Same old same old
Things are going well here--and that means normal, the same, nothing new to post! Baby has been moving a lot, and that is my favorite part of pregnancy so far. I still only halfway fit my maternity clothes, but I'm wearing them anyway.

Now, on to something completely different.

One of my friends is struggling with the beginnings of infertility. I say "beginnings" because I don't think she would even label it infertility herself yet. I don't think she's ready mentally to put herself in that category. But she told me that she and her husband were starting to try to have kids well over a year ago, and she had one early miscarriage several months ago. She was one of the ones I wasn't sure how to tell when we found out we were pregnant in September. Since September, I discovered and have been avidly reading the host of infertility/adoption/pregnancy blogs out there. Some of the authors are witty, intelligent, and fun to read. Indirectly, they have given me a lot of insight about what to say (and what not to say) to this friend and how to talk to her. The other day when she was over at the house, I spoke frankly with her about what they've been going through and how I struggled with how to tell her about my pregnancy. She was candid too, telling me that it was a wonderful and very difficult day when I told her. Anyway, I'm thankful for those authors and blogs--without them, I don't think I would have known what to say.

Here are my favorites:
Chez Miscarriage - a surrogate is carrying their baby
Julia/"Here Be Hippogriffs" - "secondary infertility"--they have a son (the one "completed" pregnancy out of 7 or 8) but would like more
Uncommon Misconception - she just gave birth last week to a baby girl; dealt with placenta previa (serious condition where placenta attaches to uterine wall)
Tertia - just brought home the tiny twins
A Little Pregnant - just brought home a premie son

First baby shower
I had such a nice time at my first baby shower yesterday. I tried on a bunch of my maternity shirts in the morning and picked the one that made me look the most pregnant (this isn't me):



After church, Colleen and I went over to the Hutchins' house, and Carolyn and Ashley welcomed us in. Kari and Katrina arrived next, then Ricci (with Miles) and Jenny, Sabrina, and finally Jennaya. We enjoyed punch and had a good time talking with each other, and then we ate a delicious light lunch (quiche, fresh fruit--including blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, yum!--fresh vegetables with dip, and a light spinach-strawberry salad). Next, I opened the gifts--a very generous pile! My mom even mailed a gift to the Hutchins' house so it would be there for the shower--that was very sweet. I got a great mix of practical and fun things--some diapers, onesies, hooded towels, crib bedding (the duvet, bumper, and crib sheets), outfits, socks, bibs, rattles, teethers, etc. And I love the ducky pattern that came on a lot of the things! After the gifts, we ate a good dessert and played two word games. In all, it was a pleasant, lovely afternoon!

Sabrina came over to the house with me after the shower to help put things away and figure out where things will eventually go when we get the baby furniture. The second bedroom is starting to feel like the baby's room now!

I'm at 21 weeks 4 days!

I’m wearing a maternity shirt and pants today. Although I feel like I’m swimming in this shirt, I’m tired of wearing all my old shirts and stretching them out! This has to be the only frustrating/uncomfortable thing about the second trimester of pregnancy--not fitting into any clothes! :o) Anyway, this is a size small maternity shirt, so it doesn’t look quite as silly as some of the other ones might. Oh well! I’m sure in a couple of weeks I’ll fill out these shirts better. The pants are fitting great though.

My first shower is this Sunday! I'm so excited. Maybe I should secure a small pillow around my waist to look a bit more pregnant... :)

This weekend, Jon is flying to Florida and then driving home! Scott bought a car online a couple of weeks ago, and it’s at a dealer in Orlando. So Jon and Scott are flying to Orlando together on Saturday and driving the car straight back to California--they hope to get home by Monday night. Crazy. Jon used one of his free flights on Southwest (just had to use one ticket since it’s just one way for each of them). I hope to spend some of that free weekend time going through the second bedroom and majorly cleaning out one side of the closet to get it ready to hold baby things.

(Can you tell I have baby on the brain?)

Quick pregnancy tidbit
Jon felt the baby move yesterday! I was lying down on my side in the afternoon, and I felt a definite bubble/kick on the left side, where Baby's legs are. I put my hand there, waiting to see if I would feel it again, and I did--both from the inside and with my hand. So I called Jon over and had him rest his hand there. After a moment, I felt the baby again from the inside and said, "There! Did you feel that?" And he did! He said it was faint, but he did feel it. Cool!

Ultrasound picture
Here are two copies of the profile picture from yesterday:




We have one more picture ("Alien Baby"), but we'll have to scan it. ;)

Ultrasound
The ultrasound was this morning. It was SO COOL!!!! We got to see the profile, the face, the little hands and feet, the arms and legs, the heart (could even see the two distinct sides of the heart), the brain, the spine/lungs/skeleton, everything! And it was so fun watching him/her move. The baby stayed relatively still, but every couple of seconds he/she would move arms or legs. It was so neat. We got a picture of the profile and one of the face straight on, but that one just captures the skull (I call it "alien baby"). We did see the facial features, though--especially the nose and lips. I loved it! And I’m so glad Jon came. Then I had a regular appointment after that and that went just fine--just a check-in with the doctor...

Oh, and we did not find out if it's a boy or girl. ;)

Sorry I haven't posted in over a week, but everything has been pretty boring/normal around here! And that's good.

We had a nice New Year's. I had Friday off from work, and Jon took the day off too. We went to see the new movie version of "Phantom of the Opera." We liked it, and it reminded me of when we went to see the play several years ago. (Somewhat funny story that illustrates my gullibility: taking me to see the play was Jon's present to me for my birthday in 1999, but it was a surprise. I knew something was scheduled for that evening and that I was to dress up, but that was it. One day several weeks before the event, Jon slipped and said something like, "When we go to see--". It didn't make me suspicious at all, but Jon thought it might have. So he had his dad "accidentally tell" Jon's secret--that he would be taking me to Sea World for my birthday. I was so mad at Ray for having given away Jon's surprise, but I did not wonder at all what at Sea World would require me to dress up. When the night came and we were at a fancy dinner before the show with our two friends, the waiter asked if we were going to see Phantom. Kristen fumbled through telling him that we were actually going to Sea World. I still had no clue. That's right, I still thought we were going to Sea World--right up until we pulled into the parking garage at the theater.) Anyway, the movie on Friday was good because it made the story a little easier to understand.

For New Year's Eve, we went to Scott and Kim's house with several others and enjoyed the entertainment provided by their kids until they went to bed. We also ate good Mexican food, and then the girls sat around and talked while the guys played Settlers until (and past) midnight. We love our friends and had a great time.

On New Year's Day, Jon and I took down the Christmas tree and decorations (a much longer task than I had anticipated--but satisfying nonetheless) and ended up doing some other gratifying sorting/throwing away of accumulated junk. Then we went out to dinner with his family and watched "Napoleon Dynamite" at their house.

So, like I said, normal and boring! This week I'm looking forward to the big ultrasound on Thursday morning, and I'm also enjoying feeling the baby move a bit more often! I've felt him/her three distinct times today!