The Glow

Just for the sake of posterity, check out how weird this is....

From the front I don't really look pregnant.

But WHOA! When I turn sideways a big ol' tummy appears like magic.
I am adjusting to my new size and shape. No more turning sideways to fit through small spaces. Front entry only! Unless I want to back in...beep...beep...beep!

I am always looking for an opportunity to lay down. Even in a photo shoot. Must...conserve...energy. How much do I really want that small item that just dropped to the floor? Usually, not enough to actually bend over and get it.
But lounging can be lovely, can't it? A time and a place for everything.

Thanks, Catherine, for taking these lovely pictures! You are amazing!

Well...Ultrasound Results!

Are you curious about our ultrasound results? Did you have a hard time falling asleep last night because you were so excited? Did you wake up before your alarm went off this morning, positively itching for the day to begin? No? Just me then.

As you all know, I have been hoping against all possible hope that our next baby would be a girl. Almost my whole marriage, I have often found myself thinking about the things I learned as a teenager that I want to pass on to my girls. I go on and on in my head explaining the importance of wearing modest clothes and make-up, etc. I get pretty far into these discussions with these imaginary female descendants, until I realize that I don't have any girls, and there is a very good chance I will never have a girl. And though I have been blessed with just about every ardent desire of my heart, I could still work myself up to the point of eeking out a tear or two at the prospect of being girl-less forever. So you know my hopes...

But this morning I woke up with the feeling of certainty. It is a boy. I just know it. And he will be cute and blonde, and I will treasure him forever and ever. But for the second time in my life, my motherly intuition on gender prediction led me completely astray. See?

A GIRL!!!!!!!!

If you can't tell it (SHE!) is a girl from this picture, don't worry, you are not alone. But the ultrasound tech was quite convinced, and she typed those little letters in the left corner "GIRL" that mean so very much to me today, so I believe her!

Wanna see some more pictures? Warning: it looks like her head is about to pop off because her neck is so kinked, but the ultrasound chica assured me over and over that she is, in fact, okay and normal.

Profile of head, chin to chest. Cute, huh?

Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes, knees and toes...and look at those little fingers!

Are you shocked! Are you stunned into silence? I was. If I had been less excited to find out it was a girl, I would have shouted "yea!" right there in front of the doctor and everything. But I was SOOOO excited, I couldn't talk--I couldn't say a word. The tech must have thought we were hoping for a boy. For the second time this pregnancy, I just couldn't express my happiness with words and just let the tears roll down. (Read about the first time here.) I feel like I just won the gold medal at the olympics. Every simple, normal, little life is entitled to just a little bit of absolutely exceptional joy, and today was one of those days for me.

Thanks to everyone who prayed for us!

You're prayers are darn effective, I must say...now start praying for peace in the middle East, ok?

Whale Song

You know what I'm supposed to be doing? I'm supposed to be guest writing a post for my awesome friend Lyndsay. She has been doing a series on "Supermoms." She wants me to write about "the Spiritually Prepared Mom." But the problem is, I'm not feeling like a spiritually prepared mom. I really feel and behave differently from the way I was 5 months ago, as a super enthusiastic ward missionary--testimony ablaze and eyes alight. What do I feel like now? Hmmm. A beluga possibly.





Actually, I don't want to insult belugas. They are a beautiful animal. I just, I just, I'm so much less functional (nevermind exemplary) when I'm pregnant. I'm not qualified to advise anyone on anything other than possibly just hanging in there when you feel like crap. Consider the facts.

Not Pregnant

1. Run several miles on most days
2. Thoughtful Prayer and meditation each morning and night
3. Enthusiastically pursue many fun hobbies/interests
4. Can't wait to go preach the gospel every Tuesday
5. Keep a house of relative order
6. Eat a diet nearly free from white flour, sugar, and red meat

Pregnant

1. Lumber around the house only as needed, and get breathless in the process
2. Pray in bed (for SHAME!) and often fall asleep before I get to "amen"
3. Enthusiastically pursue cookie dough when it is available
4. Can't wait until my kids go to bed so I can lay around an do nothing for the rest of the evening
5. Get by with "the minimum" including fishing clean but rumpled clothes out of laundry baskets every day
6. Eat either "whatever will stay down" or "whatever is most fattening," depending on the stage of pregnancy

So anyway, if you have any ideas on how to be an amazing and spiritually prepared mother, please leave them in the comments. I'll be happy to pretend I thought of them and send them on to Lindsay.