Week 19.5 Update

I was trying to figure out some cute way to show my baby bump progression.  Since we're due Super Bowl weekend, what better way than to take a picture every Sunday in a Patriots jersey?  Go Pats!  (19 weeks)

Now that we know we're having a boy, here's a few anecdotes for you as we reach the halfway point of the pregnancy:

• What I found very interesting about the anatomy sonogram is that it's not at all as romantic as they make it seem in the movies.  Truthfully, the entire appointment is long and boring until you get to the end.  During this sonogram, they measure everything about the baby:  arms, legs, brain, heart, kidneys, and a whole bunch of other stuff that was magnified so close I just could not tell exactly what I was looking at.  I was not particularly happy about the fact that we did not see our son's face until twenty-five minutes into the appointment.  When it came to the gender, our first ultrasound technician guessed that we were having a girl, but truthfully, we couldn't see anything because the baby would not stop moving, and she seemed quite uncomfortable measuring a child that was so squirmy.  She kept saying, "I have never seen a child move this much."  Yep, that's our child.  Luckily, a second ultrasound technician came in, and she thumped all over my belly because the umbilical cord was wrapped around his leg, blocking his genitalia.  Once the umbilical cord was out the way, Kevin and I looked at each other and said, "Do we see what we think we see?"  The ultrasound technician said, "Guys, I think your child has outdoor plumbing."  (I really appreciated that phrasing.)  Because the first woman had been so unsure of herself, I was still wary to start celebrating that we were having a boy.  At the end of the appointment, I asked, "So we can tell people we're having a boy?  I can update my facebook status?"  She responded, "Absolutely, you sure can."  Once we left the room, I finally was able to process that we are having a boy, and after a few moments, I felt a rush of emotions; I tried to hold back tears until we got to the parking lot, but that just did not happen.  Right at the reception desk, waiting to check out, I cried tears of joy while Kevin hugged me.  We immediately called our parents, and I had to let Kevin make the announcement because I was still crying.  Friday was an especially long day waiting for our appointment, but my goodness was it worth all that time!

• I swear that now we know that we're having a boy and we've given him a name (which may or may not be revealed later down the road), he is moving more than ever.  There are certain points of the day when he is most active, and when I'm especially still, I can feel him moving around everywhere.  We had a big milestone on Saturday night that I truly did not expect so soon.  The baby was kicking up a storm, and instinctively I placed my hand on my belly to see if I could feel him.  Normally, once my hand goes down, he moves out of the way.  This time, however...BAM!  BAM!  He kicked me twice, right on my hand.  That was the first time I could feel him externally.  I immediately jumped up and screamed for Kevin to come over and feel.  Kevin sighs at me and says, "You know you just moved him, right?"  "I know, probably.  Just try to feel him anyways!"  Kevin placed his hand down, and a few second later, lighter than the first two, Kevin was able to feel his son kick for the first time.  That was pretty dang cool.

• Burping is the greatest damn thing on the entire planet right now.  Anytime I start to feel nauseous or gassy, I let out a huge belch, and immediately I feel relieved.  I've been cracking my friends up because instead of the standard, "Excuse me", I usually exclaim one of the following:
• "Oh dear God, that was a good one!"
• "Oh man, that felt good!"
• "Whoa!  Did you hear that one?"
• "Thank you, Jesus, for burping!"  (My personal favorite)

           I reiterate:  burping is the greatest thing on the entire damn planet.

• I woke up on Sunday morning feeling totally at peace.  Every day, I'm so thankful for my husband, my pets, our wonderful home, our family and friends...and now my little boy.  Three years ago, I stopped taking birth control pills, and though the time seemed to drag by then, it's all been worth it.  I'm so excited for February to get here, and for my family to continue growing!