Tuesday, July 13th

Dear Lil B,

Do you know why today is so special?

That might have been you I felt move, while I was sitting on the plane. It's hard to be sure, though, because your first movements are supposed to feel like butterflies and I was really excited to see your dad again. And then guess what? Once I got home something really special happened and there is video evidence that it is real!

Surprise!

I couldn't be happier.

Love,

Mom

16 weeks

This little bump is starting to show up!

Crafting!

My mom and I went to the fabric store yesterday to get stuff to make more productive use of my relaxing-at-home-time. Found a pattern for a great-looking dress (with pockets!) and one for a baby carrier.

I had a minor progesterone-fueled meltdown when I sewed an entire section with the wrong side out, but, with Grandma C's help, it all ended well.
Stefin left Wednesday after adventuring around the NW a bit. He got to see some of my old haunts and we explored some new sights together. Highlights included spending two nights and a day working at Bullock's Permaculture Homestead on Orcas Island, and a night camping at Larrabee with my sister, and s'mores that incorporated Resse's Peanut Butter Cups instead of plain old chocolate. We also celebrated my mom's birthday, and perused old home movies and photographs (many of which represent me as a small Asian child). It was fun to get to share some slices of my childhood with the man I get to raise a child with. It's been two days of our three weeks apart and I already miss him like mad. I know: gross. But it's true.

I'm 32 and a half inches around now- and the fruit of my womb is allegedly the size of an ORANGE this week! In two-to-five weeks I should be able to feel it dancing and squirming. I can't wait.

How We Told The Roomies

The Dauphine house has long had a tradition of having "family dinners" on Monday nights. A few weeks ago we used the occasion to suggest a game. Oh, how about you guys figure out these pictionary-type cards that we happened to have all drawn up? And then you figure out what order they go in to make a logical sentence.

It was great.

My favorite was how many folks got stuck on the bay. "Stefin and Carrie are having an inlet?"

Almost...

-c

13 Weeks and All's Well

We had our second doc appointment today. It was short and sweet- no ultra sound this time (by the way, those machines look quite like something that should be on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise); instead she just used a little microphone and speaker that looked like an old radio/walkie-talkie so we could hear Baby's heartbeat. Badoom-badoom-badoom, with some stomach-static for good measure.

Everything looks and sounds good. I was four pounds lighter this time than last, so I didn't feel at all bad about having ice cream again after dinner. Creole Creamery is New Orleans' Mallard- my favorite flavor lately is Cilantro Lime. Wow.

I was kind of disappointed that we didn't get another "photo" of the little gambita (it has progressed in recent weeks from fig-sized to lime-sized to that of a "medium shrimp"), because there have been tons of changes since our last visit. According to the books and internet sites I've been reading, Lil' B has reflexes, its eyes are getting closer to their right spots, and its body is catching up in proportion to its head. Big developments this week: fingerprints and eyelashes!

Here are the pics from our first doctor visit- when Lil' B really was just a little bean. Of the lima variety.


Stefin is leaving for Virginia for a week, and we'll both be in WA in 2.

It is exciting to be us.

-Carrie