Craughter!

Okay, I know the whole combining-two-words-into-one thing is soooo 2002-2004 (AKA the years of Bennifer). But there's just no better way to describe what happened to me last night. Was I laughing? Or was I crying? It's really hard to tell!

It all started when Michael was filling something out for us and said, "Okay, is it h-a-I-l-e-y?" This is just one of those simple ways Michael makes a funny. Of course my husband of nearly 3 years (and boyfriend for 5 and a half years before that) knows how to spell my name. He says things like this and doesn't even think he's being that funny, but to me it's hilarious. I went into complete hysterics. I laughed so hard, tears were rolling down my cheeks. I felt like I was laughing but I sounded like I was sobbing... and my nose even got all stuffed up!

Maybe I needed to release both emotions but rather than cry for no reason (as I've done before) my body took advantage of the surge of emotion and combined the two into one ridiculously cuckoo display (thank God MT was the only one to witness it).

Hence the need for a new word: Craughter. Or we could call it "Lying" - but that just doesn't sound right.

Glow-Schmo

An old wives tale says that when you're pregnant with a girl you lose your looks because your daughter steals them. I'm 100% okay with this! I will gladly give up anything of mine for my baby.

Sure, I can still look cute (with the right outfit) and have a good hair day when I put in the effort (rarely). Sometimes I even find that my make-up is doing its job of making me look fresh and pretty. But I ain't glowing, y'all. Not even a little.

Unless...

When they say "glow" do they mean, "getting all dry and flaky around the nose and chin?" Cuz if that's the case, I be glowin' big time!

I've been told by two men in my office that I'm glowing. Sure, it's nice to hear, and of course I'd like to believe them. But then I remember these guys are Financial Advisors. Schmoozing is what they do best. Maybe they see my dry patchy skin and dark circles under my eyes (oh, did I mention the acne?) and their instinct is to "rebalance my portfolio" with some good old fashioned sweet talk. It's nice, actually... but it only lasts until I see my reflection in the mirror.

All for you baby girl :)

Over halfway there - 22 weeks!

This past month has been one of extreme growth. On Sunday, I was asked by the Home Depot cashier when I was due. It totally caught me off guard. I didn't know what she was talking about at first! I swear I went to bed one night and woke up the next day with a balloon in my belly - a squirmy balloon that likes to kick me in the bladder. Sleeping has become more of an issue. I'm a "back sleeper" but am supposed to be a sleeping on my side nowadays. I have impingement syndrome in my right shoulder so my left side is more comfortable - but Michael's on my left and he tends to favor his right side. As you can imagine, this makes for a lot of "air sharing." If this lovely experience doesn't wake me, rolling onto my back will because Baby GT has discovered this is the BEST position in which to practice her dance moves. Either way I'm awake now and wouldn't you know it, I gotta go to the bathroom...

Steve insisted he be involved in the belly shot this time. We have jealousy issues.

Another development - anytime I exert more than the normal amount of energy on something, I'm overcome with exhaustion. It doesn't last long, but it's annoying. Especially since we're in the middle of trying to set up the nursery. Every few minutes I gotta take a break and sit down for a bit. Michael has been very understanding, but I'm sure it's annoying that he has to pick up so much slack. While he spent Sunday stripping off the molding, sanding the walls and moving furniture up from and down to the basement... I spent the day sitting on the bed, folding clothes, and watching re-runs of America's Next Top Model. Sometimes I feel guilty, but then I remind myself that I'm actually two people right now.... a thought that often talks me into taking a quick nap.

Other than that, I'm still doing pretty good. No more major neck/back issues (knock on wood). My ribs still ache, but the doc confirmed this was totally normal and just something I gotta live with. I have found I can live with a lot - as long as I'm assured that it's normal and not something wrong with me that I'm probably going to die from. This is what goes through the mind of a pregnant lady who was already a worry wart to begin with :) My poor daughter is in for it.