Being halfway to baby (20 weeks!) seems like the perfect time to share the photos I’ve coerced Burke into taking each week. I’ll be the first to admit, this is probably the least exciting progression of baby bump photos I’ve ever seen. I really thought by now my belly would pop out! Instead, I just look pudgier with each passing week. I’ve heard that complaint before, so I was okay with it for the most part until the last two-three weeks when the weight has started looking rather unflattering. Really now Baby, it’s time to start giving me some credit and proving you exist.

The photos start at week 11, because I promised myself up and down that I wouldn’t call the first sign of bloating “Baby” until I knew the bump could legitimately be attributed to a baby hanging out in there. Immediately after seeing the first photo, I said we should have started taking photos sooner – I already look a little poofy.

wks11-15

The photo series began when we were in Southern California all the way through Ohio. (Special shout out to anyone who can recognize their home in the background!) Also, I am quite embarrassed to be looking so rough in a few of these photos. I insisted, for the sake of consistency, that we take the photos before breakfast, but while I was still experiencing some hefty morning sickness, I needed to eat breakfast immediately upon waking up. I think the combination of my rushed attitude and the obviously just-rolled-out-of-bed look (and mood) I’m sporting made me an especially fun model to work with. Right, burke?

This second line up is from weeks 16-20. As I was working on these photos, I showed a Thai friend, and she agreed that I don’t yet look pregnant, just fatter. Keep in mind that Thai people are brutally honest about weight; there will most definitely be a blog post about this Thai quirk in the future. I am happy to report, however, that for the first time this weekend, a stranger asked if I was pregnant. I think it was mostly due to the loose, horizontally striped shirt I was wearing, but I suppose Baby should probably get some of the credit too.

Last thing, we’d love if you would participate in our baby pool and submit a guess for how Baby will enter this world. A friend who just had her sweet baby girl suggested it as a way to involve people who don’t live close by, and, well, since that’s almost everyone we know, we thought it’d be perfect!