Ambergontrail – Trying to get through life without dying of dysentery

Paul and I have talked about getting tattoos to commemorate Piper Jane’s birth. Honestly, I think Paul wants a reason to get another one (he wants a tribal turtle as seen in Hawaii), but I don’t think that’s in honor of PJ! When I said, “What’s the relevance to the baby?” He said there was none. Well, I figured.  He asked what I thought he was going to get, and I mentioned those little footprint/handprint ones with the baby’s name or birthdate below it. Then, silly me, he said he’d get one of those, too.

Of course.

Now, as you saw, I already have a tattoo, a small ladybug on my lower back/hip. I got it twelve years ago and haven’t ever had a regret. Before you get any ideas, Paul and I are not tattooed people. We each have ONE. His is special, a family tattoo (a small Felix the cat head). mine is also smallish. So we’re definitely not the type to go and tattoo meaningless things on our bodies.  I would never get “Paul” permanently inscribed on my body, nor would he have “Amber” anywhere on his.

Perhaps it’s just me trying to rationalize, but I think getting a tattoo in honor of your child is sweet. We’re not planning on a parcel of children, nor are we planning on getting “Piper Jane: Born on November 23rd, 2009″ inscribed beneath a large tattoo. Well, I’M not. No, I’m thinking more along the lines of a small tattoo, perhaps a cutesy owl (not realistic like my ladybug tattoo is), with either “P.J.” or 11.23.09 or even 11.23 below it. Maybe not even with the letters. Perhaps I could get “Piper” somehow inscribed INSIDE the tattoo. I don’t know.

I searched online for “Owl Tattoos” to see what I could find out there. Owls are one of my favorite things (don’t know why). We plan her nursery to be with owls and foresty things, so perhaps I’m thinking of her and owls together. What I found online was a blog called Owl Tattoos. Boy there are some cute ones. I even found one that was an owl with “PIPER” on a banner below it. It’s a SIGN!

If I get it, I’d get it above or below my ladybug. As I said to my friend Bluebell, might as well defile the entire side, eh?

What are your opinions on commemorative tattoos?

Howdy ladies and ladies!

Today is the weekly baby roundup, complete with pictures. It seems I get lazier when it comes to taking pictures.

How far along? 22 weeks and four days
Total weight gain/loss: Nothing as of a few weeks ago
Maternity clothes? Yessir
Stretch marks? Just the same ones from before
Sleep: Good barring one incident Monday night- heartburn for days.
Best moment this week: The date for my baby shower was set!
Movement: Constantly. Apparently she’s a fan of KROQ!
Food cravings: Slurpees and Krispy Kreme. Fruit, too.
Gender: A tiny little girl with fists of steel.
Labor Signs: None
Belly Button in or out? Still an innie
What I miss: Opening doors and not having it hit me in the stomach first
What I am looking forward to: Finally registering (Sunday?) and the next appointment.
Weekly Wisdom/ Snide Comments: “How far along are you? 22 weeks?! Wow, you’re going to be HUUUUUGE!”
Milestones: Can’t really think of any!

Now for the pics:

Believe it or not, this shirt fit when I bought it last year in Kauai.

The bare belly complete with stretch marks and a blurry tattoo.

This is the same view of the last photo, but farther away.

Look at that belly!

In the last few days I’ve been getting comments like, “Are you really only halfway done? That baby is going to be HUGE.” Yesterday I was walking to get lunch and I noticed my reflection in the window as the wind was blowing my dress against me- my belly is there now. Sucking in only succeeds in the top part of my belly (the area on top of the ribs) getting slimmer. So I guess it’s official- I’ve popped.