So I definitely look pregnant now.

I had another appointment at the OB this past Monday. More evidence that I don't know what I'm doing: I didn't know I was going to get to hear the baby's heartbeat again, even though I wasn't going to get an ultrasound. It was like a present!

People have been asking me if I can feel the baby moving, but I haven't (that I know of). The doctor said I probably wouldn't feel movement for another month, but when people keep asking you, you start to wonder if something's wrong, you know?

I thought I was 17 weeks, but I think the midwife said I was around 16 weeks. It reminds me of starting a new school year when I was teaching - I would count the number of weeks we'd been in school, thinking that there was no way I'd lose track, but then, of course, I would. (Comparing pregnancy to weeks in school = appropriate or inappropriate? You be the judge.)

It kind of makes me feel like a bad pregnant lady, but on the other hand, who has time to keep all that straight?

So, anyway, I got to hear the heartbeat, which was lovely, as well as other noises (weird whooshes). The midwife said, "That's the baby kicking and tumbling." It was reassuring, but also kind of strange because I can't feel it yet.

I got to ask a couple questions, including, "I'm trying to lie on my side at night, but I wake up on my back." My husband actually is on "non-roll-over" duty and tries to make me get back on my side if he wakes up and sees I'm lying on my back. It's not the most effective method, but what can you do? I asked the midwife about a Snoogle, which she had never heard of. ("Snuggle?" she repeated. "Snooker?") She said it was up to me. Not what a first-time pregnant lady (at least, one like me) wants to hear. I want to know for sure, yes or no. When you really don't know how things are going to turn out (it's an uncertain world), you want to hear something decisive. So, yet another issue I'm on the fence about: to "Snoogle" (tm) or not to "Snoogle" (tm)?

After having gotten through the first trimester with the nausea basically over, there are times I forget that I'm pregnant. It's still hard to believe that my body is holding another body. If I catch sight of myself in a mirror or a window's reflection, it's almost always a surprise to see a pregnant lady there. I look like other pregnant women! How is that possible?

Apparently in the third trimester, there's never a time you forget you're pregnant. Whooooooo, boy.

In other news, my cousin (who is expecting her second) found out that she's having another girl. Yay!!! It also makes me extra impatient, though, because I won't know for another month what sex the maybebaby is.

So, here are the names so far suggested by family members:

Boris Raoul (the name my father claims he would have named me had I been a boy)

Richard (Ian's father's name - suggested by his father; Ian's older brothers both had boys [one had two!] and none of the boys was named after their grandfather)

Siobhan (my mother, who couldn't come up with any other Irish or Scottish names; she figured that since both my name and my husband's name were from the British Isles, we might want to stick with that)

Jeff (I guess that's only funny if you know Ian's last name)

Erian (my parents, who thought it would be funny to combine our names in such a way that made our baby sound like it was the product of neo-Nazis)

....I can't remember the others now, but as I remember them (or get new suggestions from you!....c'mon, you know you want to), I'll post them.

Thanks to everyone who has posted so far: Karen, Julie, Brook, Nichole, Megan, Abbey, Mere, Betsy, and Jason. Your info (and positivity) is truly appreciated!