Why do I like my birthday, and insist on taking it off work every year even if it is on a Tuesday? Because it's the one sure day that I can do whatever I want and not have to answer for it. I can take the whole day off work and do absolutely nothing and be made to feel guilty for it. I can have my way all day. And I can reflect (which is also nice when it corresponds with Thanksgiving) on all the wonderful blessings of my life that I have received and that I have created. So, we started the week with a family trip down to Gilcrest to some gun/sports store where my dad had a good coupon. First time I've been asked "how far along are you?" It actually took me by surprise :) And then the store owner forced us to pose for this quintessential picture in his store. Ohhh yehhhhh.
Cool baby happening: later that day, as we were lying in bed, baby started really moving around. Matt poked him (and it was kinda hard, geez honey), and baby responded by kicking back. They did it a few times. Cute! It was a first sort of communication with him. He responded to us! (Of course, he's only done this for Matt, not when I try)
24 weeks: Baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last
week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (like an ear of corn),
he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out
proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also
growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His
lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as
cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs
inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and
translucent, but that will start to change soon.
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| 5 candles for Matt, 1 for me |
For my birthday/day off, I did very little. It was awesome. I worked on the baby quilt (pics soon, it's soooo close to done). I walked around the river and had lunch with my mom. I prepped for people coming over because for some reason I'd decided it'd be fun to have a little birthday party.
I thought a party would be a good excuse to have people over and maybe get to know some a little better. Then I remembered- oh, I don't really like hosting parties; it's stressful to me. I stress about how clean the house is. I stress about if there's enough food and enough variety of food and if I've accommodated all the various possible dietary needs. I stress about how people are interacting, and if I'm talking enough, or too much, to certain people. So, probably the last birthday party I'll organize for Matt and me. But, that said, it meant a lot that some people showed up. People have become dang impolite; I get that a Facebook invite isn't exactly like getting an invitation as one might have in the past... but does it really kill you to just reply Accept/Decline/Maybe? People just ignore it; I find that SO annoying. Just say you're not coming (the only thing more irritating is people not RSVP'ing to weddings, or RSVP'ing for more in their party than end up coming- so, so rude).
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| lovely birthday flowers |
Thanksgiving was nice. I went out to the Turkey Trot to see my GOTR girls finish their 5K (thus ending their season). I walked 1.5 mile trotter walk with Ellie, who's a good little walker when Zoey's not around. Then I came home to make a few pies and greenbean casserole (yuck) before we headed to my parents'. Man, my mom makes the best turkey, and stuffing. Everything was delicious. I'm inclined to never learn to make Thanksgiving dinner on my own because her food is what I'll be striving for, thus I should just have her cook every year :) But... I decided that, since it was Thanksgiving and since I AM pregnant, I would try to eat for two. Realistically I probably only ate as much as I used to eat as a teenager- mid size portions, then a small second portion of a few fav items (turkey, potatoes, yams). I thought this is gonna be awesome. It was so, so, SO not awesome. I swear I've almost never been so uncomfortably full in my life (except I do remember this time Maria and I went to an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet in Portland, bleeek). And then I made the mistake of wanting to eat some pie about an hour or so later. I swear I was close to trying to force myself to vomit, but I don't think that would've helped. I felt so bloated and horrible. It was like a whole turkey was just hanging out in my throat. I didn't exactly have heartburn but I felt just terrible for the next... 8 HOURS! Seriously, this baby did NOT do his job trying to help me digest and get rid of all that food. Big mistake.
So for some reason, Matt has been on a super early Christmas kick. Normally, we whine about Christmas music playing early (and c'mon, Christmas stuff out in stores before it's even Halloween!! Let us enjoy the present moment and the present holiday). Maybe it's the fact that next year, we'll have a son to enjoy Christmas with; kids always make holidays more fun, their joyful innocence and pleasure in the little traditions. I held Matt off til after Thanksgiving but then had to indulge him in putting up our fake tree (for which he got himself an early present-- a little trainset to go around it) and helping him with the outdoor lights.
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| Good wifey decorating the tree while husband watches basketball |
On the outdoor lights, Matt's unhappy about the string that faded from last year. He's threatening to buy more lights and re-do this. Whatever. As long as I don't have to help ;) And yes, we were the first people on the street with lights. Oh, how far I've come... or, rather, oh, what I do for love :)
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