18 Weeks! Breaking the Rules.

If there is one thing I'm not a fan of, it's rules. I've never liked them. I like freedom, and the ability to do as I please. I like to make up rules for myself and how I think I should live my own life. I hate when people tell me what to do, or even give me suggestions. That's just always how I've been. I was a real joy to raise, I know that for certain. I'm incredibly, fiercely, independent and would rather learn from my own mistakes than have some one warn me, or heaven forbid give me a rule to protect me.

So a funny thing happened when I got pregnant. I was bombarded with rules. Seriously, have you seen the list of rules for pregnant people? It's out of control. But oddly enough, I read them all, and for the most part, followed them all. After all, they weren't necessarily for me... they were for my baby, to keep him safe. And I would do anything for that, even follow rules. I even kind of liked it. These rules meant that I was pregnant, and I was living for someone else now. I couldn't just do as I pleased, I had to do for someone else. And that was a-okay with me. For a while.

To give you just a simple run down of rules, they are as follows: no smoking (done, easy), no drinking (done, also easy, the thought of it sent me to the toilet), no cleaning supplies, no painting, no lunch meat, no hot dogs, no sleeping on your stomach, no sleeping on your back, no ice skating, no horse riding, no lifting over 5lbs, no exercising too hard, no hair dying, no eating alfalfa sprouts (what are those?), no acrylic nails, no standing by microwaves too long, no caffeine, no swordfish (thank God), no rare meat, no ibuprofen, no nyquil, and the incredibly ridiculous list goes on. Obviously some of these are just insane and thus were disregarded completely... ie microwaves... what? But for the most part I followed everyone of them strictly. After all, I didn't want to kill my baby.

However, as my pregnancy progressed normally and without issue, I began to become lax with some of them. For example, I had a rumball or two at Christmas. That's alcohol. And for some reason, rumballs didn't make me want to vomit, so double bonus. I completely felt guilty though, I probably just made my baby drunk. And his poor little liver can't handle it. But the alcohol in them was really pretty minimal, so I was okay with it. Next came the sleeping on my stomach. I'm sorry, I just wasn't sleeping on my left side, and I desperately wanted to sleep. I decided I wasn't crushing the baby after all, and that he couldn't even feel it. So I had several weeks of blissful, stomach sleeping. Until my stomach got big, and unfortunately now the only option I have is my right or left sides. But thanks to my snoogle, it is much more comfortable now! Then one day, I couldn't take it anymore and I ate lunch meat! COLD lunch meat! From Jimmy Johns! YUM. But I felt sooo bad. I was so nervous I'd make myself or the baby get sick I barely enjoyed it. But it tasted so, so good. I've also cleaned my house from time to time. With cleaner. Yikes. He's probably high in my belly. But you know what, my house is well ventilated, and I don't inhale the stuff. Plus, someone's got to do it.

So there it is. I've been breaking some rules. And do you know what? My baby is still alive. And from what I can tell, very healthy. He kicks me lots to remind me. There are some rules on that list I will continue to abide by though. I will not dye my hair, I will not drink caffeine, I will not smoke or go to a place where smoking occurs, and I will not go ice skating. However, if you are pregnant and do those things, I don't judge you... everyone has their vices... mine was lunch meat. Although, if you're smoking, you should really stop.

Now this little person in my belly, has his own set of rules. He is supposed to meet certain milestones at certain weeks, and I am supposed to feel certain things at certain weeks. Let me just tell you, this child is mine. He has a mind of his own, and he is as independent and disregarding of rules as his mama :). Apparently, he is not supposed to kick me hard enough to feel until somewhere around 17-18 weeks. Folks, I felt him without a shadow of a doubt at 14 weeks 6 days. He was not supposed to make my belly pop out until 14 weeks or sometime after... I got my new belly at 9 weeks. He was supposed to let me zip and button my pants for quite a while, but that stopped at around 8 weeks. He wasn't supposed to cause me back pain until he weighs more, but at just 5 oz, he is putting quite an amount of pressure on me. He was definitely not supposed to let his daddy feel him until sometime in the 20 weeks, and that little bit of magic happened a couple of nights ago at 17 weeks 3 days. And last but not least, I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to be able to see him move from the outside yet, but low and behold before writing this blog his was moving SO much I decided to take a peak... and what to do know? My stomach was moving also! But I will not apologize for this baby one little bit. I understand where he's coming from. He doesn't like to be told what to do. He is his mama's child, and we do what we want, when we want to.

So with us each breaking rules one by one, we have made it to 18 weeks! Things are speeding up! We (Kyle) worked in his room all night Friday, moving furniture out. He now has a room all to himself. Filled with all of his crap. In just a week we will find out what exactly he is!! I absolutely cannot wait. I never thought this day would come! He (or she) had better cooperate that day! This week he is busy gaining his senses! He can now here us talk, and loud noises will startle him! His bones are really starting to harden now, and he is flexing his muscles lots. Glad to know he's already taking after his dad.

In other news, he is about to live through his first catastrophic, colossal, life threatening, historic snow storm. Good thing to know he will be warm and cozy even if we lose power. The scary part might come when we start running out of food, and he is still hungry. He is not a happy camper when he's hungry, and he makes sure I'm not either. But, I got us plenty of food... so we should be okay.

That's it for now. The next time I write, it will be after our doctors appointment and this little baby will have an official name!!!!