Week 19 ... I can hear you ...

Almost half way there ... so crazy ... this week the Gypsy sensory development is exploding! Its brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch.  Some research suggests that a 19 week old fetus can hear their mother's heartbeat and muffled voices.  So after letting Francois have a couple of Bud Lights, he "agreed" to make a video of him singing to the Gypsy.  Please ignore my Santa Claus belly ... shaking like a bowl full of jelly as I try not to scream out with laughter.

BA singing to our Gypsy ... in Afrikaans ... so no you aren't going crazy.

BA preparing to sing "Bobbejaan Klim die Berg" to our Gypsy.  Its about a Baboon who climbs a mountain to piss off the farmers.  Why they get pissed I do not know.  

Best Conversation Yet.

So tonight my grandparents called to chat.  My grandfather got on the phone and our conversation turned to how my pregnancy was going:

Papa: "So how are you feeling?'
Me:  "Good, I feel fine, staying active, nothing really to complain about."
Papa:  "Have you started showing yet?"
Me:  "Not really, I feel like it looks like I have a beer belly rather than actually looking pregnant."
Papa:  "You need to stop that."
Me:  "Stop what, papa?"
Papa:  "Drinking ... you can't be drinking while your pregnant."
Me: "Papa!  I am not drinking ... I just meant it looked like I had a beer belly."
Papa:  "I know you drink ... but you got to stop that while your pregnant."
Me:  "Okay, I'll stop drinking ...."

I heart my grandfather ... even if he is crazy and thinks I am drinking it up :)

FRAN- CO-SIS, bring me another beer and smoke .... this baby is kicking and I need to teach him a lesson.

Week 18 Updates ...

So this week we had a appointment with our OBGYN.  We thought it was going to be my mid pregnancy scan ... BA was so pumped about finding out the gender ... but it was just another three minute visit, although we only had to wait 20 minutes this time!  The visit went well, the top of my uterus is about even with my belly button, which is right on with being 4.5 months pregnant.  The heart rate was 152 bpm ... higher than last time, but I did drink a large glass of orange juice before we left, so the Gypsy would be all cracked out and moving around for the ultrasound we didn't have.  We have the mid pregnancy scan scheduled for June 9th ... so be on the look out for a "ITS A _______!" text and/or update.

As I have mentioned before we haven't bought a single thing yet, so this afternoon I decided that we would go to Target and buy something ... anything ... to show that indeed we are preparing for our African-American baby.  We ended up buying dog treats and baby laundry detergent.  Its incredibly overwhelming and annoying trying to figure out what to buy and what not to buy.  Even at Target, where the selections are limited, I could only commit to buying laundry soap.  BA assured me that it would get easier when we know if its going to be a girl or a boy and we can stop thinking about it as "the fetus" and start thinking of it as ____________(insert name here).  I hope so or else this baby is really going to be wearing old sheets for diapers and sharing Homer's bed with him.

I also find it annoying that there isn't ANY maternity work out clothes.  We even joined a new gym so I can start swimming when I get too big to run.  But unless I want to be rocking a tiny bikini and a big 'ol belly (sorry it really only looks good on people who weighed 90 lbs before they got knocked up) in the lap pool, I am going to have to find an online maternity friendly store where I can buy a one piece swim suit and some running shorts.  (any suggestions?)

I have gone from having an avocado baby to a bell pepper baby.  BA refused to retake "me and baby" pictures this week.

Popping fresh in week 17

So I think my pregnant stomach has finally arrived.  Here are a couple of pictures from this week:

Giving Old Man a lift on our walk.

Food baby ... no seriously my stomach grew over the few hours we were out to dinner.

Our parenting style ...

Click here if you dare ... you may just pee your pants.

4 months or 16 weeks or 112 days or 2688 hours

We had a midwife appointment yesterday and BA was able to capture a video of the heartbeat!  Please don't mind my furry stomach ... its one of those gross side effects they don't tell you about.

Listen Here

So this week the Gypsy is size of an avocado ... so I decided to force BA to take some pictures of him and the Gypsy.

BA holding our little avocado.

BA kissing our avocado ... no denying he is that baby's daddy

Of course these photos are staged ... when the real Gypsy gets here this is how BA will be conducting child care:

BA and our favorite baby ever ... Miss Madison!

Also this week the Gypsy got their first present ... and actually the first official baby stuff we have ... from Lidia and Ben!  Gender neutral of course!

A blanket, night gowns and the coolest of all:  a magnet that reads, "Choosy moms choose beer!"