bump watch: 18 weeks

Ain't no stoppin the belly poppin. Enjoy my attempts at self-portraiture.

I think I am as big now as I was when I was 6 months along with Luciya. Awesome! For the most part, I'm feeling great. I'm just so stinking t-i-r-e-dddddd

(yawn)

(Excuse me)

..... I still have to nap almost every day, and am thankful that Luciya is still a stellar napper.

I can't sleep on my tummy any more, even though I'm trying to fight it. I've been trying to place my fists under my hip bones and that worked until last week, but now I'm resigned to the pillow cage. Thank goodness for the king sized bed.

As for cravings, it's been fruit, and breakfast cereal, and... McDonald's. I couldn't tell you the last time I ate McDonald's but a few weeks ago John mentioned that McDonald's Coke is the best, sweetest, fizziest, most refreshing Coke on the planet, and this idea embedded itself in my placenta, and I have had McDonald's no less than 3 or 4 times in the past two weeks. Chicken Mcnuggets and Coke, which I literally have not drunk in years. But it scratches that itch and I'm indulging. Because I'm pregnant.

I first felt the baby move at 15 weeks, when I went in for a haircut at the beauty school that took 4 1/2 hours. It was a long time to be in a chair, and as the stylist was droning away I felt it. And then I felt it again, and it was wonderful. Since then, Kicky McTickle has been a near-constant dancer, and it allows me to get more and more accepting of and excited about the idea that we're actually going to have another baby.

Which brings me to another thought: I'm going to be a mother of two. How to people do this all the time? The idea of having multiple children just feels bizarre. I'll have to check in with Trisha, who welcomed Jenner's little sister Rory on Tuesday, and see how it feels (Congratulations, guys!). Luciya belongs here and she's totally rad and I like her a lot and she completes our family. But as I'm lifting her heavy little body into her low crib (crib lowness, Luciya weight, and bulging belly size all seem to be exponentially linked in depth and growth - oof), I am reminded that she has a sibling and we're going to meet him/her soon.

Speaking of which, the "big," 20-week ultrasound is on September 9th, and we're still dedicated to having the sex of the baby be a surprise. We'll see who it is in January!!!

Thank you, Baby, for choosing your daddy and me to be your parents. I can't wait to meet you! I know that - even though you're not due until next year, and your due date still feels like a million years away - you'll be here before we know it, and our family will be just right.

Love,

Mama