18 weeks & counting (plus other news!)

I haven't updated in a while, mostly because I've been extremely lazy but also because there has been so much going on, I haven't even known where to start.

Justin turned 30 on March 28!  I made him a treat for work and got him a sweet card, as well as came up with Thirty Things I love about him and had it as a surprise at his office thanks to a friend who printed it off for me.  If all goes well, he'll soon be taking guitar lessons so he can learn how to play on his dad's guitar.  I think he's really looking forward to it.  We had a huge party planned for the following Saturday but of course, he and I both came down with what seemed to be a 48 hour stomach flu/bug at 3 a.m. Saturday morning.  Needless to say, Easter and his birthday party were both canceled.  Not a fun weekend.

We had our 18 week anatomy ultrasound on April 1st and the little baby was officially confirmed to be all BOY!  We definitely saw his boy parts so there's no denying we have a little man on the way.  I consider myself fairly independent (almost to a fault, sometimes) but this is the first time I'm really looking to Justin for support as I don't know the first thing about boys.  Of course I know to love him and nurture him and teach him just the same as girls, but a mother has to do things differently with a boy.  I suppose I should reach out to all the moms of boys out there and figure out some tips :)

Now that we know for sure, we have continued on with the nursery.  We are doing a nautical/whale theme but we'll leave it at that.  I will post pictures when it's completed.  I want it to be a surprise!

As far as the pregnancy goes, I'm doing well and Justin is hanging in there.  No weird cravings, nothing I just NEED to have at 2 a.m., although Justin consistently reminds me he'd be happy to get whatever I want.  If anything, I have a serious loss of appetite and get full almost instantly.  It's almost like the best diet I've ever been on, except I'm supposed to be gaining weight.  I am sure that will come in the next few weeks.  I still don't have a "baby bump" (hate that term), but I'm sure that will come very soon, too!

I suppose since it's still not very real to me, I am worried about superficial things (does that make me a bad mom-to-be?).  I am terrified of stretch marks, although I know they are unavoidable and all a matter of genetics.  I am also watching far too many birth videos and for some crazy reason, I think I want to have this baby naturally (what. am. I. thinking?) instead of having some medicated, sterile birth where I can't move out of the bed and labor the way nature says you're supposed to... I'll probably change my mind 15 more times. More on that later.

The last big piece of news is that I have started to feel him move!  At first I wasn't sure if it was him, but after the last week, I'm positive it is!  He is relatively active during the day and seems to be a sleepy boy at night, so I'm praying that schedule stays.  Unlikely!

More after our next appointment on April 15... and when we meet with our kitchen/bathroom guy to discuss concepts and remodeling!  Can't wait for that!! It's been a long time coming!!