Pregnant Ladybug

So, you like the new format? Every time I would check out Eli's blog I thought it looked a little girlie. So, I went with a small change. I also think the new background is cooler looking and a bit more 'Leigh'.

Well, Eli and I had quite an eventful weekend...exhausting really. Saturday was our 4th Annual Halloween party, and I went as a pregnant lady bug. Well, technically that wasn't what the package said, but the ladybug got pregnant. I didn't intend to wear a 'skimpy' outfit exactly, just something to show off my belly. See, I have a belly, but it still isn't huge, so I have to give myself any extra little 'umph' that I can (so that I don't just look fat). Here is a picture, below. We had a total of 5 pregnant attendants at the party. We were all costumed as: a ladybug, a Harlem Globe Trotter (complete with pregnant basketball belly), Juno, a pregnant nun, and a Snuggie. Well done ladies!

Also, Sunday was Eli's first Cowboys game (in the new stadium), and we won!!! Go Cowboys! So, Eli has officially (actually, unofficially) been to a Red Sox game and Cowboys game. Not to bad for a little guy, huh? Something else that happened at the Cowboys game? I managed to waddle out of 'Jerry World'. Yes, that is right....WADDLE! I don't know if it is necessary that I walk like that, or it just comes with the territory. (I think there are a few pregnancy rules. 1. You must grab or hold your belly when you are standing around. 2. You must waddle when you walk). I just can't imagine that my body needs to waddle to be in a forward motion, but whatever! I suppose I need to get used to it, because I still have 3 more months of it.

Yes, I know....only 3 more months!?! The craziest part is that it is going to FLY. We had our party, then onto Halloween, then my birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and then Eli! That seems like a lot of stuff to happen between now and then. However, time seems to go in fast forward around the holidays for everyone. So, I imagine it will only get faster this year.

Last thing. I got started on Eli's nursery artwork! I am so excited and can't wait to start painting it. I will keep you updated on the progression of it. I worked on it this evening, and it is going according to plan. Yes, it has monkeys on it. :)

To come: Keith and I are traveling to San Francisco for my birthday (the big 2-9, yikes!). The trip will also be our 'baby moon'. So, I will be sure let you know how that goes, plus show you some pictures.

I'm Pregnant!

No duh...huh? Well, I just had to share, because I am starting the 'full swing' of pregnancy. I know, I know....I have a far way to go. I just thought that I would report 'from the trenches' that this is, by far, the most pregnant I have felt so far. Heck, I would go as far as to say that I feel like I have finally joined the elite club.

Why do you ask? Well, for several reasons:

A) My belly is starting to arrive! After 21 weeks of waiting, it finally started to arrive last week. I am 22 weeks now, and I don't exactly look like that. However, there is certainly a belly, and it is very identifiable in tight t-shirts or tanks (you guys know how much I love the skimpy outfits j/k).

B) Eli is kicking and moving a lot more frequently. I feel him everyday, and often, multiple times. It happens often enough that I have taken on the '...there's Eli' attitude. It is the neatest feeling, because it is like have a big secret. When I am in a work meeting and he is kicking up a storm, I think to myself 'no one else in the room has any clue that I have a baby that is break dancing in my belly right now'. You can imagine how much more fun it has made boring work functions.

C) I had an 'alien moment'. Ok, I haven't seen the "elbow glide across my belly", yet. But, I actually saw Eli move inside my stomach last night, and that was a crazy feeling!! I was checking his heart rate yesterday for fun, when he took the "get up off me" attitude, and started kicking it away. Soon, I was seeing the monitor bouncing up and down, so I put it down. Then, after intently staring at my stomach (yes, it can make you go cross eyed)...I saw the little guy kick up my belly with a foot or one of his monster claws. :) I have to admit it reminded me of the ending scene in Space Balls....anyone know what I am talking about?

D) Keith felt Eli kick! It happened last week, and a few times since then. Keith anxiously grabs my growing belly, in hopes of catching a feel.

E) I have a complicated stomach (what in the world does that mean?). Well, it's complicated! ha ha...ok, clarification. Whenever I eat an average size meal (that any normal person could consume), I feel like I have just ate Thanksgiving dinner. Seriously, it sucks! I have to have 'child like portion control', which is nearly impossible. Clearly I am not very good at it, because I am stuffed all day long. So, Eli has started to rent out 'food space' in my belly. Also, I think I have experienced my first spell of heartburn...or is it indigestion? I don't know for sure, but it was uncomfortable.

F) I have to go to the bathroom all the time! It is bizarre, because I don't remember consuming that much water or beverages....but somehow it remembers me. I don't usually have to use the restroom at all during the night, and now find myself taking frequent trips to the potty.

Well, I will finish the post out now, and leave you with some updated belly shots. Also, I will give you the teaser that I have picked out my Halloween costume! I didn't pick out anything that was 'preggo specific', because I don't have the belly for it. But, I believe my costume will do a fair job of showing off my figure.

We have lift off...!

Keith felt Eli kick this morning on October 13th, and I am 21 weeks preggo! In a small twist of irony, 10/13 was our original picked wedding date. So, the day always manages to stand out in my mind, a bit. But, was it really significant before today? No, not really.

This morning like all other mornings and nights, I laid in bed for a bit and concentrated really hard on my stomach. I feel around to see if I can feel him in my belly, and see if he is moving at all. Well, I must have woke him up, because he started giving me little kicks (probably punches). I scooted closer to Keith and put his hand on my stomach. I suppose after about 2-5 or so minutes we started to notice some faint feelings. I asked Keith if he felt it, to which he identified the source of the activity, and I confirmed! It was pretty cool that Keith was able to feel him inside my belly. Eli gave us a few other jabs, and then rolled over to go back to sleep (like I would have loved to have done this morning!).

