Arg, these posts are way too far apart, but it looks like they should be coming more frequently from now on...read on...

Some good news to share. Saw my OB; turns out that I have a 'dermoid cyst', feel free to look up images on Google, but I have to warn you that it's pretty gross! You know how eggs and sperm can become anything? Well, a dermoid cyst is like that; it wouldn't be a human, but it can be made up of hair, skin, and teeth. The doc was happy that it wasn't cancerous(as there would be a blood supply to make the cancer grow), so we will continue monthly ultrasounds until she's born. When the baby is two months old, then I will have it removed surgically (they'll make little holes and pull it out). Gross, eh? Part of me is worried at all of the ultrasounds, but it's the lesser of 2 evils. I'd like to know if there is a change and if the cyst needs to be taken out. But for the most part, I try not to think about it.

My sugar test was not very hot. My doc signed me up for the 2 hour test(and I thought I would be there for just an hour...geesh...good thing I showed up early). Anyway, I have to watch my sugar intake for the rest of the pregnancy, which sucks because Christmas is around the corner and my sister-in-law makes the *best* desserts! But I know it's more important to take care of the little one. I read that full-blown gestational diabetes can lead to larger babies(note I said larger, not healthier or better), and I don't need to push a world record out!

I guess Michael gets all the Halloween candy!

Speaking of which, we had a good Halloween; Jillian dressed up as Tigger, and Michael was Batman. He took her into town to get some candy, while I stayed behind for the trick or treaters. I got the trick; since we're on the other side of a highway, only 2 children came, which were both Michael's students.
Michael and Jillian got the treats; literally! Michael said the best part of trick or treating for her was going up and down all the steps of the houses. When they got home, Michael 'helped' her sort her candy and she ate her first piece of licorice; she liked it, although it took her a while to chew! She's still not a big candy person, which I like, because she's got plenty of time to get used to sugar.

Halloween also marked my last day of work. I'm going through Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction, which in simple terms is a lot of pain in my hips.
Here's a link, which is wordier:
http://www.bonnchiropractic.com/photos/custom/Archives/Articles/BC07_spd.pdf

So I'm on sick leave until I give birth, then I will start maternity leave. Some people are telling me how lucky I am, but this pain is not fun. I try not to complain very much, as there are other people going through a lot more worries in their pregnancy. On the plus side, I am able to spend a lot more time with Jillian and Michael, and I'm getting more rest than before. Since this is my first week off, though, I'm noticing that I have a lot of time on my hands! I'm sure that this will change in time...

Michael's great. He's enjoying his smaller class this year(8!), and getting into the swing of things. Last year, everything was new and he was learning the ropes.

Jillian's molars are coming in. We only see little parts of her teeth coming in, and some days she's pretty cranky, but she'll get there eventually. Says ma-ma-hmmmm, up, daddy(in her baby talk). There is still a lot of non-verbal communication, such as pulling me to her high chair when she is hungry, and knowing that I have to change her diaper when I smell poo!

One observation that I found was interesting:
We watched President-Elect Obama's speech, and she was smiling and giggling through most of it. Then we watched McCain's concession speech, and she was quiet, but listening intently. Maybe it was the cadence of both speeches? I tried playing Obama's speech later on that day, and got the same reaction.

In October, we were able to get her off the bottle and onto the sippy cup. She was having the sippy cup once in a while, then we realized that we(parents) needed to suck it up, and get her off the bottle in the afternoons and evenings, then wean her off her morning bottle. It went relatively well, and the funny thing is that the sippy cup she likes the best is the cheapest ones we found at the grocery store!

One major step that we need to do this month is to make the transition from crib to bed. I feel that she's not ready for the bed yet, but we need to have her out of it and used to the bed before the baby comes. I don't want her to feel jealous. We got a toddler bed from my good friend Nancy, along with some girly-girl accessories, so she should have a pretty sweet bedroom set up! She still flings herself about the crib; in the middle of the night, we can hear her hitting the bars as she turns. One tip that I think that we will try first is to have her sleeping just on the mattress(so when she falls off, it's a short drop to the floor), then putting the mattress in the bed when she can stay on the bed for the whole night.

Wow! How wordy am I getting? Better head off to bed shortly-my hips are ordering me to.