Put me on the cover of People magazine...

Well, it looks as if news of me being pregnant has gotten out to the celebrity world. They had to be copycats! Its been coming out alot over the past couple months about the all pregnant celebrities who wanted to be just like us and have a baby this coming summer.

Just to name a few...
- Julia Roberts (a Pretty Woman)
- Tiger Woods (Golf Master)
- Jeff Gordon (Nascar)
- Emma Bunton (sadly, I know she was a Spice Girl)
- Keri Russell (of Felicity from the 90s)
- Tom Brady (of the Patriots, and "Whoops, I broke up with her and now she's pregnant" fame)
- Ryan and Trista (The Bachelorette)
- Nancy O'Dell (Access Hollywood)

And the list goes on and on... Man, I'm such an icon.

I don't know that much about soccer...

But we may have a future player on our hands!!

I (Mary-Margaret) have been feeling the baby kick (from the inside) for a couple weeks now -- just little flutters here and there. Progressivly getting stronger day by day. However, no one else can feel them. This can lead to me feeling like they weren't really happening. Until last night...

After doing my "salsa mama" workout video, I was relaxing a bit when I began to feel the baby kick. So, I decided to lay flat on the floor and see how strong they had become. I had my hand on my stomach, and thought I felt it from the outside too. So I yelled for Wes to come in the room. He was in the other room playing his guitar, and came running - I probably sounded frantic. I told him I felt he baby kick, and "let's just see if you can feel it". So, he sat down beside me, and put his hand on my stomach. We waited. Wes said, "Are you feeling it right now? Because I don't". I said, "No, not right now - but I did before I called you in - so just wait". Then -- it happened. THUMP. Wes's eyes opened real wide, and he turned to me... "Oh my gosh, that was it, wasn't it?" "YES!!". Wes got so tickled, he picked up his guitar and began playing "Wish You Were Here" until he forgot the words, and made up some cute rhyme about feeling the baby kick. He felt it a couple more times, and made my night.

By far one of the coolest things ever.

Looking good!

It's official! We are half way through the pregnancy... 20 weeks! We had our 20 week appointment Wednesday, and everything went very well. The doctor did an ultrasound and was able to see the baby's spine, bladder, stomach, head, arms, and legs! He counted out fingers for us, and the baby even gave the "thumbs up"! He thought they all looked great, and would like to do another ultrasound next month to follow up. You see, the baby had the wiggles and he wasn't getting the clearest picture - so he will check some other organs and what not next time when the baby will be a bit bigger.

We got to hear the heartbeat again, which was coming in at a fast 150-152 beat per minute! Now, some of you that know the myths may make something of this, but let's not forget when MM's mom was pregnant, they were told her heartbeat sounded like a boy! Clearly, they were mistaken. Like Wes says, boy or girl it's a future "Hall of Famer"!

It was neat that while listeneing to the heartbeat, you could occasionally hear a loud "bang" over the speaker. They told us that was the baby kicking! Must have been all those sweet-tarts I ate before hand (thanks for the tip Sara!).

So, now we go about our business until March 7th when we go back to the doc.

*sniff*

UGH!! Luckily, I am writing this on the tail end of a nasty little cold. I am talking everything in me has been clogged from the chin on up. I have literally "blown" our house out of any soft or semi-soft substances. Wes had to stop on his way home from work to buy more kleenex, toilet paper, AND paper towels!! I do feel better now, but its been a heck of a ride. Finally some relief. Just to give you an idea of what I have felt like over the past 3 days - I have attached a picture. Sesame Street fans will remember.

This was just a cold, so everything baby-wise is going great. We have or next appointment February 7th - just after my return from a conference in Spartanburg, SC. Nothing much else to report, just work and a little bit of play here and there.

And, yes -- for those of you who have asked and those of you thinking it... I am growing quite the little belly. At time of publishing this blog, I have had only one moment of pity to Wes. I came down the steps in a new maternity shirt and asked with teary eyes, "Wes... do I look fat??" Being the quick thinking husband that he is, he replied with a hug, "No honey, you look pregnant". I quickly backed away and stated, "And there is a difference, RIGHT?"

After a couple pats on the belly from strangers, I have begun to flaunt it! We are having a blast preparing for the future! *less than a week until I am 20 weeks... halfway there!*