12/29/04 - Calm After The Storm

The Christmas shopping season is finally over, which means I can finally catch a breath at work. It was so crazy at times I barely had time to make it to the restroom between customers. It was great to have my parents visit. They brought a Taiwanese exchange student named Ting who helped us watch the kids while Mom and Dad went to celebrate their 30th anniversary. Barocha and Caleb are excited to be an aunt and uncle again, though they didn't get to hear the heartbeat. The "Tiny Ticker" device my boss gave me can't pick anything up until after 21 weeks.

Keep On Growing

I've definitely got a pudge now, though a customer of mine said she didn't want to ask just in case she was mistaken. Good call. I'm still holding off on wearing my maternity tops, though, because they're still kind of baggy. My feet have been killing me at work, so I'm going to try and find more comfortable shoes to wear as I get bigger. I don't care if they're granny shoes so long as I'm comfortable. Everyone keeps asking if I can feel the baby yet. I'd have to say that if the baby's movements feel like gas bubbles or muscle spasms, then micro-majesty has definitely been active lately. Otherwise, I'll wait for that "butterflies" sensation my friends have described.

12/17/04 - Holiday Craziness

I'm feeling 100% better, and not a moment too soon. Work is getting very busy, and the mall is extending its hours, so I have to be in to work an hour earlier. Soon my family will be here to visit. After Christmas things will calm down. My symptoms are pretty mild now. Just an occasional nosebleed or pulled-muscle sensations in my stomach, which my doctor says are caused by the ligaments in my tummy stretching. I have an ultrasound on Jan 4th, when we hope to find out the sex. Dave and I are spending more time trying choose a name, but there's very few we agree on yet. I’ve already had two people I know reach out and pat my tummy, which always takes me by surprise and I don’t know how to react yet. It feels a bit intrusive to me, probably because I’m so protective of my belly right now. I know these ladies so the relationship is there, but if a complete stranger does that to me in the grocery store I’m gonna be a little less patient about it.

Looking Forward

Dave got promoted to the position of Assistant Administrator at Villa Del Rey retirement home, with a raise that will make it possible for me to stay home when the baby comes. Praise God! That really is an answer to our prayers. I went with my friends Jessica and Mark to Baby Depot at the Burlington Coat Factory on Saturday, and found the stroller and car seat I wanted for alot less. I had been looking at child safety gates for our stairs online, which all started at $99. I found the same gates at Baby Depot for only $35 each! I was so excited! I can't wait to take Dave back there.