I have a really deep belly button. It’s like the Bermuda Triangle of belly buttons, things go in and never come out. I can’t wear navel rings with sharp points because they end up stabbing me from the inside. I have to clean it with a Q-tip. I know this is probably way too much information, but I’m kind of freaking out. My belly button may be weird but I LIKE it this way. Today I was looking at my growing stomach in the mirror when I noticed I can almost see all the way into it. I just graduated to maternity pants and now my belly button suddenly decides it wants to be part of the Great Baby Show of 2008-2009? Was it feeling left out? I promise, belly button, I won’t forget you. You’ll get plenty of attention, even if you don’t stick out like a third nipple. Please please stay the way you are.

I look wicked pregnant in this dress – but I would have looked pregnant in this dress even if I wasn’t pregnant. Please to be making fun of E’s hat if you’d like. Unfortunately, he almost never has to wear it.

Enjoying our new it-doesn’t-matter-if-we’re-having-a-baby-and-are-expected-to-be-financially-responsible-and-behave-like-adults-YOU-CAN’T-MAKE-US present aka our new boat.

Oh hi, like my jeans? Yes I know they’re very stylish and cute, and look good even with this non-baggy shirt.

STRETCHY WAIST! Really, I can’t tell you how much I love maternity pants. I’m going to stay pregnant forever. No wait! I take it back!

Friday is the less fancy ball, the Khaki Ball. I tried on my dress this morning and am happy to report it still fits and still makes my boobs look fanfrickintastic. Saturday is the keel-laying ceremony for E’s new submarine. The keel-laying is formal for the guys, which means full on Top Gun whites. I can’t take pictures at the actual event but I’ll be sure to get at least one before he can change.

I hate my dog. He ATE a whole bag full of jewelry I bought yesterday. JEWELRY. 5 pairs of earrings, a necklace, my awesome new Gossip Girl style headband. Chewed them up and swallowed them. He’s going to be pooping sequins for a week, but seems to be fine – although pretty scared of me after the screaming fit I had, threatening to cut him open and take my stuff right back out.

I love my new maternity jeans. I bought them a JCPennys for $20. Everyone should be allowed to wear pants this awesome. They have a regular button and zipper but the waistband is stretchy blue sweatpants material. I cannot believe how comfortable they are, like denim yoga pants in a very flattering dark wash. No more holding my button closed with a rubber band, no more jumping up and down to get my old jeans over my butt. I love you maternity clothes!!

I hate scales. I swore I wasn’t going to even look at one until a year after I gave birth, but at the doctor’s office they always weight you. I tried not to look, but when the nurse sets it at 150 before I even step on I know it’s not going to be good. I’m going to outweigh E in another month. Walking, hand weights and (once I get my cute new maternity tankini) laps at the Y are not to keep me from reaching beached whale sizes before this is over.

I love my friend FunnyFace, who reminded me of this on my dancing baby post. I was so busy picturing my own baby dancing I forgot about it!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m38vTNvbM6g]

I had what was supposed to be a quick checkup yesterday, but my doctor was running really late. Normally I get annoyed when people are behind schedule but since she had just delivered someone’s child I’ll forgive her tardiness just this once. They had just planned to use the Doppler (like the weatherman?) to check the heartbeat but since I’m right at 12 weeks the nurse said that machine can’t always hear it, so she set up the ultrasound machine to save time. My doctor ran in, squirted that stuff on my stomach, and two seconds later I saw my actual baby. Not a blob, not a tadpole, a real human baby. It had arms! And a face! It waved at me! But no word on the hamburger/hot dog situation yet. The doctor tried to take a picture but it was moving so much it’s all blurry. But I don’t really mind, moving is a good thing. Baby obviously inherited it’s super cool moves from E. He had a meeting at 10:30 and didn’t make it to the appointment, so he’s a little annoyed I got to see the baby dance and he didn’t. I have another “quick checkup” on October 17th, so hopefully it will include another surprise ultrasound. I finally feel 100% confident in saying I’m pregnant, I’m having a baby, and my baby definitely has two arms.

P.S. Quick moving update: There’s a possibility for a super awesome shore duty job here in Groton. Chances of San Diego are down to about 50%. I’m giving it two weeks before I start planning on moving for real.

E just called to let me know his orders came in to the command today. He (we) are supposed to report to San Diego in March. I think after that he said something about how this isn’t definite yet and they’re still fighting the move and his boat really wants to keep him and if we HAVE to move he can probably get shore duty because he skipped his last rotation, but I wasn’t really paying attention. I was too busy imagining what moving 3000+ miles while 9 months pregnant will be like.