Still kickin'

I wish I were more consistent about blogging these days. I know I'm going to want to remember everything about my pregnancy, even the difficult parts... but it's hard to keep up with it when I have so much going on!

School is... school. I'm in the middle of midterms-- I think I have an exam every week until December! I'm excited for all that to be over, because once it is, I have lots of clinic time and very little class time for the rest of my dental school career! I really like being in clinic... despite all the paperwork and running-around craziness and the fact that I sometimes feel like I'm just chasing signatures instead of learning things. I love getting in there and doing real-live dentist things... I forget about everything else for hours at a time, and it's wonderful to have an escape like that. And it's really wonderful that that's going to be my job someday! It's less exhausting lately, even with the midterms-- maybe I've finally gotten that mythical second trimester energy boost.

I've been feeling pretty good lately. The headaches have gotten better-- even though I still get one almost every day, they aren't the horrible throbbing tunnel-vision kind, so I can deal with that. I'm tired, but I'd be tired anyway, just like the rest of my classmates. The other day, one of the girls in my class said to me "Julia, I don't know if this will make you feel better or worse, but when I get really really tired and sick of school, I just think to myself, hey... Julia must feel about twenty times worse than me right now! And then I just get up and do what I have to do, because if you're here every single day, what right do I have to stay in bed??" I was like uh... thank you?... but really I don't feel that bad these days! Wait till I get towards the end, and then you can feel all inspired by my determination! (And I will wallow in it. Ah, yes, thank you, thank you.)

Anyway, I went to my monthly OB appointment yesterday, and the doctor said I was measuring around 20 weeks instead of 19 (and who knows where I'm really at in this pregnancy anyway, since I've never had anything resembling a normal period in my life). She said they'd get a better idea of where I am at my big ultrasound which is a week from tomorrow! Baby also flailed its little feet and fists away at the doppler when she looked for the heartbeat... I guess it still hates it. She said it was a little show-off, moving around so much and making so much noise that it took her a little while to figure out what the heart rate was. [:)] And I've gained 6 pounds, for those who care about those kind of things.

Here's the belly pic from 19 weeks (20?) on Thursday. I'm rebelling against maternity clothes lately, hence the Bella band:

So, Tyler and I are super excited for the big ultrasound next Monday! The doctor also said they'd probably do a 3-D one while we were there. And don't worry, ladies who commented on my other post: we are going to stay strong and not find out the sex. I hope. Tyler is weakening too, though.

And, we started our registry this weekend, which was so fun! I'd post the info so you could see the cute stuff we picked out, but I'd rather not have the whole internet know. Those of you who know me on Facebook can feel free to spy on the adorableness! Tyler went with me and was so good about checking everything out and discussing different options with me. He's a good sport. He did get a little crazy with a travel system at one point (clear the aisles!!) but overall he did a great job... and he looks pretty hot pushing a stroller... [;)]