That face

I will never forget the first time Alex felt the baby kick because I will never forget the look on his face.  He looked elated, mystified, and beyond excited.  It was a look of wonder, a face that had seen a miracle.  It was an incredible moment for me, seeing that look on his face.  It was a look that reminded me not to take any of this pregnancy stuff for granted.  It was a look that beamed at the miracle happening in our little family.  It was the look of a man who is becoming a dad.

The baby registry

Registering for our wedding was one of my favorite parts of that planning process, so when I realized we got to register for a bunch of baby gear this time around, I was excited.  What I didn't realize is that when it comes to baby gear, it's hard to know what you need.  I mean, who knew you needed different types of bottles with different flow speeds?  I still don't know what a "sheet saver" is or how many I may need, but they exist.

So, I did a bunch of reading, came up with a list of the basics, and figured we could start there.  Armed with my list, we ventured in to Babies 'R Us.  For the first trip, we made the unfortunate mistake of going in hungry, thinking we'd get this errand done before lunch.  Big mistake.  I am adding a new rule to the Heacock Family Rule Book - never EVER put off eating before you attempt an errand that is destined to make Mom overwhelmed and Dad grumpy.

We did cross several basics on the list, and then went back again yesterday to take another pass.  I was even more prepared than the first time, it felt (to me) like we flew through the aisles, and got a lot done really quickly.  On our way out, I asked to make one more stop - I had been pondering registering for a second stroller, and wanted to see it in person.

Alex acquiesced, begrudgingly at first, until he saw the stroller.  It is a Jeep all-terrain limited edition stroller, and it is awesome.  It will be perfect for track meets when sidewalks aren't always available, or gravel roads or practically anywhere that's not the grocery or the sidewalk.

As we walked out of the store, he turns to me and says, "Now all I really want is to get that stroller."  Glad we finally found some baby gear that he can get excited about :)

More baby pictures

Yesterday morning we had our second ultrasound - at 19 weeks along, we are almost halfway, and this is the first time the doctor looks at the baby in great detail to make sure all of the parts are in the right places, etc.

This would also have been our chance to find out Herbie's gender, but we resisted temptation, and the ultrasound tech told us when to look away from the screen, so we didn't catch any accidental glimpses :)

So far, so good - they couldn't get a good picture of the entire spine, so I'll have to go back in a month for another ultrasound, when the baby will (hopefully) be in a better position for them to see everything.

Here are the glamor shots:

Herbie in profile

Herbie turned to face the "camera" - you can see the eyes, notes, ribs, and feet!

These are the baby's little footprints:

He/she looks a lot different (and distinctly more human) than the tiny peanut we saw at 8 weeks!

Busy baby

Work has been bonkers recently, so I have completely neglected my blogging duties, but I've hit a small lull, so it's time to give an update, and this might be my favorite update yet.

The baby is moving (which is not news) and I can feel it (big news)!!!

From what I've read about this "quickening" experience, I think I felt the first movements awhile ago - like little tickles in my belly, unlike any sensation I'd ever had before.  But I wasn't convinced.

Now, the sensation has changed - now, I actually feel tiny thumps inside and I have no doubt that our little guy/girl is keeping busy in there.

So far, I've only been feeling the baby when I was sitting - maybe because he/she is more constricted then - but this morning after I got out of the shower, Herbie was busier than ever.  The crazy part was that I couldn't just feel the thumps - I could see them too, just below my rib cage at the top of my growing bump.  Talk about signs of life!

It was weird, alien, wonderful, and beautiful all at once - this little human being with it's own thoughts and impulses and personality growing inside me, totally separate and distinct from me but also completely inseparable.

I can't get over what a miracle it is, and how little I've actually done to make it happen.  I take my vitamins, try to eat right, get some exercise, and all of those healthy lifestyle choices I should do anyways, but in terms of making the baby grow and making my body expand in the right places and give the baby exactly what he/she needs to become a fully functioning member of society some day - I've done nothing.  What a miracle indeed.

Maternity Jeans

As I said before, I have given in to maternity clothes, and pants in particular.  In fact, my jeans were one of the first things to stop fitting, and jeans are an important part of my wardrobe.  I now have two pairs that fit - one basic boot cut and one straight leg/kinda skinny style.

What makes maternity jeans distinctly maternity is, of course, the waistband.  Turns out, there are lots of styles when it comes to waistbands - I settled for the basic kind that stretches high over my growing belly.  No zippers or buttons to speak of.  They are super weird looking when I'm not wearing them:

But I have to say, they are quite comfortable to wear, and they should last me for the next 22 weeks or so :)