Back to work!

I hope everyone had a very Happy Christmas (I'm saying "happy now" instead of "merry" because I'm trying to be cool like the English people *grin*). Ours was great but there were it's moments of family drama which sucks, but it happens whether you want it to or not. Aidan had a great time and loved all of his gifts. Christmas was awesome for him this year because it was the first year he REALLY understood everything that was happening. He opened almost all of his presents without help and I loved the look on his face when he got something he truly wanted. There were so many wow's. It was adorable.

Christian didn't recieve much in the way of Christmas gifts. He got a book from his Aunt Amber, Uncle Andy, and his cousins Zeke and Olivia and a Snugli from his Aunt Crystal, Uncle Nick and cousin Chelsie. I'm really looking forward to using the Snugli. I asked for one when I was pregnant with Aidan but no one ever got it for me. :o) Mark's family took bets on how much Christian is going to weigh when we were together on Christmas Eve. I think I had the smallest weight with 7 pounds even and Dallas guessed way over 8 pounds. Everyone else guessed in the mid-7 pound range. That was really fun, to get the family involved.

I am 34 weeks today and really feeling it. I've been feeling out of breath more and more lately and I hate that, plus my vaginal muscles and back have been killing me. 6 more weeks! That's kind of exciting and frightening all at the same time!

Here's how the little one is doing...I have to get back to work now. We're working Sunday thru Wednesday so that I can have a four day weekend this week. Then it's back to the old work schedule, at least until the end of January. :o)

How your baby's growing:

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

See what your baby looks like this week.

SO TIRED.

I'm chalking up my exhaustiveness (is that even a word?) to the fact that I am very pregnant. Or it could be the extra hours they are making us work. Either way, it sucks and all I want to do is lie down and take a nap RIGHT NOW. I was so nervous that I wouldn't have been able to get my house cleaned in time for Christmas morning, but my husband came through and is helping out as much as he can while watching Aidan. I love you honey!!

Yesterday was my monthly OB appointment and all is going well. I gained three pounds since my last visit and Dr. Hulsen said it's a very good sign that the baby is hiccupping. It means his brain is functioning correctly and his neurons are firing and all that, apparently. While measuring my stomach and using the dopplar to listen to Christian's heart, it was determined that he is now head down, which means he's ready for delivery! Well, just about anyway!

I spoke with Dr. Hulsen about going on maternity leave early. He said that if I start dilating early, he's all for it especially since I have to drive so far to work everyday. So yay for that! My next appointment is in two weeks and after that I see him on a weekly basis. :o)

I guess that's all I have to say right now. My mind is very numb from sleepiness so I'm going to go take a walk to wake myself up. In case I don't update before then, Merry Christmas!!

It's almost Christmas!!

It's after 7am on a Sunday and I'm at work. I'm scheduled to work Sunday thru Wednesday from 5 to 1:30 everyday so that I may have Thursday, Friday and Saturday off. I'll be back at work next Sunday as well so that I may have a four day weekend after the New Year. It sucks having to get out of bed when my husband gets to stay home but having those few days off in a row pretty much makes up for it.

Today I am 33 weeks along and I'm feeling very pregnant even though people are still trying to convince me that I'm not "that big." I find myself getting tired easily and even my maternity clothes are starting to feel a bit snug on me. Only 7 more weeks and Christian will be here. That feels like no time at all, actually.

I'm so happy that Christmas is just 4 days away! I can't wait to see the kids faces when they open their presents, especially Aidan's. He's just going to be blown away by what we got for him. I also can't wait to open my presents either!! :o)

Tonight is the CheapTRX Christmas party and I'm looking forward to it, but not looking forward to having to go home early because of work tomorrow. Hopefully I'm not too tired!!

I also have my monthly check-up with Dr. Hulsen tomorrow. After this one, I believe I start seeing him either weekly or bi-weekly. O_o

And now I must return to work but here is how the little baby is this week:

How your baby's growing:

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

32 weeks! Egats!

So I've hit the 8 month mark (even though people don't believe me and they tell me my math is wrong, but I checked What to Expect... twice, and yes, I am in my 8th month) and I'm freaking out a bit. I just have so much stuff to do, but I think we've finally figured out a place for Christian's crib in our room. Granted, it's going to make life a little more difficult for me because it means getting rid of my nightstand (which is covered in books), but such is life.

I've been headache free for over a week now and am super happy about that. It's so nice to feel good again!! We got all of our Christmas shopping finished and everything, sans one gift, is wrapped. We've also decided to hold my side of the family's Christmas Day at our house, instead of my parents house this year. I'm really excited!! I love being a hostess!!

I took Aidan to see Santa on Saturday along with my step-sister and my new niece. Aidan was so excited. I wish I hadn't forgotten to bring my camera because the look on his face was priceless. Granted, he refused to sit on Santa's lap, but he was ecstatic nonetheless.

I don't have much time to update right now, so I'll just go ahead with how Christian is doing this week:

How your baby's growing:

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

See what your baby looks like this week. (Or see what fraternal twins look like in the womb this week.)

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

A late update.

I'm 30 weeks and will be 31 tomorrow so this update is coming a little late. My health has been suffering since Thanksgiving which is my reason for my lack of blogging. Ever since the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, I have had the worst cluster of headaches. I was actually hospitalized overnight (again) and left Anderson with not much more knowledge about what was wrong with me than I did going in. According to my OB and neurologist, I am suffering from pregnancy-related migraine headaches, but according to my regular doctor I have a really bad case of sinusitis. So I have lots of Hydrocodone for the pain (which doesn't really do anything except make me sleepy) and I've been on antibiotics since this past Wednesday. And guess what? I'm still suffering. I wish they could just cut off my head!

Regardless of my health, though, Christian is doing just fine. He's apparently way more healthier than I am, which makes me incredibly happy. I just wish I felt well enough to enjoy it. I haven't been to work since before Thanksgiving and I'm starting to go a little stir crazy, but I really can't do a job where I stare at a computer for 8 to 10 hours per day when my head is pounding. I can take small intervals (such as right now) but after 30 minutes, I need a break. Most of the time, if I take a nap I feel okay for awhile afterwards, but eventually the headaches come back. *sigh*

It sucks because money is going to be extremely tight now and it's Christmastime, which makes it all more depressing. Mark and I have a little nest egg set aside for gifts, but we were planning on splurging it on us and using our regular money on our family. Now it looks like our nest egg will go mostly towards the family, which I really am okay with. Mark is a little sad about it though. Oh well. It's not about receiving anyway, it's about giving.

I'm also freaking out because we literally have like zero room in our house for an extra person. Mark wants to keep Christian in our room, which I was okay with when I thought it was just for a few months. Apparently he wants Christian in our room for like the first year, which means I have to figure out how to squeeze a crib in somewhere and I have no clue how I'm going to do this. I still have like nothing for the baby, with the exception of some of Zeke and Aidan's old clothes that I picked up from Amber's house. I am literally almost at my wits end. I was hoping to obtain some of the baby stuff at Christmastime, but Mark's family isn't planning on buying gifts for Christian until the baby shower, so hopefully my family comes through!!!

But anyway, here is where Christian is this week:

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

And here is where Christian will be tomorrow (because I have no clue when I'll jump back on Blogger this week):

How your baby's growing:

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

T-minus 11 weeks and counting...

I am halfway through my 29th week and I can't believe that I have roughly 11 weeks left of this pregnancy. It seems like such a long ways away, but then again with Thanksgiving tomorrow and Christmas in less than a month, I'm sure the time will fly by pretty fast.

As much as I'd like to say that we're ready for Christian, we are so totally NOT. Other than updating our registry and talking a couple of times with Mark's mum and aunt in regards to a baby shower, we really haven't done much in paving the way for child number two. It's not that he's unwanted by any means -- I am ecstatic to be a mommy again. We have just been, well, lazy.

