66% of You Were Wrong

We went for another ultrasound yesterday, and after about 1/2 hour, the little guy moved around enough for us to get a much clearer peek. And even I believe we have enough evidence to confidently announce that it is a BOY. Which means, if anyone has any good ideas for boy names, please send them our way, since we really don't have one picked out yet.

This week has brought much more kicking. So, I guess what they say is true, boys are much more active even from the start.

The Furniture Has Arrived

When you first enter the room to the right, we decided the changing station belonged on this wall, since it is the most logical place if we decide to get the matching hutch. Also, this is where we will put the nightstand that we have now realized we need, since there is nothing next to the glider where you could put, I don't know, a lamp, a glass of water, anything else you might want while rocking the baby.

In the opposite corner by the closet lives the dresser. We think the small TV will go somewhere in this corner to give us something to watch during feedings, etc.

And finally, the crib will live in the corner by the window. For the most part, the room is setup. Of course, once you start putting together furniture, you realize all of the things you still need. Like a trash can. That's it for now, just wanted to get this up this morning. More to come later.

Inching towards wider than tall...

Many of you will notice a new poll on the blog. I figured at 6 months it was time to let everyone make a guess as to how close my height to width ratio is becoming! I even posted a new picture below to give you a few hints. And yes, this is the same shirt from the 12 week photos. Let’s see if it lasts the whole pregnancy. Ha ha.

I know it’s been a while since I posted, but the last few weeks have been relatively uneventful. Most days I feel pretty good, although, I still have some occassional bouts of nausea. We next go to the doctor on Monday, for the 24 week appointment, so hopefully we’ll have more information then.

I have definitely felt more kicking lately, but not predictable enough for Robert to know when to try to feel the belly as well. We're going to start playing music more consistently, in hopes we find something that the baby really likes. Any suggestions???

Carne Asade Meat Marinade

Well, I know this is supposed to be a blog about the baby, but this is slightly baby related. On Saturday, after one of the AZ baby showers, we bbq'd. This is the recipe I made to marinade flank steak for tacos. I figured that if I post the recipe, anyone who wants it can just come here -rather than me having to email!

Mojo Marinade
2 cups orange juice
1/2 cup lime juice
6 TB white vinegar
Handful cilantro - loosely hand chopped
4 TB chopped garlic
2 Seeded and sliced jalepenos
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Mix together ingredients in a bowl with a whisk. Makes enough marinade for 2 flank steaks. Marinade steak for anywhere between 1-6 hours. Grill steak until medium rare. Serve with taco fillings of your choice.

While I was off in Arizona sweating (110 is too hot to be pregnant), Robert was home working away in the nursery. Many of you have heard of the dreaded blue room. Everyone has one of these in their house, probably in a different color. It's the room where everything goes that doesn't fit into any other place in the house. Well, our blue room is no more, as Robert made it ready for the baby while I was in AZ. Thanks to the help of our friend Scott (and a few interns), they were able to take everything off to storage and empty the room for painting. The blue room is now a soothing yellow and green. I had many people ask to see the wonderful handiwork, so I'll keep the typing short, and get right to the pictures.

Also, miraculously, our glider and ottoman already came in - so it is the only thing setup in the room. But, I figure this corner gives a good feel for the color theme in the room.

For the first shower, we also received the hamper that matches our bedding. Since it was easy to take out of the box, we figured it would give a good feel for what the room will look like.

Aren't these blocks fun? My oldest (tenure, not age) friend Kim made these for me for my baby shower. She claims not to be crafty, but you can be the judge of that.

It's a.....

...good thing that I like the color green!

I'm sure all of you will have trouble believing this, but, apparently, Robert and I have a shy baby. We had our big ultrasound today, and left with no more conclusive information about the baby's gender than we had last night. Our little one kept its legs crossed the entire procedure. So, it looks like the baby will continue to affectionately be called the cashew.

You may ask, was it just because we did not learn gender that we thought the baby was uncooperative (oh, sorry, shy)? No, the baby did not want a picture of its face taken, and moved any time the ultrasound technician was honing in for a photo. Additionally, she had trouble getting some of the actual photos that they need for the full report. So, depending on what the doctor says, we may be going back for round 2 in a few weeks.

We did learn a few new things during the estimated measurements:
Weight of an average baby at 19 weeks = 8oz
Weight of our baby at 19 weeks = 11 oz

Weight of Nina at birth ~ 6 lbs
Weight of Robert at birth ~ 9lbs

HMMM - do you see where I'm going with this?

You will also notice that the due date has been moved a bit...looks like we are now tracking a little earlier. But, I'm sure the baby will join us when he/she deems ready. Otherwise, the ultrasound went well, looks like our little one might have Robert's longer legs, which bodes well for a future ballerina!

The Promised Land

End of Week 18

Well, after much anticipation, the days of feeling better have finally arrived. Knock on wood, I have gone almost 2 full weeks without nausea! I had almost forgotten what it feels like to be truly hungry. It is great to have an appetite again. Fruits and vegetables are still my favorite foods, and I really haven't had any new cravings, but I at least have wanted to eat like a regular human being.

We have finished the first "getting ready for baby" exercise. We built our new desk in the living room and have rearranged. Somehow, in the phenomenon that is interior design, we have added a full size desk and bookshelf to the room, and we now have more space. I'm not entirely sure how this happens, but it is a welcome relief.

I had my first prenatal massage last weekend, and much like other things while pregnant, it's sadly just not the same. They don't massage your feet or hands, really, so you leave feeling like you've missed something. I think the next time I go, I will have them just do intense back/shoulders/head, then I won't feel like it was incomplete. Apparently, certain massage spots can cause early labor, so they avoid them. I think once I hit the 38 week mark, and I'm considered "full term", I will be going for a full hour and half - bring on the labor!

The little cashew likes to hide out whenever I go to the doctor office, making it hard for him to locate the heartbeat on the doppler. This is discouraging, as we are soon to go to our 20 week ultrasound. I am beginning to believe that even though we want to find out the gender, the little cashew may not be so accommodating.