18 Weeks

Baby N has finally made an appearance!  This is the week I really felt like I could tell I was pregnant.  Baby is the size of a sweet potato!  Notice he/she is not just a regular potato, but a SWEET potato.  I'm just relaying the facts. :-)  Brent was in Finland for work all last week, and when he got home he said he definitely noticed a difference.

Cravings:  fruit (peaches, berries, and grapefruit), turkey bacon, Italian food (mostly pizza), and thirst-quenching drinks (I bought Gatorade for the first time since college).

Symptoms:  Still really none.  I'm sleeping great and feeling great.  I *think* that I have felt the baby move, but I'm not 100% sure.  I have felt something a few times when laying flat and very still and not breathing.  Ha!  Brent does not like that very much.  He says the kid is moving to say, "What happened to my air?!" Don't worry, I'm not breathing for like 3 seconds.  I feel like I have felt a little bump or thump.  But I really WANT to feel it, so I may just be making things up.

Happy Things:  We are going home to Durham on Friday.  I am SO, SO GLAD.  You can ask my husband - I've had a good attitude about this summer's arrangements, but I think I might be officially done.  I've enjoyed our time in Iowa, and it has taught me a lot.  However, I really, really, really want to sleep in my own bed and cook in my own kitchen and sit on my own couch and do laundry in my own washer that doesn't require quarters.  12 weeks is just a long time to be away from home.  Another happy thing to look forward to is that we have our ultrasound scheduled to officially see our baby on September 5th.  We haven't decided if we will find out the gender at the office or in some fun way, but we are definitely finding out one way or another.  This mama needs to get started picking out baby things, and you better believe there will be a color scheme and monogramming involved.

Struggles:  Life is about to get Crazy with a capital C.  Less than 12 hours after we return to Durham, I jump on a plane and go to Houston for a week of work.  Then, the fall semester will be in full effect with everything picking back up - Brent's school, Bible study, small group, church stuff, and - oh yeah - getting ready to have a baby, making a nursery, and registering!  I still have 6 more trips to Houston before baby, so it will be busy.  Another struggle this week is that I haven't seen the baby since week 7 and I haven't heard the baby since week 14, so sometimes the enemy prompts me to worry.  I'm trying not to worry about anything since there is nothing I can do!  The Lord is shaping this baby exactly how he has planned, so that is not up to me.  Still, I really do want to see and hear the little guy/girl.