We are so ready for Christmas though! We put up our Christmas tree on Monday night because Aidan was at Mum's and Mark was home, so it seemed like a good time. Usually I put up the tree by myself the day after Thanksgiving, but I didn't know if I'd have the energy to put together a 7 1/2 foot tall tree this year. It was so nice to decorate it with Mark though, after two years of doing it by myself. :o)

We had Aidan's Christmas pictures taken on Monday as well. Thanks to Portrait Innovations we were able to get the prints the same day, so I'm half-way finished addressing my Christmas cards. If all goes well, I will be mailing them on December 1st, which will be a new record for me!

We've talked amongst ourselves about gifts for the family and whatnot, but we really haven't nailed down our Christmas list yet. Mark and I have both been making Amazon Wish Lists for each other, but even that was hard for me. Other than a few books and the most awesome pair of jammies known to man, I don't really have a deep want for the things on my list. :oP Don't get me wrong, everything would be nice to have, but I'm not like dying to have any of the items.

Well, I need to get back to work. It's our last day until the 1st. w00t!! Until next week, here is how Christian is doing:

How your baby's growing:

Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

See what your baby looks like this week.

It's here.

Today is the day of the dreaded glucose test. I just keep telling myself it's only one hour out of an entire day and that I can deal with that. I'm sure that drinking the glucose stuff isn't even half as bad as I remember, but right now all I can think of is puking my brains out. Wish me luck!

I am officially the biggest klutz in the world. On top of having issues with my kidney's and the Sciatica, I can now add knee pain to that list. Early yesterday afternoon, I decided to stop by Mark's work to spend some time with him. There shop just opened their expansion and I hadn't seen that either, so I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone. We walked down Grand and had lunch at this super yummy place called the Gelateria. I had the best hot ham and cheese sandwich ever made, by the way. I highly recommend it.

Anyway, on our way back to the shop, I tripped on the sidewalk but instead of just tripping myself up a few steps, I did an almost face-plant on the concrete. Luckily I sometimes have the reflexes of a cat, and threw my purse as I was falling down so that I could throw my hands out in front of me, protecting my tummy from damage. Unfortunately in doing so I skinned up my palms pretty bad, but other than that I felt okay.

Mark showed he was the best husband ever because not once did he laugh at me. He took me inside the shop to clean me up and while he was disinfecting my hands, I told him that my left knee was bothering me. I was a little aggravated because the fall tore a whole in my expensive maternity khaki's, but that wasn't the worst of it. Mark lifted up my pant leg to expose a huge abrasion and my knee began to swell. Whenever I put weight down on it, my kneecap just didn't feel right.

William, Mark's boss, got out the first aid kit and put some Neosporin on the abrasion and put a big piece of gauze over it. My knee was throbbing by this time, so I thought it would be a good idea to go to the Urgent Care center to be looked at. So I drove all the way back to Illinois to the Urgent Care center in Edwardsville. Luckily they weren't busy at all and I got right in. Unfortunately I was stuck with the same jackass doctor who told me I had asthma or acid reflux last year when really all I had was a sinus infection. So the visit didn't go all that well.

First off, he wanted to X-ray me and when I asked him if that was safe for the baby, he looked at me as if I had sprouted another head on my shoulders. He was like, "Baby?" and I told him I was 7 months pregnant. Then he basically refused to treat me. He said there was nothing he could do for me but he did want to give me a tetanus shot. Um. Why? It wasn't like I tripped on the sidewalk and fell on a rusty nail. I told him I wasn't comfortable with that and that I would update my tetanus shot after the baby was born.

So what did he do? He gave me a prescription for antibiotics and sent me on my way, with instructions to keep my knee iced and elevated until Monday. Why antibiotics? I guess he figured that I would get a mean infection from my non-wound. WTF? That guy was a total quack.

Mark and I collectively decided not to get the antibiotics filled and just talk to Dr. Hulsen today. Because I was feeling rather poopy (and sore!) last night, I decided to forego seeing "Twilight" at midnight and catch it sometime today. I came home, elevated my knee and iced it for 20 minutes every hour until I went to sleep. I can walk on my knee today, but it still hurts like a bitch. Taking a shower was the WORST. It burned so bad. It's still really swollen and I'm starting to develop one of those gross blue-ish purple bruises on it.

I'm just glad the baby is okay. It's weird, all day yesterday something just didn't feel right. Like driving to work, I felt like everyone was being really reckless and I just felt like something would happen. I'm just glad it was me bumping my knee on the sidewalk and not something much, much worse.

Well, I should get my butt in gear and eat some breakfast. Looks like a bland morning of toast and a banana for me! Yum!!

Why I am not a math wiz.

I was wrong last week. NOW I'm in my third trimester. :oP I kept thinking to myself, "That just doesn't sound right," so in the middle of last week I opened up my copy of What to Expect... and realized that I was a week off. Ah well.

This week is the dreaded glucose test. I took the entire day off of work because I wasn't about to sit and wait all day to take the test and I really didn't feel like taking the test and then go to work. So I'm taking the test at 9:15 and then I'll have the rest of the day to recover. :oP I'm sure it won't be horrid at all, but I'm such a baby about doing stuff I hate.

Mark and I went to Walmart last night and messed with the baby registry. I have to say, Walmart kind of sucks. They really didn't have much, so I'm going to have to go online and make sure that I have everything on there that I want. Mark's mum has decided to throw me my baby shower after Christmas, so that should be fun!

I bought Christian a bib that says "I love my Big Brother." :o) It's so cute!

Other than that, not much is going on.

How your baby's growing:

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

See what your baby looks like this week. (Or see what fraternal twins look like in the womb this week.)

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

Baby Center says that the baby is only 14 and some inches whereas What to Expect... says the baby is around 16 inches. :oP

We have reached the final frontier...

I am officially in my third trimester as of today! w00t! We're in the homestretch! I just have to get through the next 13 weeks and then I'll be able to hold, cuddle, kiss and play with my new little boy! Omigosh. I think the reality of it just hit me. I have only 13 weeks to get everything together and other than an outfit, some socks and a pair of pj's, I have nothing for Christian. Egats! Thank God for Christmas!

We had some excitement this week -- I spent Wednesday and half of Thursday in the hospital. That was obviously completely unexpected. I woke up Wednesday feeling just fine and even remarked to myself on the way to work how uneventful this pregnancy has been (in a good way). Around a quarter to 7, I started to cramp and then my back began to hurt. I kind of brushed it off for awhile but then when the pain got so bad that I couldn't sit at my desk, I began to worry. I called my OB's office, but they were closed so I had to page the doctor on-call. Dr. Dalla Riva called me back and asked me the usual questions (was I bleeding, etc.) and then said I should probably scoot my butt up to the office to be looked at.

I left work feeling like I was going to be back there in no time. I even left some of my work on my co-workers desk because I figured I would be back. Mark went with me up to the doctor's office and I'm so glad because driving while you're in that kind of pain sucks. I had to wait forever to see Dr. Hulsen because I didn't have an appointment which really sucked too. When I finally got to see the doctor, he checked my cervix and said it was long and closed which meant that Christian wasn't attempting to come anytime soon but there was blood in my urine and he was concerned about a kidney infection.

So I was sent down to Labor & Delivery to be monitored, get some IV fluids and have an ultrasound on my kidneys. Christian was just fine the entire time, but I was having small contractions which they said was probably just my uterus being aggravated by the back pain. The ultrasound came back to show that I am retaining fluid on my right kidney and it could be because I'm trying to pass a stone or just because my ureters are dilated because of the pregnancy.

Dr. Hulsen and the urologist decided to keep me overnight for observation, making sure I didn't get a fever or my white blood cell count didn't elevate. Ug. I hate staying in the hospital and I hate staying in the hospital hooked up to an IV even more. I hardly slept because of the hard bed and the fact that I had to pee every five minutes. I couldn't eat anything in case they had to take me into surgery to put a stint in my kidney, so I was STARVING. The nurses weren't exactly accomodating either. It was the worst.

I was able to go home Thursday after they checked my white blood cell count, which was better than the day before (probably due to the huge dose of antibiotics they gave me through my IV on Wednesday). They also hooked me up to the fetal monitor just to make sure Christian was doing okay as well, which he was. By noon, I was at home in bed, eating a Big Mac and watching "Stepbrothers" with my husband. That was where I was the happiest.

