23 weeks: this is not my body

So this week I was accused by my sister of not looking pregnant. What?! I guess we haven't posted a picture of me in a few weeks, but this pic should settle that argument. My belly popped a few weeks ago.

I really don't recognize the person I'm seeing in the mirror these days. And it isn't just the belly. My whole body is transforming. My hope is that it transforms back! Everything has gotten bigger, even my face. I've been able to resume my prepregnancy workout regimen now that I am not horribly sick. A lot of good it has been doing me though.

My doctor told me that I should only gain 1/2 a pound a week from here on in. That comment has enraged many mothers I know who say that a doctor shouldn't put a limit on pregnancy weight gain. I don't know how I feel about the doctor telling me that. I just know that I would rather not gain more than I have to. It is difficult to maintain a consistent diet, what with the involuntary fluctuation of food cravings and aversions.

My body is definitely not as ergonomically sound as it used to be. Bending, stretching, walking: they have all become new experiences as my center of balance shifts. What's nice is that people are always quick to help me out with things or exclude me from hard labor. Nothing wrong with that. Jeff seems to think that I shouldn't be doing anything physical. He's ready to install an elevator so I don't have to walk up and down the stairs anymore.

Well, that's all the news.

-Theresa

22 weeks: alien contact

So, the search is over for nursery fabric. I found the cutest vintage fabric called RETRO ROCKET RASCALS by Michael Miller. It's illustrated in a 1950's style. The rascals hold radios, fly sonic planes, and operate flying saucers. They are, of course, being helped out by their kitten, duckling, and squirrel friends who also wear space capsule head gear. They couldn't be any cuter. I found a coordinating fabric, also by Michael Miller, called CHA CHA STRIPE to complete the look.

While I'm glad to have found the perfect fabric; there is a problem: I HAVE TO SEW. I guess learning to sew had to come sometime in my career as a mom, what with all the Halloween and recital costumes in my future. Better to get the learnin' out of the way. Maybe if I become a skilled enough seamstress, I could make all of my kids' clothes, just to give them something to be embarrassed about. Just remember, a perfect childhood strips an individual of all creative energy. We have to give our child something to rebel creatively against. I digress.

Any volunteers to teach me put some bedding together? Preferably, you would have more sewing experience than me. That would mean that you've put more than one pillow together in a 7th grade home economics class. I have found a few patterns, so I'm well on my way (I'm optimistic). Should be interesting.

Once again I am fighting nausea, but nothing comparable to when I was sick the first nine weeks. That was much more debilitating physically and emotionally. For one thing, I wasn't feeling my little baby kick as a reminder that it will all be worth it in the end. It is, right?! Please tell me it is.

The increased kicking has given me an insight into the habits of this growing being inside of me. Junior really takes a while to go to sleep at night, making me sleepless with giggles because of all the commotion. And Jeff is sleepless because the person next to him is giggling. Otherwise, now I can see my belly move from the outside during some of Junior's kicking sprees. Things are starting to get freaky! Best of all, in the morning, Jeff talks to my belly and Junior wakes up to the sound of his voice! It's the cutest thing; I love it.

Jeff wants us to watch the movie Alien. You know, that charming little picture where a guy (I think it is a man)is just sitting there, minding his own business when his stomach starts to rumble violently. The rumbling becomes a hole in his stomach, and through the poor man's blood curdling screams, it enlarges enough for a baby alien to break free. It runs away, leaving him for dead. Wonderful. What Jeff doesn't understand is that my hormonally infused dreams are already wacky and sometimes scary enough without such stimuli. No thanks Jeff.

I think I'd rather see Snakes on a Plane.

'til next time,
Theresa

22 weeks: crying and socializing

So, it has been a week since we found out the gender of our baby, and I am still trying to come to the terms with the fact that I have a little man inside of me!

When Jeff and I first talked about having kids, I absolutely wanted to have a boy first, a big brother to any other children we might have. But alas, that was the logical, hormonally balanced me saying that. Now, we are dealing with the unbalanced, emotionally challenged, cake craving pregnant woman that has taken over my body. So I guess it shouldn't have been any big surprise that after we had the sonogram, made phone calls to relatives, and settled in at home, I would just start to cry. I'm not entirely sure why; but, I think I was mourning the fact that our baby wasn't a girl. Crazy, I know, especially since I WANTED A BOY FIRST. I guess I just thought it was a girl, and when it wasn't... water works.

Jeff was a little upset with me. He thought that we should be rejoicing that our baby was diagnosed as being healthy and normal, penis or no penis. I tried to think about that, but I just kept crying for over an hour. It didn't end there; the next day I was crying because I felt guilty about crying the first time. That's the guilty mother complex kicking in, I'm told.

Anyway, I'm doing just fine now and yes, I am happy to have a boy. I'll be indulging myself in some Superman and super hero comics (we have an attic full collecting dust) this summer to fully engage myself in this culture of boy. I'm sure Jeff will have some more suggestions as to how I can do that.

Otherwise, we've been quite busy these last couple of weeks. We visited my Mom and Joe up in the north woods of Wisconsin, and some of the Nicholson family at my Dad's house. We had a great time at Kristen and Sam's wedding and welcome home party. (The baby was kicking me hard after that party in reaction to all the noise.) And today, I had lunch with my friend Sarah who is pregnant and due November 19, one day before me! Can you believe that? The race is on Sarah! She's having a girl, by the way, something I don't hold against her.

That's all the news!

-Theresa

21 weeks: there's a naked man inside of me!

That's right. We are proud to announce: it's a boy!

First the sonogram technician gave us a tour of things I'll never want to see again: our baby's heart, brain and skeletal structure. Then she said "here are his legs and he's not hiding what's between them." And then we saw a very clear picture of his manhood. A snapshot was taken for posterity, but I won't post it to save him the future embarrassment and resentment, good mother that I am.

Unfortunately, all our favorite names are girl names, and we have nothing to call little Junior.

Well, I must say it is a surprise. Most everyone thought little Junior would be a girl. From the way I was carrying him, to the severity of my morning sickness, all the traditional old wives' tales pointed to the baby being a girl. Goes to show how much you can rely on all that "science." The one old wife that did get it right, however, was my Grandma, Deloris. Good job Grammy!

I will say that I had a dream a while ago in which we were having the sonogram and I saw a penis. I wasn't sure if I could trust it though, because otherwise I did suspect that it was a girl. I guess I've created my own old wives' tale: trust your dreams about the gender.

Otherwise, we were told that the little man is in perfect health! He is still expected to arrive on Nov. 20th. We are very happy!

-Theresa

20 weeks: sympathy weight gain

Hey, everyone. Jeff here, and let me tell you, it's not easy living with someone who eats 4 bagels a day. Because before you know it, YOU'RE eating 4 bagels a day.

And come November, I'm not the one that'll be undergoing a procedure that will drastically reduce my weight. Although at this rate, I should probably schedule one.

When Theresa's not force-feeding me, she's depriving me of my favorite foods and drinks! Take coffee for example. I'm addicted to it but the delicious aroma makes T nauseous. We visited her mom recently and she was nice enough to brew coffee in the garage, so Theresa wouldn't have to smell it. I'm just glad it's not January.

Theresa has been sleeping like a baby lately. All her energy is going toward her internal construction project, and the construction site has been active. The baby is kicking almost every hour. We can clearly feel it on the outside of T's belly, and we're only at the half way mark. Theresa is doing a great job.

And Friday we might find out the gender of our baby! Pretty amazing. The odds-on favorite is a girl (see our poll) but you never know.

Stay tuned.