16 weeks and 6 days.

Somewhere around 15 weeks, my belly kind of... expanded. All of a sudden my handy 'bella band' (a large stretchy spandexy tube you wear over your non-maternity jeans, pants, etc.) was NOT keeping my pants up. I would sit down at a restaurant, and as I stood up, the sag in my rear end hung nearly to the middle of my thighs... not very flattering. My mother, just laughs.

Friends bend over and put there mouths to my stomach and speak softly to my belly... they gently pat or rub my belly as if it somehow will bring good fortune or luck. Compliment or annoyance? Well, if I am anything like the Buddha, total compliment. If I am anything like a FAT man with a sign above his head that reads, "Good Fortune", annoyance.

Kevin will rub his hand over my belly and look at it while saying things like, "How's the BABY...?" or, "Ooohhh, look at the babeee..." And I think privately to myself, "I wonder if the baby understands the difference between the sounds of adults making "coochie-coo" non-sense and simply speaking coherantly...?

I am frustrated that I have not had an ultra-sound performed. I have heard the heartbeat, but I have yet to SEE it. Isn't that supposed to be a milestone? My last visit to my OBGYN was disappointing... I reminded her that during the last appointment she had mentioned that I would have the opportunity to have an ultra-sound performed. She let out a deep sigh and said, "Well, it's not like a big deal or anything... It's like, there it is, there's the baby, then you're done." I was so taken aback that I didn't even react to her statement. I have been bitter ever since. Perhaps it is my own attachment. I just wanted her to keep her word...

So I am up late, I wake up late then I eat late... this vicious cycle has taken a toll on me. I can tell that the baby needs more nourishment. I wake groggy and weak. When I do eat, I feel exceptionally nauseous. I almost had an accident at Whole Foods this evening. Soba sounded so yummy and healthy (with spinach and wakame). I could tell Kevin was really nervous, but Ihad him stay put in his chair in case I did hurl. Talk about mind control... I can not recall a time where I was more ready to throw up --- it was right there. And I psyched myself out of it... it was a really intense five minutes... We left the market unscathed and with a nice bag of leftovers...