Beat it

It finally happened last night!

After months of trying, and waiting patiently, and continuous effort, it finally happened.

No, your Mom's belly button didn't turn into an outie. It's still an inny. Although, it is a weird one...sometimes it protrudes more than others. But, overall, it's an inny.

No, you weren't born. It's too early for that!

Yes, "LOST" came back on, but that's not what I'm talking about.

What I'm all excited about went down like this:

After LOST was over, I tucked your Mom into her new bed (the couch) and sung you a lullabye. Then I put my ear to your Mom's belly to try to hear your heartbeat again.

After several ear placements (and several iterations of you pushing against my face), I finally heard a heart beat.

Convinced it was not your beat, but your Mom's, I started tap the rhythm out on your Mom's arm.

Not knowing what I was doing at all, she said "What are you doing?"

"Is that your heartbeat?" I asked.

She put her fingers to her neck to check her pulse.

"Nope!" she replied.

And with that "nope," I knew that the loud, strong heartbeat I was hearing was actually yours!

I've been putting my ear to your Mom's belly for at least 10 weeks- because the books all said I should have been able to hear your heartbeat. And for 10 weeks, I never heard it.

And finally, last night, I heard your heart pumping blood through your body. I've heard your heart many times on the Doppler, but to hear it with my naked ears- now that was something special. Even more special than the premiere of "LOST," if you can imagine that!

So, be warned, I'm putting my ear to the belly again tonight, for a chance of hearing your ticker tick once more.

Side-by-Side-by-Sidesleeping

Did you know that your Mom is growing more and more uncomfortable day by day? Or, should I say, night by night... Now, don't be upset; it's a natural part of pregnancy: your Mom cannot find a comfortable way to sleep!

Sleeping on her stomach is completely out of the question; she doesn't want to cramp your style.

Sleeping on her back is growing more and more complicated. Basically, the new weight brought on by growing a you in her belly has added some extra mass on her topside. This extra mass makes her feel like shes being "crushed." Now, I could think of worse ways to be crushed, but your Mom just can't do it!

That only leaves one option: Side sleeping!

The only problem with side sleeping is that by exposing the small of her back or a nest-like space between her butt and her legs, she is only inviting Toby and Preston to nuzzle up closely. And boy do those boys take advantage. Like little fuzzy bookends, the dogs sleep closer and closer to her every night!

Also, starting soon, the added weight of pregnancy (in chest and belly) is going to start having "dunlap disease"...where it dunlap off the edge of the bed. In fact, I think it's happening already. The solution: a body pillow. I've suggested it many times, as did Iris and David. But your Mom is resisting the notion. It would provide tons of support for you in her belly! And then think, you could sleep on her belly pillow AND her bladder! It's the best of both worlds!

I will try again this weekend to get a body pillow that your mother will use. Until then, though, it's side sleeping with a side of white dog and another side of gray dog (and a slight chance of dunlap).

Speaking of sides, though, take a look at this side-by-side comparison of your Mom at week 8 and at week 15! Can you spot the difference?