Sugar and Spice or Snails and Puppy Dog Tails?

This is the week. In 6 days, or (4 business days as Kevin likes to say) we will find out if peapod is male or female. I've heard there's some sort of debate regarding learning the gender of your child. There is a trend toward not finding out the gender until birth. If you ask the pregnant woman in this camp "what are you having?" she'll quip "a baby." The general argument toward waiting is "it's the only true surprise left in this world." I agree. However, after spending weeks vomiting and re-learning how to sleep I'm ready for my surprise now. I figure at the halfway point discovering who it is in there will help make the next 20 weeks that much more enjoyable. Plus, I am impatient, and I want to buy a cute outfit now to stare at, and lay on my growing belly. I'd also like to refer to peapod by an actual name every now and again, and invite you all to do the same. Yes, soon you all will also know the name.

I keep getting asked "are you hoping for a boy or a girl?" I suppose my answer is "yes." I really don't care, but I can explain myself.

First I grew up with three brothers, and let's be totally honest- it was the best. I could probably write a blog series as to why, but I'll save that. I feel comfortable with boys, and I think in a lot of ways it would be very natural for me to play in the mud with my son and show him how to cook so he can be an all-around catch when he's older. I also love picturing him in tiny vans and hoodies, and seeing him watch the original animated Batman series with his dad on Saturday mornings.

On the other hand. When I picture Kevin with a daughter my heart melts. I think he will be a wonderful father regardless, but when I imagine the two of them dancing in the living room, or her falling asleep in his lap I can hardly wait. I also look forward to brushing her hair, dressing her in skirts and striped tights, and playing tea parties with her.

Now, I admit that since our very first ultrasound my thought has always been that it's a..................................................boy. But, only time and my appointment on Friday, will (hopefully) tell.

Punching Bag

During a meeting this morning the little mango growing inside of me decided to get a little more precise with its kicking. Aiming directly for my bladder. Hmmm, it starts early! Though the tiny little thing felt more like pokes or tickles than full fledged kicks.

18 Weeks- Sweet Potato

At 18 weeks baby is the size of a sweet potato. I hate sweet potatoes. I mean I really really dislike them. They are simply a starchy vehicle for delicious roasted marshmallows at thanksgiving. I also can't even look at a sweet potato right now so I opted for the soda can size comparison for this week's picture to the right. I use a fun site to check out the size of my baby as we wind our way through the produce section.

Today I decided that I have to meet my crunch cravings with trail mix- including raw almonds and no salt nuts. "What helped me decide this?" you may ask. Well my friends that would be my cankles. Yes, my swollen ankles that I can push a finger into and leave an imprint. All it took was a handful of crackers! I am just thankful we aren't living close to McMenamins right now, because I could seriously go for some cajun tots. Those delicious little bad boys are covered in salt. Oh well. My energy and appetite are finally returning- my tummy is growling while I can smell the brown rice cooking, and salmon baking. I thought I would never get back to a place of opting for food at-home or something other than jamba juice. On that note it takes a lot to eat well during pregnancy. You need a ton of protein, have to avoid salt (boooo!) try to ignore that little voice that says to eat two huge bowls of ice cream instead of one small bowl. Once the appetite hits, oh man watch out! I have been doing pretty well though, and have gained just the right amount of weight.

I can feel our little one wiggling as I type this, and this is definitely my favorite part of pregnancy thus far. At first I thought it would freak me out when it happened. I mean you never feel your insides moving independently, you know? But it turns out, it's a great reminder that baby is there and happily growing ever day and now probably weighs around 7 oz.!

The Other Man

A few posts back I alluded to something I had ordered online. Well that something is the Snoogle. It's a pregnancy body pillow that is a wonderful indulgence. I've had trouble with sleep in the past, and I knew that working around an ever growing belly would affect my sleep that much more. I read some reviews, and found the Snoogle to be the most worth the money spent. Body pillows are expensive, but it is totally worth it! I am a tummy sleeper, but now those days are gone. and I'm even at the point now where I am supposed to sleep only on my sides and not on my back. When I roll over it either wraps around behind me, or in front of me. Plus I don't have to readjust extra pillows all night (between the knees, under the belly, behind the back etc.). I imagine the Snoogle will only be more of an asset as the months tick by. I really can't recommend it enough. We are going away this weekend, and I am dreading two nights without Snoogle. We call it the "other man" because it's so big, and is literally between us.

