18 weeks

So baby is almost half baked! I can not believe how fast the last few weeks have flown by. We're leaving for VA in 5 weeks, and arriving in 7 and I'm sure that will go by in the blink of an eye. In fact, I'll be just a few days from entering my 3rd trimester when we arrive. Honestly, I'm feeling a little detached from it all. I haven't felt the baby move yet, which is entirely normal. So I don't feel pregnant very often. Nearly all of my symptoms could be attributed to something else. I of course feel like I haven't bonded with the baby yet, or gotten to know it's personality. I'm scared that I won't feel it move until after our big ultrasound and that will make it seem even more surreal. At quite a few points in the first trimester it seemed like this point would never get here. It just seemed so far away. Each day felt like it lasted a century, and now whole weeks go by without me barely noticing! And so all of a sudden 18 weeks/20 weeks seems so early still! It seems weird that I can find out the gender of the baby before feeling it and really knowing it. But at the same time, I know that means so much more to look forward to in the second half of the pregnancy, until I get really uncomfortable and just want it out, lol.



I wish I could feel the baby move, and I wish I had a feeling about the baby. Everyone asks what I "think" I'm having. Um, I"m pretty sure it's a human baby. If it's not, then I guess I'll have some 'splainin to do to Doug! Other than that, I don't think it's a boy or a girl. Maybe I'm just still beside myself with the fact that I'm pregnant after all these years. When it comes down to it, that's the last thing I worry about. I am dying to see it again, I want to be told it's healthy. Honestly, if I weren't such a planner and the fact that my mom is dying to know, I could probably wait to be surprised until the delivery. I think the next time around I'll have more of an opinion, but for now I don't.



Sigh, and names. The boy name has been picked for years: Theodore Robert. Girl names, well that's a different story. When Doug and I first started talking about names we liked, when we were engaged, he was very appeasing (as was I to him). That changes after a few years of marriage! He's so random with what he likes, but he thinks I'm the bad one- it's not true! Early on he wanted Ann, after his mother. It took awhile but it grew on me. I liked Ann Elizabeth and so did he, then he changed his mind. Then we decided on Annabelle Hope. Then he changed his mind. I actually really like the nick name Annie now, but he's decided against it. I think he just thought everyone wanted him to use the name, even though he didn't really like it. So for now, no Ann's are on the table. Then we thought Shenandoah, but that seems silly since we'll be living there. So my favorite girl name, Grace, got elevated to first place. We were thinking Grace Elizabeth or Grace Virginia. Then Doug realized how popular it was and totally decided against it. I'm heartbroken. It took him years to agree to put it on the list, and then another one to put it on the number 1 spot. But I know he's right, I wouldn't want her to be 1 of 20. Unfortunately, all of the names we have liked for years and agreed on are popular now! Abigail, Isabella, Grace Lillian and Sophia have all been crossed off the list for first names. I also nixed Rebekah as that's so popular in the churches that we associate with. We like old fashioned, traditional and classic names. It was between Margaret and Josephine for a while, but we've finally decided on Margaret. Then we couldn't decide on a middle name. Doug wanted Rebekah, but I didn't like how the meaning flowed: pearl, bound." So now it's Margaret Virginia as the girl name. And I really, truly hope we're done for now! In fact, unless one of the names we've chosen get used by someone we're close to, or gets insanely popular, or we have more than 4 girls and 3 boys- I think we're set altogether.

Boys

• Theodore Robert- Teddy
• William Thomas- Will
• Peter Samuel- Peter

Girls

• Margaret Virginia- Maggie
• Josephine Samantha- Josie
• Charlotte Isabel- Charlotte
• Grace Rebekah- Gracie (in case its popularity goes down).

Lol, I have it written in the blog as sort of a binding agreement between Doug and I. That way, next time around if one of us is thinking differently we can recall how hard it was to pick them out! But actually, I love our list now. I think it is more timeless, than the other ones we liked. I'm a huge fan of Little Women so I'm so glad to use Margaret, Josephine and Theodore! I don't think we'll end up having a Beth or Amy though.

So baby is starting to gain weight now. It's about the length of a sweet potato, which sounds really good for some reason even though I usually hate them. It's about 5.9 inches and 6.7 ounces. At the end of this month (just entered month 5) it will weigh a whole pound! That's alot of weight gain in just 4 weeks compared to the last 4 weeks! Supposedly it's really mobile and is dancing around all over the place. I really can't wrap my head around the fact that something as long as a sweet potato is twisting and turning inside me and I can't feel it. Guess the doctors are all right and there is a lot of cushion in there for the baby! It's got it's own set of fingerprints too now, baby is officially a unique person. I must say I'll be happy when I won't have to say and write "it" anymore! Well, I better go do homework and work on packing too, even though all I want to do is work on nursery things! No picture as of right now, Doug had to leave for work before I was up and at it.