Happy Independence Day!

Happy 4th of July! Despite the impending forecast of scattered thunderstorms today (yikes!), we are heading over to my brother Adam's house for a bbq at 4pm. We will take pictures and post them in the Family Photos section located in the Photos tab of this website tomorrow.

Also planned for tomorrow is our new belly Baby Bump picture (also located in the Photos tab of this website). Yay! As of today, I am 17 weeks pregnant- getting dangerously close to the half-way point of delivering this baby. Total weight gain since pregnancy began: 7 lbs. This is a little less than I should have gained (it is best to gain approximately 8-10 lbs by 17 weeks), but my OBGYN is not complaining. Considering I still have considerable nausea at least 6 hours a day, if not more (even though I am way past the first trimester) I think 7 lbs is good. I have a feeling the weight is mostly baby, amniotic fluid, and uterus. BTW: did you know my uterus is the size of a small melon right now! And that the baby is about 5-6 inches tall!?! Incredible.

Sadly, Michael and I were not able to learn the sex of the baby on Wednesday, July 1, as we originally hoped. But we were able to hear the heartbeat through the baby's umbilical cord, which was a neat sound. The baby's hb has become regulated by his/her brain now, so the sound is no longer quick and shallow, but rather steady at 140. So far, s/he is right on track in development. Our OBGYN is sending us to the Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist again on July 20 for a complete anatomy work-up: he will measure the size of all the baby's organs, his/her limbs, his/her fingers, his/her head, and yes...drum roll please... he will also be able to tell with high accuracy the baby's gender! Woo hoo! By July 20, I will be over 19 weeks pregnant. Our OBGYN says that this is the perfect time for the gender test, because it is most accurate between 18-22 weeks gestation. Pray that our baby passes yet another test, and his/her organs and limbs are within normal measurements.

On Friday, July 3, Michael and I were both off work for the July 4 weekend. I felt good that morning, so Michael and I decided to go grab a bite to eat, see a movie, and do a little window/grocery shopping. We ate at a Chicago- style eatery called The Loop. Then, we saw Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. BTW: I have to give my hubby props: he remembered which sequel this was; I thought it was Ice Age 4, but he knew it was Ice Age 3. Baby brain strikes again! We also did a little window shopping for the baby at Target, in order to get an idea of what will be going on our registry after we find out the baby's sex. Lastly, we went to the new Super Walmart in Oro Valley, which was huge!! I started getting tired, and nauseated again (big surprise), so we decided to get our groceries and call it a day.