Ready for soccer

Baby Blondie is finally starting to do some real kicks in the last few days, and yesterday on Thanksgiving (20 weeks, 5 days) D finally was able to feel some kicks.  Very thankful.

P.S. The 20 week picture is now in the slideshow.

Thankful Part 2

I'm thankful for
-D- who is a wonderful provider and loves me even though I'm kind of crazy sometimes
-Baby Blondie- our little blessing from God (totally undeserved) and the fact that he's finally starting to really kick
-all the Catholic IF bloggers- the community has saved my sanity many times, it's amazing to have people who care about you even though you've never met
-my family, who love us very much even though we don't get to see them very often.

Whooooooooah...

We're half way there.

I'm twenty weeks as of Saturday, so I'm officially halfway done with the pregnancy.  I'm feeling pretty good in general, and I'm feeling the baby a little bit more (it's still kind of hard to notice, I think due to my anterior placenta).  I still have occasional nausea and I really need to figure out the nosebleed thing (I keep having clots in my nose that make it feel stuffed up and then they bleed when I blow my nose...a very annoying cycle).  I'm having some pains and discomfort in my abdomen and , but it's really mainly from me sitting weird.

I don't want anyone to take this the wrong way (I'm definitely not bragging or anything), but I still have not really gained much weight and I started out on the low side and lost a bit due to the nausea and vomiting in the first trimester.  I'm able to eat more now, but it's disconcerting to me that I haven't gained more.  The baby was growing well (even measuring ahead by almost a week at the 16 week ultrasound) but it's still hard for me not to be concerned.  I know D is right that I shouldn't worry if Baby Blondie is growing fine.

Cloth Diapering Questions

I need some recommendations on a couple of things regarding cloth diapering while I'm working on my registry.
1.  If you are using prefolds, do you have a recommended brand/source?
2.  I'm planning to use mainly prefolds (I have experience using them with the baby boy I nanny for, but they are using a diaper service), but I'm probably going to get a few funnibunz and/or BumGeniuses.  How many of each (prefolds and then pocket/all in one) would you recommend (for a newborn size and then for the next size or two up)?  How many covers for the prefolds?
3.  What laundry detergent are you using?
4.  What brand of wet bag and pail liner would you recommend?
5.  What size pail do you use for the diapers?
6.  Any other helpful hints?

Rib weirdness and registry

I've been feeling a weird sensation up near my rib the last couple days.  Baby Blondie's not up anywhere near my ribs yet since I'm 18 weeks, 4 days.  I've been feeling him move a bit more, but I think that the anterior placenta is making it a lot harder to feel.  D is really hoping to feel him move soon, but we'll see if he cooperates or not.

I'm generally feeling ok, but yesterday I think I started have some reflux and I was having a hard time eating.  I still occasionally have to take nausea medication, but it's so much better than early on.

I started working on a list of what needs to get done before Baby Blondie gets here yesterday.  I also wrote up a list of all the stuff to get and/or put on the registry.  I've gotten a lot of the registry done but any suggestions on things that you loved or hated would be great.  My main registry is Target with Amazon for the things that aren't available at Target.  My first shower is in about 2 months (January 15), so I still have plenty of time.

My Patron Saint for 2011

Where Angels Blog picked Hildegard of Bingen (a nun and mystic, who Pope Benedict recently spoke about during his General Audiences)  for me, Rupert Mayer (a German priest who served the poor and resisted the Nazis) for D and Rose of Viterbo (a Third Order Franciscan who died at 18) for Baby Blondie.

U/S pics and more!

My blood successfully made it to PPVI this time.  I'm still in Zone 2, 41.3 ng/dL at 16 weeks, 2 days.  That's right about where my level was at 4 weeks.  It's odd that my progesterone is so much worse during pregnancy.  I'm still unsure if what I'm feeling is really Baby Blondie moving around or if it's just gas or something.

Two shots of Baby Blondie at 16 weeks, 4 days

D and I were traveling to NY and NJ from Wednesday night to Monday night.  We drove and it was really long, but I did fine other than not drinking enough water on the way up which caused a little spotting.  I drank more water on the trip down and did fine.  We visited his mom's relatives first in NY, and we had a good time although everyone was slightly too concerned about me (especially with the drive).  I know they are just natural worriers and this is the first baby from the grandkids on that side.  It was the only time we'll get to see any of his relative's during my pregnancy.

On the way down to NJ, D and I stopped to have dinner with TCIE in Bethlehem, PA.  We had a great time and while D and I waited for TCIE since we got there early we walked along the main street and found a shop with rubber ducks.  We got a turtle duck for Baby Blondie.

Turtle Duck

Me and TCIE (D was taking the picture)

We then went down to NJ for his cousin's wedding.  All of his family was together and it was great to spend time with everyone.  His cousin's wedding was outside and it was cool and overcast, so this Texas girl was glad to have a coat.  The reception was a costume one since it was the day before Halloween.  I got fairy wings to go with my dress and D wore the same Big Mac costume he always does.  Since we said the baby is measuring big, some people kept saying they think he'll be early (even though this is still months away) but I said that I am going to assume he'll be late so that I don't have extra impatience if that happens.

D and I at the reception

I don't know if I mentioned that my mom and I went shopping for maternity clothes, but I love that I can finally wear jeans again (even though they go up to my bra with the panel).  My dress for the wedding was maternity and so were my tights.