I still wasn't feeling 100% on Friday so I stayed home from work. Saturday though, I had enough energy to match Aidan which is saying something. I almost got all of the laundry done! Unfortunately, my back pain kicked in early in the afternoon and that shot me down for the rest of the evening. I finally broke down about 2am this morning and took one of the Hydrocodone that Dr. Hulsen prescribed me, but it didn't help whatsoever. Obviously the pain meds they gave me at the hospital were of a much higher dose. :oP

I'm okay this morning just dealing with a cranky 3 year old, who's pissed because I won't let him have his binkie unless it's bedtime or naptime. He keeps trying to tell me he's tired, but Momma didn't raise no fool. He pulled that with me yesterday and ran around for 4 hours with his binkie before he actually took the nap he said he wanted. *sigh*

Anyway, here's where I am this week:

How your baby's growing:

This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

*snore*

I'm a little out of it this morning. I was feeling really nauseous so I took a pill and it has knocked me flat. All I really want to do is go to sleep. For now I'm just sitting at my desk, feeling like a zombie because there isn't much else I can do. :oP

I'm 26 weeks today and according to the Baby Gaga website this is my last week before my third trimester, however according to What to Expect When You're Expecting, I will be in my third trimester in 2 weeks. *sigh* Everyone has a different opinion apparently!! I think I'll just go along with Baby Gaga because I'm sooo ready to be further along in my pregnancy!

Thursday afternoon I bought Christian his first outfit, a pair of footie pajama's and some socks. They're so cute! I finally told Mark that I didn't care what he or his mum thought, I felt it was high time I did some baby shopping!! I just don't remember clothes being so expensive, even for Wal-Mart. That's the sign of the times, I guess.

I also had to go out and by more clothes for myself. I couldn't fit into the jeans I had just bought a month or so ago anymore. O_o They were too tight around the butt/thighs area and one of the pairs I bought started tearing where the belly band meets the jeans part. *sigh* I hope I don't get any bigger otherwise I'll be going into the extra-large's and that would really depress me.

I'm so excited that November is here because now I can start planning my Thanksgiving dinner!! Mark and I made our first turkey together last year and it was a lot of fun. I am super excited for this holiday season. I'm going to try to make the most of it. I just wish the weather would cooperate. 74 degree weather in November is just not cool in my book, unless you live in Hawaii.

Well, I think I'm going to take a bit of a nap before breaktime ends so here's where I am this week:

How your baby's growing:

The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

25 weeks!!

My six month check-up went well, although I didn't see Dr. Dalla Riva as I had expected. I got stuck with his nurse practitioner who was kind of annoying and had bad breath. Yuck. Everything is going as planned, nothing really to report. Dr. Hulsen doesn't usually measure the size of my stomach but if I remember right, the inches are supposed to match the number of weeks that you are pregnant. At the time I was 24 weeks but my stomach measured at 27, so that was interesting considering I hear everyday how "small" I am, when actually I'm measuring bigger than I should be!!

My step-sister was induced three weeks early on Friday. She had her baby girl, Chelsie, at 9:30pm on Friday night and even though she was three weeks early, Chelsie weighed a whopping 8 pounds, 3 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long, which leads me to believe that Crystal may have been off on how far along she was. I mean, gosh, if she had had the baby "full term" she might have been like 10 pounds!!

I've been sick with some sort of bug since Thursday so I haven't seen the new baby yet. I was planning on waiting until they came home from the hospital anyway.

Halloween is this Friday and I'm neither excited or unexcited. I'm planning on taking Aidan up to the VFW where they have a Halloween party every year with a bonfire and games and all that. I'm taking him by myself which means we'll probably leave after 20 minutes because Aidan has a terrible time behaving himself as of late. I hate it that Mark has to work and I get to do all these things by myself but what can you do? He already has appointments for that day and it's a Friday, which is usually a busy day at the shop.

I guess that's about it for now. Here's where I am this week:

How your baby's growing

Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

See what's going on in your uterus this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

24 weeks!

I've been feeling really sore lately. I guess it's just my tummy muscles stretching, but at the same time I can't distinguish if maybe I'm having Braxton Hicks, which sometimes start around now. Sometimes I feel just plain sore, and other times I feel really crampy. Nothing feels abnormal enough for me to alert my doctor though, so I'm just taking it all in stride.

Yesterday was my step-sister's baby shower and it really got me in the mood to have one of my own. :oP Even though I don't have anything for the baby yet, I still feel way more prepared this time around, maybe that's because I know what to expect both labor-wise and what I'll need item-wise. You should have seen my sister's face when me and another gal were trying to explain the different types of diapers to her and which ones were our favorites (the girl and I both agreed that we love Pampers). She looked like she was about to have a panic attack. I told her to just try every brand and stick with what works best for her. I know (like I said) that I love the Pampers, however, for the longest time my sister Amber didn't mind using the cheapy Wal-Mart "Parents Choice" kind for her kids. Eventually she switched to Huggies, because the cheap ones leaked too much. Me personally? I can't stand Huggies.They're overpriced and I've never had good luck with them. I don't like the tabs on them and they run larger than regular diapers so it's hard to gauge which ones to get.

But yeah, my step-sister got a lot of really cute stuff (mostly clothes and mostly pink) which made me want to go shopping! :oP

Tomorrow is my monthly check-up but this time I'll be seeing the other doctor at my OB office, Dr. Dalla Riva. He's actually the doctor I initially wanted to see but I didn't think he took my insurance. :oP Dr. Hulsen is out of town and he wanted me to see Dr. Dalla Riva anyway in the even that I have Christian on a weekend in which he's not on-call. Allison loves him so I'm sure I will too.

So here's where I stand for this week:

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

See what your baby looks like this week. (Or see what fraternal twins look like in the womb this week.)Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb.

Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

Well, it's back to work for me. Ug. I hate Monday's. Working 10 hours is so exhausting!!

I've hit the 6 month mark!!

How your baby's growing:

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

It's the little things...

I went and got my haircut today for the first time in forever. I didn't get much cut off, just mostly a trim but I did have her give my bangs a good cut. They're now about a 1/2 inch shorter than what they were (they were past my nose, now they're right at my eyebrows) and I feel like a new woman. :o) I am very pleased with my new 'do and I'm sure Mark will be too. He didn't mind I was getting my haircut but he's always really suspicious because he's sure one of these days I'm going to come home with a buzz cut. He'll be pleasantly suprised at how much hair I didn't cut off!

I joined a new forum online TwilightMOMS. I really like being apart of their group, so far. Unfortunately I've already been chastised for posting a topic in the wrong place on my first day. God forbid. Some moderators are so effin' touchy. I'm new, okay? Give me a break! Sheesh.

Unlike the original forum I joined, this group is for ladies who are over the age of 25 and/or have children and/or are married. So its nice that not every other post is "OMG. Edward is SOooOo HAWT!" I just about had it with Twilight Source when a bunch of preteens freaked out because they're doing a podcast at 10:30 in the morning and *gasp* they're all going to be in school! How dare they do a live podcast when (according to the teeny-boppers) all their "fans" wouldn't be able to listen. *rolls eyes*

At TwilightMOMS they talk about "Twilight," of course, but we also discuss other things including TV shows, music, personal issues, etc. It's nice.

***

Pregnancy-wise, I've had the worst heartburn lately. Ew. I hate heartburn. Other than that, I've been feeling pretty good. I've been craving chocolate milk which sucks because once I drink it, within an hour I feel awful. I hate being lactose intolerant. It really puts a damper on eating anything good like ice cream and cereal. *pouts* And yes, I've tried Lactaid tablets, Lactaid milk and even soy milk. They all make me sick. I don't know what my deal is.

Well I'm feeling a tad drowsy so I'm going to lay down with Aidan for a bit then get up and do some laundry. ET is having a sneak peek at the new "Twilight" trailer at 6:30 and then "Ugly Betty" and "Grey's Anatomy" come after that, so it should be an exciting night, entertainment-wise.

