Yesterday, at 22 week and 6 days, Matt finally felt the baby kick! To this point, I always felt him moving around mostly when Matt wasn’t around, and if I did feel him and tried to get Matt to feel it, the baby would be still as soon as Matt put his hand on my belly. Matt thought I was just talking it up like the movements were strong but thought really they just couldn’t be felt from the outside.

Finally, last night I could feel him really well after dinner and told Matt to try to feel him. After a few seconds he felt a good kick. Matt’s words were, “That was a hell of a kick!” He said now he understands why I keep going on about feeling him all the time because he had no idea that the kicks were so strong. The scary thing is that the baby is still going to grow 6 or 7 more pounds before he’s born, so I can’t imagine what it’s going to feel like in a couple months!

Today I got what I plan to be the baby’s take-home outfit (pictured). It is very cute and looks comfortable and warm enough. Please note the little ears on the hat for full appreciation of the ensemble. A lot of the newborn clothes I got for him already are really 0-3 months and will likely be too big for a tiny newborn. This one is pretty small, and the tag says up to 8 pounds. As long as he isn’t a giant at birth, it should work out. I’ll probably take this as well as one bigger outfit just in case it doesn’t fit him.

Speaking of his size, he should now weigh about a pound! When we saw him the first time on ultrasound just before 7 weeks, I read that he weighed about as much as an eyelash. It amazes me how much growth and development can take place in about four months.

Today I had an appointment with the midwife, which went fine. Matt went with me, and this was the first one he had been to besides the ultrasounds. I was happy for him to meet the midwife and to see where I go and what my appointments are like. I just got weighed and my blood pressure checked, and then we heard the heartbeat. She answered a couple questions for us and we were done.

At the next appointment in August, I’ll do my glucose tolerance test. I’ll have to drink a super sugary soda there and wait an hour and then have my blood drawn. That is to check for gestational diabetes, and hopefully the result will be normal. She will also give me the third trimester packet of info and start talking about the hospital tour and choosing a pediatrician and things like that. She’ll also start measuring my belly to make sure I’m growing at the correct rate at that visit.

As for exciting developments this week, I have started to be able to see my belly move when the baby kicks sometimes. That is very fun. I think later on I’ll be able to see more, but right now I can just see my belly kind of jump up from a kick. I saw it a couple of times just today.

Tune in next week for a new picture of my expanding waistline

This weekend we got the dresser/changer assembled, which was no small task, and the baby’s room is pretty much done now except for a few things. We’re still waiting for the chair, which should be here around the beginning of September. It will go over where the stroller is sitting now. We also haven’t decided on a mobile yet, and when we finally pick something that will go over the crib. We are going to hang wooden letters spelling his name over the crib as well, but since his name is going to be a surprise we can’t do that until after his arrival.

Matt and I are very proud and happy of how his room has turned out. The baby seems like so much more of a reality now that he has his own room (well, that and when he kicks me in the bladder). I can’t wait to spend a lot of time in there with our baby and for him to hopefully appreciate the room as he grows older.

Well, this week I hit the halfway point in this pregnancy, 20 weeks. That is an exciting milestone for me. I made a big dinner of gumbo with banana pudding for dessert in celebration of the day. This was also the day that I have felt the baby kick the hardest so far. I was resting my hand on my belly and saw my hand jump up from the movement! That was fun and exciting on its own, but especially because I hadn’t been feeling him move as much for the past week. I like it when he lets me know he is there.

The next milestone I am looking forward to is a stranger commenting on my pregnancy. That’s when I will know that I really do look pregnant to the outside world and not just to myself and Matt.

Things are coming along great in the nursery. We put the border up a little over a week ago and surprisingly had a lot of fun doing it. We are very happy with how it turned out! We received the crib and took that out to start assembling it, but one of the pieces was slightly damaged. The scratches/dings are in pretty prominent places, so we ordered a replacement part. Until that gets here, the room looks like a big mess because the crib parts and boxes are spread out all over the room. When we get it a little more in order I’ll post a photo.

As for shopping, I have held myself back on getting most everything but clothes. I LOVE buying baby clothes, and now that we know we’re having a little boy it’s even more fun. Besides the nursery furniture/bedding, stroller, and clothes, I have managed to restrain myself from buying other things so far. It’s tough though because I’m so eager to get everything ready for our little man. I’m so excited about his arrival, but I know there is no reason to fill up our house with everything baby four months ahead of time.