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!

20 Weeks update with pictures

So here are a few pictures from the last couple amazing weeks.  There's a 20 week bump picture and our favorite shot from the 18 week ultrasound.  How amazing it was to see her wiggling around in there!  And now I'm starting to feel her move and even thump me a few times.  Wow...this making a baby stuff is pretty cool.

My husband  is amazing.  I love him so much.  He wrote the most beautiful letter to our daughter.  I was crying when I read it.  He's going to be such a great daddy!  He has also gone baby crazy, pushing to register and decide on everything from car seats to wash cloths.  It's so cute!  We also ordered the nursery furniture, which made him very happy.  He was ready weeks ago, but I told him he had to wait until after the ultrasound to make any major purchases.  

One of my students finally asked me if I was pregnant.  She came up to me after class and asked, "There is a rumor going around that you are going to have a child.  Is it true?"  I told her that it was.  She congratulated me very calmly and then ran to discuss with the rest of her classmates.  It was kind of cute.  I could tell she had really thought out exactly how she was going to ask me.  So the word is out, which is kind of a relief.  Today, I posted a photocopy of an ultrasound picture on the board.  Believe it or not, there were still quite a few students who had no clue.  But they know now!

So I have 8 more days with students and 2 more weeks total of work.  The end is near, but there is a lot to do before then!  

19 weeks - wow!

It really is still so hard to believe that we've made it this far.  I think that the ultrasound made it much more real for my husband, because he has gone baby crazy since then.  He even started reading a parenting book last night.  I just want to cry, I love him so much.  

We've decided on a name, but we're keeping it a secret for now, despite all of the interrogations. At this point, it's not hard, since we can just kind of pretend we haven't decided yet, but I'm sure it will get harder.  We'll probably cave before the end, but we might as well leave something fun to tell people later, right?  

My mom is coming in today and we're going to go and order the nursery furniture that my husband and I picked out last week.  It's expensive, but he says "go for it" and we said that our tax refund was going for baby, so I guess we're going to splurge.  I feel a little guilty, but it's all made in the USA, so we're supporting the economy, right?  (help me rationalize, okay?)

And my bump is starting to look like a bump, which is kind of crazy. I think I need a new shirt for my pictures, but it's kind of fun using the same one, so I don't know.  I've been feeling flutters of movement here and there which is absolutely amazing.  Of course, it makes me a little paranoid when I can't feel her, which I know is completely irrational.  I guess you never stop worrying when you become a mommy, do you?

What a great day!

Our ultrasound was perfect and we're having a girl!  We are beyond excited.  All of a sudden, it just all seems more real.  My husband said, "you're having a baby, just like you were yesterday, but it's different, somehow."  

She was flipping and turning and moving all over during the ultrasound, but the tech was able to measure everything that needed to be measured, and she gets an A+.  Everything was normal.  She has very long legs (just like me).  My husband and I both got teary and he had to run right over to his office to show off the pictures.  She's got him wrapped around her finger already, and she hasn't even met him!  

Then we spent the day going to Raleigh to shop.  There isn't much available in the small town where we live, except for Target and Walmart.  I think we found furniture we love.  Of course, in the process, my husband fell in love with the most expensive stroller/travel system known to man, so that should lead to some interesting discussions.

I'm not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow, but it will be fun to tell my coworkers the news.  It's awards day, so there will be many distractions.  Next week is standardized testing, so things are winding down.  It's strange to think that this is the last time I'll do this for awhile.  

Big Ultrasound Tomorrow!

We never got around to taking a picture this week.  It was a busy weekend.  My college girlfriend (also my maid of honor) came in to visit.  It was so much fun.  I'm so bummed that I'm going to miss her wedding in October.  I keep teasing her about making sure she has a web cam set up.  I want to go so badly!  But of course, I'll hopefully be busy with a newborn by then.  

I'm so nervous and excited about tomorrow's ultrasound.  I'm excited to see the baby, but my paranoia is setting in, too.  I just hope that everything is fine.  DH is more excited about finding out the sex than I am (and I'm pretty excited).  Mostly we're eager to see the baby again and to find out that the bean sprout is healthy - 4 chambered heart, good brain, you know the important stuff!  

I've been feeling flutters the last few days.  It's really strange and exciting.  It just becomes more real all the time.  Of course, I also had a terrible nightmare last night that I don't remember.  I just woke up terrified with my DH stroking me telling me that I was okay.  I was awake for another 2 hours because I couldn't sleep.  It made for a very long day today. 

My students still haven't gotten brave enough to ask me if I'm pregnant, but they are grilling all of the other teachers.  It's pretty funny.  They all refer the kids to me, but I'm still waiting.  I guess it says something that they are hesitant to ask a woman if she's pregnant.  We'll see.  I'm still enjoying watching the 12 year old kids gossip.  If it doesn't come out before then, I figure I'll post an ultrasound picture after testing is over.  Surely one of them will ask me what it is, right?  14 days of school...they just seem to keep getting longer, but at least I have tomorrow off!