18 Weeks & Stuff

I am 18 weeks today! Only two more weeks until I am halfway through this pregnancy. It's crazy to me how quickly things have gone by already.

And there I am in all of my baby bump glory. It's fun that I'm slowly starting to show more so that people might actually believe me when I say I'm pregnant. 

This little baby is getting more active by the day! I feel more kicks and wiggles than I did a couple weeks ago, and that makes me really happy! However, it does tend to distract me from my schoolwork and studying. I mean, come on! Who wouldn't start thinking about baby stuff after feeling a few kicks? 

Derek and I get to find out the gender in ONE WEEK. I can't wait. It is seriously going to be one of the best days ever. Not only will I have finished all of my first round exams in all of my classes (for some it's round two), but I will be able to know if I'm growing a little girl or boy! I've decided that even though Derek and I aren't going to have a gender reveal party, I'm still making a cake. And I will dye the frosting whatever color I want to correspond with the baby's gender. 

This is the cake I'm going to make. It's called a Lemonade Layer Cake. I've been drooling over it ever since I stumbled across it in looking for good cake recipes online.

Also! My mom is going to throw me a baby shower in Washington in August, and so I've been looking around online for fun ideas. And I found this idea for an activity. It's just an idea that's been floating around in my head. The version I made is a little bit different than the one I saw online (and I made the little paper myself) but I think this is pretty cool.

It's called "Wishes for Baby" and each guest takes one and finishes the sentences. You fill in things like, "I hope that you... dream big" or "I hope that you get... your dad's long legs". (I sure hope my kids get their dad's height!) And then at the bottom the guest signs their name and puts the paper in a basket or another container. Then the mom-to-be pulls one out of the basket and whoever's paper it is wins a small prize. So it's a sweet note for the baby plus a prize winning opportunity! 

I think it'd be pretty cool to have all these wishes for the baby from close friends and family. Plus, it's a fun way to remember everyone that came to your shower.

Well, I am SO EXCITED to be a mom, and I am SO ANXIOUS to find out the gender!