This weekend my parents came to Nashville to help us build a fence for the dogs. Well, and to see their pregnant daughter. While the "boys team" worked on the fence, the "girls team" made curtains, all the meals, and one of us worked on growing a baby! It's hard to tell who had the tougher job. I'll post some pictures of the fence, and my growing belly, as soon as possible. I guess I just forget that we should be taking pictures of me, because I see myself every day and don't notice the gradual changes. Some days I feel like I am showing so much, and then I realize how big I am going to get in the next 4 months.

The dogs don't understand the fence concept yet. We let them out the side door, and they run out to the yard for a second but then come back and wait on the patio. It's like they are thinking, "Aren't you going to come out with us? We can't be alone!" But yes, boys, you can be alone now. Hopefully they will start to get it soon. They are too funny.

We had our 20 week visit and ultrasound on Monday, and we were so amazed. Just being able to watch our tiny baby moving around, to see little fingers and toes, and a spine and brain and heart. To know that we get to meet this little person in just 20 weeks time. To see them kick on the screen and feel it at the same time. It definitely makes it more real to have had a glimpse of what this baby looks like as they are developing inside me. Now when I feel the kicks and squirms, I can imagine the little person who is doing that to me.

The baby is perfect, as far as they can tell. Everything is in the right place and functioning like it should. And, although mommy hasn't gained much weight, the baby is plenty big! 15 ounces, when the average 20 weeker is only 10 ounces. I was 9 lb 10 oz myself, so we might just have a big kid on our hands. My next appointment is on September 15, when I will be 25 weeks pregnant.

19 weeks today! We're almost half way there. This pregnancy thing really takes a long time. I want to meet this child! It is starting to get fun now, though, since I am looking more pregnant and can feel the baby fairly often. Not true kicks yet, but they are definitely being a wiggle worm in there. Andy was surprised the other day when I told him that I only really need an extra 300 calories a day to "feed the baby", so I pointed out that the kid is only 5 inches tall right now.

My emotions are running wild lately. I've cried over everything there is to cry about, and some things that aren't. I cried because we have kittens living under our house that we can't find homes for. I cried because someone told me "you don't look pregnant." I cried because we have to spend $3000 on a new engine for Andy's car. Okay, that one is a valid reason to cry.

Also, this week I had to stop being the pathetic sick one and let Andy take over. He had an allergic reaction to something - probably either octopus or deodorant - and got hives all over his entire body. He suffered all weekend, and finally got a steroid shot on Tuesday. He is feeling better for the most part, although the itchiness comes back sometimes. He was pretty pathetic for a while there, but I enjoyed taking care of him.