So I’m nearly 14 weeks pregnant right now.  Basically 3.5 months.  One would think at some point I’d stop worrying that I’ve somehow damaged my baby in the womb.  But at this point, I still like reassurance that my little alien is still thriving in there.

I haven’t thought much about when the baby would start kicking.  I’m more interested in the baby’s sex than when it’ll start causing internal damage to my ribs.  But this morning (and actually, right now, even as I type), I felt a fluttering just under my rubs.  A fluttering that moved lower as I stretched out and higher when I sat normal.  At first I thought one of my internal organs was having a seizure.  Because…that makes sense, right?

And then I remembered that I had a person inside of my.

Dudes, my baby is moving!  IT’S ALIVE!!! (To be read in Dr. Frankenstein’s voice.)  But for real, this is so cool!  I mean, it’s super cool to know that apparently I’m doing something right if my baby has enough energy to be somersaulting around in there.  But it’s cool just to feel it.  And to feel that something is actually growing inside of me.

Anyway, a nice little milestone for this cold, snowy Monday.

I only gained .2 lbs since my last appointment a month ago.

So take that, crazy old nurse from my first appointment who made me feel all guilty and shit because I was gaining too much weight early on.  I wasn’t!  I was just gaining too much weight before the pregnancy even started…

Still…I can’t wait to start wearing stretchy jeans.  I looked ahead to next week in the one pregnancy book I’m reading (and even then, I really only read the two paragraphs about what’s happening to the baby, and what’s happening to me — none of the diseases or anything) and it says that I’ll have to start buying maternity clothes.  I’m asking for gift cards for Christmas so that I can buy all that stuff and you can bet I’m going to load up on stretchy jeans.

A friend the other night told me she never wore stretchy jeans during her pregnancy.  She just kept her regular jeans unbuttoned.  That’s just crazy talk!  Once I get into stretchy jeans, I’m never taking them off!

Perhaps this shouldn’t be such a cause for celebration, but in the days leading up to my doctor’s appointment, I was a little nervous that I hadn’t been careful enough with the little baby inside of me and maybe it was broken.

Don’t look at me like I’m crazy.  I can’t feel it kicking or moving or anything.  It’s totally normal to worry about breaking it…

Anyway, we wound up not getting an ultrasound but I will get one next week to test for down syndrome.  Also, apparently the ultrasound technician is a whiz at determining the baby’s sex, so as long as the little guppy cooperates, we might know as soon as next week what we’re having.  Which would be so awesome.  But I don’t want to know unless the tech is 99% certain.  I don’t want to get all excited for one thing only to find out 2 months later it’s another thing.  Ya know?

So we heard the heartbeat for the first time yesterday, which was crazy.  We were a little nervous at first because she couldn’t find the heartbeat right away and I just kept flashing back to that stupid movie Marley and Me where Jennifer Anniston finds out she miscarried.  But luckily it seems I just have an active baby who was avoiding the Doppler.

The heartbeat was strong and right in the range they want it, so we now know that we have an active baby with a heart.  Wahoo!!

I should probably refrain from making cannibalism jokes in reference to my baby.

I should probably refrain from making cannibalism jokes altogether.

I’m pretty sure my fetus knows I won’t eat it.

Don’t worry, I’m rubbing my stomach right now and reassuring the baby.

I don’t know why this struck me as such a momentous occasion, but coming to that realization today brought a smile to my face.

I have my second doctor’s appointment tomorrow.  I can’t wait to go in there and see the baby again and hear a heartbeat.

Things I love about my doctor: she gives ultrasounds as often as possible.  It’s just reassuring to see the baby on the screen and know that I haven’t broken it yet.

What kind of diapers I’ll use (cloth vs. disposable).

What kind of stroller I’ll need.

What kind car seat I’m supposed to get.

What the nursery will look like.

The list goes on an on.

When am I supposed to figure this stuff out?  HOW am I supposed to figure this stuff out?  It’s all a little overwhelming.

I see people who haven’t aren’t even pregnant who already have their stroller picked out and their nursery decorated.  But I haven’t given any thought to these things.  Am I already behind the game?