My tummy is a fascinating thing right now.  It just keeps on growing. Even if I don't gain weight during a particular week, it will still grow at least half an inch.  A week after we got back from Corpus Christi, my tummy grew half an inch but I also gained a couple of pounds.  The following week, my tummy grew another half an inch but I hadn't gained any weight that week.  Intriguing.  Another fascinating thing about my tummy right now are its changes in color.  There is a faint line that goes down from my belly button to the bottom of my tummy.  Apparently, that's normal as well as discoloration in the face.  And still there is more that is fascinating about my tummy.  Chris noticed it first; my belly button is stretching for obvious reasons.  It says on some pregnancy sites that it may even become flat or an outty instead of an inny.  Interesting.  People also look at me and tell me that I am carrying high, which probably also makes indigestion and heartburn worse.  Of course the most fascinating thing to me about my tummy are the bumps coming from my little Arielle inside!  She kicked hard enough a couple of nights for Chris to feel... so EXCITING!

My tummy is becoming more and more harder to carry lately as well.  I can definitely feel the extra weight and so can my back.  It's also hard to sleep at night because it's hard to find a comfortable position with my belly.  It has become pretty difficult for me to get out of seats especially if they are low to the ground.  If I take a bath rather than a shower, getting out of the tub becomes an interesting endeavor.  Sometimes Chris helps me up.  I feel so helpless sometimes, but I know it's because much of my body and energy is focused on creating this new life inside me.  I love my tummy!  I love everything about it even if it is big now!

Ok... before I go into the subject of this blog I have to say that the most amazing thing happened last night (while I was still in Tyler).  I definitely felt little kicks in my belly; they felt like the little taps I had felt before when I thought I felt the baby except they were much more distinct.  And I woke up this morning and felt more little taps in my belly.  SO exciting! 

Now... Corpus Christi.  Well, actually I am in North Padre Island.  We left this morning and got here at about 2 pm.  It took us about 8 hours because of a bunch of stops.  The drive went well except for a few pains of indigestion that I had every now and then.  Man, I have been having indigestion and heartburn (other symptoms of pregnancy) for the past week and a half now, and let me tell you... it HURTS!  The indigestion feels like a heart attack actually (Chris says that he has heard that the pain of both is similar); it is a pain that starts in my chest and often goes through to my back.  Sometimes I am just laying there clutching my chest trying to breathe.  Heartburn, on the other hand, feels like a burning in my chest and esophagus.  Neither one is fun at all.  Other than that, it was a good drive.  There was one time in which my bladder decided to let me know (a little too late) that it was getting full.  At the time, we were already heading over a bridge to Padre Island and there were no exits and no way to u-turn.  Soon, my bladder was full and crying out painfully to me.  Unfortunately, we hit traffic due to an accident.  I was debating peeing in a cup, but finally we got through the traffic, pulled into a gas station, and I went in and relieved myself while praising God at the same time...lol.

So we arrived in North Padre Island, and our hotel wasn't ready yet.  We parked at the hotel and walked on the beach.  The hotel is right on the beach...literally...we took a few steps and we were on the beach.  While on the beach we took some belly pics of me with the ocean in the background.  Then, a sweet lady passing by offered to take a picture of both of us.  Later, we browsed in some shops nearby and went to eat lunch at a place called Mimi's.  Then, we came to the hotel and our room was ready.  So we brought our stuff up to the room which is BEAUTIFUL with a very large, comfortable bed; a sofa; a table and chairs; cable tv; and a very nice bathroom.  It also has wireless internet (hence the reason I am online right now).  It is great!  Later, we went to Wal-Mart and to Church's chicken (because the pregnant lady got hungry again).  Now, we are just hanging out in the room, and I am about to go to bed.  Oh... did I mention that the military is paying for this vacation?  Yeah... we are here until Friday morning because Chris has a conference to attend so the military pays for gas, hotel, food, and there will be money leftover for souvenirs.  Awesome, huh?  It is such a blessing from God that we get to go on this vacation together even though Chris has to be at the conference much of the day.  This will probably be the last vacation that we can take together before we become parents.  I guess it is kind of the baby's first vacation though since the baby goes where I go... hehe.  But ya know what I mean.  We are having a great time so far.  On babycenter.com, the weekly pages about where my pregnancy is at have a section titles "this week's activity", and the activity this week was to treat myself since I reached the halfway point.  Well, this Padre Island vacation is a treat for me .  Well, I am very tired so it is time for bed.  Good night!

I am 20 weeks as of today!  I am so excited!!  This is the halfway point!  I will be finding out the gender of the baby on September 19th!!!  I can hardly wait!!!!!  This ultrasound (on Sep 19) is supposed to be pretty exciting because we are supposed to be able to see a lot (like organs and features).  Chris is going to be there of course and we are going to buy a DVD and we also get pictures for free !

I think I felt the baby move again, but it is still so light that it is hardly noticeable.  I know that on occasion I've been feeling motion that feels much different than gas.  Chris and I are going to be going to Corpus Christi tomorrow morning.  Chris is going to a conference for the military so the Army is paying for the trip (including gas and hotel).  Even though he has got a conference to attend it will be like a vacation to us (paid by the military ).  It is a blessing to have been able to take this vacation because if the military wasn't paying for Chris to be at the conference, we might not have been able to afford a vacation.  And with the baby on the way, this is probably our last time to take a vacation before we are parents. 

Since we are going on vacation and I won't be able to post during the week of our vacation, I will update when we get back.  I have more to write but I am tired right now so I need to get a little more sleep.  I'll get back on later and write some more .