{25 week update}

I know it has been a very, very long time since I have posted an update...::sheepish glance::... sorry! I was actually about to give up blogging at all, but my friend told me yesterday that she still checks up on this thing so I will stop being lazy and post. I do have an excuse for some of my absence though. For about a month we had 2-3 people staying in our little 1br apartment, and it was crazy! We love them though (our nephews Jacob and Dakota, and my mommy) so it was a blessing and so much fun to have them with us. My mom came out for the "big" ultrasound (more on that soon in case you don't already know the result) and the boys' visit overlapped hers just long enough that they got a sneak peek at their little cousin too. While they were here we spent a lot of time with our friends Luis and Gissel, and their little one Ezekiel (who just turned one, yes I am his very proud tia) was very popular with everyone from the land of far far away.
So I am very excited to announce (better late than never, right?) that we will be having a little boy in November! His name is Elliott. His middle name is my maiden name, which I am sure most of you know, but I won't post it on here since this is all out on the interwebs and it is so unusual. But there it is :) The ultrasound was an amazing experience! One of the most surreal things about it was feeling him move and seeing him move on the screen at the same time. We got some very cute 3-d pics of him and I have to say, he looks alot like Danny in profile. He appears to have some features that are very distinctive of Danny's family... the mouth and upper lip. Yay! No skinny lips for my little boy! My sisters are all very happy about this.
He measured exactly on track with my EDD and was already over a pound just one day shy of 22 weeks. We are now at 25 weeks. My belly button is almost gone... the top has already loosened, which was a very strange sensation for about a day. I feel him moving all the time. It has become one of the greatest joys of my life to feel his little kicks and squirms. I can't help but smile. And the boy is a night owl just like his parents.
One of my coworkers commented to me last night that she hadn't heard I was pregnant but last week she saw me and thought that I looked pregnant. And not because of my belly (which apparently my dark scrubs hide very well). She said I just looked happy, that by my expression she thought I might be expecting. I had no idea that the way I feel was plastered all over my face like that. But I am definitely happier than I have ever been before. Elliott isn't even born yet but I feel so many new and strong things- about him, about Danny, about our life.
Danny and I celebrated our 7th anniversary this past Monday. It was so special to be expecting our baby (finally!) while reflecting on the years we have had together. For so long I thought I was ready to get pregnant, to start our family, but I can say without a doubt that this is the right time for us. We both have enjoyed this time together and are looking forward to the next chapter of our lives as a bigger family. And I am so happy for him to be the father of my baby :) He is going to be an awesome dad.
Things are getting more and more real as the weeks go by. The movement was a biggie. Now thanks to my mom (her particular variable of “grandma” to be determined) and Gissel, we have a growing stash of baby items in our room. We’ve spent hours at stores and online deciding what particular registry items will be just perfect for Elliott. I just mailed off my birth preparation class registration form, and at my doctor’s appointment yesterday they told me to go ahead and register at the hospital. What?!? It’s really sinking in.
Work continues to hit me a little harder. On the day I hit 24 weeks I heard in group report (“huddle”) about the little 24-weeker born on day shift that they tried so hard to resuscitate but ultimately couldn’t save. I think about all the 24 and 25 weekers I’ve admitted and cared for, and how unimaginably freaked out their moms must have been. I can’t imagine giving birth right now. I think this is going to have to be another post, there are so many things I could say on this subject.
To end on a happy note here, I am glad to write that my original OB Dr. M is back in the office! I saw her yesterday. In new developments, the replacement doc, Dr. C, has apparently joined the practice on a permanent basis and shares all call with Dr M. So it’s basically a 50-50 shot when it comes to who will attend Elliott’s delivery. However, Danny and I have come to like Dr. C better and feel more comfortable with him. Maybe his load is lighter now but he just seems to be taking more time with us at our visits and at the same time his efficient manner is very reassuring. I don’t know, we’re just feeling better about him overall. So I plan to make my appointments with both of them to get to know them both better.
Sorry this was so very very long! I hope to not be such a slacker in the future  And more pictures will be coming soon too!