We found out what the baby has in its pants!

We had our anatomy ultrasound on Monday, which included the baby's pants parts! So Tuesday, I announced the pregnancy/gender on Facebook:

*I don't share our last name on the blog because A) the internet is full of creepers and B) I don't want my blog to pop up in search results when someone (for example, a potential employer) searches my name.

Since we're planning on several kids (threeish), neither of us had our heart set on a certain gender. We are so excited to be having a baby girl! I had a feeling it was a girl. Whenever I dream about the baby, she's always a toddler, about a year and a half old, and always in pigtails and always absolutely adorable. Early in the pregnancy, I found myself using the pronouns "she" and "her" when I wasn't thinking and slipped up. I was right!

Knowing that's its a girl and seeing her squirm all around on the ultrasound just made me want to meet her so badly! I can't believe we have to wait 19.5 more weeks, gah! I know it will fly by though. And despite the below picture, we have high hopes that she will be super cute.

As of 5:00 today, I will be unemployed!

Guess who's excited that today is her last day of work!

I was recently promoted in May. While the increase in dollars was worth it, the new position was not as challenging or mentally stimulating as I had hoped. So I'm not terribly distraught to have an excuse to move on...


But I will super duper miss some of the friends I've made there. My best work friend's birthday is Saturday, so she will be arriving to work this morning to find this on her desk:

 

Not bad, eh? I'm rather proud of myself. Note that the card is completely glitter, the extreme sparkle-tastic nature of it is not fully represented in this picture. The awesome balloons are attached to a very easy to care for houseplant for her new house. She says that she loves plants, but can't keep them alive. I've had one of these for years and it is still going strong. (It's a Nephthytis, in case you give a shit.)

We're seeing as many friends as possible over the weekend, then spending next week packing and cleaning furiously. We are moving August 3rd and nothing is in boxes yet, gah!

Pregnancy is weird.

The baby is 18.5 weeks along, also known as almost halfway through my pregnancy. Whaaaaaat!?! When the shit did that happen? While the days have felt long and nausea-tastic, the weeks are flying by.

I "popped" this week. I finally look pregnant instead of bloated, and I'm quite pleased about it. Since I'm taller than the average lady (5'10"), it has taken longer for me to start showing. Yesterday, a random coworker asked if I am expecting. I have officially upgraded from looking bloated with a food baby to looking pregnant with a real baby! And my boobs just keep on growing, which is quite delightful.

Finally looking knocked up! And Poindexter, aka Captain Photobomb.

I have absolutely loved how much bloggers share about their pregnancies, deliveries, and momming (yes, I am using that as a verb) experiences. I am the first of all my good friends to get knocked up, so they are absolutely no help when it comes to my bazillion questions about pregnancy and delivery. My mom's answers to at least half of my questions are "Oh, um, geez I don't remember." Thank goodness the blogosphere has come to my rescue! I want to know all the grizzly details, and thankfully, a lot of bloggers have shared them.

So I want to return the favor, here are some of my observations and experiences so far:

The first trimester is rough. While I was exhausted and nauseated all day everyday, the pregnancy was a secret so I had to put on a smile and suffer through work pretending to feel fine. Once I told my team about the pregnancy, they said they had noticed that I had gotten a lot quieter and sorta antisocial recently. Ha! I was too busy concentrating on not puking on my keyboard to be cracking jokes.

I am now merely tired rather than totally exhausted, the nausea subsided a couple weeks ago, my afternoon hormone headaches have lessened, and I FEEL GREAT (most of the time)! I now understand the women who say that they love being pregnant.

Spotting. I had some occasional spotting for a couple weeks during my first trimester. The first time it happened, at work of course, I freaked out. I had no I idea that it is actually fairly common. Thank goodness for the Google on my iPhone, for reals. Also, (luckily the internets had already given me a heads up on this one) it is not uncommon to bleed during/after sex. I only experienced this delight during my first trimester, and I am very happy to say that all is well in that department these days.

Morons. I really really like my personal space. Coworkers are already petting my stomach without my consent. WTF? I am barely showing and people already think it's totally cool to just reach out and put their hands on my body. NO. No no no. I do not like this and I know it's only going to get worse as I get bigger, but it is so very not ok with me.

I am so hungry. So very hungry all the time. I mean, I knew this would happen, but whoa. At least 30% of my time in meetings at work is spent fantasizing about my next meal. I am doing a damn good job of buying only organic and eating a balanced diet of healthiness. However, the Wendy's spicy chicken sandwich combo is my kryptonite.

Mmmmm... look at that french fry grease! That shit is so damn good. I am constantly craving french fries, and when I decide to treat myself, why not get a sandwich and drink to go along with them? I have decided that as long as I eat it less than once a week, I'm good.


Well that's all the pregnancy chat for now, folks. It's time for me to start getting shit done. We fly out to a family reunion in Binghamton, NY this afternoon, and I am 0% prepared.

But first, I need to go see what's available in the kitchen for second breakfast...

We're moving!

It's officially official. He accepted the position on Thursday, we put in our two weeks notice on Friday, and we are moving the first week of August. Eeeeeeeeeeek!!!

Drum-roll please... we are moving to North Carolina!

 

Or should I say back to North Carolina? We both grew up and went to college in good ol' NC. It's where our parents are as well as 3 out of 4 of our siblings. Life with a newborn is going to be significantly easier living in the same town as my in-laws and an hour away from my parents. My mom is over-the-moon elated that we are not moving across the country and her first grandchild will be within an hour's drive of cuddling at any given time.

We can live in his parents' basement while our house sells and we buy another, which means not paying a dime in rent! We will have free baby and dog sitting services all day everyday! Saving so many pennies all over the place!

On that note, I am adamant that we be in our own house by the time the baby is born in December. I love my in-laws to death, but I am a big fan of personal space, and I do NOT want my mother-in-law hovering while I bond with my newborn. Holy hell, I'm going to have a newborn in December...