35/35

So today is the 35/35 milestone: 35 weeks, and 35 days to go. Kerri asked for an updated photo of me and Val, so here you go:
I can't take my eyes off my big, puffy face. If you want a comparison, here's me in the same shirt at 23 weeks.

Does anyone know why ghostly white dots sometimes show up on my photos? Is the flash too bright? Do we have ghosts? I need to learn more about how to use my camera, but instead I just take a dozen photos until one looks ok.

31 weeks

I don't know how I can get any bigger.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Last Thanksgiving I ran a half marathon then cooked and hosted dinner for 8. This year I ran about 3 miles around the neighborhood, and then Sweet LJ and I went to Chateau Elan, where their chefs whipped up a lovely Thanksgiving feast for us.

We took our bikes and went on about a 1.5-hour bike ride when we got there. The hotel guy gave us a map and suggested a route that would take us around the grounds. The map was terrible and apparently the hotel guy never has ridden a bike around the Chateau Elan property. We went through several golf course neighborhoods, which were lovely, but filled with cul-de-sacs and locked gates. Eventually we made it back towards the inn and found this:

A four-story climbing wall. I wanted Sweet LJ to climb, but we noticed it was all locked up. I guessed it was a team-building ropes course, and I was right! Some kind of corporate team-building center. It wasn't just the climbing wall but a bunch of ropes courses in the trees and platforms, with signs along the way like this:

This one made me laugh. We needed this earlier when we had to turn around on yet another cul-de-sac.

Sweet LJ thought it was appropriate for me to pose with this one.

We made it back, tired and hungry, and checked in about an hour before our dinner reservation.

Before dinner, hungry and ready to eat. Thanks to my wonderful friend Kerri for sending me this dress!

After dinner looking tired from going through the buffet line too many times. Did I mention this was a huge buffet with everything you can imagine? Turkey, prime rib, dressing, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, butternut squash ravioli, caviar, crab legs, smoked salmon, and then the dessert table . . . Forget eating for 2. I ate for 4 or 5.

Friday morning we hiked on the nature trail around the property. It was cloudy and a little foggy, but beautiful.
The vineyards are right at the front of the property, which was very cool. After promising myself I wouldn't eat again for at least 4 days, we went to the breakfast buffet after the hike, and I ate. A lot. Again.

We stopped by the Mall of Georgia on the way back home so Sweet LJ could get a new Florida shirt to wear to the SEC championship game next Saturday. There were times I feared for my life--will I get trampled by the Abercrombie kids trying to make the last 15 minutes of the 25% off sale?--but we made it out safely. I even bought a few Christmas gifts.

We had such a wonderful trip. Thank you so much, my sweetest LJ! I'm so thankful to have you in my life and that soon we'll have a sweet little girl join our family.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday filled with peace, happiness, and thanksgiving.

Val's second race

To help motivate me to run more regularly, I decided to sign up for the Run for Justice 5K not far from my house. It started at 9 AM, and the weather was gorgeous. I wasn't feeling too optimistic about my time, and I told Sweet LJ to look for me to come in no later than 40 minutes. The course route was well-marked, but the miles weren't. At about 15 minutes and no 1-mile marker, I was either running much slower than I thought or I'd missed a mile marker. Soon I saw the 2-mile marker, then before I knew it the race was over. I haven't run a 5K in awhile, and I forgot how short they are (3.1 miles). Anyway, I finished in 31:10, and I was proud of my 10-minute miles at almost 6 months pregnant. I told the people at the time table that they should have a pregnant ladies category. They had, of course, age-group awards, and at this race they also had first stroller and first dog. (This was a rare race that allowed dogs and strollers.) Alas, no prize but still a good time.

Waiting to start

Maybe I should've stood by the "female" sign

My fans

25 weeks, 2 days

Val went to her polling place

I voted today and hope you did, too.

23 weeks

It's been a quiet weekend. Val and I went to some friends' annual pumpkin carving party last night. I didn't carve, just ate. Sweet LJ is down and out with a terrible cold. I'm bleaching everything he touches, so hopefully I'll stay well.

21 Weeks and The Big U

We had the big ultrasound recently, and everything looked good: A heart with 4 chambers (the doctor said it was a "beautiful heart"), liver, spine, 2 arms, 2 legs, "perfect nose and mouth" (so said the doctor--no clefts), fingers, toes, and 2 kidneys. Val was pretty still the whole time--just cool, hanging out. I'll post the images as soon as I scan them. It was thrilling getting to watch our amazing baby. And we know whether Val is a boy or a girl, but we're waiting a little longer to make the announcement. I'm not trying to torture you; we have a family party planned and are waiting until then.

There were two issues, but one is sort of a non-issue now. The perinatologist asked me the date of my LMP to confirm my due date, and I got confused and told her 5 days earlier than I told my OB long ago at my first visit. (Why they couldn't just call the OB's office down the hall to verify, I don't know.) Anyway, this threw Dr. F all off, because Val--based on my 5-days-earlier estimate--was measuring HUGE: 97th percentile. I explained I was confused and told them the real date, which put Val back on track and healthy but not huge: 79th percentile. This didn't really appease Dr. F, and she's telling the OB that they need to do the gestational diabetes test at my next appointment, which they weren't planning to do until next month. She's worried about the baby being so big (but Val's not, really, so this is the non-issue).

The other issue is that Val might have a minor kidney problem. This could also be a non-issue, and I'll post more once we find out more. If you are a prayerful type, please send one up for Val.

btw, we're not really naming the baby Valdosta. Someone asked that.

Thanks, Julia and Sara for the fun lunch today.

20 weeks

Today marks the halfway point. I still feel great. I'm still running 3-4 days a week and usually cycling 1. I sleep very well, and I'm not nearly as tired as I was. I might have felt baby flutters yesterday, but I'm very unsure. It might have been my belly welcoming the oatmeal.

Our big ultrasound appointment is scheduled, and Sweet LJ hasn't wavered in his belief it's a girl. I don't have any feeling about it at all. I'm very curious and excited and quite nervous about finding out whether everything's ok. We decided to give ourselves a few days to get used to him/her before we tell everyone, but we'll certainly spread the news soon.

So, what do you think? Girl or boy?