week 18

Here's the latest belly photo. I've decided that in the interests of modesty and decorum, I will no longer be posting any "shirt up" belly photos. Just too scary!!!

This week it feels like things have accelerated a bit. I think the baby had a growth spurt or something. Because for a couple of days I found myself panting, trying to catch my breath, even while sitting at my desk. It's pretty common for me to breathe hard when going for a walk or climbing the stairs or something, but I hadn't had that happen while sitting still until this week. And I felt like I was suffocating every time I laid down to bed. So I had to prop myself up with a boatload of pillows and sleep sitting up. I also had some swelling and edema in my legs a couple of nights. Thank goodness I don't work on my feet - I'd hate to see what my ankles would look like then. I probably wasn't drinking enough water. I've been trying to be better about that.

I also felt the baby move big time one night. At least I think I did. It's possible it may've been a dream. The baby kicked me so hard it woke me up, and it was really down low. It was quite uncomfortable. When I put my hand to my belly it felt like my spleen was coming out of me! I pushed back and the discomfort and pressure subsided, and then the baby started doing what felt like somersaults in there! I felt these fluttery motions on the right, on top, and on the left over and over again. It was wild. I haven't felt anything like that since.

Other than that, things are pretty quiet around here. We're waiting to hear back from the bank about whether our offer has been accepted. If they give the green light a flutter of activity will begin. So I'm enjoying the calm before the storm.

Roan is doing great, keeping us laughing as always. At this moment she's got herself and Baby Sarah dressed up in their matching ballet outfits and they are sitting inside in her stroller "having a picnic on the beach." She's really been into using her imagination lately, playing everything from babies to giants to dinosaurs. Yesterday we took her to Lakeside amusement park to ride the kiddie rides as a reward for a whole month of brushing her teeth. She got to go with her buddies Audrey and Gracie, which was a big treat. Truly I don't know who had more fun - them riding the rides or us watching them. It was so great to see the joy and delight in their faces as they spun around and went up in the air. And Arwen got tickets for the (grown up) ferris wheel for the two of us. Molly and Annemarie kept an eye on Roan while we stole a few minutes way up high in the air. I enjoyed it, even though I was gripping the safety bar with white knuckles.

This Thursday will be 19 weeks, and then just one more week till we get to see the baby again!