26 weeks: 6' 4"

Wow, where has the time gone? I haven't posted for 2 weeks it seems.

Jeff and I have decided to take a few mini trips during some of our last carefree days before parenthood. So last weekend we took a spontaneous trip to Springfield, IL. We were in search of a good drive-in theatre and Springfield won hands down (it was the only one playing something other than Talladega Nights). We stayed up until 2:30 am watching Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and Superman Returns . We've come to the conclusion that any movie is great movie if you are watching it from the comfort of your very own car. Unlike a regular theater, I didn't have to listen to some gross guy gnaw on his popcorn (there's always one sitting behind me), and my feet didn't stick to the floor. Not to mention, we had the top down on the convertible and we saw of a bunch of shooting stars during the movies. It couldn't have been a better night, unless the concession stand hadn't run out of cotton candy.

We stayed the night in beautiful Springfield, planning to catch a couple of Lincoln sights the next day. My inspiration: Sarah Vowell's book, Assassination Vacation. Jeff's inspiration: he's a history geek. So we visited Lincoln's Springfield home and his tomb. We lightened up the mood with a stop at the Dana Thomas house, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. And you thought that Springfield wasn't a hot vacation destination! Travel with the Jarkas, folks, we'll show you excitement.

So what is it that I learned this weekend? Superman, Abraham Lincoln, and my husband: all 6'4" tall. Coincidence? Well, I guess so.

24 weeks: sugar high

I was worried about my doctor visit today because I had my blood sugar tested. Doctors use the test to determine if a pregnant woman is prone to developing gestational diabetes. My levels were normal, thank goodness. I was nervous that my frequent watermelon and chocolate binges were going to put me into that high risk category. Apparently I am not the only one that worries about this test. On babycenter.com there are countless posts by women desperate for information on how they might cheat the test. Why anyone would want to cheat the test is beyond me. If you are at risk of developing a condition that could affect your and your child's health, wouldn't you want to know? Well, I guess not everyone would. Apparently, these people don't want to spend more time on further testing, or they don't want to be labeled as having a blood sugar or diabetic problem, at any cost. Oh well.

Just for fun, Jeff and I included a baby name poll on the blog. If you scroll down the page, you'll see it on the right hand side in a blue box. We are really struggling to find a name that we absolutely love. We have a bunch of possibilities, though. Vote for your favorite on the list or email us suggestions, please! Don't worry, Mom, we aren't using a name just because it wins the poll.

Here's another pic of the growing belly! The first one was shot before we went out for the evening to a party thrown by Jeff's coworker. The second is after the party when I had to elevate my legs with two foot rests. I won't be standing for four hours straight again during this pregnancy.