23 Weeks

So, I'm not thrilled with this picture, but my belly is definitely getting bigger! DH just called and told me to come outside because he had his tripod set up. Doesn't he know a girl should have time to prepare for a picture? Oh well.

It's been a lovely week of recovering from the school year. It's such a relief to be finished. I've watched way too many baby shows on TV and gotten very little accomplished, but that's okay. I have to be more productive this week. I'm leaving Thursday to go to a friend's bridal shower out of town. I'm still a bit nervous about flying, even though I know I don't have a good reason.

I'm debating between two different sets of prenatal classes and I need to sign up for one of them this week. There's a free one through a community organization that is longer (7 two hour sessions) and includes some breast feeding and child care topics and there is a shorter one (5 two hour sessions) through the hospital that basically only covers labor and delivery ( and is not free). It seems obvious, right? But I absolutely HATE being in a class/workshop/seminar that is not well done and I'd hate to be stuck. I can't find anyone that's done either class to give me a recommendation. The free one starts earlier, so I'm thinking we can sign up for that one and if it's bad, we can hope there's still room in the hospital class that starts 2 weeks later. DH is not terribly excited about any class but is willing to do whatever I decide.

I'm feeling pretty well these days. I'm starting to have a little trouble getting up and bending over. I know that it's only the beginning, though! I'm feeling her move a lot now, which is so much fun. I still sometimes feel like an alien has taken over my body, which I guess it has!

It's going to be okay...

That's the conclusion I came to after watching way too many baby shows on TV yesterday.  I've been so nervous about whether I'll be able to breast feed, whether I'll have to have a c-section, whether the nurses will give my baby a pacifier...(yes, I'm insanely paranoid).

Then I look at what some people go through and still end up with healthy, well adjusted babies.  I know that everything will not go according to plan, that there may very well be some disappointments, but I'm trying to keep things in perspective.  As long as our little girl is healthy, that's really all that matters.  I just have to remember to keep telling myself this when I get stressed out about which crib mattress to buy.

In other news...I'm done with school!  I finished up everything early and am enjoying my first days of vacation.  It's going to be very strange in August when I don't go back with everyone else.  I actually had a bit of an emotional breakdown earlier in the week.  I am absolutely 100% sure I'm making the right decision, but that doesn't mean that leaving the career I've worked so hard to establish for over 10 years is easy.  I don't know when or if I'll go back to classroom teaching.  It really is the end of a chapter of my life.  I guess it's kind of like graduation day. You're happy about where you're going, but scared about what lies ahead, and sad about what you're leaving behind.  

I'm trying to think of something nice to do for my husband for Father's Day.  And our anniversary is only a couple of weeks away, so I have to think about that, too.  I want to do something really special for our anniversary, but the things he wants are so boring (electronics, photography gear that I don't even understand).  I want it to mean something.  So, I'm stumped.  I hope I can come up with something.  I have a tradition where I always write him a letter about the year we've had and there will definitely be a lot to write about this year.  Maybe I should get started on that...

No picture yet.  DH was working all weekend.  Maybe I'll get one up later this week.  22 weeks now.  As a pediatrician, DH says this is the hardest month for him.  He gets nervous anytime I breathe loudly or wince when I get up too fast and pull those abdominal muscles strangely.  He says he'll feel better when I get past 24 weeks and the baby is viable, but won't really be calm until about 30 weeks.  I've been trying to talk to him less about my discomforts, because I can see him worrying.  I know that's how I was for the whole first trimester.  I've finally started feeling good about things and now he's freaking out!  She's kicking me and moving around lots now, though, so that calms us both down.

Happy summertime!

Surprise!

The teachers at school threw me a surprise baby shower today.  It was the nicest thing ever.  I couldn't believe all of the food and gifts.  People were so generous!  And this right after a faculty meeting where our principal basically said she couldn't tell anyone anything about whether or not they would have a job next year or what subject/grade level they would be teaching.  I guess it was good to focus on happy news after that.

I'm still overwhelmed by it all.  And it's fun to have some cute little girl things.  They invited my mom and she was there.  My husband enjoyed opening the presents all over again when he got home (they were mostly in gift bags).  It's nice to feel loved.  I truly never expected anything like this.  Maybe a card and a small gift certificate at the end of the year luncheon, but never something so elaborate.  I will definitely miss my coworkers!