At my appointment last week, things were pretty routine- pee in a cup, get weighed, have blood pressure taken, wait on noisy paper covered exam table to see the doctor. I love my OB- have I mentioned this before? We talked about how I am still throwing up, and he said "I am so sorry you're going through that." Wait what? Not, "well that's just what some women experience" or "I'm sure it will pass soon." All you really want as a pregnant woman is a little understanding, and that is just what he gave me. He really is awesome. We heard the baby's heart beat (150bpm) and this time it sounded like barking.

Speaking of baby, at week 17 she or he is getting baby fat! My favorite part. I can't wait to hold his or her fat little feet in my hands, and kiss every little baby fat roll.

The other funny thing we determined is that I have a serious case of "white-coat syndrome." I'm pretty sure I inherited my doctor's office nervousness from my dad, and my low blood pressure from my mom. If they take my bp at the beginning of the appointment it's something like 193 over 40, which is alarming. At the last appointment they took it a second time after I saw my doctor for a reading of 170 over 20. Much better. I think from now on they will be taking my bp at the end of the appointments.

Our next appointment is September 18 (only 23 days to go!) and we will get to find out the gender!!!! We will also get a closer look at baby's heart, brain, fingers and toes. I can't wait. We are very excited regardless of what the gender of our baby is, but I have had a feeling toward one side since we found out I was expecting. We'll see if I'm right!

Week 15/16 and a Special Surprise

Since I began the second trimester my vomiting increased. But the all-day nausea has nearly disappeared. I still have food aversions, and get very very angry at buffets that run commercials at 7am. I don't want to see a Salisbury Steak topped with onions and gravy while I eat cereal!

Happily, I felt the baby move this week! It was so strange. It felt like a little tiny tickle on the inside. It makes me currently imagine the baby as a sea monkey. Specifically a skinny brown monkey wearing pink floaties on each arm. Not like the rip-off sea monkey farm my friend sent away for in 4th grade. The "sea monkeys" arrived in a packet, all dried out. Not at all like the crazy dancing and swimming monkey's from the commercial. Anyway, I love feeling him or her swimming around, and every once in a while bumping into me. I even poked it the other day, and it kicked back, so precious. I wasn't quite expecting to feel movement yet, but it was a nice surprise!

I find it fun, no matter how useless, to try and guess the gender of our baby. The Chinese gender prediction chart says girl, but the thread and needle over the wrist says boy. If you don't know what these are, google them and you will find a whole world of quizzes, charts, old wives tales etc. to determine the sex. I think I'll wait for the ultrasound.

My next appointment is Friday, and I am excited though sad that I have to wait for the next appointment to know who it is that's swimming around in there!

SYTYCD

I really enjoy watching "So You Think You Can Dance." Or, should I say that I "did." The last couple of seasons have left me with memorable moving, emotional, funny, beautiful dances that I haven't forgotten. This year? Is it just me, or do these finalists do the same solos over and over and over? Nigel Lythgoe keeps trying to convince us that this is the "best group of dancers we've ever had on the show, and did I mention that we were nominated for 75 emmys? And can you believe what this show has done for dance? If it weren't for my brilliant television show about dance America would be cultureless! Please thank me with silk pocket squares, and possibly even larger white veneers."

He can try to convince me, but I know better. Twitch? Joshua? Hawk? Katie? Should I go on? These were some of the best dancers the show has produced. But this season my suspicion is that the choreographers are stretched too thin as they are already preparing for their first ever Fall Premiere. I also suspect that at this season's auditions the best dancers were held over for said Fall season that it might be their best season ever. And this Summer season? Makes those of us SYTYCD faithfuls lose heart in the mediocre performance of the dancers. And don't get me started on Mary Murphey and her "hot tamale train" she is enough to make me quit the show all together.

And to the four finalists: Brandon- would you at least pretend to think there is something you could learn? Oh, and put your shirt on. Evan- I like you, and your sad eyes. I think there must be some sort of following of homeschoolers who are campaigning for votes and keeping you in. Enjoy this time. Jeanine- You are an average dancer and I am beginning to think you are only getting votes because of your body. I have seen no progress in your dancing. And don't forget, your dad is watching and may not want to see your body in gold rubber, just a thought. Kayla- I think you are the best dancer on the show. You deserve to be on a season with better peers. I hope you will win, but I don't vote, so what do I know?

The News Is Out

Please scroll down to June 4 to see the first of a few secret blogs I wrote while I was waiting to make it to 12 weeks in pregnancy. I can't remember what I've said in previous posts, but as of today's ultrasound my new due date is February 3, 2010!