Some pictures to brighten your day ...

Gray sweat pants and "rack lines" on a 15 weeks pregnant stomach.  Wonder if my pink elephant will get life size?

BA took the fat puppies on a 5-mile run today  ... they came home and passed out!

My little African Jewel ...

Eating (drinking) chocolate like a girl on her period. 

Thumpity thump thump.

We had our second appointment with our OBGYN, Dr Walker.  After waiting an hour and fifteen minutes, we saw him a total of three minutes.  To be fair to Dr. Walker ... he had delivered FOUR babies before the office even opened.  But in those three minutes we got to hear the Gypsy's heartbeat for the very first time (well for more than a nano second).  It was 140 bpm ... on the low side ... the normal range is between 120-180 bpm.

So according to old wives tales, a low heart rate means it is a boy.  And so far I am carrying low, which is another "sign" its a boy.

But both BA and I have had numerous dreams that its a girl.  And the Chinese gender prediction calendar also says it a girl.

2 for a boy ... and 2 for a girl.  So who knows?  I guess we will see in six weeks!

A girl ....

Or a boy?!?

What do you think?!?

Lucky number thirteen ...

So I am in week number thirteen.  The last week of the first trimester. Crazy.  I have felt pretty good through the first trimester.  I only had to battle a little nausea in the evenings, never once throwing up or having heartburn.  As soon as the doctor and midwife assured me the cramps I had were growing pains they mostly went away ... or at least every little one didn't freak me out.

In fact I consider myself lucky that the only "real" symptom I have had is exhaustion.  It really has made through afternoon classes and attempting homework very difficult.  Sitting in my 1400 robots class (borriiiiinnngg) I often found myself wondering if it would be better if I didn't have to work (go to school) and could stay home all day.  But I doubt it, in fact I can't stand being at home doing nothing all day.  I feel incredibly guilty.  Even on the weekends ... when I should be resting up for the week ... panic and pure guilt starts to take over if I haven't accomplished anything that day.  In fact I can be quite obnoxious, and poor BA (who isn't afflicted by the same feelings) has to deal with it.

I find guilt during pregnancy to be a great motivator.  Since becoming pregnant I have been working out regularly (~4 times a week) and have given up several "bad" habits and cut back dramatically on others.  I haven't had any alcohol (duh) and won't drink again until I am done nursing (which BA and I have decided on one year or a long underway, which ever comes first).  I haven't had any caffeine, although the research out there says 200 mg (1 cup of coffee) a day is okay.  At first I really, really missed my diet sodas ... and for about 2 weeks I was drinking diet caffeine free ones ... until guilt over consuming sweeteners made me stop.  Now I have maybe one or two regular root beers a week to get my fix.

The most inconvenient things to give up have been canned food, sprouts, old spice deodorant, and over easy eggs.  During my prenatal nutrition appointment I was told to stay away from canned food because of the BPA, and that sprouts and under cooked eggs can carry bacteria that is very dangerous to pregnant women.  Do you know how hard it is to say no to delicious sprouts on my deli sandwiches?

I have switched to all natural hygiene products ... and let me tell you natural deodorant doesn't work as well as old spice.

Right now BA is in the process of quiting smoking!!!  It is very kind of him to do so ... because I know he loves smoking, says its his favorite thing to do ... but he agrees with me that it isn't something that we want to do around babies.  I know he can do it and I am very proud of him for attempting.

Still sporting a beer belly rather than a pregnant one.  Don't I look sure sexy in these unflattering gray sweatpants?

BA's beer belly (he wants everyone to know he is pushing it out and isn't really this big :))

Creepy ... like something in a horror film.

So while doing research about what a 12 week Fetus looks like, says and does I came across this gem,
"Vocal chords are complete, and the baby can and does sometimes cry silently."
WTF is that suppose to be endearing to me?  No it is gross and creepy and makes me uncomfortable.

Muahahahaha ... I am the creepy gypsy crying silently in your womb. 

He's a family van ...

Because BA and I are responsible soon to be parents, we decided it might not be a good idea to bungee cord a car seat on the trunk of our MG.  Especially because it does tend to get a little chilly in Monterey.  So instead we bought a 1984 VW Vanagon ... with enough room for three puppies, a baby, an African, a Samoan child, a Filipina, myself and what ever homeless people we decide to pick up.

Beep, Beep ... Chester the Child Molester coming through.  What would make this even better is if BA could grow a mustache ... but sadly he has yet to reach puberty.  

Why 80 year old straight men who hate women should not design their clothes ...

So today (and 12 weeks along .. whoohoo) I wore my maternity uniform for the first time.  When I put it on and looked into the mirror I burst into tears.  How awful does one have to look?  I swear I could be pregnant with 200 babies and still have room.  BA def looks much hotter in it than I do.

The best picture of us ever!

Thanks to the wonderful, beautiful Christain A Saphire!!! XOXOX

Call for Cloth Diapering Help.

So BA and I are going to cloth diaper the Gypsy ... but there are soooooo many different options out there that it is quite confusing.  The only semi-experience I have had with cloth diapering was with the beautiful Miss Madison Moore.  But she was 4 or so months when Leigh began using cloth diapers (G Diapers) and they ruled.  I don't know how well they will work on a newborn. 

We decided to go with prefolds and diaper covers (plastic type during day and wool ones at night).  Because they are economical to begin with and can last until potty training without having to change sizes as the monster grows.  I think we will get a few G Diapers down the road, for convinence sake ... but until then which prefolds should we use? 

So if you (Aunt Beth) or anyone you know is an expert in cloth diapering please help!!!