I'm halfway there!

December seems so far away, but today I am 20 weeks pregnant.  I only have 20 more weeks to meet my precious Elena Dawn.  I seriously doubt that the next 20 weeks will go by as quick as the first.  But I guess we will see.

I've started "window shopping" online and it makes me crazy.  Everything for girls is so stinking cute.  How am I supposed to not buy everything I see?  This child is going to have about 10 outfit changes a day once she is born.  Crazy.  I guess the laundry will cut down a bit, huh?

George Thomas still doesn't really get it.  I think he will as my belly gets bigger.  He does give my belly kisses but thinks he's just kissing me and not his baby sister.  I hope she can hear him laugh and give her kisses.  It's really sweet when he does that. 

I also hope we can get this boy potty-trained in the next month or so.  I know it's more stressful for the parents than the child, and we should just continue what we are doing and maybe something will click inside of him that he will say "okay, I want to use the potty."  But I think that is wishful thinking.  I'm going to try candy next.  That should work, right????

So I give you a picture of Ms. Elena "Ellie" Dawn Hendricks.  Actually I give you a picture of her parts.  So now this is an X-Rated blog.  Should I charge you $19.99?  HA!

I KNEW IT!

To My Baby GIRL,

I knew you were a girl.  From the beginning when I heard your heartbeat.  You were so lively and up-tempo - completely different then your big brother.  Then you gave me crazy acne, terrible stomach pains when I wouldn't eat on your schedule, and continued morning sickness (that has YET to go away) - I knew something was different.  I saw you on the High Risk sonogram and you first started out sucking your thumb, then you waved at us and showed us each little finger of yours.  You really put on a good show.  Your big brother would just hang out and say "hey what's up" very laid back.  You wanted to make your presence known.

I had about a millisecond before the ultrasound tech said "girl" that I saw your parts and knew that you were a girl.  I cried because I was so happy.  EVERYONE is so happy that you are a girl.  I can't wait to meet you and I already have outfits ready to be worn! 

Also - thank you for moving my placenta.  I know it was a great trampoline to jump on or pillow to snuggle, but it's important that it's above you and not below you.  I already got stitched up so there is no sneak peeks before 37 weeks.  So stay in and keep cooking!

I'm happy you are a girl.  I'm happy I'm no longer outnumbered (we don't count the dog).  I'm happy that you are healthy.  And I'm REALLY happy that you are mine.

Love,
Momma

Okay, it's not funny anymore

The morning sickness is starting to get a little old.  I'm 17 weeks today and I feel like I'm still in my 1st trimester, for as sick as I'm getting every morning.

If I don't have a Coke, I get a major headache and stomachache (talk about addiction!), if I don't eat often enough, I get a stomachache and headache.  If I try to accomplish anything productive, I ...well, you get the point.  So I'm too sick to get anything done, too tired by 9pm to get it done then, I'm just pretty much worthless.

The baby has requested larger accomodations, meaning my stomach and insides are starting to pop out.  My belly button is sloooooooowly starting to surface, and my lovely c-section incision is starting to stretch.  That's not a fun feeling at all.  :)

I'm 100% that I will be getting another cerclage.  Better safe than sorry.  Even though my cervix is nice and thick, the doctor doesn't want to take a risk of something happening after the 24 week mark, which is the cutoff point for a cerclage.  If something does happen at that point, it's strict bed rest.  YAY! (not really)

I'm still trying to take these prenatals, but they just aren't working with me.  GT let me take 2 prenatals and 1 calcium supplement every day for 40 weeks.  This baby won't even let me digest a damn Flintstones vitamin.  I'm not sure how this baby is going to turn out, I'm sure fine, but I shouldn't expect chunky-chunk thighs like GT had when he was born.  And he lifted his head while in the hospital.  Talk about impressive!

Next Friday, July 16 we will be able to start calling this baby by name.  The way things are going I'm thinking it's a girl, but my gut instincts are usually wrong.  I've never been pregnant twice so I can't say if this is normal or abnormal for me.  I'm just happy to have a healthy baby either way.

And onward we go.  Hopefully without our head in the toilet.