Extra medium and Chinese names

I am finally reaching the point where clothes don't fit quite right. Or at all. Last week I actually bought maternity jeans (comfy, for now, I might add). Q says I am extra medium. I feel silly wearing one of my seven maternity shirts, but today I couldn't even button my favorite over-sized, ugly flannel shirt. I had to leave two buttons undone, a porthole of sorts. I tell Q that I will wear his shirts soon. I'm not upset--I kind of like it. But I am definitely in between sizes.

Tonight our Chinese friend from Nevada called us to check in and say hello. We told him the news, and asked if there were any Chinese names we should think about. He said no, but all we have to do is come up with a single syllable word and we have a Chinese name, which we found hilarious! He didn't think it was so funny (J, you make us laugh!). He then used his own and his brother's names as examples.

Coming Attractions

Tomorrow Smileycue and I will get to see Babycue via ultrasound. Tune in tomorrow to see the black-and-white, shadowy shapeshifter.

Baby names

Bittersweet posted about Secret Future Baby Names. Who knew that Neveah was so popular, or even a name? She also reveals the fantastic timewaster, babynameshub, which has a compare names function.

As you can see on the accompanying bar graph, Both Q (in green) and Smileycue (in orange) have popular names. In fact, our parents were trendsetters, apparently. However, the popularity of each name peaked in elementary school. Apparently, word got out that you don't want kids "like us." It's interesting to see how names like Tyler and Connor have from nonexistent to ubitiquous while names like Merle and Louise have faded away.

Barack hasn't caught fire yet, and it looks like Brittany has had its moment.

(Thanks to Bittersweet for the tip.)

17 weeks and some awkward pregnant moments

Yesterday we had our 17 week OB appointment. There isn't much exciting. I gained 2.6 pounds. Dr. B had a difficult time finding the heartbeat. He started by my belly button and worked his way down until he found it. It seems Babycue is chilling on my bladder. I can think of better places to be. Baby Center says the baby is the size of a 5 ounce turnip, so imagine that sitting on your bladder. Apparently where we live, ultrasounds are optional, and they have to come up with a reason for getting one. We could have said, no, we don't need one, but really, I want to see this little critter inside of me. So our reason: large for dates. Whatever that means. The ultrasound directions say to come with a full bladder. Like that will be a problem.

I have had a series of awkward pregnant moments...here are a couple.

Not even eight weeks along, we announce in church because the pastor is afraid she will burst from holding in our exciting news. So we announce. One lady says to me after church, "I thought I saw a belly there." But at least she didn't try to feel my belly like two ladies at a recent funeral visitation. Or compliment me on how "slim and trim" I am looking after I have just spent five days throwing up everything inside of me.

Then there's the camper from the camp where Dan and I counsel in the summers. He works at a local grocery store where we go mostly because it is open latest, and we like to check up on him. He tells me that his girlfriend was pregnant, but had a miscarriage. What do you say to that? My first instinct was to tell him about this thing called Planned Parenthood, and although I don't condone his choice to have sex just now, he should be using some kind of contraception. But I held it in, and just say I'm sorry to hear that. After all, he told me in confidence and it isn't my place to say or do anything else but listen. The next time I see him though...

The Babycue interviews

Reader maggie, proprietor of Sketchbook Maggie, has asked questions about Babycue. We felt that Babycue was best suited to answer the questions.

What are we doing with this new baby?

My parents have been feeding me and keeping me warm. The other night there was a bright light; I turned away.

I frequently hear sound. Sometimes I hear the voice of my father. Occasionally there is music. More often, I my mother's voice.

Are we going to find out sex?

I'm too young for that! (rimshot.)

Seriously, I've developed my "business," but my parents are respecting my privacy. I can't hide it from the ultrasound - it's Naked Time all the time here - but they promised me they wouldn't look.

Baby shower?

Why do I need a shower? I'm soaking in amniotic fluid 24/7.

Have you decided on a decorating theme?

I've thought about a decorator blankie. There are no windows. That rules out any draperies, but I have thought about a nice lamp and maybe a poster of my hero, Super Grover.

Maggie, there you are, straight from the mouth of Babycue. Readers, what questions do you have? Post them in the comments. We'll ask Babycue and share them in a future post.

coffee, er, milk snob and one less worry

Well. It seems I have become a milk snob. Now, I used to be a coffee snob. Starbucks=bad, non-corporate coffee=good, and certain drinks from certain places are better. I can tell you my favorite coffee at many places in Las Vegas, and now in our small area of Iowa.

But my coffee drinking has been limited (just don't tell Dan about the single shot latte I had on Wednesday). So I have become a critic of milk instead. Dan and I compromised long ago and buy 1% instead of skim or 2%. But last Saturday I accidentally bought the store brand. And it was not good. It tasted funny and I had a difficult time drinking it. I finally finished the gallon, and bought my Anderson Erickson 1% and life is good again. I have become a milk snob.

One less worry...we had been trying to figure out how to get a wash machine so that we could do laundry at home, instead of our once a month trek to the laundromat. We technically have a washer and dryer, but they reside in our condo in Las Vegas. Yesterday my mom brought us a washer. She got it from this guy who buys appliances at auctions, and then resells them for very decent prices. It is a Maytag, and works well. Somehow she and Dan got it into the basement too. Now we have to get our landlord to fix the water pipes so it can use cold water as well as hot...Thanks mom!

New Ben & Jerry's flavor: La Leche?

This news item is something I'd normally write about in my other blog, but it's more apropos here. PETA has suggested to Ben & Jerry's founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield that they begin to use human breast milk instead of cow's milk. While Smileycue enjoyed Ben & Jerry's until she discovered that most of their products contain the soy derivative soy lechitin, she is not interested in providing base ingredients for them.

PETA has also posted their press release and a blog entry.

(Thanks to David DeGeest for the tip.)