18 Weeks

Slowly my belly is showing what the rest of my body has known for eons. I can't pass for pregnant with strangers yet but I'm working on it. John was hoping that I'd be visibly pregnant for his company "holiday" dinner in a few days. Alas, that is not to be.

Carrying "small" is a mixed bag. On the pro side - I hardly have any stretch marks on my belly (I have them by my elbows - go figure). I also fit comfortably in my pregnancy (and even some pre-pregnancy) clothes through out the 9+months. No mu mus necessary. And I didn't have a huge belly in my way when tying my shoes or putting on socks or setting the table. On the con side - lack of sympathy would have to be the worst. People giving me the double take in church when I can't stand for the whole Gospel reading. Me having to talk up the fact that I'm pregnant because I'm afraid John might forget. (Not that he would). I get people who know I'm pregnant and are concerned I'm not eating enough. I get worried that the babies are growing inside my liver rather than my stomach, where they should be. (That was for Heather - even though she doesn't read this).

In other news, John can now feel the babies kicking. That happened over the weekend. It's more fun when John can feel them move. And with two it isn't such a crap shoot - he can usually feel something. With Mr. Cubby it was more challenging early on. He'd kick and move and then kick somewhere else - completely random. Two don't have as much room to move so the kicks are in the same area, more or less.

My nighttime nausea isn't completely gone. I still feel gross when I start getting tired. It's not constant and it's nothing like the debilitating nausea I had four weeks ago.

Speaking of being debilitated - I've stopped watching TV. Right around Christmas I realized that I was spending waaaay too many nights sitting mindlessly on the couch and WISHING that I had gone to bed hours ago. On Jan. 1 I decided no more. Plus, it's all crap now with the Writer's Strike (TM).

Not watching TV has had a positive impact on our family life. I find that I'm making eye contact with my kids more often. Also talking to them more. Also getting more sleep. And reading some very good books - Growing Up Brady by Berry Wililams (aka Greg) - for example. John didn't quit TV per se but since I won't watch it with him he doesn't watch it much anymore - just a few minutes here and there mostly about DECISION 2008 (TM).

I find the news coverage of the Writer's Strike (TM) stupid and silly and boring. The Post was delivered to our house today - probably a mistake, unless they're doing a "free week" - and I read several the Post's articles on the Writer's Strike (TM). The articles made me think that if this strike continued much longer the sun might blow up and life on Earth would cease. It's TV for crying out loud. Do I really have to watch The Office to be happy? No. Don't get me wrong. I love The Office and I'm hoping that it didn't jump the shark when Pam and Jim hooked up - but I don't HAVE TO watch it. In fact, I'm pretty happy so far. There's no 24, no Office, no Bionic Woman, no Battlestar G'smacktica. But I have my life back. (I made an exception for G'smacktica. If and when it comes back on, I will watch it w/ John otherwise our marriage with be in jeopardy).

I say, let the writers strike. Don't we all want to do something more with our lives than watch TV? Except for Packer games. They're in the playoffs for crying out loud.

So back to the topic of motherhood: Earlier today John and I had a tearfully funny moment when Will tried to speak a sentence. Will is very hyper and tends to speak very, very quickly and has difficulty with enunciation. Today, while sliding around the kitchen on his back we heard him say, "Is this a turd that has icy doves ringing in it?" I couldn't stop laughing. I had tears rolling down my face. Obviously that wasn't what he actually said but we both heard, "Is this a turd that has icy doves ringing in it?" He doesn't know the word "turd" by the way. We still don't know what he was talking about but he was very pleased that he had said something that made us laugh so hard.

And on that note - good night.