Belly

My belly is a big topic around here.  The girls love to look at it, play with it, hug it, comment on how big it is, pretend they have one too, pull my shirt up in public, etc.  James just loves to sit on it ... as in trying to sit in my lap that is pretty much gone.  He also loves to kiss it.  It's funny this time around because the girls really have gotten pretty into the pregnancy.  They were too young when I was pregnant with James to really get it.  And James is way too young now to have a clue.  Poor kid, his world is about to be seriously rocked.

As of a couple of weeks ago, I realized I had not really taken any photos of my belly with little #4.  So I had Jim and a friend take a few whenever I thought about it.  I wanted to at least be able to look back to see how I looked while pregnant with him.  And I think belly pictures are fun.  :>)

We took some cuter posed pictures.  33 weeks and headed out to a playdate with my little cuties.

We took some of me trying to hold a squirmy James.

And we took some silly ones!  The girls wanted to show off their bellies too.  And then everyone wanted to give the belly and baby brother some love.

Can you tell that the girls love showing off their bellies too? (And that they don't like wearing clothes?)  And yes, that is just a 33 week belly.  This is going to be a big boy!  Either that, or I ate way too many french fries early on in this pregnancy.

We took the girls with us to my ultrasound last week.  It was a very uneventful ultrasound since jr. decided to have his head all the way down and covered with his arms the entire time.  We did see some hair on his head though, and the ultrasound tech took a picture of what she says are little fat rolls on him.  And that was the ONLY picture we got from the ultrasound.  That made me a bit sad because I' am ready to see him and wanted to ultrasound photos to keep.  Oh well.  He will be here soon!  And according to Madeline, that is any day now because every day she asks me, "Did the baby come out yet?"  It is so cute and funny.

Other funny memories of this pregnancy.  I crave frosted flakes.  Every night.  I have to have them.  The look on Madeline's face the first time she felt the baby kick was priceless.  She had her head on my belly, he kicked, and she jumped up and looked at me with her jaw dropped open.  She also puts her ear to my belly to listen and says "I hear something."  I asked what she heard, and she said "it's an elephant."  Exactly what it feels like!  Annabel loves to listen and pat my belly too.  She truly believes he will come out my belly button, which is not too far off given the scheduled csection.  She's been sitting with me a couple of times when he sticks his foot out of my side, so I've put her hand on that to feel his foot.  She thinks it is super cool!  And this baby ... oh my, he is active.  I said if I thought James was a soccer player, then this baby must be a breakdancer.  This is way more than kicking.  It is all limbs moving at the same time all the time.  His feet are pressing firmly into my spine, and he pushes.  Feels like he's going to bust out my belly and back.  He moves so much that the darned nausea has returned.  It is hard to eat with someone kicking and pummeling my guts all day.  But as the pictures show, I sure am not suffering from a lack of weight gain!  I'm at about 22 pounds now, which my doc is pleased with and says I'm right on target for a 25-30 pound healthy pregnancy weight gain.  (But that is not taking into account the 10 or so pounds I still had left on from James.)

Did I mention this has been pretty much the hottest summer of my lifetime?  Thank goodness for air conditioning, swimming pools, and a husband, family members and sitter who help chase my kids around.  I am one tired mommy!