on kicking, camping, and general baby stuff

so it's been a fairly nutsy time since i graduated the other week - flying up to boston, moving my sister back to ny, house hunting, stroller shopping, car shopping, web design work, and finally packing for my camping trip w/ my dad. as Cindy mentioned in an earlier post, i get great kicks out of talking to Chicklet on a nightly basis. it's kind of like blogging - summarize the day while making fun of everything that happened. i never bring politics and Bush-bashing into it though. Chicklet will learn very quickly the politics in our house. :) in tonight's belly broadcast, i discussed with Chicklet that i'll be leaving tomorrow and won't be back until tuesday, as i'm going camping w/ Grandpa (my dad). i then explained to Chicklet that, as he/she will soon discover, Grandpa has bad eyes. he's legally blind in one eye, i believe. i hope that he'll be able to see the park! i then explained that Grandpa also has bad feet, so he gets uncomfortable when he walks for too long. hopefully we'll make it past the parking lot and into the park! Grandpa's never been camping, never slept in a tent. while i love Dad/Grandpa, and have been looking forward to this trip for a long time, hopefully Chicklet will one day be able to see the humor in this.

also, Cindy's mentioned that Chicklet's been more and more active. just as Chicklet decided to say hello for the first time at my graduation, he/she must realize that i'm going away for a few days (probably b/c i've been telling him through the Belly Intercom, aka Cindy's belly button) b/c i was able to feel him move! it was really light, and kind of hard to decipher, but Cindy verified that what i felt was indeed Chicklet! a very nice send-off indeed.

Car Shopping...Kenny wins.

So for the past couple of months, we've been on the lookout for Chicklet-approved vehicles. We had our search narrowed down to three recently: the Nissan Altima, the Honda Accord, and the VW Jetta. We scratched the Altima after some high-pressure sales tactics were employed, trying to make us walk away with a car that night when we still hadn't looked at the Jetta. I didn't even like the Altima that much. So as of yesterday we were between the Accord and the Jetta. Both come pretty much fully-loaded, with the Accord coming in at only $23 per month more than the Jetta. I personally like the Accord, and would chose it over the Jetta simply because it is more spacious and comfortable. Kenny, however, is not ready to give up on being a 20-something in a hip car. In trying to be fiscally responsible, we determined that we could pay for the cost of installing new carpeting in Chicklet's room on our new house (wherever that will be) by leasing the Jetta instead of the Accord. (We can also lay hardwood floor in our own bedroom for the cost of our New York Times subscription, which i will be cancelling today.) We compromised, and I said we could get the Jetta if we can get it in the color I want (black with tan interior). So I believe we will be driving our new Jetta home tonight, looking hip in our "we're not old enough to be uncool parents" car.

Chicklet continues to move

Chicklet has continued to make its presence felt in my belly. It was really, really active this weekend as we were sitting on the couch watching TV. The movements are still very light, but definitely distinct baby movements. I got popped pretty well Sunday night--so hard that it made me laugh out loud. Kenny is dying for the day that he'll be able to feel the movements from the outside, but I think we're a little ways off from that still. Maybe a few more weeks. I'm thoroughly enjoying each little movement, though. Sometimes I go through my day forgetting that there's something alive inside me, and all it takes is a little kick to make me remember (and make me smile).
Kenny talks to the baby every night (and sometimes sings!) now that it can hear. I'm sure that it will start responding to his voice soon as it learns who Daddy is, and maybe give a little kick in response. This is certainly a more enjoyable stimulus for Chicklet than my poking it to encourage movement. Maybe it will learn that if it kicks for Daddy's voice, Mommy won't poke it. I'm so mean!

Stroller Shopping...I win!!

Kenny and I had a big weekend this past Memorial Day weekend. We went house hunting and found a great house in Allendale (keep your fingers crossed!), stroller shopping, and car shopping. We haven't settled on a new car yet, but I think we're leaning towards a Honda Accord. As for stroller shopping, we battled it out with each other in Babies R Us between the Graco Metrolite and the Peg Perego something-something. I guess I should learn the name since that's the one I liked. Kenny was all about the Graco. He was particularly impressed with its one-handed collapse, its cup holders, and the storage area beneath the stroller. I will concede that these features are better than the same features on the Peg Perego. The Peg takes two hands to fold, you have to order the cup holders separately, and the storage area is not as large nor is it as accessible. However, this stroller is significantly lighter, slimmer, and way more stylish. It could even double as a jogging stroller, from what I understand.

We sat in the store for a good thirty minutes, most of which were just spent trying to figure out how the damn things fold and unfold, and how the child seat hooks in. Between us, Kenny and I have five degrees. You'd think we could figure this stuff out on our own. Instead, a pimply-faced kid came and showed us how everything works. Thanks, kid. Once we had the various folding techniques down, we put the stollers side-by-side, folded them, unfolded them, took them around sharp corners (Kenny is very concerned with the stroller's ability to take corners at high speeds. I'm not sure what he plans to do with Chicklet that will involve this set of circumstances, but I guess there's no harm in making sure the stroller can handle whatever we throw at it). We argued for a few minutes about the various virtues of each stroller, but I eventually pulled the mom/wife/pregnant lady card and informed Kenny that the Peg Perego will be our new stroller. He continues to argue with me somewhat, but I know that deep down, he knows that he's been defeated.

