+ Dancin' Queen +
You're doing a boogie on some internal organ. I'm not sure which one, but it's not completely comfortable. This whole pregnancy thing is just flat-out weird.

+ Friday +
I had more crazy dreams last night. I remembered them vividly when I woke up, but of course they're gone now. I also had more cramping last night, but that was my own darned fault. Last evening I got carried away cleaning and by the time I was done, my stomach and back were killing me. You didn't move a lot either, but you definitely moved a lot this morning to let me know you're okay. Sorry for the stress yesterday. I promise not to do that again for a while. Tomorrow we're going to go see your Great-Grandma Doris for a BBQ at her house, along with your Grandpa Dan, lots of great-aunts/uncles, second cousins (I think?), etc. A lot of your daddy's cousins are a little younger than us, and they're quite religious. They married young and had babies young, and they've been after us for quite a while to have babies too. Just so you know, never pressure someone else to do what you're doing just because you're happy with your choices! Daddy and I wanted some time to ourselves first, and then getting pregnant with you was no piece of cake. It was very hard to hear them pressuring us when we were already trying and not having success. Anyway, I'm sure there will be WAY too many tummy rubs and oohs and aahs going on tomorrow over us. So get ready for stranger danger! Oh, well! Next week is a short week, thankfully, as we're all going to Las Vegas on Friday. Your first trip to Vegas. I'm going to try to sneak away to the Aladdin for their prenatal massage in the Elemis Spa. It sounds so heavenly.

+ Probably not +
BH contractions, according to WebMD.com are "usually painless." So it must have just been some weird cramping. Maybe you were lying in an unusually awkward position. Who knows? I guess I feel better now.

+ 23 weeks +
I was looking forward to seeing this one tick by, and I'm not entirely sure why. I think it's mattering more to me than I expected that we get closer to that viability point, where if you came early you'd be okay. Obviously, after 23 weeks (19 weeks of knowing about you), I'm rather attached to you. I can't bear to think of something bad happening to you. So, please just hang out, grow bigger and stronger, and be patient. I'm saying these things today, especially, because I think during the night last night I might have had some Braxton-Hicks contractions. I'm not sure, but I have a feeling that's what was happening. It doesn't worry me terribly; it does happen, and will continue to happen. But it's making me more acutely aware of where we are in this journey and how much time is left.

We were supposed to have an OB Dr. appointment yesterday, Baby O. But, as is bound to happen with an obstetrician given the nature of the business, Dr. U. was at the hospital delivering a baby when he was supposed to be chatting with me. I thought the appt. was with the nurse, but apparently it was supposed to be with him (and I guess only with him). So we had to re-schedule for next Tuesday at 4:30. So, I have to wait another 6 days to hear you or find out exactly how much ridiculous weight I've gained.

You are very active this late morning, after nothing in early morning. I swear, each day you find a new part of my stomach area to kick. You're kicking me so far over on the right side of my tummy, I didn't think it was possible! Anyway, I think that's all for our news this morning. I'm going to go do some research on BH contractions now and make sure we're doing okay.

Oh, and readers out there: Thank you for explaining why you haven't entered guesses! I totally understand, and just want to thank you for reading along. Without comments on this journal (deliberately), that guess board is the closest thing I have to getting feedback from you, so I just got a little anxious. :-)

+ Funny +
Yes, you little acrobat, I get it. I'm wearing these elastic-waisted jeans I got early on in my pregnancy, and while they still fit, they're getting a teeny bit tighter around the waist. The whole way to work, you kept kicking right along the waistband on my stomach on the left side. The whole. way. to. work. It was a long drive. Last night I SAW you!!! Well, I saw my stomach move 3 or 4 times as you kicked or punched it. Daddy didn't believe me, so he tried to feel you. I just knew if I could see you, he had to be able to feel you at last. So what did you do? You stopped moving. Again. Stop that! He wants to feel you, darnit! I can see how, in a few months, while I treasure these movements they just might start to get a little annoying depending on what you kick.

Readers: Unless your name is Michelle or Allison, you still haven't entered your birth guess. Is there a particular reason? Go. Do it. Now. Hee.

