I am *ThisClose* to being halfway there, which has sent Alex and I into preparation mania. Time was moving so sloooowly the first half of my pregnancy that it felt like we had all the time in the world to get ready for the baby, but now it is just as my midwife warned me….as I approach 20 weeks, time is beginning to move so FAST! It seems like we have a never-ending list of things to get done before the baby arrives just in terms of finishing the house up (as much as possible). Let me tell you, moving during pregnancy is not recommended. Our house is still not fully unpacked or put together, and we are scrambling to finish the many necessary renovations we took on in buying this house. The house is one thing (and the most consuming), but there are still stacks of pregnancy/childbirth/baby books that I insist on reading (4 down, 1/2 way through 2 others, at least 4 more to go), meeting with and deciding on a doula, hypnobirthing classes, birth center tours, shopping, setting up the nursery, teaching Alex what to do with cloth diapers and nasal aspirators….and so. much. more.

On a lighter, less panicked note, I started feeling the baby move on Thanksgiving! I had thought I was feeling it a few weeks ago, but now realize that was probably my organs finding new homes or something of the sort. This is unlike anything else. It’s so bizarre to feel the tiny, gentle movements of a 6-inch human being inside you—it’s mind-boggling, oh-so-magical, and incredibly alien-like all at the same time. The less pleasant part of Thanksgiving, though, was when Alex put my plate of food in front of me and I instantly freaked out at the sight and smell of it, insisting he take it away immediately. I ended up having a plate of toast and cupcakes for my Thanksgiving meal, with an organic frozen burrito for dessert. Oh, pregnancy!

I also took my first trip to a maternity store, and holy crap was that overwhelming! So far I’ve been buying all my maternity clothes online, but I desperately needed some assistance with figuring out how to holster my new….uh…..twins? I can’t think of a polite way to put it, and apparently I’m more into over-sharing while pregnant. I will say that I highly recommend buying new bras early in your pregnancy. I did not heed that advice and have been in so much pain every day as I’ve been cutting off my circulation. Over-sharing aside, what is with maternity stores?? Maybe it was a freak occurrence, maybe it was because I went in the middle of a workday so the salesladies were bored, maybe it’s because I look like an easy target? I don’t know, but I went in looking for one thing and a saleswoman immediately jumped on me, figured out all my sizes, and honestly within the 5-10 minutes I was browsing she filled an entire dressing room FULL of clothing…..10 head-to-toe outfits and then a myriad of random items. I don’t get it. But, I left there so overwhelmed and exhausted. Back to online shopping for me!