The Grays

I want to wish my cousin Leela a very Happy 1st Birthday!

I can’t wait to play with her soon!

Banana

I’m a banana (un plátano)! I weigh approximately 10 1/2 ounces and measure 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel.

These days I’m swallowing more, which is good practice for my digestive system.

The most exciting part is that two weeks from today I’ll reveal my sex to mom and dad.

Below is our 20 week photo. There was a comment about a lack of Bill photos, so I posed with Kristy this time around.

Kristy and Bill at 20 Weeks

So Monday marked the first day when my belly ‘just said no’ to my pants.  Bill was driving me to work and I did not have time to change – I had to wear my winter jacket around all day because I could neither button nor zip up my pants.  The belly bands are great but most certainly do not work with short sweaters!

There are only two stores in Charlottesville that sell maternity clothes.  One is an ultra-trendy, super expensive botique and the other is Target (which has the BEST tank tops but the rest of the stuff is unforgiveable), so I have been ordering the majority of my clothes on-line.  Gap Maternity seems to have decent clothing items at reasonable prices but of course I have to pay for shipping, wait for the clothes to arrive, and in many cases exchange the clothes for different sizes.  Today I received several pairs of much needed pants and sweaters, all of which I will have to exchange!  In the meantime I will have to make due with belly bands and over-sized sweaters.  Let’s hope we don’t get any last-minute invitations for a formal get together this weekend!

Today marked yet another milestone as a very brave student of mine, Ashante, asked me in front of the entire class (and Todd who happened to be observing) if I was pregnant.  I was so caught off guard that my response was “no sé” (I don’t know) and I turned a certain shade of red.  I do talk carefully about my personal life and Bill in class, but did not think it was the right time to announce the ‘news’ to my students.  This same class has been curious for about two weeks now – last week a different student raised her hand and asked, completely out of the blue, how you say ‘pregnant’ in Spanish.  While she had no intentions with this question the rest of the class found it hilarious and started whispering and laughing.

This raises an interesting question:  Do I tell my students?  If so, when?  My guess is that most students would never even dream of asking.  I remember when Amy (French teacher) was 8 months pregnant they thought that she was just ‘getting fat’.  Either way they certainly are curious…

Heirloom Tomato

I’m 19 weeks today!  My brain is designing specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch.  I am starting to hear mom’s voice and have been falling asleep to classical music that is played for me each night.  I weigh 8.5 ounces and measure 6 inches from head to toe – about the size of a large tomato (un tomate).  I am going to start growing really fast now, which is why mom is quickly stocking up on maternity clothes.

PARENTS:

Lawrence Robert Sessoms
Faye Ransome Stacy

GRANDPARENTS:

Hugh Kristian Sessoms
William Ransome Stacy
Frances Grace Robinson
Anne Mary Webb

GREAT-GRANDPARENTS:

Hugh Waverly Sessoms
Elias G. Stacy
Martha Marie Clausen
Ottelia Sophie Therese Von Balke

Frank Clark Robinson
Harry Leslie Webb
Julia Grace Chapin
Lillian Ethel Eastridge

Green Pepper

I’m 18 Weeks – yay! Head to rump I measure about 5 1/2 inches long and weigh around 7 ounces, which is about the size of a bell pepper (pimiento). I’ve been busy flexing my his arms and legs. Also, my ears are now in their final position. My parents haven’t found out if I’m a boy or girl yet. Either way, my organs are now formed and would be visible on a ultrasound.