Happy Friday

Why is it that the short weeks always seem to drag on longer than normal ones? Thank God it's Friday! Not much on tap for this weekend other than cleaning house. Brooks and I get haircuts on Saturday so we look nice to go home to DC next week. And we're child-sitting for Gregg and Vivian's son Ravi on Sunday. I've told Brooks it's his job since it will be good practice. I should have something interesting to share on Monday!

So Brooks and I are going to my cousins wedding next weekend and I was having an impossible time finding a dress. I thought I could fit into some of the looser stuff in my closet, but I didn't take into account the boob-growth factor. Oops. So then I bought a dress from Nordstroms Maternity online...let's for a moment discuss that they don't ever actually use pregnant models, just regular models with fake bellies. So, unless you are 6 feet tall and have toothpick legs, you just end up looking obease. And add to that the fact that all these dresses are designed for people who are 9 mos. pregnant and have that big nice firm "definitely pregnant" belly. What about those of us who are, oh I don't know, under 5 foot and just at 5 months with that "could just be fat" belly? So I got the dress and was so excited...it was awful! It may be the first time that Brooks has ever told me that something was just bad on me. So I took it back. I was just about at the end of my rope when I decided that since I knew exactly what I wanted, I would see what it cost to have a dress made.

So I contacted a local dressmaker and met with her in her store armed with inspiration pictures. (Note to reader: if you are ever in SoCal and need a dress, get Euginia's number from me!) She's one of those people who know what you want before you do and she helped me find the perfect dress that only needed a few changes to be amazing. It's getting all it's alterations done now, but I'll post pictures if I remember after the big event.

Ok, I'm going to go to the pool so I can get a swim in before my soaps start :)

18 Week Update

I'm coming up on 18 weeks, which is pretty close to 20 weeks, which is the halfway point. Yay! I have a feeling that the second half of this pregnancy is going to go by much slower than the first half, despite the fact that I feel alot better these days. The morning sickness is gone, the congestion is worlds better and I not only have energy, I have TOO much energy! I went to bed last night at midnight and was wide awake at 4 am. Nothing helped to get me back to sleep so I ended up jotting down ideas for the nursery and staring at the ceiling. I'm also finally starting to feel little piglet move around. It's like living in the movie Alien. When I get up or roll over, I have the sensation that my belly is a bottle of water with a sailboat swishing around in there, it's beyond odd. So far the movements aren't strong enough (or the piglet not big enough) for Brooks to feel from the outside, so hopefully that will be soon.

I have yet to make it back to Yoga, but I'm swimming every day. I've never been a water person (I only put a baithing suit on once on our honeymoon), but there's something about this pregnancy that makes me want to swim in a sunny pool all day. I actually went to two different pools yesterday - swam in our neighborhood pool in the early afternoon and then went to the gym before dinner and did some more laps. I would like to strangle anyone who makes maternity swimsuits. I don't know a SINGLE person who's boobs haven't taken over with pregnancy - so why is it impossible to find a maternity suit with any support?!?! And most of them are halters too, which means I am basically holding up cement bricks with my head. Ugh. I gave up and went to Marshalls in search of big fat lady suits. I bought one (which makes Brooks giggle) and then also bought a bikini for diversity. At this swimming rate, I'll have to go back another one soon too. I really think that when you get pregnant, your house should comply by growing another room and your wardrobe should amazingly just grow with you.

We decided to hire a doula. She's also teaching our labor classes and Brooks and I were both totally comfortable with her from the start. She also recommended that we choose Holy Cross Hospital in Mission Hills, so I guess that's where the big birth will be. Not too much else to report - we find out the baby's gender next wednesday - can't WAIT!

The Nursery - A First Look

Here's a first look at the new nursery. This room used to be my office and was painted brown. We did a cool striped paint job (yes, we used a laser leveler and it took FOREVER but it's perfect). I wanted to do something for the windows other than your typical baby-room valance, so we decided to frame in the windows with rosettes and molding. I think it turned out pretty nicely. I dumped a ton of stuff in the crib to get it off the ground, so no, it won't always have a bunch of crap in it/hanging on it. And the bedding pictured (with the moons and stars) I'm not sure I'll stay with, I bought it mainly as a backup in case I didn't find something I liked better. Next, I need to get the rest of the furniture and if time permits, hopefully get some crown molding up!

Piglet's Third Ultrasound

May 25, 2005
11 weeks, 4 days
(yay! it looks like a baby this time!)

Piglet's Second Ultrasound

April 26, 2005
7 weeks, 3 days
(a little more interesting!)