Yeah. I'm a dork.

Late post.

It's almost 9:30 at night which means I really should be in bed, but I'm trying to avoid it at all costs because going to bed means going to sleep and then going to sleep means I just have to wake up and go to work in the morning and who wants to do that?! So I figured I'd take a minute to congratulate my best friend Doug and his wife Randi Marie -- their ultrasound today revealed that they are having a little girl! You know what that means? Now the marriage negotiations begin! Obviously, we're kickin' this old skool which means we get a dowry if Zatanna marries Christian. The bidding began at 2 chickens and a duck, but I'm thinking if Johnny Lingo (read on to get more info about Johnny Lingo) can get 8 cows then we should be able to obtain something near there. I mean, that story takes place in Polynesia. This is America and one cow equals like a car or something over there, right (or down there)?

Obviously, I'm joking. I'm super-happy for them because I know that even though Doug said he just wanted a healthy baby, what he really wanted to say is, "I want a girl." :o) A baby is a baby regardless, but it's still exciting.

As for me, I'm 22 weeks today, which means BabyCenter update!

How your baby's growing:

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

It seems like week after week, these little developmental updates seem to get shorter. Or maybe it's just me. *shrug*

I had a bad day pregnancy-wise today. I woke up, dry heaved so badly that it made me lose my bladder (TMI, I know but it happens sometimes when you are pregnant) and I felt awful cleaning up after myself. Then nothing would stay in my stomach at work but instead of coming out the way it attempted to this morning, it started coming out the other end (if you catch my drift). I took a Reglan around 9am, started to get sleep about 45 minutes later, but luckily was able to continue the rest of my workday, which is the most important right now. Ug. I never want to have another day like today. I was miserable with a capital M.

Tomorrow we're attending a birthday party for Mark's best friend's 4 year old daughter. I have no clue what to get for her. It's just so hard to buy stuff that's age appropriate for kids anymore because some of the toys are too "baby" and others are too advanced. *sigh* Looks like a last minute run to the Toys R Us is going to be in order.

I suppose I should get to bed...but now a footnote for those of you who have no idea who Johnny Lingo is you can visit this website and get the full story (you have to scroll down a bit until you see "Johnny Lingo" in italics). I originally first heard the story of Johnny Lingo when I was in junior high. My step-grandparents had a machine (I guess it could have been microfische but it played audio while showing pictures) that played the story for me and my step-brothers. Then, later on, when I went on a temple trip, they showed the video of "Johnny Lingo and the 8-cow Wife" and I completely fell in love with it. The story has such a good message, even if you aren't religious. And I always wanted a husband who adored me as much as Johnny adored Mahana.

My favorite line in the movie, that still cracks me up to this day is, "Mahana, you ugly!" What a horrid father. But he learned his lesson. :oP

I would also like to mention that dowry is usually given to the husband as a gift from his new wife. In this story, Johnny Lingo gives Mahana's father the 8 cows. I dunno if it's backwards in Polynesia or what. So technically Johnny Lingo didn't get 8 cows, he gave 8 cows. In America, we do it the right now -- we get the goods and the girl. ;o)

Good night!!

Boringness.

I have spent my Saturday doing something I haven't done in months--sitting around playing video games. :oP I usually don't feel like it or Aidan doesn't really give me the option, but today I got really lucky. But now I feel like I've wasted an entire day away and have got nothing done. Not that I really had anything to do in the first place, but I still feel lazy.

I've been trying to get Aidan acclimated to being a big brother. I talk to him all the time about the baby and have him talk to Christian. Last night he showed my belly his sippy cup and then in a loud whisper said, "The baby's sleeping!" It was too cute. He's also been giving my tummy kisses whenever he leaves. I think he'll be a good brother once he figures out what is going on. Right now I think Aidan is just humoring me. He probably thinks I'm nuts!

I can't believe that on Monday I will be 22 weeks. It seems like I've come so far but yet I still have so much more to go. It's almost daunting. I want to start buying stuff for the baby, but my mother-in-law informed me it's still too early. I don't think it's too early. One more week and I'll be 6 months along. When IS it appropriate to start buying for a baby? Sheesh.

I've been steadily adding a couple of things to my Wal-Mart baby registry. It's HERE if you want to take a look. :o) Wal-Mart really doesn't have a lot to choose from but it's the best price-wise and with the economy looking as sad as it is right now, saving money is what's important.

Mark and I have decided to buy a cradle for our bedroom since space is limited in the house. We figured we would keep Christian in our room until he grows out of the cradle and then move him into Aidan's room. That way both children get the amount of sleep they need. I don't want Christian waking Aidan up and vice-versa. I still have no clue how I'm going to rearrange Aidan's room to accomodate another child. *sigh*

I suppose that's it for now. I changed my layout again, but I think this is the one I'll stick with. :o) I'll be updating with what's going on with the baby this week in a couple of days. So until then...ciao!

New Layout!

I got bored with the baby layout and decided to do something different that I found on the createblog website. I'm not sure how much I like it yet so it might change.



Not too much going on here. Aidan and Mark have been sick with some type of bug since Sunday and my immune system is working overtime in order to keep the bug at bay. Sometimes I feel like I'm on the cusp of getting sick (my throat feels scratchy or my ears hurt) but then within an hour I start to feel ok again. So hopefully my super prenatal vitamins are helping me out! *knock on wood*



Christian must be doing okay because he's kicking the crap out of me on an hourly basis now (sometimes more, sometimes less). I received my first baby gift in the mail today -- a crochet afghan from my friend Dawn. Thanks Dawn! It's supernice and I've taken a picture of it with the camera on my iPhone so as soon as I can I'll post that. :o) Dawn also made an afghan for Aidan when he was born and he still uses it, so I'm sure we're going to get lots of uses out of Christian's as well.

Like I said, not a lot going on right now. The new TV season is now upon us so I pretty much have been scheduling my life around my TV shows (sad, but true). Mondays and Tuesdays are Dancing with the Stars nights, Thursdays are set aside for Grey's Anatomy and Ugly Betty and Sundays are True Blood and Dexter. If you haven't checked any of those shows out (especially the ones on HBO and Showtime) I HIGHLY recommend it. They're all great!!

I've also been re-reading the Twilight series because I absolutely adore it and can't wait for the movie to be released. I just mooched a ton of books off of BookMooch so as soon as those start rolling in, I'll have a huge selection of books to choose from to read for the very first time. Not that I don't already have a selection -- earlier this year I went through this phase where all I wanted to read were the classics so I have like Madame Bovary, Les Mis, and a bunch of other books sitting on my shelf that I never got around to, not to mention the half-way finished ones (like The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time).

If you're an avid reader and have a ton of books you really don't want anymore, I recommend joining BookMooch. It's such a great way to give and receive books from all over the world for free! Okay, so technically they really aren't free because you pay to send books to people but think of it this way -- I sent off like 6 books last week and it cost me near $15 to do so (one went to Canada). If you go to the store to buy a book, ONE book costs around that much (my copy of The Curious Incident... is priced at $13.95 and I bought it at Sam's Club). I am currently waiting to receive seven books. So basically I just got seven books for $15. You really can't beat that. If you want to know more about BookMooch, just visit the site or ask me. I've been a member for a year and a half now. :o)

I guess that's about it for now. I can't believe it's October already! Egats! Thank goodness I thought ahead and already bought Aidan his Halloween costume (he's going to be Buzz Lightyear). Now all I need is candy!! And hopefully I don't eat it all beforehand! Ha! :o)

Bah.

I haven't really been feeling like myself (again) lately. I felt like I was finally dragging myself out of the depression I had been in, but then Thursday it seemed to rear it's head again. I'm not sure why. But honestly, I hate feeling like this. I just hate EVERYTHING right now and that's not a nice way to live. *sigh* I, however, DO NOT want to do the medication route. What happened with the Lexapro was really scary. I just need to figure out how to deal with this myself. After all, I only have a few more months left until the baby is born. Then I'll medicate the hell out of myself if I have to.

