Bump Check: Week 20

First and foremost…we’re having a baby girl!!  What?!  I’m so excited and so happy that we no longer have to refer to Baby Dicus as “it” but rather, “her”.  It’s so wonderful.   Homegirl is already the best dressed baby on the block, thanks to my mom & pop! Pardon the poor, iPhone quality snapshot...sorry, Dad. I promise I'll take pictures with a REAL camera too. :)

Our sonogram was last Friday and it was pretty much amazing.  The sonographer put the magic wand/warm goop thingy on my stomach and within what seemed like 20 seconds, we saw the baby’s bojangles.  [Note: Bojangles is the word I use with my dance team girls to describe their lady parts.  “Girls, please be thoughtful about this portion of the dance.  So far, I’ve seen half of your bojangles and that’s too much.”]  Anywho, the sonographer snapped a “photo” of baby girl’s bojangles and almost immediately after, Baby Dicus crossed her legs so her parts were hidden.  I think she was appalled that anyone would take a picture of her hoohah and was just trying to remain a lady.  It’s good to know that we’re not going to have a little hoochie mama.  This was our third sonogram so far, but this was the first sonogram where I cried.  This is not, however, the first time I’ve cried this week.

Let’s discuss what has made me cry this week.  My hormones are JERKS.

1. Gender sonogram.
2. When I reached too far, kind of pulled a stomach muscle, and thought I wasn’t taking good care of the baby.
3. When Scott went out of town for 3 nights.
4. When I wanted to schedule a pre-natal massage with a specialist, and she wasn’t available until June.  (Don’t worry, I didn’t cry until AFTER I hung up.)
5. When Oprah gave away a car.
6. When Oprah gave away a dream wedding trip.
7. When Oprah applauded the Freedom Riders.
8. When Oprah had a live proposal on her show.
9. When Oprah blinked.  Well, not really, but it pretty much seems like whatever Oprah does makes me cry.  Good thing there’s only a few episodes left.

Luckily, I have yet to cry at school.  My students seriously are being so wonderful, sweet, and curious with everything baby.  They are so incredibly invested in the baby, it’s as if I’m carrying THEIR child.  (Luckily for my career AND marriage, none of my students are the father).  Last week, I had students take an online survey where they guessed the baby’s gender, suggested names for both genders, and gave parenting advice.  Some of them were so thoughtful and some of them were offensive.  Here we go!

Gender Guesses: Girl – 41%, Boy – 59%

Sampling of Possible Boy Names: Michael (4 suggestions), Scott LeRon Dicus, Kobe Dicus, Pilgram, Osama Bin Dicus

Sampling of Possible Girl Names: Ka’Mya, Phoenix, Mu Mu, Sogouda, Michelle Jr, Misama La Dicus

Parenting Advice (pardon any weird typos…I’m copying and pasting):

• Love and hold your baby as much as you can.
• Do not cuss and beat your child. And do not neglect your child.
• Be a mother just like your a teacher, fun.
• When its older, feed it Mexican food, lol.
• Try to keep your Child very healthy and keep Baby Dicus in sports.
• Make him like a sport at a young age since now a days there is a high obisity rate.
• If your baby starts to cry, stick in the closet with some cheez-its. If you need a babysitter, I’m available. Lol
• Four beatings a day and have four other babies - call them the Dicus Five. You’d be like Joe Jackson!
• Clean yo’ baby’s booty.
• From a male student (awkward): Take good care of the baby. Don’t leave the baby alone at all costs.  It’s better if u breast feed him.
• Don’t drop the baby.
• To make sure you always spend time with your baby and always check on him/her if they look sad, depressed or anything and make sure you always always love him/her no matter what they think, say, or do. I really hope u have a girl.

I love my students, I love my job, I love my patient husband, and I love our baby so much already!

How far along: 20 weeks

Current fruit comparison: Banana…what?  This one confuses me. Oh well, I like bananas.

Total weight gain/loss: +10lbs.  No change from last week.  The good news?  At the doctor last week, the nurse practitioner offered up the news that my weight gain was right on track. Phew!

Sleep: Pretty good.  Scott was out of town some of last week, so my sleep wasn’t so good then, but other than that, I’ve been doing well!

Best moment this week: Finding out that we’re having a girl & then a wonderful girly shopping spree with Scott & my parents!

Movement: YES!  On Mother’s Day morning, I was laying in bed, and all of a sudden it felt like someone was inside of my stomach lightly tapping on my belly.  So fun!  I report to Scott anytime I feel her move.

Food cravings: The Chick Fil A lemonade is still my #1, but the cost was adding up, so I’m supplementing my habit with Simply Lemonade from the grocery store.

Free food from students: Homemade beef stroganoff.  It’s good to have a former student in a foods class!

What I miss: This week, I miss sitting or standing without any back pain.  I pretty much lay down whenever I can.

Milestones: Feeling Baby Girl move!