Our BIG ultrasound is in seven days!  When I was pregnant with Maddie, I posted some old wives tales along with the gender each one pointed towards.  Below is the same list.  You can click here to see how this pregnancy compares to my first.

Take the number of the month that you conceived and add it to your age at the time of conception. If the total of those two numbers is even, it's a girl.--BOY

Baby girls don't like to be held by women expecting a boy.--BOY

If you have acne while pregnant, it’s a girl.--GIRL

If you see a “V” or “branches” in the white part of your left eye when you pull it down, you’re having a girl.--GIRL

If the dad-to-be gains weight while you are pregnant, it’s a girl.--GIRL

If you had a smooth pregnancy with no morning sickness, it’s a boy.--BOY

If the heart rate is over 140, it's a girl.--GIRL

Chinese Gender Predictor--GIRL

Take a wedding ring and attach it to a thread. Hold it over mom-to-be's belly while she is lying down. If the ring swings in a strong circular motion, you will be having a girl. If it moves in a to and fro motion like a pendulum, you will be having a boy.--BOY

Now that you're armed with all kinds of useless information, you should vote in the poll underneath our family picture on the sidebar of this blog.  :)

17 Week Update

Size of baby: Baby T weighs 5 ounces and is about 5 inches long from head to bottom, about the size of a baked potato.

Total weight gain/loss: +5 pounds

Maternity clothes:  I'm still making my normal pants work with a ponytail holder and my BeBand, but that's a lot of stuff to mess with when you have to go to the bathroom so often.  I might break out some maternity pants soon just because it would make life a little easier.

Gender:  Eight more days!  Look for a post tomorrow about old wives tales and what each one predicts about the gender of our baby.

Movement:  I feel a little bit of movement almost everyday now, but only when I'm completely still.

Sleep:  Starting to get uncomfortable.  I bought (and subsequently sold) a fancy pregnancy pillow I bought when I was pregnant with Maddie.  It just didn't work for me.  I think I might buy a plain, old body pillow this time and see if it is any better.

What I miss:   Eating raw cookie dough.  :)

Cravings:  I eat too many sweets, if that counts.

How I'm feeling:  My back is usually sore at the end of the day from toting around a 30 pound toddler, but other than that and being a little tired, I'm good.

17 weeks

Maddie has been pretty busy as of late:

making matches with her Brown Bear, Brown Bear cards

visiting (and petting!) the horses that live near our house

playing at a local water park. . . she wasn't a big fan

Today was Maddie's last day of her first year of preschool.  She loved going to school and I loved getting the chance to watch her interact with her friends.  While at school she learned many songs including "Six Little Ducks" and "Deep and Wide," which quickly became her favorites.  Maddie enjoyed playing on the playground and reading in the classroom.  Nap time didn't work out so well for her, so after about a month of trying we decided to leave right after lunch so she could nap at home.  I can't believe that next year she won't be in the "baby" class!

Maddie adored Mrs. T.  I think the feeling was mutual.  :)

With all of her friends.


Maddie got a surprise from her Aunt Carol yesterday--a slide!  She loves it, and I'd better you'd never guess what she was doing at 6:30 this morning. . . .

I think it's time for some bullets:

• Eric got a new teaching position he really wanted, but it means he'll have to go to Louisiana for two weeks worth of training.  I know two weeks is nothing compared to what spouses of deployed soldiers deal with, but I'm really dreading it.
• Maddie and I went to the "choo-choo" park with Rachel on Saturday.  We usually see a train or two, but this time I think we probably saw five or six.  I think seeing the trains is Maddie's favorite part of going to that particular park.  It's sweet that the conductors take time to wave at the kids as they go by.

• We set up Maddie's pool for the first time this year.  The water was freezing cold, but she didn't care.  In fact she thought it was great fun to try to drink it as it sprayed out.

• Eric and I went on a spontaneous date tonight to see What to Expect When You're Expecting.  I cried, I laughed, and I laughed until I cried.  That last one may have happened because of pregnancy hormones.  I thought the movie was pretty cute and Eric actually stayed awake 99% of the time.
• I've been feeling Baby T #2 moving around quite a bit in the last two days.  I love it!

A few days ago Eric decided we should take a quick vacation during his three day break before summer school begins, so this morning I booked a beach condo for us.  Here's our balcony view:

Where I plan to spend my time while Maddie naps.  :)

We went to Galveston last year, and even though I don't think Maddie really remembers what a beach is, she sure is excited about it.  Hopefully this time she won't want to eat sand. 

Other than spending time on the beach, our only plan is to visit the aquarium.  I asked Maddie if she wanted to go see fish and dolphins at an aquarium, she thought for a moment, and then said, "Sharks!"  Is it weird that her favorite sea animal is a shark?  The aquarium also happens to have recently opened a splash park that I think Maddie will love.

How fun is that?

Only two more weeks!