One thing that goes along with my depression that I hate is my lack of energy and/or motivation to do anything. Our house was pretty much a disaster area when Mark came home from work last night. I could tell he was really aggravated with me and I really didn't care. He cautiously asked me what I had done that day, trying to make it sound like he was interested in my activities when really he was just trying to see if I had accomplished anything chore-wise. And I called him out on it. The problem with me is you can't guilt trip me into doing anything, however you can piss me off enough that I'll accomplish it then. And that's exactly what Mark did, although I can't give him credit enough to say that that's what he was hoping for.

So today I got almost all of the laundry done, including washing our bedsheets. I swear I'm going to stop letting Aidan drink juice in our bed. He's ruining our beautiful white and baby blue bedspread. *sigh* Easier said than done, though.

On the pregnancy side of my life, I'll be 21 weeks tomorrow. I wish I could be more excited about that, but I seem to be a bit indifferent right now. You can see all of the ultrasound photos at my Flickr site, HERE.

Christian is moving around A LOT now and my morning sickness (if you can call it that) had me taking the Reglan just about every 6 hours on command Friday. *sigh* I wouldn't mind it so much except it makes me so sleepy that I can barely function. :o/ I guess you take the good with the bad.

And since I probably won't feel like getting around to it this week:

How your baby's growing:

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

I guess that's about it for now. I'm sorry that this post isn't more upbeat and cheery. Next time I'll try to liven things up a bit more. :oP

The verdict is in...

...and thanks to the wonders of the modern age, we can now cofirm that Baby #2 is, in fact, a BOY!!

Mark and I are so excited, but I think I am moreso than Mark. Even though I've seen half a dozen ultrasounds before, I am still in awe whenever I see my little baby bumping around inside my body. He truly is a little miracle.

Physically the baby is great. He has ten fingers, ten toes, all his boy parts, and his brain and heart are developing the way that they should. His kidney's, stomach, and spine look great (according to Dr. Hulsen) as well. It's such a relief to know that he's doing okay.

And we've settled on a name -- Christian Adam. He will be a Christian and not a Chris for sure. Although nicknames are fine for other people's kids, I prefer my children to be known by their full name. Of course, there really isn't a way to shorten Aidan but I really want people to call Christian by his full name (you may omit the middle name, of course!).

I've been feverishly looking through the Target and Wal-Mart websites for crib sets and I've found a few I've liked, especially on the Target site, but I really can fathom paying $180.00 for bedding. I don't even spend that much money on myself!! And I don't expect to have anyone else buy it for me either. That's just plain ridiculous.

We told Aidan last night that he's going to have a little brother but I still don't think it clicks. When we were watching the DVD at Mark's parents house, all he knew was that "Mommy's baby" was on the TV. :oP

Well I have five full minutes to peruse baby stuff, so I'm off!! I'll post pictures of the ultrasound tonight.

T-minus 7 hours!

I have only 7 and a half more hours until my ultrasound. Wee!! I never thought this day would come. It has been such a wait and so far this has been the longest day in history. :oP

I'm 20 weeks today which means I've hit the halfway mark, according to Baby Center. I'm so ready to not be preganant anymore and I still have the 3rd trimester woes to go through.

How your baby's growing:

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

See what your baby looks like this week. (Or see what fraternal twins look like in the womb this week.)

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

I had a dream Saturday night that I was pregnant with twins but I'm pretty sure I'm not. I mean, they would have noticed that by now, right? Plus twins don't run in either of our families so I know there is only one baby in my tummy.

Mark and I have switched names again. If it's a girl, we're keeping Mia but now Mark likes Christian for a boy instead of Adam. Ho-hum. I don't mind Christian as long as everyone calls him Christian instead of Chris.

I've been feeling better since stopping the Lexapro and I'm not sure if I want to go back on another anti-depressant. It was just too scary this time around. Emotionally I've been better as well but then again I've only worked like one day. :oP

I guess there isn't much more to say right now. I'll update tonight with the news!!

Sickly.

I've been out sick since Tuesday afternoon. First off -- I went to the OB Tuesday because I have been suffering from a bout of depression for a few weeks. I tried to convince myself that I could deal with it on my own but after spending a few days in a black hole, I decided to talk to Dr. Hulsen about having some medicinal help. They squeezed me in for an early afternoon appointment and I found out that I have gained 3 pounds since my last visit and my Quad screen came back negative (yay!). Dr. Hulsen decided to put me on Lexapro since I've been on it before and it worked wonders.

Tuesday night I went home, ate dinner and then took the Lexapro. Within a couple of hours, I was awake and burning up. If you took my temperature it was no more than 98 degrees but I felt like my entire body was on fire and I was so nauseous that I could barely talk or walk. My stomach was in knots. Mark and I thought that it could possibly have to do with the medication but I hadn't had any problems before, so we chalked it up to food poisoning (I had tuna early on in the day).

Wednesday I stayed home from work because I was still feeling really unsettled. The depression was worsened by the fact that I stayed home by myself (it was Aidan's day to spend the night at his Nanny's house). I tried to keep myself busy by doing the laundry and whatnot but it was super hard.

Wednesday night I took another dose of the Lexapro and again, within a few hours I had the same symptoms as the night before only this time it was accompanied by the shakes and diarrehea. Not good. I couldn't cool myself down for more than a hour. I decided then and there to quit taking the medicine.

I called Dr. Hulsen's office Wednesday day and left a message so on Thursday I called them again and got the run around. To this moment, no one has ever returned my call. I feel so important.

I didn't take the Lexapro last night and had a pretty good night's sleep. So I know it was the medicine that was making me sick. I'm now really hesitant to take anything for the depression. I mean, wouldn't you feel the same way?

I'm back at work today. Blah. I hope the day goes by quickly. Tomorrow is the Italian Fest and Aidan is marching in the Children's Parade with his day care. I'm excited for him. I'll be marching as well, just to make sure he's ok. :o)

Only four more days until my ultrasound! Wee!!

19 weeks! One more week to go!!

One more week until the gender ultrasound! *squee* I can't wait and my patience is running exceptionally thin since the other gal at work who's pregnant (and a week ahead of me) found out that she's having a boy. I just wanna know!!

Here's where the baby is at physically:

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

See what your baby looks like this week.

What's funny is that if you click on the "what your baby looks like" link, the baby looks like a pretzel! He/she must be feeling uncomfortable because I'm really not all that big so he/she doesn't have a lot of room. :oP Poor widdle guy!

Yesterday was like the worst day in creation at our house. We tried starting the whole potty-training thing with Aidan again but it just blew up in our faces. We're now, more than ever, convinced that he's just not ready. We even tried to buy him a potty chair that made noises to get him excited but Aidan just doesn't care. And he's TERRIFIED of being on the toilet, with or without potty chair seat. I don't know what brought that on. It's like someone tried to drown him in a commode in a former life.

It's so frustrating for us as parents because I feel like everyone is jugding my ability to be a good parent based on whether or not Aidan is potty-trained. I also feel like every minute Aidan isn't in preschool, I'm denying him of a valuable education experience. I do have to admit that I, myself, did not attend preschool and I turned out just fine. But who knows what they expect of kindergarteners nowadays.

We realized that Aidan knows some of his alphabet, which I think is pretty good! I'm trying to get him to learn his colors but right now the only color he's absolutely sure of is orange. He can spot orange from a mile away. I'll just have to teach him whatever preschool teachers can teach him at home. I'm sure I could do it. It just takes patience and time.

Well I have to get back to work. I hate Monday's. They're the worst!!

Long awaited update...I suppose.

