It's a bruiser--25 weeks

My ultrasound tech, after taking all the measurements, said, "so, do you have gestational diabetes?" which apparently is code for "your baby is HUGE!" My Babycenter.com emails tell me that baby should weigh about a pound and a half at 25 weeks, yet Baby is 2 pounds, 3 ounces. And no, I don't have gestational diabetes, but I have a father who is 6'4, and I'm 5'10. Nonetheless, below is a pretty detailed picture of the face, bathed in light.

Below is a shot of that soon to be muscular leg. The knee is pointing down, and the foot is at the left side of the shot, also pointing down. Since it's only a few inches long, it's hard to determine whether it will be a long Sjoblad leg or short, powerful Fox leg. Let's hope it at least has Sjoblad knees.

While size might stunt baby's social life during junior high, I see two advantages in this giant child. One is that it could possibly become one of those athletic freaks of nature that we've been watching during the Olympics, therefore, our dream of early retirement could more likely be realized. We're hoping for the Michael Phelps/Carrie Walsh freak of nature rather than the shot-putters, of course (but we would love our little shot-putter). The other advantage, which is much less selfish, is that if anything makes that baby want to come early, it will be big enough to make it.

Update for beast followers: The beast shrunk about a millimeter in the last month. It's not much, but it's progress. For anyone in the neighborhood, my ultrasound gave me a whole CD of photos, including a couple of the beast and an actual movie of the kid looking at the "camera"(creepy). I tried to upload them, but the CD is protected for view-only. I suppose they don't want to be responsible for uterus shots all over the internet.

Stay tuned! We have a couple vacations at Green Lake coming up, which means--you guessed it--bathing suit shots!

Okay, okay, another belly shot--6 months

It's been a while, but I haven't had too many monumental occasions that would demand photo ops, so you'll have to be content with a photo in our bedroom (socks on the floor and all--I couldn't edit that out and I didn't think to pick it up). It adds to the realism of it all. Anyway, here's 6 months, 2 days. It doesn't look as huge as it seems to me. Soon enough, I'm sure. Baby is kicking like crazy; I'm hoping it's training for a sport that will allow Mommy and Daddy to retire early. I've sworn off gawdawful maternity pants for the summer, so you'll only catch me in skirts and dresses, which is my mom's dream come true. Sorry, no Laura Ashley, mom.

Hi Mom and Dad!

Got the scanner working again, so here's the latest ultrasound photo, as promised, thought bubble and all. Not a lot new to see except a lot of ribs and a giant brain, which we hope to fill, only with slightly less pressure than that of (nerdy reference alert!) John Stuart Mill's father. In case you are not familiar, check out this link and read the second and third paragraphs under "Biography" (normally I mistrust Wikipedia, but it summed up so nicely the rigors of his childhood education). Of course, if we want our three year old to be conversant in Latin, I suppose we'll need to learn it pretty quickly ourselves. Hmmm...maybe we'll rethink this.

Our Baby Can Talk!--20 weeks, 2 days

Sorry to disappoint, but our scanner is temporarily not working, so I'll have to post the ultrasound photo later, once I get the scanner functioning. If text bores you, and you need pictures, check out the prior post with my bare belly hanging out.

As a preview: our perionatal specialist apparently has such a knack for being able to see the fine details of an ultrasound that he can even read Baby's thoughts. He typed "Hi Mom and Dad" onto the photograph so that it looks like Baby is talking. Thought bubbles aside, the photo does not appear that much different from the 18 week shot, except that s/he has grown quite a bit since then. Our little bruiser's size, which is now a manly (or womanly) 1 pound even, does not reflect his or her many talents, which include somersaulting, punching, kicking, wiggling, and waving. Constantly. I hope s/he gets it out now and doesn't try to somersault, punch, kick, and wiggle this much ex utero. Unlimited waving's okay.

For those of you who could care less about the baby and are more interested in the progress of the "beast" (fibroid), it turns out that it has not lost any weight, although it has not gained any weight either. The specialist repeated what my OB advised, which is that we'll watch it, and when birth day comes, we'll decide how to work around it.

Stay tuned for the ultrasound photo once the scanner is functioning again.

Like Father, Like Daughter--20 weeks

I've always said that I got my body type from my father, and it's never been as true as it is now.

Pete and I traveled up to Pequot for the Fourth of July to see my (entire!) family and my friend Patti and other assorted hometown characters. The weekend was one where exertion came in the forms of convincing one's self to jump in the (slightly too cold) lake, getting up to grab another beer (or slice of watermelon, in my case), trash-talking during a horseshoes bout, or deciding what number of s'mores is one too many.

Under normal circumstances, I would never, ever, allow a swimsuit shot of me to be published on the web; however, somehow it's less embarrassing to be deformed and bloated due to pregnancy than shown in your normal state of being. Blame it on Cosmo.

My mom will be disappointed that I chose not to post other photographic gems from the weekend, including one of me crammed into a rubber floaty in an unflattering posture and one of her rubbing my feet, but I thought my dignity would not be able to take the abuse.

First Belly Shot--18 weeks

Paula's got me beat for sure, but she's also ahead by 4 months, due in mid-July whereas I'm due November 22. We're on our way into Miller Park for a Brewers' game, where we sadly had no beer, but were at least treated to cookies and nachos in Craig Counsell's luxury box. Craig was Chris Fox's college roommate (Pete's brother). When I'm braver, I'll do the full belly shot, but I'm not quite ready yet. Pay no mind to the ambulance in the background; couldn't Photoshop it out.

Thanks to Urban Sense

This arrangement was sent over by Chris and Dan at Urban Sense, in Milwaukee, to congratulate us on the pregnancy. They recently moved into our Vliet Street property and have transformed the commercial space into a gorgeous shop with a workshop and consultation area. They are having a grand opening of the new place in early July, so stop by!