Olympic Gymnast Baby

Yep, you'll both get to see the little man when he is brand new! Last night I was sitting in bed indian-style and he kicked me so hard I caught my breath - you could see my belly jump where he hit it. I sat there with my shirt pulled up for half an hour and watched my entire belly move. It is the weirdest thing! It totally made me cry. Can't imagine what he is doing in there to initiate so much movement, but I was envisioning Olympic gymnastics.

Personal Pregnancy Shopper Jess and the first kick!

Just picked up the mail from the PO and opened your package. You are TOO SWEET! You made me cry and I'm not even a weepy pregnant woman. Everything fits and I like everything. The white t-shirt is OH-SO-SEXY! Even on blimpy moi. I am sure that Joe will be secretly thanking you :)

We felt the baby move while we were in California! I've always thought that I would feel it in the morning the first time - I was right. We were just laying in bed procrastinating about getting up. I felt something funny, wondered if it was gas (sorry), then had this feeling like Joe had lightly poked me in the belly with his finger, but realized that both of his arms were wrapped around my shoulders and then I knew. I felt it again and then I had him put his hand on my stomach and 'boomp' he felt a kick. It was very obvious. This is sooooo cool.

IT'S A BOY!

IT'S A BOY!!!!!!! I am so excited. We could see his long arms and legs, hands, fingers, spine, his brain, his heart, his stomach, big alien eyes, his Christmas ornament : ), the blood going through the umbilical chord, the placenta, everything. The amniocentesis was not fun, but was very quick. It hurt less than a blood draw, but the cramps afterward and just sort of the psychological shock of having a massively long needle inserted into your belly (I am glad the doctor was a woman) were a lot to absorb and experience. I felt like a whimpy little old lady last night and am taking it very easy today.

After the baby started kicking me last week, I started sort of subconsciously referring to 'it' as 'him' (nothing Freudian there, eh? : ). Now that he has kicked both of us and I can feel him all of the time moving around (very active), we have seen him and he looks more like a little person, we know the sex, and I have had this somewhat uncomfortable amnio experience etc., it is much more emotional and personal and much less surreal or like some sci-fi adventure. I awakened at 4am and laid there for 2 hours thinking about all of the amazing things we'll do with this little boy...dinosaur cookies, fossil hunting, fishing, camping, playing in streams, salmon spawning, musical instruments, growing things... All the way home from Seattle yesterday I was rolling names around in my head. Right now I am at Robert Dylan Oliver Drussel Bennett for legal and he can go by Dylan or Oliver Bennett. Then he is named after Joe, Bob Dylan, and my grandfather Oliver Drussel. I just have to sell this all to Joe now...