I said a few days ago that I would post something longer but I've been super lazy and just never got around to it. You see, Allison has been reading the Twilight series and got me hooked again. I say "again" because I read the first book and decided I was going to read the rest, but never really got around to it. Once Allison was finished with her copies of New Moon and Eclipse, I snagged them for myself and have spent the past couple of nights, curled up on our bed indulging in Edward Cullen (screw Bella and all the other characters, I only read for one person in that book and it's my love, Edward). I had planned on coming straight home from work and picking up in Eclipse right where I left off, but my wonderful husband bought me a copy of "Beyond Good and Evil" for Playstation 2 (old skool, baby!) and I felt awful that it had been sitting by our TV for two days and I never even unwrapped it. So I started playing that until I realized that I had to pick Aidan up from day care. And even after we got back, I couldn't tear myself away.

Eventually, though, baby #2 reminded me that I had to eat so I figured I'd check my email while downing some chicken fries. And one thing lead to another and now I'm here, updating (which reminds me, I need to call my sister back...I almost forgot!).

Not much has been going on except the baby has made me quick sick lately. As in gag and puke sick. I've had to take Reglan every day this week, with the exception of today (yay!) and I've generally felt like ass. I can't believe I still have four more months of this. Please, baby, do me a favor and just love on your mom for awhile instead of making her feel ill. I sure would appreciate it!! And I know Daddy would appreciate it too!!

I've been perusing Target online for a couple of days and actually created a registry but there is nothing exciting on there right now -- just some Dr. Brown's bottles, a bottle warmer, a sterilizer and a double stoller to name a few. I feel like I can't even pick out what kind of swing I want to get until I know the gender of the baby. I almost registered for a green crib set, thinking the green would be perfect for a boy or a girl, but it's almost too girly. See? I thought about putting the ladybug crib set on the registry for now and then changing it later, but I felt like then I'd be jinxing myself. I think I've about decided to give up until after the 22nd. Shopping is becoming more of a pain than actually being fun.

One thing I love though is the fact that I actually know what I need now, unlike before when I just kind of wandered around Babies R Us and pointed the registry gun at anything and everything. Like I know that wipe warmers are a waste of money. I mean, seriously, your baby does not care if his/her butt wipe is warm. That almost seems dirty to me. I'm trying to think of other things that seem frivilous to me but the wipe warmer is the only thing I can come up with. Oh, well you don't really need a high chair until the baby is old enough to be fed food. So if you don't have one, wait a bit. The baby won't be able to hold it's head up or sit up enough to use it anyway.

I do have to recommend the Bumbo seat though. I LOVED my Bumbo seat (which my neice Olivia uses now, but I'm getting it back ASAP). It's definitely worth the money. I know Wal-Mart sells like faux-Bumbo seats and I dunno how well they work. I would just say spend the extra dough and buy the original Bumbo. They have them at both Wal-Mart and Target. Definitely a great investment. AND a swing. Aidan loved the crap out of his swing.

I guess that's about it for now. I can't think of much more to say. Aidan kissed my tummy the other day when I asked him to give the baby a kiss. It was the cutest thing EVER. :o)

Ta-ta, for now!

I've hit the five month mark!

Woo! I'm half way through my pregnancy (give or take a few)!!

How your baby's growing:

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

See what your baby looks like this week.


...and less than two weeks until my ultrasound. I am so ready. My friend Allison and I perused the baby section at Target a few days ago and I found the CUTEST crib bedding set, if Baby #2 is a girl. It has ladybugs on it!! :o)

I don't have much time to update today, but I just want to say that I'm doing ok. I haven't been feeling well the past couple of days (really nauseated) and had to leave work for about 4 hours yesterday so that I could get my Reglan filled at Schnucks. I was feeling pukey this morning, took a pill, then I got really gassy and I can't burp. I feel that if I burp I'm going to puke. Ug! I just want to feel good for awhile!!

I have to get back to work now! I promise a longer update later!!

Wishing for Friday already!

Even though I've only been back at work 2 days now, I still wish it were Friday! My job has become very tedious to me, as of late, but really there is nothing I can do until Baby #2 rears its head. Until then, I just have to grin and bear it and try not to fall asleep at my desk!

I am a little over 17 weeks along now! 3 more weeks until the gender ultrasound! Yay! I'm still having morning sickness here and there (I gagged in the shower this morning...ew!) but I do have more energy than I did before.

Here's what Baby Center had to say:

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.


***

The biggest news right now is John McCain's choice for VP Sarah Palin. Now usually I wouldn't mention political issues in a pregnancy blog, but the spotlight on her just so happens to be shining brightly just because her 17 year old daughter is pregnant.

You know what I say to that? BIG DEAL. It's been proven that teenage pregnancy is up. There was that whole school back east who had a ton of pregnant teeny-boppers roaming around, claiming they made a pact to raise their kids together. Why is everyone so surprised? Shit happens, even to politicians and their families.

A lot of people are making a huge issue out of it because Palin is a Conservative Republican who is aganist abortion and apparently sex education in school. She would rather teach abstinance. Wouldn't all mothers? I don't even want to THINK about Aidan having sex and I'd rather him just not do it, but you can't think like that.

Nevertheless, I'm sure Bristol does not hold the same opinions as her right wing mother and therefore obviously did not engage in abstinance. It's not her mother's fault, it's not her father's fault. Teenagers are reckless with their bodies, their minds, everything. And I think it's pretty shitty that people are trying to blame Palin and her husband.

No one forced Bristol into having sex with her boyfriend. That was a choice they made together as well as making the choice to have unprotected sex. No amount of condoms shoved in a teenagers face is going to make a difference. And I know from experience. I didn't have a teenage pregnancy but when I was younger, my boyfriends and I rarely used protection. Why? Because condoms suck, to be honest. But I never really had any pregnancy scares either to change my mind.

Sheesh. I just hate it when the media (and crazy liberals) pick on people like that. Especially mother's.

At least Bristol is having the child and didn't go off and have an abortion! And she's getting married to her boyfriend. What else does the media want? Ug.

I'm going back to work now. *sigh*

A sick kid.

I haven't been online to update my blogger in a couple of days because Aidan's been super-sick. When I went to pick him up at Mum's house Thursday, she informed me that he had been acting kind of lethargic and she had changed three diarrhea diapers that day. Great! She had taken his temperature and it was holding steady at 99.5 degrees. So, obviously his body was fighting something off but it was too low to really worry about.

Thursday afternoon Aidan seemed okay. He really didn't want to eat anything but he was drinking fluids and acting his normal, crazy self. Around a quarter to 8 that night, Aidan had another bout of diarrhea and all he wanted to do was be held. And he cried like I had never seen him cry before. I felt so awful for him.

When Mark got home he told me that Aidan's diarrhea had actually started Wednesday morning but he had only had one poopy diaper that day. He was really worried, even if Aidan's temperature was still no higher than 99.5. I couldn't blame him at all. I mean, diarrhea for two days? Yuck.

So we agreed that since I had the ability to take off of work (I'm on FMLA with Aidan ever since he had his chronic ear infections) that I would call off on Friday and take him to the doctor. Thursday night Aidan was really lethargic but listless and still hadn't gone to sleep at 1am. Poor guy.

Mark checked on Aidan at about 7am Friday morning and he had a horribly poopy diaper and was crying. We put him into bed with us and he was hot to the touch. When I took Aidan's temperature it was barely under 100 degrees. We usually don't like to give him Motrin or Tylenol on an empty stomach though because he'll just throw it back up. And that's all I needed, was for stuff to be coming out of him at both ends. Ew.

I called the doctor's office at 8:30 and got Aidan an 11:15 appointment. All he did was sleep, sleep, sleep until about 15 minutes before we left when I had to get him ready. I felt so awful for having to get him up because he just looked like hell. I took his temperature and it had shot up to over 100 degrees. He whimpered all the way to the doctor's office, cried in the waiting room and cried almost throughout the entire time he saw the doctor. The verdict? He has viral gastroenteritis which apparently is going around. Usually when he gets it though, he throws up for like two days straight so I feel pretty lucky that he didn't have it coming out that end. :oP

The doctor gave us a prescription for liquid Immodium and basically said to keep him hydrated and all that jazz. On our way to Walgreen's to pick up the Immodium, Motrin, more diapers and Pedialyte, Aidan had another poopy diaper and it smelled awful. Obviously I couldn't take him in the store like that, so we had to go home. I changed his diaper and all he did was cry and cry. I bet his little butt was so chafed!

