Day ~127
Week 18!

This week, and last week, I've had spotting. Darkish smears on tissue, and once, a surprising bright red. The doctor wasn't overly concerned since I wasn't having any cramping - but at today's appointment, she said she'd like to go ahead and get an ultrasound right away, instead of waiting for my scheduled appointment in two weeks. Just to be sure. I'm glad. And excited! We can finally see a picture, and see inside.

As my best friend L often said during her first pregnancy - it would be really nice to have a little window in our bellies so we could lift the curtain and take a peek whenever we wondered.

I had blood drawn for the second trimester screening - it seems like those tests can come back with false positives a lot of the time, so I'm not sure how I feel about it ... but DTB and I are both people who like to have all the facts. It's information gathering ... it won't keep me awake at night. (Although I am quite sure I'll breathe a sigh of relief when everything comes back normal.)

On Monday, I felt what was 99% certainly some baby movement. Little, repetitive tappings. Like having a popcorn popper in my abdomen. It was wonderful! I just knew that's what it had to be. Knock, knock! Who's there? Baby, it's you.

What else? My uterus has grown, grown, grown. I am 100% obviously pregnant, and I already feel (again) like I have to pee all the time. I thought I was supposed to get a second trimester break from all of that! But it's heavy down there ... and my question is - if my uterus is as high as my belly button, where the heck is my stomach being stored at present? In my elbow? No wonder I have heartburn all the time. Glug, glug.

Baby - who are you?! It's my big mystery, my jumpy anticipation, my near-whining want to know. When we know if you are a boy or a girl, I think it will feel like the whole roof just blew off our lives. It is going to make you real-er than ever.

Are you okay in there?