The Gunslinger and 18 weeks today

Man!  The last 2 days the wind has been horrendous!  No sleep last night because it was so loud.  Tonight it is calm right now so I'm going to bed soon.  I am heading into the office to open in the morning.  Fun stuff.  My belly is more rounded and protruding now.  I am 18 weeks along today.  I feel more movement and need to go clothes shopping, which will happen next weekend.  I have only gained 6 pounds, but I know there is more to come in the next couple of months.  Really itchy skin, tangerine oil and shea butter to the rescue!  My humidifier is working overtime to help with the dry throat and allergies from all this blowing of pollen all over the place.  I feel good.

The Gunslinger by Stephen King is not my favorite book.  It was an easy read.  I had already read The Drawing of The Three before and liked it much better.  Someone is making The Gunslinger into a movie and I wanted to read it before it comes out in the theatre.  I do not think the movie will be that good because there are many boring parts in the book, but the action and supernatural scenes, if done well, would be good.  Javier Bardem will be the gunslinger.  I think he is a good choice.  The Gunslinger does start in the middle of the story and then he has flashbacks of how he grew up and how he got to be the man he is currently in the book.  Going from the old west to the desert to the mountains and then to the dark tower is confusing when he talks about other worlds that have failed in the past.  I cannot tell if they are on one earth or other dimensions.  That lost me.  The storyline of foreign animals and supernatural circumstances are surely not of this world.  I personally want to see what the glowing slow mutants look like on screen.  That would be good for me.  Happy trails and sleep fast.

18 weeks

How your baby's growing:

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

How your life's changing:

Hungry? An increase in appetite is pretty common about now. Make it count by choosing meals and snacks that are rich in nutrients instead of empty calories (chips, French fries, candy, and other sweets). Bigger, more comfortable clothes are a must now as your appetite and waistline grow.

Your cardiovascular system is undergoing dramatic changes, and during this trimester your blood pressure will probably be lower than usual. Don't spring up too fast from a lying or sitting position or you might feel a little dizzy.

From now on, when you do lie down, it's best to lie on your side — or at least partly tilted to one side. (When you lie flat on your back, your uterus can compress a major vein, leading to decreased blood return to your heart.) Try placing a pillow behind you or under your hip or upper leg for comfort.

If you haven't already had a second-trimester ultrasound, you'll probably have one soon. This painless procedure helps your practitioner check how your baby's growing, screen for certain birth defects, check the placenta and umbilical cord, determine whether the due date you're working with is accurate, and see how many babies you're carrying. During the exam, you might see your baby moving around or sucking his thumb. Bring your partner along, and be sure to ask for a printout for your baby's first photo album!