Happy Thoughts.

So many things to be happy about today...

• I am 21 weeks pregnant with a healthy Baby Cute.
• Baby Cute is squirmy, making me know she/he is doing ok all day long.
• David is enjoying his new position and excelling at his new responsibilities.
• I may have to travel across campus construction for meetings, but they are usually in Anthony Hall, home of the MSU Dairy Store and my FAVORITE chocolate ice cream ever.
• A story I wrote is getting picked up tonight on the 6 o'clock news, thrilling the researcher and my boss(es).
• One of my wires came loose in my braces yesterday, but I got it fixed in under 15 minutes today--a world record for my pokey orthodontist.
• Getting my wire fixed made my mouth feel better, not worse, allowing me to eat normally today.
• We bought a beautiful house in a fabulous neighborhood that has CENTRAL air conditioning that works well.
• I met another one of my neighbors yesterday--mother of four and preschool teacher at a local Catholic school. She complimented my snapdragons.
• My yard continues to bloom and bloom and bloom. New this week--PEONIES!
• My co-workers are being very considerate in making the air conditioning flow from their small offices to me.
• It's 85+ degrees outside, and I am not puffy.
• David and I got the majority of things OUT of the nursery last night, leaving us just two bookshelves and the desk to move out. Then we can rip up carpet and prepare for bamboo!
• I get to see my good friend Anne win a very important alumni award next week, giving me an excuse to go to Mt. Pleasant and see many of my favorite CMU peeps.
• I remembered to take David's dry-cleaning in today. The local dry cleaner is a little shady, but reasonably priced. She also suggested that they fold David's dress shirts, making packing them a lot easier.
• My June to-do list is two pages long, and there is minimal rollover from May. Being pregnant apparently = being productive!

Now for the 21 week updates!

BabyCenter: Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long. His eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed. And you can certainly feel him move. He's oblivious to your schedule, though, so don't be surprised if he starts working out just when you're settling down for the night. If you're having a girl, her vagina is formed now, though it will continue to develop until birth. You're probably feeling pretty comfortable these days. You're not too big yet, and the usual aches and pains associated with early pregnancy are, for the most part, gone. Relax and enjoy it while you can — the third trimester will bring some mild discomfort from carrying a baby who is nearly full-term.

BabyGaga: Your beautiful little miracle-gro baby will be putting on a full ounce and a half this week (up to 16.5 oz), but that’s just the beginning! Within the next five weeks, they’ll really be packin’ it on! For now, we’re pleased to report the addition of rapid eye movement (REM) a key component to any baby’s healthy sleep schedule. And in the dermatology department: their thin soft skin is very red, fairly translucent, and a bit wrinkled. Not to worry, it’s not a premature aging disease. It's just their clever little body setting them up with extra space that will smooth out once your little one starts packing on the baby-fat. That won’t be for a few more weeks, though. So for the time being, your munchkin is still a little lean mean growing machine! The beginnings of what is commonly called “brown fat” is just starting to fill in to help your baby retain some body heat, which is crucial as they’re not yet capable of regulating their own body temperature.