I let Aidan sleep and in turn took a nap myself. When we both awoke, he had another bowel movement and I had had enough. I got him dressed (again) and quickly drove to Walgreen's. I stocked up on two different kinds of Pedialyte, diapers, Motrin, and even picked up some A&D ointment. Luckily, I could buy liquid Immodium over the counter so that was nice! I also got Aidan a toy, since I felt awful for him. I'm such a sucker!

I went by St. Louis Bread Co. and bought Aidan a cup of chicken noodle soup, even though I knew he wouldn't eat it. When we got home, I gave him a teaspoon of the Immodium and within the hour, Aidan was like a completely different kid. He drank some Pedialyte, didn't eat the soup but ate the huge baquette that came with it, and actually sat up in bed, as opposed to laying in the fetal position. He even wandered into his bedroom and played for a bit!!

Mark came home early from work because he knew I had had a rough day and Aidan played around with him. Both he and I crashed around 8:30 though.

After the first dose of Immodium he had one little poopy diaper around 7pm and we gave him another dose of Immodium as instructed. I have yet to check on him this morning because it's only a little after 6, but I hope he's doing better.

The only thing that really sucks is that viral gastroenteritis is contagious. I hope I don't end up getting it. I read on WebMD that you can only get it by like sharing food and the like, which we haven't been. So hopefully I'll dodge that bullet and Mark will also.

As a side note, you can imagine how pissed off I was when I called my sister and found out that her little boy had the stomach flu two weeks ago and last week, when I was at her house, her kid kept picking up Aidan's sippy cup and drinking from it. Now I know where Aidan caught it from. Grrr...

***

So that was my Friday. I ended up getting an unexpected four-day weekend which is nice but it would have been nicer had it not been because Aidan was so ill.

On the pregnancy front, I've been feeling fine. The baby is moving around more and more, which is always exciting. I get muscle cramps in my tummy every now and again but I know that's only because everything is stretching and making room for the baby.

The thing that kind of annoys me the most right now is the whole peeing all the time thing. Gah!!

I think I'm going to sneak off to the kitchen and heat up Aidan's leftover chicken noodle soup. Sounds good! Even for breakfast!!

Hump day!

We had some excitement at work today --- sort of. Our computers weren't working properly so we couldn't do some of our work, so they were scrambling finding things for us to do. The good thing about that is that it has made the past four hours FLY by. Only three more and I'm out of here for the rest of the day!! All I can think about is going home, changing into some yoga pants and a t-shirt and being completely lazy. :o)

Of course NOW the computers are working again, so it's back to the usual old work for us. Blah.

The baby is moving around more and more now. Mark tried to feel my tummy last night, but the baby suddenly got stage fright and refused to move. :oP

I suppose I should get back to work. But first, a bathroom break. Ug. I hate peeing all the time!!

Mmm...cheetos.

I just saw a picture of some Cheetos while perusing Perez Hilton and now I want some. It's only a quarter after 9 in the morning, but Cheetos sound so good. Mmm...I'll have to see how much change I have in my purse and make a run for the vending machines.

I'm having a "blah" day. I woke up feeling icky, have felt kind of weak all morning (probably from lack of food but nothing, except Cheetos, sounds good) and I just don't feel like working right now. I wish I were rich and I could lay around my house and do absolutely nothing. Sure, after awhile I'd probably get bored but for a week or two it would be heaven.

I was flossing my teeth this morning and my gums started to bleed so badly that it looked like I had been punched in the mouth. *sigh* All apart of the whole pregnancy thing. I've been getting nosebleeds too, which is supposed to be normal as well.

Not too much else going on in my life this minute. I've been suffering with headaches as well but I think that's just sinus's. I just hate that I can only take Tylenol because it does nothing for me. :o(

I'm ready for my three-day weekend. Fo' sho'.

Just another Monday, but not a manic one.

I really hate Monday's but I'm sure if there wasn't such a thing as "Monday's" I would hate Tuesday's then. It's just tough getting up after sleeping in for two days. I'm almost considering keeping my regular schedule even on the weekends, but I can't honestly fathom getting up at 3:30am on a Saturday. Mark would kill me if I woke Aidan up. :oP

I really hate Monday's however this Monday has been a landmark in my pregnancy -- I felt the baby move for the first time around 5:15 this morning! Actually, while lying in bed last night I thought I might have felt he/she move but I know for sure he/she was active this morning. Just hopping and bopping around for a good half-an-hour. It's such a neat feeling!! :o)

My burned finger is so much better now. I tried to stay away from typing at all this past weekend because it hurt. So now I can use the 10 minutes left in my break to update on my doctor's appointment.

First off - I LOVE my new doctor. He's so nice and really took the time to get to know me. I never once felt rushed by him. I also like a doc who gives you refills on your anti-nausea medication no questions asked. ;o) The first thing I told Dr. Hulsen was that Aidan was two weeks late and he assured me he that he would NOT let that happen this time around. Thank God. You know, I've always felt that the only reason why Dr. Midkiff didn't induce me sooner was because she was going on vacation. Doctor's always seem to be doing shady stuff like that. Like I've heard stories about women being pushed into C-sections because they're doctor's were wanting to go home and whatnot. Sooo not right.

Anywho, my doctor's office is awesome because they do their own ultrasounds, including 3D/4D ones. They also have a lab in their office so I didn't have to go to MDL or Quest Diagnostics to get my blood drawn. That's so nice and convienent.

My next ultrasound (like I said before) is scheduled for September 22nd. The office also gives you a complimentary DVD of your session. How cool is that?! I think I really got lucky with Dr. Hulsen. We also did a blood draw for my quad screen, which checks for neural tube defects, Spinabifida, and Downs Syndrome. While it can't diagnose the baby with these things, it can tell me if it's high risk. I wasn't high risk with Aidan however each pregnancy is different, so I am hoping everything turns out just fine. I'm sure it will.

I guess that's about it. I got to hear the baby's heartbeat, which was normal. :o) Not too much else to report! It seems like there was so much more to tell Friday afternoon. I've probably forgotten some details. :oP

Oh and duh, I'm 16 weeks today!!

How your baby's growing:

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

See what your baby looks like this week. (Or see what fraternal twins look like in the womb this week.)Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb.

Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

It hurts to type...

I should have made my post about my OB appointment yesterday because there is so much to tell and lots to type. I didn't because I was super tired and spent the majority of the evening at my sister's house, spending time with my niece and nephew. This morning I burned the end of my middle finger on my left hand making Aidan pancakes, so typing is a bit uncomfortable. I'm going to give myself a day or two to recover and then make a big ol' post.

In the meantime, I wanted to mention that our next ultrasound is scheduled for the 22nd of September. :o) Yay!

A good day...hopefully!

I woke up this morning in an extremely good mood which is rare for me. I AM a morning person but I usually feel the worst in the morning, not because of morning sickness (anymore) but because lately I have been accumulating an abudance of gross, thick phelgm in my throat which makes me feel like crap (my doctor chalks it up to allergies). I still had a bit this morning, but for whatever reason I haven't been letting it get me down. I think I'm just happy that it's Friday and I only have to work until 11:30am. :o)

It's days like today that make me realize that being in a bad mood is counter-productive to living a happy/healthy life. It's so hard though, especially when you don't feel the greatest, to put a smile on your face. Yesterday Mark's mum told me that when Aidan pouts he looks just like me and it got me thinking, "Do I really not smile enough?" I probably don't. I'm a chronic complainer and I've driven my family and friends crazy with my constant pregnancy complaints.

I want to start trying to see the bright side of things, especially the pregnancy. Yes, the next couple of months are still going to suck no matter how you look at them, but in the end I'll have my very own baby to cuddle, kiss and make funny songs up for, just like I did when Aidan was little. Aidan will have his own brother/sister, Mark will have his first (genetic) child. Those are GOOD things. All this suffering will be worth it!