+ Symptoms +
Just a symptom update... All in all, I'm feeling pretty spiffy most of the time. I had a little headache today, but Tylenol cured it. My back hurts a lot. Frequently. I still get heartburn daily. But the morning pains I mentioned a couple of weeks ago seem gone (maybe because I greatly increased my water intake?). It has been replaced by belly (etc.) itching. I don't really itch a lot, but this morning I tried cocoa butter which really does seem to help. I'd been skeptical it would do anything, and I think I might have been wrong. I don't have any stretch marks, no signs of the linea negra. My feet haven't been swelling, but I've been pretty careful about that. My face is still broken out, and I'm just learning to deal with it. I think that's it.

Dr.'s appointment is tomorrow afternoon. Actually, this one's with the nurse, and I suspect it will last a few minutes at most. This is a good thing, since Grandma Laurie's birthday is tomorrow too! I need to remember to ask my Dr. for a note allowing me to get a flu shot. They're coming here to work to do them, but pregnant women need a Dr.'s note to allow them to get one. I really hope I remember, because I can't bear the thought of getting the flu while I'm pregnant! Yikes!

+ Being pregnant +
There are just days when I really feel pregnant. Today is one of them. You appear to have changed positions, and I can't help but think your butt is somewhere in my back. That doesn't hurt or anything, but I'm having these really strong, regular pokings all over the front of my belly. You made me completely distracted during a meeting this morning, and I thought everyone would see you for sure. Nope. Can't see you moving yet, amazingly. But boy can I feel you! You finally went to sleep long enough for us to go to lunch, eat and come back. And now that I'm sitting here, digesting, you are back at it again. My goodness.

+ Diaper Recycling +
Oh, how I wish our city would start doing this. I have to be honest: I would much prefer to use disposable diapers on you. But like it or not, I just can't ethically let myself use them primarily. So until they institute an environmentally-responsible program in Phoenix, cloth diapers it will be. Found that article via Jooles. :-)

+ Updates +
There's not a lot to update, but I'm sure I'll think of some. I went home Friday from work with some mystery illness, but it's probably somehow pregnancy-related. I was feeling much better by Friday night. The weekend sped by. Your Grandma Laurie and I went shopping on Saturday; we spent FIVE hours at Arizona Mills! Not surprisingly, I bought quite a few maternity clothes (good deals too; I got white jeans for $2.99 at the JCPenny outlet!), and Grandma and I bought some irresistable clothes for you. Of course, I have to remember to be surprised at your shower when I see them. The pj's I got for you are 18-month, so you won't see them for a while. But they are SOOOO cute! They are white and pink 2-piece pj's with a picture of a scottie dog in pink and a little 4-line poem about the scottie. I don't remember it all, but the end had the scottie running and jumping and coming back to lick your face. Little do you know now, but this is exactly what your life with Princess Fiona will really be like.

Speaking of scottie kisses, last evening we went for dinner at Grandpa John and Grandma Carol-Ann's house. Aunt Chelsie, Uncle C.R., and Uncles Chris and Mason were present too. There were four related Scottish Terriers and one unrelated dachsund tearing up the backyard. Mickey Lok (Princess's second cousin, I guess) jumped up on my lap and proceeded to completely remove my makeup! Ewwww! I have never been licked that much by a dog! We got some wonderful gifts from Grandma and Grandpa, including some cute clothes, hooded towels and lots of waterproof pads. How nice of them! Aunt Chelsie also gave me a half-ton of cocoa butter lotion for my rapidly-expanding belly.

You weren't terribly active on Saturday, but the remainder of the time, you were dancing jigs. You kept me awake some of the nights by poking me in whatever position I tried. That was really fun, thanks. Otherwise, things are good. We're 22.5 weeks. Daddy took a picture of us and my big ol' belly yesterday, which we'll do monthly from now on. So when we get that film developed, I'll put it on here somewhere with a password. It will probably be a while, though. I am very slow about developing film. The film in the camera already is probably at least 6 months old! Oh, well. We have a Dr's appointment on Wednesday (Grandma Laurie's birthday!), and I expect you have probably made me gain 10 pounds in the last 5 weeks. Hee hee. I guess we'll see. Speaking of gaining weight, it's time for lunch, so off we go!