18 weeks and 22 to go

I'm at 18 weeks now and our baby has fingerprints. It's so amazing how fast this little one is growing and developing. I mean, only 18 weeks and it has fingers and toes and prints and it can hear me! I have felt the little one move around. The first time was about 16 1/2 weeks, and now it's just every once in a while (last night I felt it kick when I said "baby" when talking about some commercial). But I'm sure quickly it will be alllll the time.

In two weeks is THE ultrasound. The one where we make sure it's growing properly, has all its fingers and toes, a cute little nose, and the one we've all been waiting for, what gender this little baby is. We're so excited. Even if we didn't find out the gender, it is such an exciting thing to see your little baby moving around and see how big they've grown. It's just like when they're older (and out of the womb) and you realize how much their growing, except when your pregnant you only get to see it every so often. We've been lucky to have had early ultrasounds and have literally seen this baby grow from a tiny little dot. It was so exciting last time to see it had arms and legs, and now it has fingers and toes!

Other than the baby (I swear that's not all we talk about here), I just got back from Girls Camp. It was a very humbling experience and made me very grateful for my girls camp experiences when I was younger. At time I felt like I was (and sure I seemed like) the big bad guy who won't get off your back, but I hope they realize how much they learned from their experiences, even if they were forced to go:) I think it was also a good experience for me to learn more about the girls, and even just about how their lives are today; what they're struggling with and what's on their minds. Although it wasn't super different from when I was growing up, there are some very big differences that I feel like now I know, I will be able to help prepare my children for those challenges. I am grateful for all the people I was able to meet and get to know better. It has been hard to meet new people when I can't go to church 2 Sundays out of the month, and usually can't make it to many of the RS activities.

We got one of our windows half replaced because you pretty much couldn't see through it because it was so foggy, and suddenly there is mouse poop on the window sill. Now I'm left wondering, did a mouse get up here? and how? or when they replaced the window did mouse poop fall onto the sill? I have heard some weird noises that (perhaps I'm just paranoid) sound like they could be mice running mischief around the apt. Oh, and all they did last time was put a box of poison in the utility closet. I hate mice. Period.