Oct. 11, 1999 (17 weeks, 4 days) - We just returned from a much-needed vacation to Walt Disney World and we are both exhausted!! Getting up early and trying to make deadlines for breakfast and dinner just wears you out! Not to mention all of the walking that we did while there, I thought for sure my feet would just fall right off. Now we're home and really not much new to report. I'm getting some pains now and then but they are never very strong and don't last very long, and at the end of the week I began to get some heart palpitations which scared me at first but then I read that they aren't anything to be really concerned about unless I have severe pain or shortness of breath. I feel much better now. I have to say I did enjoy most of the rides while we were on vacation and none of them, including the roller coasters, were very harsh on me so I'm not concerned. I did avoid the sharp drop of the Tower of Terror just to be a little safe. I thought for sure at some point I'd be getting my appetite back, but I can definitely say that I have not and returning home I weigh about the same, maybe even 1 pound less. I still have 2 more weeks until the next doctor's visit, so that could change. I hope to schedule the detailed ultrasound for sometime this week and hopefully I'll have even more exciting news to report!

Oct. 18, 1999 (18 weeks, 4 days) - Well, we had our ultrasound on Friday and it was amazing. We saw the little one squirming away in there, arms and legs moving. The tech checked him/her out and did all the measurements and then attempted to find out the sex for us. No luck. She had me flip to one side and another and wiggled my belly but that baby wasn't even concerned. He/she is very content in there. We got some great pictures, but unfortunately they are on x-ray film/negatives so I can't get them to scan. Looks like this baby will be a surprise after all, although we are still referring to him/her as him as I'm convinced it's a boy.

In other developments, I am now finding myself waking up like clockwork around 3 or 4 am every morning for the last week. I wake up and have no idea why and then I can't get back to sleep for anything. Now I get up and pour myself a glass of chocolate milk which usually manages to help, but not always. I guess my body is just preparing itself for those nights that I know once this little one starts moving and I can feel it I'm sure he will be keeping me awake. I still can't wait to feel movement, I'm expecting it to start any day now.

Oct. 22, 1999 (19 weeks, 1 day) - The last 2 days have been very interesting. A few times yesterday I thought I felt some little pokes now and then but they were so rare that I couldn't be sure what it was. Last night Frank and I spent some time talking to my stomach and shaking it to see if we could get the little one active, but no such luck. Today again I've been feeling the same little pokes. They are hard to describe because they are still very rare, but I definitely don't think they are gas anymore. I tried eating some sugar to see if they'd pick up - not yet, but I'm still waiting. I'm sure in the next week they will become more frequent. My doctor's appointment is on Wednesday October 27th, so I know we'll at least get to hear the little heartbeat again then. I can't wait.

Oct. 27, 1999 (19 weeks, 6 days) - My 20 week appointment went routinely. My blood pressure was the lowest it's ever been, which is good because last time they made me rest and then had to retake it. I have gained 3 pounds, but that's total gain since the beginning so that's not too bad. Everything else was fine, AFP results were normal, and my ultrasound results were okay for the most part. The only concern is a low-lying placenta, which is common and usually corrects itself. They will do another ultrasound at 28 weeks to check on the progress. Cool, another shot at the little one right around Christmas time! Other than that, heartbeat was fine and my next appointment will be the day after Thanksgiving.