Hi Baby Ritger!

We recently went for our 20 week ultrasound and got to see our little bundle of joy ! The baby is perfect with all parts and organs developing normally-10 fingers and 10 toes. We're now at about 1 whole pound! I couldn't believe how active the little one was during the ultrasound-kicking, punching, rolling around, and we could even see baby sucking his or her thumb and yawning. It is absolutely amazing to get to see the person growing inside of me, doing everything a baby does. I am so relieved that everything is right on track and healthy. I asked the ultrasound technician about a hundred and two questions about possible heart defects, cleft lip and palates, and brain hemispheres, when she eventually asked me what I did for a living. When I told her I'm a speech therapist, and I work with special needs children, she smiled and said "that explains all the questions" before reassuring me again that everything looked perfect :) As planned, we turned our head when promped and I did not give in to the urge to peek at the ever- popular between the legs shots! Take a look at our little one...I think he/she is absolutely adorable already, but that just might be my mommy instincts kicking in...

The above is a picture of baby making a fist and getting ready to punch mom in the belly (one of baby's favorite activities at the moment)...look at that muscle definition-hopefully he/she will get mom's calf muscles!

Here's a picture of me at 20 weeks examining my belly....however this was taken

3 weeks ago. We are now at 23 weeks, and I feel like I've about doubled in size since then. The baby is moving all the time now, and every once in a while I get a really hard punch or kick right in the ribs-its amazing! Almost 6 months along-I can't believe it. We've been busy working on the nursery and bathroom renovations. I've bought paint colors for both, picked out my bedding, and am searching for the perfect crib in addition to fabric for drapes that I need to start working on. We're all registered for all our baby gear, and are putting together a guest list for our shower at the end of August! We have our boy name picked out, but are still working on the perfect girl name-both to remain a surprise until baby arrives. We're signed up for childbirth classes and go on our hospital tour in a few weeks. I feel wonderful, and continue to have absolutely no complaints. The questions of the moment from complete strangers in the grocery line include "is it a boy or a girl?" "do you have names picked out?" "are you swelling?", and "can I touch your belly?"

In case you are wondering...no, I am not swelling, the heat doesn't bother me at all , and I do not mind at all if people I know touch my belly-but I would prefer the random old women in Kroger to back away from my baby.