Belly Pics - 17 Weeks, 4 Days

I'm a little late getting the belly pics started, but oh well.  We took close up shots, but they didn't seem to want to upload, so this is all you get.  Since I had a little belly to begin with, I was in no mood to take any "before" photos so we're just starting now that it seems to have gotten bigger.  To me it just looks like I've put on some weight.  Speaking of which, I've now gained a whopping 3 pounds from pre-pregnancy weight.  And my clothes are still fitting, but I can tell they are getting slightly tighter.  I've been told the next time we do these photos we have to avoid the clothing lines on my skin.  After a shower I guess.

A couple of weeks ago we bought the crib and changing table/dresser combo.  They are still sitting in their boxes, though.  We still have to clear out the room before we start putting things together.  We made a couple of trips to Home Depot and Lowes and Tim has started building the new bookcase/bed combo for the computer room.  He's hoping to get that finished this week or next and then we'll be able to shuffle things around.  I'll share pics after we've started making progress.

We've also started making progress in the baby/whippet mobile dilemma.  We test drove a couple of small SUV's and a few station wagons.  We've decided on the VW Jetta Sportwagen, which for a station wagon is awfully cute.  We haven't bought it, yet, but we've started the negotiations.  

I've been feeling pretty good lately, except I've been getting headaches the last couple of days and I've found out that Tylenol doesn't do poop for headaches.  I miss my Anacin.  My nose has been runny/stopped up pretty much from the very beginning of the pregnancy.  In fact, it started before I even knew we were expecting and according to the pregnancy books, this perfectly normal.  It's possible my sinuses are what's causing my headaches and I'm going to try some Sudafed next and see how that works.  Another joy of pregnancy that I've been experiencing this last month is what I call the "15 year-old face."  I think I have more pimples now than I did as a teenager.  Yay for hormones!  

Last summer, before the pregnancy, we (mostly me) planned on going to the Whippet National Specialty in Atlanta.  For you non-whippet types, it's pretty much a huge Whippet convention.  Competitions in conformation, obedience, agility, and lure coursing.  Lots of Whippet paraphernalia will be sold from martingale collars and bumper stickers to art.  I'll be going down at the beginning of April during the week to enjoy the festivities with the girls and Tim will join me for the weekend and drive back with me.  The girls and I are very excited to meet a lot of our online whippet friends and see again some of our old friends.  

16 Week Update

I had the 16 week appointment today and all is well.  The baby's heartbeat was 150 bpm and we heard it right away.  Last time I had a hard time differentiating between my heartbeat and the baby's but this time the baby's was loud and clear.  The midwife asked if I could feel it moving yet and when I explained the feeling I have in my lower abdomen, she informed me that was not the baby, but my ligaments stretching.  So no, no kicks, yet, at least that I can feel.  I still haven't started showing.  Tim thinks I am a little bit, but I can't really tell the difference.  I don't feel nauseous anymore and brushing my teeth has gotten better.  Not great, but better.  Now I can brush without the need to vomit about half the time.  Progress!

My next appointment is scheduled for April 13th and it will not include the ultrasound that I am anxious for.  They do the second ultrasound at 22 weeks.  So sometime around April 23rd should be the ultrasound where we get to find out if the baby is a he or she.  

Later this month we're going to start getting around the nursery furniture, so hopefully near the end of the month I'll have some beginning pictures to share with you.  Tim has started designing the new bookcase/bed combo that he is going to build for the computer room.  Currently the baby's room is the spare bedroom with a queen sized bed and we need a place to put it.  He's building a bookcase with an extension where the mattress can be stored up against the wall in the computer room.  Then we'll bring down the steel frame from the attic and make up the bed when we have company.  A similar concept to a murphy bed, just cheaper and without all the hardware.  The futon will go into the baby's room for now.  We'll probably get rid of it in a year or two.  It will give the girls somewhere to lay when I'm in with the baby.  And if we do get rid of it sooner, rather, than later, have no doubt that the baby's room will include at least one dog bed.

I think we will start taking weekly pictures of me from the side.  I don't know how excited I am about this, but I'm sure years from now, I'll be glad we did.  I'll add this week's pic later today or tomorrow, since it hasn't been taken yet.