Expecting, no. 1 | 6 Months Down, 3 To Go

I'm 24 weeks pregnant, and I finally have a belly to show for it.  Last week, I was recognized on the street by a stranger as pregnant for the first time, and this past weekend, when these photos were taken, my middle seemed to double.  That's not the most exciting thing about pregnancy so far, though.  The most exciting thing has been feeling the baby move and, the other night, actually witnessing the baby move under my skin as Wolfman and I reclined on the bed watching cartoons.  

Early pregnancy, I must admit, was the pits, but ever since 21 weeks, I have been riding an endorphin high.  I am so full of love and warmth and readiness, it's difficult to complete normal daily tasks or fully comprehend conversation.  I spend my work day in a sort of happy stupor and the commute home eagerly anticipating the moment I see my husband, which is when the baby starts moving around--he or she is most active at night, and it always begins the moment I lay eyes on my Love, perhaps due to a shift in the chemicals in my blood, or some otherwise imperceptible biologic change.  In fact, as I began typing this, the baby began thumping around.

My greatest challenge is to simply enjoy and be present in this moment, my last time alone with Wolfman, the last few months before I'm a mother, without wishing to rush ahead to the moment this baby is in my arms.  And with the help of Wolfman and family and midwives, I'm being nudged into physically preparing the actual equipment and stuff that comes along with a new baby.  It's difficult for me to feel any sense of urgency about things like diapers and slings and sleeping arrangements.  I keep expecting everything to fall into place around me as though I have some kind of fairy godmother.

On the Tobacco Trail in Apex.

These are Lunchbox's last few months as an only wolfchild.

Once Upon a Child, a consignment shop in Cary, had a 10 for $10 sale on onesies Saturday.  Gender neutral baby clothes sure are difficult to come by, I tell ya.  I about hyperventilated when I found the Star Wars onesie on the rack.