The Belgian guests

This past week, we had some lovely guests -- Hanna and Lein -- come to visit us from Belgium. We took them out on the town in Philly, and laughed a lot together. As soon as I ahve some photos, I will post them. We had a delightful time visiting with our new Belgian friends, and cant wait to take a trip to Belgium to see what their home is like!!

We are about 18 weeks along in the pregnancy...we're almost at the halfway point!!!!

Over the past week we felt a bit more kicking...small little thumps. thwack, thwack. Even Mike could feel them. Pretty cool!!!! I am also getting bigger, although no one but us can really tell.

Everyone seems to have something to say about my weight (how small I am for 4 1/2 months) and it was starting to bother me, but Mike and I can really see a difference in my body and I know I am getting lots of nutritious food so I am trying not to let the comments bother me. I think people are so used to seeing very large pregnant women that they forget that it takes a while to get that big!! Also, I am still very active and exercising, and have not really been eating any junk food, so my weight gain has been relatively slow and steady, which, my midwives assure me, is totally normal and a very healthy way to be putting on weight.

On Tuesday of next week we have a prenatal appointment with our fabulous team of midwives -- Christy, Karen and Susi from WomanWise. We also have our first OB consultation coming up in the next week -- this is where we begin to try and find an obstetrician we like who will support our natural childbirth plans (and see us a few times through the pregnancy). So far, we have two good leads on local OBs who might be willing to provide us with the special type of care we are seeking... but if we dont like them, we may have to venture out to the burbs!! (oh no, not that!!) We're not worried though. We have lots of time and options, and so far, everything looks real good.

We also just learned that my cousin Dan and his wife Cathy, are expecting their second child in March -- Hooray!! Babies will be everywhere come the spring.