22 Weeks (and a NAME!)

I don't really feel like the days are passing quickly (they tend to drag, in fact, unless I'm lucky enough to have some kind of outing planned) BUT I do think the weeks are flying by. (I realize that doesn't really make sense but that's how my messed-up brain is working at the moment.) Twenty-two weeks already? It seems like we were just DYING to know the gender and that appointment was already a month ago. Crazy. (Also now I must quote It's a Wonderful Life and say, "EIGHTEEN? Why, it was only last year you were seventeen!" I so love Jimmy Stewart. Anyway.)

SO before I get to the exciting news that we have, at long last, chosen a name for this little person, I will follow tradition (set one week ago) and answer the pregnancy update questions first.

Let me briefly mention that, thanks to clearance and a coupon, I got this maternity dress from Target for $6. I actually have it in navy and white too but I love the coral and snatched it up for cheap! Yay!

How far along: 22 weeks (and two days, if we're being obnoxious precise)

How big is baby: according to those absurd fruit/vegetable comparisons it's about 8 inches long and since last week I'd say we're up to a pound? (Just my highly professional opinion.) 

Weight gain: tough to say. I feel pretty good (and I accomplish that feeling by avoiding all scales.)

Sleeping: Well... the last few days I've really pushed through and forced myself to stay awake all day (no naps! the horror!) but (duh) it's helped with not waking up a million times and not taking hours to fall asleep at night. Of course I'm ready for bed at 9:30 but I guess that's the price to pay.

Food cravings: I've never been much of a sweets person (chips over cookies, all day every day) but lately I've wanted sweet stuff. The thing is, I really only want 2-3 bites and then I'm done. So, Jonathan is the lucky recipient of the desserts I don't finish (including a batch of brownies that I ate one of and left the rest. Poor guy.) 

Food aversions: I kind of sandwiched myself to death there for a few weeks so pretty much any kind of sandwich is not very appealing right now.

Symptoms: Still fatigue... I went shopping and to lunch the other day and was yawning up a storm by the time I got home. My marathon mall trips are over, I believe!

Miss Anything?: Mountain Dew (not that I never ever have any, but it's only in tiny quantities with great guilt so... not really worth it. =)

Doctor’s appointment: Next one is two weeks away. 

Clothes: Still looking for a good pair of maternity shorts, but I'm living in dresses like the one above for right now. Anything that doesn't require a lot of fuss is a win in my book! (And, sadly, though I absolutely love layers, that's just not going to happen in this heat!)

Movement: still fairly light and mostly at night when I'm really still... she definitely responds to louder noises!

Best moment of the week: finally choosing a name!

What I’m looking forward to: pinning/planning for the nursery like crazy. 

What I did / Got for baby: chose a name and started looking in earnest for nursery ideas.

Prayer requests: As always, health and safety for the baby (and me) and for Jonathan as he is working full-time and wanting to do the ministry things we came here to do! We're still figuring out that mix with his hours being different than originally planned so we're trying to make adjustments as needed. 

AND NOW... the moment you've all been waiting for...

There it is! I've agonized over this, I promise you... but this is what we ended up with and I love it. Alice is so feminine and classic to me (and as you can tell from the picture, I love Alice in Wonderland, even though I'm sure our Alice will not have hair that is even remotely blond.) And Juliet, of course, has literary roots but let's be honest... Juliet O'Hara was the main inspiration for that. =) Also, my cousin's wife Alice is pretty much one of the most wonderful people I know (and the only Alice I know in person!) so that helped seal the deal as well. 

You better believe I've been pinning Alice in Wonderland nursery ideas like crazy! Some of them are a little much (like... I don't necessarily want the Mad Hatter and March Hare on my baby's walls- slightly creepy) but there are some beautiful ones and I'm going for more of a Disney-inspired theme in general, not specifically Alice in Wonderland. But when I find stuff like this makes me love Alice even more. 

Anyway, I'm completely relieved to have this decision made... it helped that Jonathan just started calling her Alice as if my mind were already made up (it wasn't!) but then it just kind of stuck (and I got tired of constantly wondering what it should be.) The middle name took another few days but now it's all finalized and I'm so glad. 

So, happy Thursday from me and Alice! (Ah!) 

Ash