In case you haven't heard...

I recently got my hair cut! What do you think?

Yes, I know...I look like I am under the influence in this picture. But really, I'm just tired...

Ok, that was probably not the news many of you wanted to be reading about, so here it is...We are having a baby! We tried to keep it a secret there for a while, but SOME people (who shall remain nameless...but you know who you are, SMK!) made every attempt possible to tell everyone we know about this baby. In case you haven't heard the details, we are having a boy and he is due on October 15th. That means right now I am in the 23rd week which is a good way into the second trimester.

Let me tell you 10 things I LOVE about being an incubator...

1) I LOVE receiving daily notifications from the What to Expect website...they really keep me up to date on what is going on in my uterus. For example, today I learned that the baby's face is almost completely formed, and he can hear not only me but all sorts of things going on around me. I have been making it a point to sing every day in my car so the baby can get to know my voice (and so that when he is young he will think I'm the best singer ever and should be on American Idol...). I specifically like the produce analogies...I believe my baby is currently the size of a large squash (not the State Fair kind of squash, just a normal large squash...).

2) I LOVE that after the first 14 weeks I no longer felt sick every day, so now I can enjoy eating again! However, I could really do without the heartburn...

3) I LOVE that I can finally tell people "No, I'm not just getting chubbier...there's a baby in there!"...I've been wanting to say that for years!

4) I LOVE that Dan cooks dinner every night...I know this is partially because I get home so late from work but I also know that it is partially because I am carrying his love child...

5) I LOVE that when we moved into our new house, we found a PLETHORA of baby products (including a crib, changing table, toddler bed, and an assortment of baby boy clothes), and now we can use them all! This house just keeps on giving!

6) I LOVE reading about all the things I should and should not be doing while pregnant...and I love when the information I read is actually useful! Here is an example: How many of you know what Fifth Disease is? I didn't either. I read about it in a baby book and shared all my new knowledge with my spouse, who immediately reminded me that I am a hypochondriac and that it is not helpful for me to read about all these diseases because they just freak me out. Just for your information, it is the fifth of the childhood skin rashes (including scarlet fever, rubella, and measles, among others) and often causes spontaneous abortions in pregnant women. The week after reading about this disease, I went to work and found out that one of my clients had Fifth Disease...what is the chance of that happening!?!?!? Honestly, if I had not read about this, I would have just gone to the child's home and been infected! My baby boy has had his first near death experience!

7) I LOVE that I am not really craving anything sweet. Dan is not too thrilled about this...he was hoping that my cravings would result in numerous weekly trips to get soft serve ice cream for the both of us. Unfortunately for him, I just want fruits! The reason I'm glad I don't want sweets is that I am hoping this will help me keep my weight down, stop me from getting gestational diabetes, keep my baby from weighing 13 pounds when he's born, and keep him from wanting sweet things (so that I can keep them all to myself!)

8) I LOVE that I can blame my mood swings and bipolar behavior on the fact that "I'm PREGNANT!" SOME people might say that I am really mean these days...especially after 10:00pm...and that I am more demanding and less appreciative. None of those things are true...I am actually very pleasant between the hours of 8:00am and 6:00pm...unfortunately, all those hours are spent with my coworkers so SOME people don't get to see my pleasant side...

9) I LOVE feeling little kicks in my lower abdomen. So far they are not annoying me...they just help me to know he's still alive in there and very active. He's kicking more and more every day...now I just want Dan to feel these kicks, but so far no luck.

10) I LOVE that Dan tells me all the time to relax and not overdo it...isn't that sweet? Sometimes I still overdo it a little (because my stupid yard needs weeding every single day of my life...).