Notes for a Hedgehog

I haven't been feeling awfully motivated to take photographs of myself lately, but the belly continues to grow. It's funny how different this pregnancy is mentally...there is so much else going on day to day that I haven't been focusing on it as much. Not to mention, we won't be settled in a new house until a few weeks before he is born so it's not like I am painting nursery walls and folding tiny laundry yet.

But, in the off chance that one day my son will be able to put aside his horror at ever having been anywhere near my uterus, I wanted to record some things about this time for him to look back at.

* This is by far the most active baby I have ever carried. I'm on my feet and moving enough of the day that the second I sit or lay down he is walloping me. There's still obviously enough room for him to change position quite a bit and I've started to see parts poking out randomly. Feeling a growing baby moving around inside you never gets any less amazing and weird.

* I have no doubt that Pacey will take the baby's arrival in stride with his usual adaptive grace; for now he's generally pretty disinterested. Brighton, on the other hand, couldn't be more excited. She tells EVERYONE we meet that her mom has a baby in her tummy and it's a boy. She is so looking forward to being a big sister and I think she's going to be a great one (they both will).

* In addition to announcing his existence, Brighton loves to inform people that her baby brother's inside name is Hedgehog, but that we don't know what his outside name will be yet. That always gets a raised eyebrow or two.

* Speaking of which, I think we've settled upon a name. We'll have to take a quick peek on delivery and check that it suits him, but I doubt we'd do a last minute 180.

* I love how much a part of our lives he already is. The kids talk about him, Chris and I muse about what he will look like and be like, and he is part of our planning for life in the future (heck, we're buying a whole house for him!)

* The only thing I'd really characterize as a craving is the one I have for Jazz apples, cold from the refrigerator. I have eaten pound after pound of them. It must be Jazz, no other variety will do (don't talk to me about Honeycrisp, yuck!)(yes I could be exiled from MN for saying that). I'll have to save a sticker from one for his Baby Box (my kids don't get baby books, just a Tupperware container into which I stuff things I think they'd like to see one day (nothing biological in nature)).

If you'd like to send out some good vibes for us, we're hopefully under contract on what will be our new house. Inspection will go forward this week and although we aren't anticipating any deal-breaking surprises (who ever does), I'm having a bit of a hard time trusting this thing so think happy house thoughts for us!