Back off the Belly

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The point has come where strangers feel invited to touch my belly.  I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it, but it is odd to have completely random people touch my body.  Especially when they linger there for a little bit, it's awkward.  Yesterday I stopped by the Dress Barn to try on a few dresses for our upcoming baby shower in San Diego.  As it turns out they don't carry maternity dresses (which seems dumb for a store that only carries dresses) I figured I'd still try a few on just in case any were stretchy enough to change with my body.  The store clerk asked me  how far along I was, I told her four and a half months, then she tilted her head to the side, put one hand on my shoulder and the other on my belly and continued a conversation with me.  It was uncomfortable and felt like she was holding me hostage.  Finally she stepped back and let me look around.  I found one really beautiful dress that fit me perfectly now, but I imagine in 3 weeks it will probably look like an ill fitting t-shirt, so I left it and decided if I haven't found anything closer to the party date, I'll come back and buy it in about 2 sizes bigger.

According to the books, the babies are starting to be able to hear things, so Evan and I talk to them sometimes.  Well, I talk to them a lot, but I think that comes from the fact that I generally talk to myself quite a bit, now I just have a captive audience. Also, when I'm driving to school we have dance parties in the car.  I rub, drum and tap on my belly all the time which is either soothing or irritating to them.  Either way I think the interaction between mommy and babies is probably good.

They move around in there quite a bit now too.  I'm sure it's a lot of stretching and fighting for space.  The one seated in the lower left quadrant of my stomach hates it when I sit down and lean forward,  it makes for tight quarters, so I feel wriggling and am reminded to sit straight.

In other news, after some legal drama at my last internship, counseling patients at AAI Urgent Care, the school removed me from the site.  That was two weeks ago, since then, I have been frantically applying for new internships.  Yesterday I was offered a position at the East Bay Community Recovery Project which is a site for homeless folks to receive counseling who have both substance abuse and severe mental health issues.  It will be a great experience with a population I have not worked with before, and I am excited to start accruing hours again towards graduation!  Aside from that, I am studying for a big graduation exam that I take this Saturday.  Evan has his Oakland half marathon on Sunday, I can't wait to cheer him on!

That's all the news in our household.  Hope all's well for everyone, I'll write again soon!
Love Bree and Evan
Week 18, bigger belly and a new haircut!
               

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