Eight Weeks

An update has been demanded by my only reader. We are in the midst of week 8 now. Here is what my weekly update told me about my lil "kidney bean:"

New this week: Webbed fingers and toes are poking out from your baby's hands and feet, his eyelids practically cover his eyes, breathing tubes extend from his throat to the branches of his developing lungs, and his "tail" is just about gone. In his brain, nerve cells are branching out to connect with one another, forming primitive neural pathways. You may be daydreaming about your baby as one sex or the other, but the external genitals still haven't developed enough to reveal whether you're having a boy or a girl. Either way, your baby — about the size of a kidney bean — is constantly moving and shifting, though you still can't feel it.

So the tail is almost gone and he/she kinda sorta has fingers and toes now. That's progress! However, I am still picturing some form of Sea Monkey in my head. Now that a few people at school know, I feel as though I am getting less sympathy than I was before, as if now that the mysterious veil has been lifted, everyone simply knows better than me and expects me to just go with it. When I mention that I am tired, the response is "better get used to it!" When I mention that I feel hungry, the response is, "well that's normal for someone who's in your condition." Grrrrrrrrrrrr...

Last week, I officially gave two weeks notice at the book store. I can't believe I did it. I've been talking about it for probably two years, but I still can't believe I actually quit. I cried all over my boss when I did it, but she was extremely supportive. That being said, anyone looking for a great job should consider working at Barnes & Noble. It truly is a great experience, is challenging but not overwhelming, and you meet the best people. I told my boss that I would still probably be in to the store to shop once a week (however this will cramp the budget now and I'll lose my discount). Aaron and I went to the grocery store today and I was buying items that I would normally prepare a few hours before I go to work on Sunday and Aaron reminded me that it wouldn't be long and I wouldn't have to do so. Wow! Craziness...

This Friday is the big day: the first doctor's appointment. Yikes! I'm a bit scared actually, because I don't know if it will be Friday or the next visit that they draw all the blood, bleeding me like a stuck pig. We also have to decide what we want to be tested for, as in "do you want to know everything that your child is at risk for?" My response is HELL NO! Here's the thing, telling me what could be wrong with my baby is only going to cause me to stress out, it won't actually change anything. It's not like I can give up chocolate to reduce the baby's chances for having webbed toes or run six miles a day to prevent SIDS. It's not as if I'll decide to "reduce" my pregnancy or give the baby to a more loving family because he or she is at risk for Down Syndrome. No, no no no. This testing crap will only stress me out; it won't change the fact that I will love this child for everything he/she is and isn't. Nope. I'll let you test me, but don't tell me what might happen with my kiddo.

Now that the Dr.'s appointment is nearly here, Aaron and I have to discuss how we will tell our family members. Mom is coming to town this weekend with Tim and we'll tell them when they get here. I may tell Dad and Shelly (and Kira and Trey) before she shows up so that we can say that part is taken care of and Mom can have her moment without me stressing about who else I need to tell. We are half-way through moving some furniture from the spare room/nursery into our bedroom. We still have to switch the dressers and figure out where to put all of our CDs. Eek! There's a lot to do, but I think we'll manage to get it all done before Mom comes to town.

Ok, the kiddo has decided to sap my energy, which means that I need a full-on nap. Aaron and I are going to bake cookies to satisfy a lingering craving in a while, and I really can't afford to face plant into the bowl of dough. TTFN gente!