I hope anyway! :oP

Today is the day I meet my new OB, Dr. Hulsen. I hope I like him, especially after what I went through with Dr. Midkiff and Dr. Bryan. Mark has to work today so he won't be able to attend the appointment with me so his mum is going in his place. I had to go to almost every single OB appointment by myself when I was pregnant with Aidan and I refuse to do so this time around. It's lonely.

Like I said earlier, physically I feel ok with the exception of the phlegm. I had a back spasm earlier this morning but overall that feels ok too. Last night I had the worst case of gas ever -- I could pass wind or burp or anything so my stomach felt like a rock. It hurt really bad. Finally I was able to get it up and out. I think it was the 3 burritos I had for lunch. Yes, 3. They were sooo good and I was sooo hungry. I'm not sure if all the gas afterwards was worth it though.

Well, today is my boss's birthday and we're gathering to present her with her gift, a $70 gift certificate to Bath & Body Works, so I better jump off here. I'll update more after my appointment!!

Readers!

I found out today that I actually have people reading my blog! Yay for friends! Now I actually feel like updating whereas before I was just doing it to be doing it, if that makes sense.

In my last post I mentioned something I had been wanting to write about and right before breaktime, the issue came up again so obviously I have to vent!!

One of the things I hate the most about being pregnant is UNWANTED ADVICE. Now, some advice is ok, but most of it is just annoying especially since this is baby number 2 for me and I've been through this before. Twice already I've had people make comments about my diet. I will admit, I am not the healthiest eater. In fact, before my pregnancy I never even ate breakfast. I make a point of having a beverage (usually water or tea) and a couple of granola bars and/or oatmeal now. However, a few weeks ago, when I was still having morning sickness on a regular basis, I would eat whatever sounded good to me and I felt I could keep down. One day it was Diet Pepsi. I actually had someone say, "You can't drink that!!" Um, yes I can! I can have up to a certain amount of caffeine per day and having one Diet Pepsi isn't going to make my baby brain damaged.

This morning I had another lady comment on the fact that I'm eating too much sugar because I was drinking a generic Capri Sun and finishing off the rest of a 3 Musketeers bar (I know it's only 9-something am, but it sounded good!). If she had seen me two hours ago when I downed my oatmeal then maybe she'd shut her face. Ug!!

Two days ago, another co-worker scolded me for not having Aidan potty-trained yet when her granddaughter (who is younger than Aidan) can now wear regular panties without having an accident. Aidan JUST turned 3. He's not interested in the potty. We've tried and all the books I've read and people I've talked to have told me not to push him, because it will only frustrate him and us. Everyday I talk to Aidan about using the potty and everyday he can't be bothered, however he IS making progress. For example, he's starting to take his pants off when he's wet. That's a good sign. I don't need people telling me how to raise my kids.

And then there's the woman at work who constantly reminds me of "things to come." Like if she asks me how I'm feeling and I say, "Oh tired," and she'll be like, "Oh well it's going to get worse."
REALLY? Wow. Thankyouverymuch because I had no clue that being pregnant would make me tired. She said the same thing to me when I said I was sore. Are you kidding me?!

Well, I have much more to say but breaktime is up! :o)

Busy, busy...

I can't believe I completely missed out on blogging about week 14. Ah well. Things have been busy around here. Aidan turned 3 on Sunday and I haven't been feeling all that great. I went to my general practitioner yesterday who diagnosed me with Sciatica, which sounds like a sci-fi film but is really my sciatic nerve being aggravated. I've had the worst lower back, butt and leg pain. I can barely walk at times. Basically there really isn't much I can do at this point other than seeing a chiropractor and taking Tylenol for the pain. :o(

My first appointment with my new OB is on Friday and I'm really looking forward to it. I want to find out when I can have my next ultrasound because that's the one where the baby's sex may be determined. How exciting!!

While driving to and from work, I've had a billion different ideas on things to blog about and one of these days I'll actually sit down and type it out, but for now I'll just leave you with where my baby is at now...15 weeks already! I promise to update more often, although I really don't think anyone actually reads my blog. Ho-hum.

How your baby's growing:

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

OB changes...

First off, I'm 13 weeks along! w00t! This is the last week of my first trimester and I never thought it would ever come. It's been kind of a rough 13 weeks but I'm really looking forward to the next six months. :o)

And here is where the baby is at:

How your baby's growing:

Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.


***

We had a bit of a scare yesterday afternoon. I went to the bathroom around noon and noticed sticky, brown blood in my underwear. It wasn't enough to soak through but it was definitely enough to alarm both Mark and me. I called the physician's exchange but somehow left my voice mail in the wrong place. In the meantime, I laid down and took a nap and the spotting subsided.

Around 6pm I still hadn't heard from the doctor and I had started to spot a bit. So I called again and I guess I left a message in the correct place because the doctor on-call called me back within minutes. I explained to her about the spotting. She asked if I had been cramping, which I had but only a bit. She also asked if I had thought I was getting a bladder infection or if I had had sex within the past 24 hours. I said no to both. She told me that spotting at 13 weeks was not normal, which freaked me out. I was to call and make an appointment to see Dr. Bryan first thing Monday morning and to take it easy the rest of the evening and drink plenty of fluids.

This morning I made an appointment for 11:20am. I left work early, met up with my husband and got to the doctor's office on time. You can imagine how pissy I got when over an hour later I still hadn't been seen by the doctor. Hello. I'm spotting and cramping and you've left me in a back exam room to be forgotten? Only when my husband complained did Dr. Bryan show up.

Ok, so here's where I get extremely pissed -- Dr. Bryan walks in and says, "So I see you're pregnant, congratulations!" Um...what? I then said to him, "I just met you two weeks ago." He kind of gave me a blank stare, looked from my husband to me and then said, "Oh I did see you not too long ago." WTF?! Seriously?

I know that doctor's offices are busy but this man is going to be delivering my child in less than a year and I would expect he would at least try to get to know me. So that put me off right away.

Dr. Bryan used the dopplar and found the baby's heartbeat which was strong. Then he did a pelvic exam and said that my uterus was nice and thick (a good thing apparently) and that the baby is where it should be. There was no bleeding in my uterus so he figures that the spotting was just one of those pregnancy quirks that just happens sometimes. So physically I was ok and the baby was ok. I just hate it when a doctor says, "I don't know."

Since our original monthly appointment was supposed to be on Tuesday and obviously I wasn't going to come back, I asked him about changing delivering hospitals. I explained to him that St. Luke's was way too far out of our range and that I wanted to change to Barnes-Jewish. I mean, they did give us information on delivering at Barnes so I figured it wasn't a big deal. I was wrong. He told me that even though they are on-staff at Barnes, they don't usually deliver there unless you're high-risk. Especially if I were to go into labor on a weekend when only one doctor is on-call for five physician's patient's. Then it would put them into a "sticky situation." What? Why give out the info if you won't deliver there? He said he would have to discuss it with his partners and let us know.

Um? Did you forget we're coming from ILLINOIS and that 40 is closed for like two years? Dr. Bryan then said, "You could deliver at Missouri Baptist." Uh, no. I would still have to go the 170 detour just to get in the hospital.

I just let the subject drop and he scheduled me for another ultrasound next week as well as a follow-up. As soon as he left, my husband and I looked at each other and said, "We're finding another doctor."

When I got home, I went through my provider directory and chose an OB in Maryville, Dr. Thomas Hulsen. I called his office, explained my situation and got an appointment for 2 and a half weeks from now. The nurse said that if I continue to have spotting or if anything gets worse, just to let them know right away. In the meantime I need my records from Dr. Bryan's office sent over. That's always the worst -- telling someone you're leaving their practice. I have a good reason though.

I'm just really irked that Dr. Bryan didn't even remember me. Or he could have at least pretended. Didn't he even READ my chart before he walked in? That's so unprofessional.

However, I am very happy that the baby is ok. I had such horrible nightmares last night, thinking something was seriously wrong. It's just so hard to know especially when the baby isn't big enough to move around yet. Well, he/she is moving around, I just can't feel it.

So here's to a much smoother second trimester...