Kooky and Spooky

Happy Halloween!!

Since I'm not dressed as anything more than a pregnant publications manager today, I thought I'd share a picture of one of my favorite Halloween costumes. Yep, that's me with the inflatable bird on my head, and, just in case you're wondering, I was dressed as a Kooky Spook. I can't say I've worn all that many memorable Halloween costumes throughout the years, but really, when you've worn an inflatable bird on your head, there's not much out there that can top THAT! I'm pretty sure I saw pieces of the Kooky Spook costume in my parents' basement the last time I was home, so hopefully Baby M can sport this costume in the future.

Not much is new on the baby front. I'm experiencing all the hallmarks of pregnancy now ... backaches, indigestion, fatigue and some restless nights. Oh, and I'm starting to hate maternity clothes. They're frumpy, awkward and just plain old boring. But overall, I feel pretty good and have enjoyed being pregnant! The coolest part is knowing there's always someone with me, and Baby M reminds me of that these days with much stronger kicks and punches. Hopefully Jeremy will be able to feel Baby M one of these days!

24 Weeks and Counting

A short countdown to kick off the weekend:

114 days until my due date (Feb. 14th!)

60 days until Christmas

27 days until Jeremy turns the big 3-0

11 days until Election Day (will it EVER end??)

4 weeks until I enter the third-trimester

1 more week until Baby M's size increases from papaya to eggplant

Nostalgia

Lately I've been getting a bit nostalgic and have been reminiscing about all the toys and activities that I enjoyed as a kid. I spotted a travel Lite-Brite kit at the store over the weekend and started thinking about the big, clumsy set that I had as a young'in. I remember getting such satisfaction from pushing the plastic, colored pegs through the black construction paper templates that would act as a sort of paint-by-number guide over top of the Lite-Brite screen. And I also remember how sore my fingers used to get from pulling out the pegs one by one, once my masterpiece was complete. Inevitably some of the pegs would get lodged in the screen and put up a mighty fight before coming loose, and my thumb and forefinger paid the price.

A few weeks back, I asked Jeremy if he ever played with Colorforms as a kid. With a blank stare, he confessed that he had no idea what I was talking about. So I told him all about the Smurfs Colorform set that I had as a kid and how I can still remember the vinyl smell of those static cling stickers. And to my surprise, one of my favorite blogs had this article on their site today about modern reusable sticker sets that are very reminiscent of Colorforms. I got way too excited about it and wasted plenty of time perusing the manufacturer's web site. I think this pirate set is too cute. Of course, these really aren't baby toys, so we've got a while before we can indulge in these sort of purchases for Baby M.

Merrily we Roll Along

Lots has been accomplished this week! I'm finally feeling like we're making some progress toward preparing for Baby M, and that makes me a very happy momma-to-be. To catch you up, here's what's been going on at our household this week:

* We started the week with a visit to a pick-your-own farm in the area and enjoyed being surrounded by the sights and smells of fall. We spent some time picking a variety of apples, some beets and a bag full of spinach. And we topped it off with a glass of apple cider that was nowhere near as good as the apple cider from White House Farms.

* Jeremy spent most of his weekend cleaning out the music room and making way for baby. And we even purchased a chair that we've been eyeing for the nursery. It's nice and bouncy, and we've already spent time breaking it in. Let's just hope the crib and dresser we've ordered all fit nicely into this tiny, tiny space!

* We've started the tedious and stressful process of looking for daycare. Between the two of us, we've called about 25 centers and family providers and we only have three prospects we plan to visit. It's a competitive market around here, and although we're not looking for care until May/June, most spots are already filled. I think I might start playing the lottery in hopes of becoming a stay-at-home mom one of these days ...

* And finally, my uterus is growing. (Is this TMI?) I've had two days of some pretty uncomfortable growing pains and lower back pain. But it's all worth it, I know. Just like we're making room for baby, so is my uterus. And this week it has to make way for a spaghetti squash-sized Baby M. (All this comparing to vegetables and fruit has made grocery shopping VERY interesting these days.)

TGIF

Just thought I would give my weekly fruit-vegetable comparison to the growing Baby M this week, particularly because it's one of my favorite fruits. Baby M is nearing banana size this week. Grow baby, grow! And here's another pregnancy tip for the weekend. "Cutting loose" is definitely in order, and we're hoping to get out and enjoy our favorite time of year -- fall! But rest assured, there is no breakdancing on the agenda for this weekend, at least on my behalf. As for Jeremy and the poopers, they can breakdance all they want!

A Kodak Moment

We've got more photos of Baby M to share! Our 20-week ultrasound was this morning, and everything went really well. Baby M is measuring where he/she should be (about 10 inches and weighing 12 ounces) and had a heartbeat of 150 bpm. We got to see the brain, the heart and its four chambers, the kidneys, the eyes, and all of Baby M's developing features ... with the exception of the sex organs, of course. However I was unbelievably tempted to tell the ultrasound tech to just show us the goods, but the urge passed once Baby M started putting on a show for us. Both Jeremy and I were entranced just watching Baby M and all of his/her punching, twisting, wriggling, sucking and reacting to the ultrasound tech's movement of my belly. I think we've definitely got a busy-body on our hands.

Profile shot

Profile shot .... I love the little nose!

Another profile shot, with Baby M stretching his/her neck back

One of Baby M's arms

So based on the latest photos, any guesses as to Baby M's sex? We've had Grandpa M with two dreams that we're having a girl and Grandma M agreeing that it's a girl based on the shape and size of my belly. However, Grandma A has been dreaming it's a boy. As for us? We haven't had dreams that say one or the other, and maybe that's because we'll be ecstatic either way!