I dream of Chicklet

Pregnancy brings about all kinds of bizarre dreams. I frequently have dreams about Chicklet, which I thoroughly enjoy (except for the one where he came out at 12 years old). Last night, I was graced with another dream in which I got to visit with our baby, and the dream was normal enough that I woke up in a really great mood, feeling like I had bonded with the baby in my belly. As in all of my dreams, Chicklet appeared as a boy. He just sort of appeared- I didn't actually give birth. He also showed up about 4 months early, although he was perfectly healthy and fine. I was just a bit frantic because I didn't have a stroller, car seat, or anything for him other than a blanket to swaddle him in. We went to a restaurant with friends, and I remember holding him in the car. He was very giggly, and smiled at me when I looked at him. It was extremely cool, and a really great dream. I hope I at least have a few dreams where Chicklet is a girl. I'm afraid that because of my dreams I identify with Chicklet as a boy too much, and may have trouble adjusting to the idea of a girl if that's what appears in November.

Chicklet's on the move!

As Kenny's earlier post noted, Chicklet decided to make its presence known this weekend in between graduation ceremonies. We were eating lunch at Vivo's, when I felt what I thought was a muscle spasm in my belly. It stopped, then started again just a few seconds later, and then I realized what it was. I felt it again later, actually during Kenny's graduation, but that time if felt more like flutters. Chicket was pretty quiet on Sunday, but then Monday, as I was laid over in
Chicago, I ate a pack of lifesavers and Chicklet popped into action about 20 minutes later. It gave me a couple of light pops in my belly, which were unmistakably baby movements. Over the past week, I've continued to feel flutters, though not every day. Today Chicklet did it during a conference call with a potential new client, which was distracting, but I guess I can't really complain.
Meanwhile, in beer-belly world, I made a very bad clothing decision this morning. I wore some pre-maternity jeans. I could have sworn that over past two days, my belly has actually shrunk. I could even suck it in enough that it was almost flat (although doing this for longer than 5 seconds made me want to pass out)! So I thought that maybe I could get away with wearing my jeans to work today. They're fairly low-rise, and hit about halfway down my belly. This was a very, very bad idea. While my belly may have indeed shrunk over the past two days, it did not shrink enough to get back into these jeans. I spent most of my day sitting behind my desk with my pants unbuttoned and unzipped. I even had to explain to the partner I work for that I would have to sit in on the conference call with my button undone. Thankfully he just laughed. Needless to say, tomorrow I will be back in maternity pants. But this whole belly-shrinking thing is really annoying! I actually felt last weekend like I had a little something to show for being pregnant. Instead, I just have a small beer gut and a disappearing waist line. Even though my belly isn't big, I've still managed to put on 7 pounds since I got pregnant. I'm weighing in at 132 as I start into my 18th week. I guess that's pretty good. Just so you know, I'm still wearing my jeans as I write this. They are unbuttoned and unzipped.

Chicklet decided to say Hi!

all day Saturday as i was in the midst of my numerous graduation ceremonies, Chicklet decided that this momentous occassion was important enough to say hello. while Cindy started feeling Chicklet move this past week, Saturday was pretty intense. he/she kept popping around: 'Dad! Dad! Congratulations on graduation! Dad! i hope he can hear me...'

The frustrating land of "in-between"

Kenny likes to tell people my belly has popped. This is not an entirely correct statement. Although he and I can tell that my belly has certainly gotten bigger, those who don't know I'm pregnant would never guess anything was amiss. I am stuck in that phase that every pregnant woman dreads- the "transitional" phase. This is the time when you're not really fitting into your own clothes, but you're not quite ready for maternity clothes. Thankfully, maternity clothes nowadays are made to take you through the entire nine months. So most of the pants I bought fit me, regardless of the fact that I don't yet have the belly to show for my 4 months of carrying Chicklet around. So the clothes are not much of a problem. The problem for me is that I just look like I'm out of shape--like I've let myself go in terms of physical fitness. I have what I will describe as a "pot belly". It looks like a beer gut, and I find it pretty unattractive. I'm used to having a pretty flat stomach. In fact, I had completely gotten rid of any pudge by the time of the wedding in December, and kept it off until recently. So now I walk around with my baby belly that looks like a beer belly, hoping for the day that I will finally look pregnant rather than out of shape. My doctor said it could be another month. A pregnant friend I talked to this weekend said she didn't look pregnant until 6 months! The wait is awful. At least I can look forward to the thrill of feeling the baby move sometime in the next couple of weeks. That will make the beer belly worth it!

On Mother's Day

even though Chicklet has not yet been born, this is the first Mother's Day that Cindy can experience as not just the daughter. technically, we obviously can't celebrate Mother's Day since Cindy is not yet a mother, but we are inhabiting that weird existential region where we kind of are and yet aren't parents. i won't really be a father on Father's Day, yet Chicklet's presence in Cindy's belly makes the concept very real. it's more like pseudo-Mother's Day today. sort of like your un-birthday from Alice in Wonderland (were there un-birthdays in Through the Looking Glass?).

anyway, there hasn't been too much in the way of funny observations lately. aside from the fact that Cindy's belly is starting to pop - she finally had to buy some maternity pants - not a whole lot has happened in terms of pregnancy. Cindy's going to a new job in June, as am i, so there's a lot going on in our non-Chicklet lives. i'm also graduating from architecture school next weekend (finally), and will have a fun few weeks afterwards - helping my sister move to her new pad in NY, going camping w/ my Dad in Canyonlands NP in Utah (he's never been camping before!), and generally getting odds and ends done before work starts.

i should note, though, that Cindy's forgetfulness has continued - full steam ahead! she had a really funny post to write last week, but promptly forgot it. in her defense, i also can't remember it. today she made us lunch while i finished a paper for school, and she forgot to make half the meal she had planned. later i came back to the kitchen to see that she had also forgotten to put away all of the ingredients. she also asked me the other night what i want as a graduation present, but by the next morning had apparently forgotten my answer. i think the problem there was that i answered her when she was asleep.