I'm not tired, and I feel completely okay standing up or walking places. My once pregnant sister gave me two words of advice. MILK IT. Not sure if I'll follow that. Maybe later on when I'm super hot, out of breath, and wondering when the heck our baby will be born already. I'm just not quite there yet.

My metro ride home today

This evening I hopped on the metro, and this wonderfully sweet lady got up from her seat so I could sit down. I protested a little, but either she was very insistent, or didn't understand my protests.

She started up a conversation with me, and I realized she was just learning English. About half way through our conversation, this lovely Ethiopian woman told me that she was also pregnant (2 months)!! Of course, then I felt extra bad that she'd given up her seat for me. She was the sweetest lady, very kind, and anxious to practice her English. We talked about her job, her family back in Ethiopia, how she got married last year, and about her wedding.

She told me she'd see me next time, and I wished her good luck with her first baby. If it weren't for my big ol' belly, I never would have had the pleasure of speaking with this woman.