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I apologize for the delay in posting, but there's good reason... I've been up to my eyeballs with work and there's no end in sight. Well, I shouldn't say that, I am going to the beach next week.

I deserve this vacation more than ever before, I am truly exhausted and on the virge of breakdown every 15 minutes. I find myself crying more and more, kinda like the old days when I had a "boss". The pressure to get things done these days is unbearable and finding time to look for quality help is near impossible. When I have a free second I find myself eating, showering or cleaning... and if you were to see my house you'd see that there must not be much time to spare!

The only highlight of my day today has been feeling Emma kick. She's been pretty active in the past few days and for the first time this morning she took pleasure in kicking my bladder. That was fun. I'm feeling her kick my lower right side, she must still be breech and liking her newfound motor skills. I just wish I could enjoy it more, these are the moments I want to remember, not the sobbing and complaining I've been known for the last few days. Maybe she's trying to tell me something....

Well, I'll stop complaining now... I have a lot to look forward to and this work will come to an end. I'll just picture myself floating in the pool as I gaze over the fence to the ocean next week. Yeah, you heard right, our house has a pool and is right on the beach. Let's just pray the weather cooperates and I can float for hours. Lauren, are you ready????

The nursery is coming along slowly. My mom is helping with the bedskirt and draperies when she comes to visit in October. I found the perfect fabric, it's sage green Dupion silk with emroidered butterflies, it's gorgeous and 100% the look I am going for. I haven't found the perfect sheets to match but I'm still on the prowl. For now I'll settle for ivory. I also need to find a good rug to tie everything together. I'm looking for something fairly simple with a cream base and touches of sage and maybe yellow/gold. Rugs are hard, they're either really gaudy or $1000 a pop. I think Target is a grear rug resource, if you have 14 hours to dedicate to searching.

I had another doctor's appointment on Monday and learned that indeed my due date has been moved up. The new one is Feb 4th. I think it's too early (since I pretty much know when she was conceived) but she's measuring big so you never know. She's the product of a 5lb mom and a 10 lb dad so anything goes. Dave jokes about her possibly being a Superbowl baby and how much she's going to hate that when she's older. I agree, if my birthday was ever on Superbowl Sunday I'd be pretty peeved too. I guess she'll just have to become a raging Steelers fan!

Well, it was supposed to be my 20 week mark, but since my due date is moved I'm not sure what to do... so, I'll post both 20 week and 21 week updates...

You're at the halfway mark — congratulations! Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. She's about 10 inches from head to heel. (The way your baby is measured now changes.) A greasy white substance called vernix caseosa coats your baby's entire body to protect her skin during its long submersion in amniotic fluid. She's also producing meconium, a black, sticky substance made of dead cells, digestive secretions, and swallowed amniotic fluid, which will accumulate in her bowels and end up in her first diaper.

Okay, that was gross, let's see, is 21 weeks better?

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long. Her eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed. And you can certainly feel her move. She's oblivious to your schedule, though, so don't be surprised if she starts working out just when you're settling down for the night.

I'll post a 21? week picture soon, just gotta find the time...

love to all.