So, please ignore my see-through tank top and homely appearance. Lets just say I won't be winning a beauty contest anytime soon (is that a double chin I see in the horizon? I sure hope not!). Anywho, enough with the self put downs. I truly am happier than I've ever been right now, and I have my baby and husband to thank for that!!

This is a picture of me at the start of my 16th week. Not showing a ton yet, but definitely feeling like there's something starting to grow in there. I only have a few pairs of my original pants that still fit, and thats because they were either stretchy or too big to begin with. Maternity pants are definitely going to be joining the clothing rotation within the next week. Thanks to Alicia, I have a TON of great maternity clothing options to choose from and will feel like I can still look decent while my body continues to grow. I am sooo excited for when I can look down and see a definite pregnant belly before me. I have a feeling that is just a couple weeks away, considering the rate at which my stomach has grown over the last 2 weeks. Something I'm even more excited for - feeling the baby move/kick for the first time! The books say that I should be able to feel this sometime between 16 - 20 weeks, so I'm always feeling my belly for a little movement or "fluttering" feeling!! We have our next appointment this Tuesday, so I am very excited to hear the heartbeat again. I plan on recording the sound of the heartbeat with my cellphone so I can listen to it whenever I want!!! :)

The rest of my life has been going pretty decent. As I've been starting to feel better, I've been able to go out to dinner with friends more often and have also been out to enjoy the warmer weather with Reesie. I must admit, I am not walking/exercising nearly as often as I should be, but I have a feeling that as the weather continues to improve, I'll be outside as much as I can be! Class is going okay - I continue to question why I made the choice to take 12 graduate credits while going through my first pregnancy, but I have a feeling I'll be happy I did it in the end when I'm able to move up a lane on the payscale and have more qualifications under my belt!! Work has been good, but I've got a parent thats really bringing me down (yup, the same one thats been bringing me down for the last 1 1/2 years). The thing that I admire about general education teachers is that they get to say "buh-bye" to the nasty parents at the end of every year, whereas special education teachers could potentially work with the same family for up to 6 years (if you start with them in kindergarten). I love this child that I work with, but the parent makes me question why I come to work every day. It does make me feel better that every other staff member who works with this parent has the exact same feelings as me, but it doesn't erase the fact that I feel so disrespected and worthless every time I have to communicate with this person. You'd think I was this person's servant and not this person's child's teacher. One thing I've learned from this experience - I will never, ever treat my child's teachers the way this person has treated me!

Okay, I think thats it! Next time I blog I may have some ultrasound pictures to post!! Can't wait!!!!!!