New Year and Other New Things

I just realized that this is my first post in 2009, and it's already January 15. Happy belated New Year, everybody! We've been busy recuperating from our holidays... which really means we haven't been doing much of anything, other than going to work and hiding out at home. It's been lovely. :) Last night Dan had an overnight business trip. I had grandiose plans to accomplish a great deal while he was gone: folding the laundry, making a couple of dinners to freeze and mopping the kitchen floor. Instead, beause the house was freezing when I got home and because Pygmalion arrived in the mail from Netflix, I curled up on the couch with a heavy, furry blanket and watched Henry Higgins' and Eliza Doolittle's epic battle of the sexes (sans musical numbers in this version). After that I went to bed and read. Productive, huh? It's been that kind of a month so far. :)

Anyway, it's time for an update.

I am 21 or 22 weeks along today; I can't remember which and it doesn't really signify since they keep changing my due date anyway. As of my last ultrasound, my due date is May 21. I'm trying to avoid having a meltdown on May 22 by telling myself this baby will likely arrive in June, so this is your official notice--don't call or post comments on the blog on May 22 asking if Baby is here yet. You might get a not-so-nice little note from me. :)

I'm still not showing as much as I think I ought to for someone who is nearly five months pregnant. I'd always assumed that, being vertically challenged as I am, my babies would pop out in front immediately, having nowhere else to go. But, according to the midwife, apparently I am carrying Baby very far inside me and I have strong ab muscles that are holding Baby in. The first situation I can do nothing about; the second will no doubt cease to be a problem all too soon. :-P I have a recent tummy profile picture, but it's at home and I'm posting from work, so ya'll will just have to wait. :)

We find out Baby's gender on January 20 (Tuesday)! Not knowing has been driving me crazy, especially since the "big" project I had scheduled for January was to start work on the nursery. I have several friends who are due within a few weeks of me (some due after me) who have already found out their babies' genders, and it has been No. Fun. watching them buy little layettes and pick out nursery themes without me.

There is a valid reason for the delay. Dan had a little sister, about 2 years younger than him, who was born with a heart defect. Sadly, she died in open heart surgery when she was three months old. Because of this history, the docs want us to have a detailed ultrasound that includes measurements and an echocardiogram of Baby's heart to make sure everything is working properly. The heart doesn't develop enough for them to get a good look at it until the 22nd week of pregnancy. Ergo... my appointment is next week. So far, there's been absolutely no reason to think there's anything wrong with Baby's heart, so I have focused on the gender part of the exam and not the heart part. :)

The weird thing is that I've started assigning Baby a gender at random when I talk about him/her. The other day I called it a "she" three times in the space of about ten minutes. I think it's the pregnancy brain fog. The fog isn't selective, however; when Baby is thumping around a lot I have been observed frowning at my tummy and saying, "Pipe down in there, Mister; Mama's sleepy/working/etc." So far, the friendly predictions are evenly divided between girl and boy. Several of my coworkers have a bet going; losers buy sandwiches for the winners.

I have to say, the second trimester rocks! :) I feel great and I'm exercising almost back at full level, running 3 miles 3 times/week instead of 4-5 miles and hitting the gym when I can. I also started taking a prenatal yoga class which is hilarious but fun (you should see preggie mamas trying to hold yoga positions!). Food tastes yummy again and I can make it through a whole day without falling asleep at my desk (usually). Life is good. :) I'm really looking forward to the rest of 2009.