Huzzah! Look at us, so cute at 18 weeks! Baby and I are feeling well. I mean, maybe I shouldn’t speak for the baby, since (s)he can’t really tell me how (s)he is doing. But I keep getting punched and kicked in there, so I can only assume that baby is enjoying the hot-tub party. I can’t wait for 2 weeks from now when we get a little glimpse into the hot-tub party and get to find out if (s)he is a “she” or a “he”!

My cravings have been shifting and changing the last few weeks. Carrots and ranch, pears, and grape juice are out, while Tillamook Udderly Chocolate ice cream sundaes with Cool Whip, Hershey’s chocolate syrup and rainbow sprinkles are in. And sandwiches. Oh. And RICE. All kinds of rice. Anything with rice.

Physically, I’m still dealing with some round ligament pain, but it still isn’t debilitating. And hip/knee pain has become much, much less frequent. Headaches have not returned either. Lewis is sleeping most nights, so even though I tire out by the end of the day, I am getting as much rest as possible. So I’m basically feeling like a million bucks. 10 million bucks? How much is the Powerball worth right now? Because that’s how many bucks I’m feeling like right now.

Fun highlight of the week? A stranger was sure enough that I’m pregnant, that she boldly exclaimed, “you’re pregnant!” without hesitation! It thrills me to be to the point in my pregnancy that even people who don’t know me don’t doubt that I’m gestating, as opposed to just looking chunky. Pretty fun!

Lewis is over his cold/tummy thing except for some lingering “oh no! boogers!” (as he would say). He continues to wow me with all of the talking he can do, saying things like “I want to come”, “Daddy’s at work”, “Don’t jump on the couch! Jump on the ground”, and “I will do it myself”. I wonder how long it takes for a mother to stop being so completely shocked that her child can talk. It must become unimpressive at some point. I mean, everyone learns how to do it eventually. But I am not over the novelty yet! Every time Lewis says something intelligible, my jaw drops and I am in awe of the little miracle that is my bright, normally functioning, communicative child.

So all in all, life is good at our house. Mayhem, madness, ant infestations, soaring property value, looming home-improvement project, stuffy noses, broken HVAC, homemade meals alternating with frozen dinners, upcoming birthdays, happy people, baby name debates, future planning, dreams, messes, smiles and tears. We’re loving life right now!