Boy or Girl?

Unless you have been one of privileged few to know early (or saw my pregnant-brain slip-up on Facebook), you're still waiting to find out if we're having a baby boy or a baby girl.

Since I am 20 weeks along on Friday, we had our halfway ultrasound today.

According to our early gender test, something we paid a little extra for at about 11 weeks, we were going to have a boy. Our justification for paying for the test was that we could save money on baby gear and clothes by watching sales. It's worked! We have tons of stuff. And I managed to find a crib for free, so all we had to do was scrape off stickers, sand it, and paint it. We will also have to buy a mattress. So, we have been not-so-patiently waiting for the sonogram because we are the type of people that need to see proof in order to really believe something.

My mother and I promised each other that we would NOT go crazy buying a bunch of clothes and things for the baby until we knew with absolute certainty that it was a boy. As you can see, that worked out super well, and Sheila Marie Lindemoen did not buy two years' worth of clothing for our child.

Notice there are two flight suits and three flight jackets.

Chris had to talk to the duty officer so they wouldn't schedule him during the ultrasound or doctor's appointment. Ultrasound was on the schedule, so when someone asked "ultrasound for what?" he said, "I need to go see how big my kid's wiener is." That's right, folks, while I had been telling people we were going to see a wiener on Wednesday, Chris was talking about how big it was. Since that matters so, so much.

WELL, we saw a wiener today. It's there. We are having a baby boy.

I am in awe of him already. I never thought I'd be in love with two boys at one time, but I have my husband and this perfect, amazing, beautiful baby boy. We were in absolute awe of him today, watching him squirm. On the way to the appointment, I turned down the radio to tell Chris I was nervous. Nervous, that they wouldn't find a heartbeat, or that they would tell us he wasn't doing well because I've only felt him kicking once. I know it's still early, but I have been worried because most people on the baby boards said they had felt kicking by 20 weeks.

We found out why today; I have an anterior placenta, meaning the baby essentially has a body pillow he is kicking in the front, and not me. My friend that is also pregnant and has an anterior placenta said that she didn't feel much kicking either, until about 23 weeks. Since then it hasn't stopped. So maybe I should enjoy the next three weeks of not being pummeled while I try to sleep. Since I haven't felt him move, I didn't think he was very active. In the sonogram, though, he proved me totally wrong. He would barely sit still for the tech to get pictures. It was just amazing to watch his little fists flying.

I could have sat in the sonogram all day and just watched him. I couldn't believe the way his little body moved. Tiny fists beating and long legs kicking like a frog. The doctor came into the sonogram room to watch and his first observation was "That is a long baby. Look at that neck." The sonogram tech also commented 3 times on how long he was. Baby boy Lazoritz is also measuring at 12 ounces, which is a little ahead of the "norm" according to my baby app. 

Chris was a big boy at 9 pounds, 1 ounce, so we will probably be having a big boy no matter what.

I could go on and on about watching his heart beat, and seeing his little bladder and kidneys, but all that matters is he seems to be a very healthy, long boy who I know is going to be perfect in every way and never make me mad. (Ha!)

We have been all smiles, all day. And we are totally in love. 

Have You Ever Imagined God Was...

Have you ever imagined that God was a retired, 60ish, Latino man with a mustache?

I hadn't either. That was before I received a pre-natal massage from someone matching this description.

You definitely picture an Enrique Iglesias-type when you book a massage from a male masseuse, but I don't think that's usually what you find. I had to stifle a giggle when I saw who was going to be doing my massage. Chris likes to pretend that he gets jealous when I get a massage from a guy but I knew he wouldn't care about this one.

So, yes, this massage was wonderful and I will definitely be going back to this guy. Not to mention that, because of him, I felt my little one kick for the first time. (And for the first time, I was sure it wasn't just gas.) The masseuse was rubbing my back and I felt three little thuds, resembling "Knock. It. Off." Apparently little one is not a fan of massage.

Too bad I am, and I'm going to keep going to see him! These tension headaches are NO joke and I must do everything in my power to stop them before they get ugly. Between massages and the chiropractor, I'll make it.

It's amazing what no longer matters when you feel your baby kick for the first time-it doesn't matter that you told your husband not to flush the toilet until you get home with a plunger, and he doesn't listen so it overflows and makes a huge mess. And it doesn't matter that the dog peed on the floor while you were standing right next to him. And it doesn't even matter that you've been sick for 8 days anymore.

AND when I was driving home, I heard Garth Brooks' new song, "Mom", and obviously started bawling. Duh.

I'm on top of the world tonight.

That won't stop me from complaining about being sick now. After all, what do my readers come for except to read my complaints?

I was at work the other day, day 7 or so of being sick but steadily feeling worse. Throughout the day I started sneezing, coughing, and sounding all the more plugged up. I was supposed to work the following day but I ended up calling in. Why would I go into work sick, around sick people? Does that help anyone?

No. So I stayed home. And thank goodness I did, because I was so weak, and tired, that I nearly passed out. I coughed so long and hard that Chris had to sleep in the other room. I think I was out of bed for a total of 5 hours the entire day.

Do you know how bad it sucks to be pregnant and sick?

You constantly live on the edge of a dangerous cliff named "Will THIS make me pee my pants"?!

Every cough, every sneeze.

Don't worry, only SOME did.

Not to mention the fact that I am overly emotional anyway, I sat down on the couch by Chris last night and when I started coughing, he jokingly looked at me like he was grossed-out. I, of course, took this to heart and started bawling and through tears whined, "I'm so DISGUSTING!"

You know, your typical, emotional,dramatic, pregnant, overreaction. I've had a few of these, I'll admit.

Here's some pregnancy advice for you! If you're going to get pregnant, make sure you do it so that when you're busting out of your old bras, it just happens to be the Victoria's Secret semi-annual sale. Definitely try not to be too awkward when you're asking the fitting room girl if other pregnant ladies' boobs keep growing. Or shrink. Or whatever.

UM, she said that women can fluctuate a whole cup size in a day?! How do I not think of these things/know these things already?!

I have now classified my life into time periods.
A-Cup Era: High School
B-Cup Era: College
C-Cup Era: Pregnant

Excuse me while I revel in my ample bosom. It's like puberty all over again!

Now, a public plea for two things:

First, my friend Ashley's dog tore his rear ACLs and needs surgery. She is just out of school with lots of bills, and I know she needs help with the surgery. She has a gofundme page:
http://www.gofundme.com/jlxghw

Second, my sis-in-law's boyfriend sliced his hand open around Christmas with a saw. He is a self-employed carpenter and should he even be able to return to the work he was doing, he still has numerous medical bills now. Any help here would also be appreciated:
http://www.gofundme.com/jtqsjw

As always, thank you for reading!