15 weeks!

Yup. I updated the belly gallery with a 15 week photo.

Not too much to report. The yucky bitter taste in my mouth had been gone for maybe two weeks or so, but it's back now, maybe because of the cold. The nausea has also been a bit worse, but I think I mentioned that two days ago. My appetite is really low right now. I can't eat much at a time and I don't really get all that hungry-feeling between meals, which is kinda strange to me. I do get low-blood-sugarish at times, but not HUNGRY, if that makes sense. I'm currently enjoying salami and cheese rolls and Trader Joe's Butternut Squash and Apple soup more than any other thing. And fruit. I eat a ton of fruit - just like with Bean. That soup though - man, it is DELICIOUS. I add a touch of half-n-half to add a few extra calories and protein because I've noticed I've lost about 2 lbs. this week. Which is okay, but you know, as little as I've been able to eat, I figure I should fortify it a little when I can.

The cold is still pretty bad - my throat's been really raw and sore, especially at night when it gets all dry. I'm not taking anything except Tylenol - I stopped the Cold-Eze because they were REALLY making me nauseous AND further supressing my appetite.

Been getting a LOT of belly rubbing and belly checking and belly kissing from Bean and Daddy. Peanut gets plenty of attention for a non-born baby, I think. Last night I felt a TON of moving, too... like some somersaults or complete position shifts and a few kick-ish things too. The movement is still really small and gentle and faint, as the baby is still so tiny, but I definitely feel him/her more often and a bit more noticeably day by day. Of course I touch my belly more than anyone else. I notice that later in the day I even instinctively support my non-existent bump from underneath, like it's huge and unwieldy or something. It's funny how these things come back to you.

We haven't done much at all this week - we're in survival mode with these colds and low temps outside. We did all go out for Valentine's Day Dinner last night to Biaggi's and we had fun. My food tasted weird and bitter but as usual the company was spectacular! I told Al last night that after I deliver this baby, I'm going EAT AND EAT AND EAT - whatever I want, because I know it's all going to taste SO GOOD. Right now I can't really even remember why I used to love food so much, it is all so blah or icky right now.

I was thinking that next year our Valentine Dinner will be for either Daddy and his THREE girls, or maybe we'll be more like two couples - we'll have one more little man amongst us. Which would be better? I dunno. I know that no matter who this little one turns out to be, him or her, Peanut will have the perfect spot in the family and I'll be glad and know God got it right. Again.

Al has been WAIVERING sometimes on his "girl vibe." Because this pregnancy is so different from the first he says. He will now say "him" or "the baby brother" on occasion instead of ALWAYS referring to Peanut as a girl. When I ask him about it, though, he says, "I'm just trying to remain BALANCED for Bean, but I still KNOW she's a girl." He's so stubborn, that Daddy. But cute!

I got a new camera (a really nice one! Yay!) for Valentine's Day, but I think I'll just keep taking the belly gallery photos with the old one, for consistency. It's not like they're particularly artistic, anyway. Maybe I'll do some nicer photos with the new camera as I get bigger and post them on another page. I do want to capture it all a bit better visually than I did with Bean - we only have a handful (maybe 4 or 5) picture of me pregnant with her, from the whole 40 weeks. I was stubborn and wouldn't just ASK Al to take some here and there. I thought HE should want to do it and think of it himself and I wouldn't budge an inch on that. Ah the wisdom of maturity.