4 month tummy

Yep, I finally had to give in to the maternity pants with the cool big elastic band. I couldn't find any jeans that I liked....will have to keep looking.

I can't believe how much my belly has popped out in literally days! For reals, one day my pants fit fine, then the next day they didn't. EJ notices it getting bigger every day too.

Haha, this morning I was jamming out to some reggaeton and baby started kicking away, doing somersaults in there. Either she doesn't like it or she enjoys it as much as her mama does. I think she was having fun dancing around with me though :P

My belly popped this week! Every day I can feel it getting bigger. I'm running out of jeans that still fit!

Just being nosy...

OK, this is EJ writing now. I am just being nosy, and figured that I might as well get into the action with this whole baby blogging thing. Given that I cannot grow a baby inside me and that I am missing out on all of that, I figured I'll try to get involved in ways where I can. Anyway, the baby moved yesterday...lots of times. I was actually driving home from work when it happened. Margarita called my cell phone and told me all about it...I cried a little, just a little. But then afterward I couldn't stop thinking about it, and giggling about it. So I must've looked like a crazy person giggling by myself while stuck in rush hour traffic. Anyway...I'm done.
HI BABY!!!

finger CHOP!

Now I'm sure I felt baby kick. Yesterday I was talking to my belly and I felt several little pokes. It was so cool to finally feel what's been growing in there! Even more than hearing the heartbeat....although that was pretty awesome too. EJ is so proud every time we go to an appointment. Afterward he'll brag to everyone, "my baby's heart beat 156 times a minute." I actually got kind of emotional (i.e. cried) when I felt that little poke and knew for sure that it was baby. It's definitely more real now. EJ was even able to feel him so I know it wasn't just me. Can't smile big enough :)

Auntie Freda took this picture at Veta's fundraiser in Fairbanks in November

Tibet

Oooh, I wanted to mention this concert we went to a few weeks ago. It was the first Free Tibet concert in Alaska on Jan 10. A Tibetan man who grew up in India and Nepal (because his parents fled Chinese rule in Tibet) has been living in Alaska for a while now and organized this event. They brought up a former Tibetan prisoner to talk about her experiences. Her name is Ngawang Sangdrol, and she was first imprisoned when she was 13 because she was part of a peaceful protest. She was there for 13 years in all before the government was pressured to release her and she came to the states.....can you imagine!??! They also brought up I guess one of Tibet's most well known performing artist, Yungchen Lhamo. It was cool. There were also a couple of local indigenous groups that performed. And it was free. Yungchen Lhamo performed last. She has such a soft calm voice and her music is so soothing, like lullaby music (I should get her CD and listen to it when I can't fall asleep!). It was really nice. So I was just sitting back in my chair enjoying the music, let my eyes close and was thinking about baby...and I felt a little bubble down below my belly button. Gas? Has to be, I was only 14 weeks pregnant...but it was in front in the middle....hmmm.....maybe. I think baby liked the music.....

Insomnia

How do I write a frustrated sound.....arrrgh....I can't sleep! Most nights I wake up and cannot fall back asleep, then I am so tired all day long! I have this eye mask and lavender aromatherapy and try all these breathing and relaxation techniques..and nothing. EJ sleeps so easily..I think it makes me more frustrated.
Anyway, I thought I'd write about dreams. I often remember at least bits of my dreams, but lately they have been more vivid and weird. I did have a dream that I gave birth already. I was at a check-up and they told me there that I was in labor and had to start pushing already. I was worried because it was too early and that was not how I wanted to give birth (it was this really sterile room on a hard little exam table). They told me that I had to start pushing so I gave a feeble push because I didn't really believe them that it was time already. (I didn't feel anything so I knew it was a dream.) They got mad at me and told me that I had to try harder, and put my hand down there to feel the head crowning, then all of a sudden the whole baby came out and I caught it. I just laughed because I stil didn't believe it. I looked down and it was this brown baby girl with a head full of thick dark hair. I laughed again and said "this can't be my baby, I was bald my whole first year!"
EJ had a dream that he was pregnant and gave birth...hahaha...he doesn't remember the details though.
After I told my new BIRCH (Building Initiatives in Rural Community Health-- the name of the AmeriCorps program I coordinate) team that I was expecting in July, one of the girls came up to me and told me that before she came to town for orientation and we met in person that she had a dream that I was pregnant.
TG and EJ's mom are sure that I am going to have a girl. Alison says it's a girl. We'll see...........