Road Trip!

This afternoon, Cappy and I are driving to New Jersey. First, we are headed to one of my favorite places, my second childhood home, The Hummels. Jen and I are going to celebrate our birthdays the best way we know how (with lots of cheese.) We're going to eat our way through South Jersey starting with Italian and ending in a place that serves chocolate cake "as big as your head." Yesssss! On Saturday, my mom will be treating me and Cappy to one of her amazing massages- yay for Thai massage! I also plan to drag these poor women to a few stores that I have been deprived of by living in Virginia to find a maternity coat and scope out Buy Buy Baby, which I hear is fabulous despite its stupid name.

More tales from New Jersey to follow upon my return! :)

Halfway there!

Today marks 20 weeks pregnant, which is crazy to me because I found out about this baby like yesterday. Cappy is cantalope sized now and it blows my mind how fast this whole experience is going. My sweet baby is taking in amniotic fluid like a champ, practicing breathing and digesting. He even is developing a fine palette as studies show that babies often respond well to foods they were introduced to in the womb. That means Cappy is destined to love apples since I eat a least one a day. :) Daddy is also getting a kick out of the fact that baby has started to collect meconium in his bowels. Let's hope he gets this excited when its time for him to change the diapers full of it... ;)

Bummer.

So I've not been feeling my best this week. I tried to chalk it all up to a bit of pregnancy congestion. But after not sleeping at all on Thursday night because I couldn't breathe, I decided it was time to visit the doctor. I already knew going in that I had a sinus infection- that was pretty obvious from the disgustingness that was stuck in my face, but she really threw me a curve ball when she brought up strep throat.

So, here I sit on Saturday, missing my friend's bridal shower, desperately trying to expell the superglue that has taken over my sinuses. The good news is that Cappy doesn't seem to mind chilling on the couch today- he's giving me kicks of approval after each good cough.

19 week update

I totally love baby mango! Last week was so unappetizing unlike my sweet little mango. For my friend who asked about where I get these cute pictures, they are from thebump.com, which sends me an email update each week. :) Anyways, Cappy is forming the different sensory areas in his brain. He is also sprouting hair on his head! I can't wait to see whether or not he has dark hair like Daddy or light hair like Mommy.

Only about 2 more weeks until we have our next ultrasound. At this one, if Cappy cooperates, we should be able to finally know if I've been baking a baby boy or a baby girl. In the meantime, I am starting to enjoy feeling Cappy move around. At first it was just weird, but as I get used to it (and it starts to feel more kick like instead of a freaky squirm) the more I like it.

It's already planned...

So one of my closest friends, Hillary, is due with baby #2 a little less than 3 months after Cappy is expected to make his debut! I'm excited for so many reasons! #1: How great that we can experience pregnancy together! #2: Obviously our children will fall in love and get married and then we can be mothers-in-law together. #3: She's an amazing mother and I'm so excited to see her family grow. I learn so much through her example. And for the record, I'm so glad she went first! ;)

Congrats, Hilly! :) Love you!

The end of an era

For those of you who know me well, you know that I've had two surgeries on my belly. As a result, I have a "zipper" that goes from my belly button down. I had gotten my naval pierced at age 15 and my first surgery was months later. I always felt like the piercing made my belly more pretty- it somehow evened out the ugliness of that long scar.

Well, the end of the bellybutton ring era has come. Yesterday, my sister helped me to remove my piercing after 12 years. I was feeling a little sad for a few reasons. I was sad that another mark of my teenage years is gone (belly ring is now hanging out with naturally blonde hair and size 2 pants) and I was feeling like I no longer had a good looking stomach. I texted my husband (who has been working hard out of town for the week) about my fears and he simply replied back that I've replaced my belly ring with "a beautiful baby bump."

Yeah, I'm tearing up just writing this down. I'm always being reminded that I have the perfect husband for me. Hey, Joe- you're a keeper.

Girls Night!

I got to spend the evening with one of my favorite cousins, Ana. She's 6 and for those of you who don't know her, she comes with more personality than most adults. She's one of my favorite kids in the whole world! Anyways, Ana, her parents, Jana and Robert, and I all went up to Carter's Mountain, picked up some apples, cider, and of course, the most amazing apple cider doughnuts. Ana made friends with almost every dog that crossed our paths and picked out the best gourd in the entire bin to take home.

Then, Mom and Dad went off for their own night out and Ana and I made a gourmet dinner (mac and cheese and peas.) We also started watching The Ewok Movie, which I was obsessed with when I was her age. She was pretty into it. Then at 7:30, we began the bedtime routine. We started with putting on the jammies. This required a special dance followed by several bounces around the room and questions about whether Snickers the cat should spend the night in Ana's room. Then, the toothbrushing phase. I helped her out by singing while she brushed. And finally the first chapter in her new book as a bedtime story. I was promptly told that I don't do the voices right. After we got over that, I turned on her lullaby music, tucked her into her pink leopard blanket and gave her a good night snuggle. 5 minutes later she announced she just couldn't sleep. This happened again 10 minutes later. I haven't seen her in 20 minutes now, so I think she may be asleep.

I can't wait to see what bedtime routines my child requires in a few years! Just another thing I am so excited to find out about my baby.

17 weeks and a "Snow Day"

Baby Cappy is as big as an onion this week, but weighs about as much as turnip! His bones are hardening and he will just start to gain a little fat (I <3 baby chub!) He is developing sweat glands, which comes in handy since he can now bend all of his joints, making him now able to fully participate in Jane Fonda-esque aerobics while in the womb.

This morning I got a call from the school nurse. We have several cases (about 10% of the student population) of confirmed swine flu. Additionally, at least one student that I know of has been in my classroom in the last 24 hours. She was concerned that I should not be at school, so after talking to my OB's nurse, she recommended I take a 10 day course of Tamiflu. The school nurse, recommended I take the rest of the day away and to "stop breathing the air [here.]" So, we are following the CDC's orders and I am blogging and watching TV today. Since the whole H1N1 thing freaks me out, I'm just calling today my special snow day.