30 Weeks Pregnant...

Here is the good news: I'm finally posting on the blog. Here is the disappointing news: I don't have any belly pics to post. I'll work on that...really, I will. Here is a brief update while I'm thinking of it though!

How far along: 30 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: 20 pounds, give or take a few pounds (depending on what time of day I'm weighing myself)
Maternity clothes: Of course - I must say though, I'm much more a fan of being pregnant during the fall/winter time and being able to wear long sleeve shirts and pants as opposed to wearing shorts and sleeveless shirts. I never feel comfortable in my summer attire these days.
Best moment this week: Friday at 5:00pm which meant that I survived the end of another work week!
Gender: No confirmed idea...but see some answers to old wive's tales below!
Belly button in or out?: Out, wayyyy out.
Craving: I haven't noticed any cravings necessarily, however I have been a fan of cold grapes!
What I miss: My independence...but first and foremost, I miss being able to pick up Tyler.
What I am looking forward to: Being able to take a walk, going to the gym, working up a sweat, exercising
Milestones: Being able to continue to work full-time. I'm trying so hard to hang onto my FMLA to be able to have as much time as I can at home when the baby is born...as well as for financial reasons. If I burn through my FMLA and have to use personal leave, we'll also have to pay a very high premium for health insurance while I'm on personal leave (and of course, without FMLA, there is no guarantee that my job will be held for me). While I think (and would hope) it would be, the only sure guarantee is being on maternity leave while using FMLA.

Girl or Boy?!

The other evening, Tyler was already in bed and Matt and I were sitting on the screened in porch outside, enjoying a brisk (and unusual temperature night for North Carolina). I was quiet. He looked at me and said, "Are you falling asleep over there?" I said, "No, I'm just thinking about whether the baby is a boy or a girl." He immediately said, "You know what?! We could have figured that out a long time ago!!" I took to the internet to aid in my quest to start coming up with a prediction...I also looked at old wives tales.

1. According to the Chinese gender predictor, it is a GIRL.
2. The baby's heart beat was in the 140's after my last doctor's appointment which predicts GIRL.
3. One would suggest if you are carrying low you are having a boy and if you are carrying higher it is a girl. I'm carrying higher than I did with Tyler which predicts GIRL.
4. One would suggest if you are carrying in the front like a basketball you are having a boy but if you are carrying in the middle like a watermelon you are carrying a girl. I lean towards the middle which predicts GIRL.
5. One would suggest if you are cravings salts/meats you are carrying a boy but if you are craving sweets and fruits you are carrying a girl. I'm eating more fruits which predicts GIRL (although fruits were also my craving with Tyler).
6. One would suggest if you had no morning sickness or a little morning sickness, you are carrying a boy but if you had alot, you are carrying a girl. I had morning sickness with this pregnancy up until at least 18 weeks which predicts GIRL (although I also had the same amount of morning sickness with Tyler).
7. One would suggest you can predict the gender by adding the month which you conceived with your age at the time of conception (boy is odd number, girl is even number). My number is 32 (conception month was January and I was 31 at the time) which predicts GIRL.
8. One would suggest if you break out more on your face it is a girl but if you don't, it is a boy. My face has broken out more during this pregnancy which predicts GIRL.
9. One would suggest if your sleep position is to the right it is a girl or to the left it is a boy. My sleep position has been on my left side which predicts BOY.
10. One would suggest if your balance is clumsy it is a boy but if you are graceful it is a girl. I'm not sure about this one. I did fall down a couple of stairs when I was pregnant with Tyler which would have predicted boy...but in church today during communion, I spilled my cup of "wine" all over my pants and I dropped Matt's communion bread. Hmmm....the jury is out on this one.

These are just a few old wives tales out of many more out there. I can honestly say that I'd be happy with either - I find the same amount of excitement in thinking about having a girl as I do in thinking about having another boy. Time will tell!