In case of emergency, Erin's belly can be used as a personal flotation device

It has been a pretty quiet week here in Ballard but that doesn't mean we aren't making new discoveries.

We have learned that Ani, although likely to be the oldest (thus, anterior), may not fully fit the mold of perfect first born. Yes, she has been in the same, heads down position since early on. And yes, her growth rate is above average. But! I have a feeling, or more accurately a bruise forming under my ribcage, that suggests she may be the most likely to use the "mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom" tactic.

Po, our somersaulting second child (posterior), likes certain sounds. I first had an inkling of this when she jumped in response to the bell rung at the close of yoga. Three rings, three jumps and then she was quiescent. Joey is strutting his stuff over our next discovery. His voice is one of the sounds she likes. She may not know who he is yet but she definitely perks up when he starts talking close to the belly.

Joey has decided that it is time to lose the baby weight. I think he might have lost track of the weeks. The kiddos aren't supposed to arrive for twelve more weeks and then we have at least six months before people start to look at us funny. Obviously, I am not a huge fan of this plan. The only way that I won't pass him is if he keeps the weight he has and adds a few extra pounds. I guess I will need to make another cake this weekend to counteract the biking, running, and swimming.

We swam laps tonight for the first time. Turns out that I float really, really well. Breast stroke works as expected but the crawl stroke is threatened by the flotation device on the front of my body. I fear that in a few weeks, you will find me cork-screwing across the pool as each stroke with the right arm flips me onto my back and each stroke with the left returns me to my stomache. I promise to take video if this happens.

Erin