I do have one thing to add, regarding 'what the kicks feel like'. I know everyone that has experienced pregnancy has a different definition or description. At first they felt like little rain drops hitting the inside of my stomach. Now, they feel a lot like gas bubbles, nearly to a 'T'. But, I can also describe the feeling as a 'muscle spasm'. You know, when your eye twitches....or your calf muscle will spontaneously decide to do its own thing? Eli's kicks remind me of a muscle inside my stomach that had just decided to start twitching. I know that is vague, but next time you have a muscle spasm or gas bubble, just imagine it located in your abdomen, and you will get a close idea of what it feels like to have something the size of a coke can kicking inside of you.

20 Week appointment

Well, the 20 week appointment finally came! We are over half way to Eli's birthday...can you believe it!?! God, I just remember how far away it seemed in the beginning. Heck, 12 weeks felt like an eternity. I also remember trying to imagine what it was going to be like to finally find out the sex of our baby. But, surprise, surprise...we found out early! I can't believe we got lucky and found out at 16 weeks. Heck, to be honest we really had a 90% certainty Eli was a boy at 12 weeks. We were certainly part of the lucky crowd that didn't have to wait. I think I would have been clawing paint off the walls in anticipation before the appointment (although, I love surprises...believe it or not).

So, everything is looking good..great, actually! We had our ultrasound first thing, followed by the follow-up 20 weeks appointment where we ask a bunch of questions. I have gained a total of 8lbs so far (take that for what you want). I still don't have a belly 'really'. Yes, you can easily see a pooch, and depending what I am wearing..you will see more of it than other times. However, I suspect that I am still looking like I am about 14-15 or so weeks preggo? I'll post pics and you can be the judge.

The ultrasound went well, and Eli didn't have the hic-cups! He was active at times, but not uncooperative. There was a moment where I swear he looked like he was running in place. Also, the technician took close-ups of his hands and feet. Can I just tell you, our baby some how managed to obtain orangutan hands from somewhere deep inside Keith and I's family trees... ha ha...they are huge! Check out the picture.

I swear we aren't naming him after Eli Manning, but if his hand remain in this proportion to his body he could conceivably be a quarter back or perhaps something else that requires your hands to be the size of a poodle. :) Seriously though, everything on him looks good. He weighs 12oz, and was approximately the size of a coke can during the appointment. According to the research, he is about to hit a big growth

spurt in the next few weeks. I anticipate this growth spurt will also bring on a spontaneous belly and weight gain, on my end. Although, I am thinking that the Braum's double dip ice cream cones and chocolate cake might also help contribute to that arena, as well.

I do have to add. After the appointment Keith and I did go get our flu shots. It kind of became a mad dash to see who still had the vaccines available, but we finally found them at Tom Thumb. Now, we just twiddle our thumbs and wait for the Swine flu shot. We also made a quick stop by the store to get something in celebration for Eli's Pre-20 week birthday. Opting out of the clothes options, we went with this really cute pair of shoes...aren't they precious!

And speaking of shoes...the 'kicking front' is still seeing minimal action. I certainly will feel him ever so often (nearly everyday). However, Keith has still yet to feel the little guy in action. This all goes back to where everything is located inside my belly. Eli has a perma-buffer preventing me (and Keith) from getting the full force of his blows. But, as always, I promise to update you when things change.

Randoms

Sorry that this is an uneventful post, but our 20 week appointment is tomorrow! So, I suppose this is just the 'filler'. However, it is very sincere, because every night when I am laying in bed, I always think about the random stuff that occurs during pregnancy, and how I should write about it. I don't know if I can think about them all now, so this might turn into a growing thread. But, here are the ones that come to mind...

Super Human Pulse:

I can pretty much feel my pulse anywhere in my body at any moment. It is kind of freaky, actually. I feel my pulse in my neck, legs, and stomach. One of the most interesting moments is when I will be laying in bed with my hand on my pillow. Suddenly, I feel my pulse in my fingertips! I know I am going to sound crazy, but I feel like a super hero that is about to launch laser beams from my fingertips. Ha ha (just confirmed my crazy status in so many minds).

Eating:

I get so freaking full, so fast! I swear that I feel like I have just eaten Thanksgiving dinner after every meal. I am in a food coma for several minutes-hours after every meal. Argh! Sure enough, the minute it wears off...I am already hungry again.

Pregnancy Glow:

Ok, so I am not literally glowing, nor has anyone said that I am glowing. But, I have to admit that last week I felt like I was beaming. I felt like the pregnancy finally started last week. The first 18 weeks were so slow and uneventful, now it is fun and going! The nursery is painted, I am doing 'registry' shopping, and just getting excited.

I am still not 'totally' showing. In fact a lot of people that I work with still don't have a clue I am pregnant. It is not obvious to anyone, but I know he is there. However, I am really looking forward to showing more, and feeling him kick more. Although, I can say that I did have one encounter of someone asking if I was pregnant! I happened to be wearing a maternity top that gave me a lil' extra bump. So, one of the workers at a store asked 'are you pregnant?' You would have thought she asked me if I would like to win $50,000! I nearly shouted (with a big grin), 'YES, yes I am!'. It was pretty neat.

Well...that is all of it for now. If I think of more random stuff, I will be sure to share. But, stay tuned for the 20 week appointment and nursery updates!