Week 18: Ready, Set, Nest!

Week 18 has rolled around and it strikes me that I am almost halfway done with this whole baby making thing. The kid is technically safe to be born at 38 weeks and next tuesday I'll be about halfway there. Also, I usually deliver about a week before they tell me I'm going to.

Nesting via culinary adventures has come on full force and on Sunday I made a big pot of white chili and a huge batch of brookies. Brookies are brownies, baked in muffin tins, with a glob of cookie dough shoved down in the middle. The combination is very good and it's an easy dessert to take to potlucks and family dinners. I used store bought cookie dough, and a basic brownie mix and the whole process took no time at all.  Since this batch turned out so well I've decided to come up with a Blondie version and find a way to make the chocolate ones festive so I can give them away as holiday gifts.

Squirt is the size of a bell pepper this week and is busy putting on weight and moving her arms and legs. This week myelin is beginning to form on her nerve endings. She is also starting to build up a covering of greasy gunk that is like natural Desitin and protects her skin from bruising and chapping from constant contact with the amniotic fluid. Apparently this mommy-made Vaseline also helps her to slide out of the birth canal a little easier.(...ew)

 Things are calming down with the food intake as I've started on my new plan of keeping it under 1800 calories and increasing fluids when I'm feeling "munchy" I've only gained 2 pounds since my last visit to the doctor, which is right in line with what I should be gaining. I'm increasing my fiber, avoiding soda most of the time, even diet soda, and pushing fruits and healthy dairy when I can't keep myself from eating. I hope I'm giving this baby what it needs to be born healthy and that after I'm done having this child I'll be able to be able to find my way back to pre-pregnant habits. 

I cleaned out my shed on Sunday and now the way is paved for lots of crap to exit my house and find it's way out into the shed. Over the next 3-4 weeks I'll be pulling out bags of trash from the shed and putting them in the dumpster. It'll be slow going but when I'm done the shed will be empty of everything that was there when we moved in aside from a shelf and two lawn mowers. There is enough room in there now to store my bikes and a bunch of tubs from inside the house. The only problem with that is getting it secured, I've got to work on a new handle and lock for the door. Project get ready for baby is well under way.

I finished the Munches Halloween Costumes this weekend, as soon as we paint their shoes I'll post some photos for you all to see. Mine needs a little more work and lots more glitter paint.