Something?

20 weeks.... I had my latest check up this week. My weight gain (or lack of a lot), belly size, and uterus are "fantastic". Every visit the nurse has to dig and poke and prod to find the baby's heartbeat. As soon as she put the "microphone" to my stomach, the heartbeat was loud and clear! Then the baby moved slightly, but we picked it up right again. Since I have yet to feel any movement, this was great. I keep poking and holding my breath for the "flutter" everyone talks about. Nothing.

This morning I was in bed eating my breakfast. In true relaxed fashion, I had my bowl resting on the top of my stomach. I watched it rock with the beat of my heart I could feel inside me. After a few minutes, I moved the bowl on top of my uterus and held very still. I SWEAR the bowl was rocking in double-time. So I moved the bowl back and forth from stomach to uterus a few times. Sure enough - the rhythm was different.

Not very high-tech or scientific. But lovely.

Names

People always ask what names I have chosen for the baby. To be honest, I just started thinking about the subject. I actually had a list started a year ago - something to keep around for when the time came. Is that very female of me?

My husband and I were walking today and settled on the strongest possibility for a girl's name. I've been warned by some not to tell people the name until the baby is born. You can share the sex, sure - but the name, no way. It still surprises me to consider this, but I guess it is very commonplace for people to share their displeasure with a name before the child is actually born. I would never consider sharing my opinion with someone. I suppose I am seeing the reality and benefit of it. My husband has already stated that you can't name the baby until it is born - what if it doesn't look like it's name? Good thought.

So in the meantime - till we make a final decision on what to share - it shall remain Heroditus.

A Good Sign

Today we hosted an old friend of my husband's. He and his wife delighted us with their 1 1/2 year old, Catherine. She was quite boisterous and chatty. Very expressive vocally and physically, despite not saying any intelligible. She was fun.

We spent some time in the backyard. She got a kick out of watching Curtis kick the ball and watching Cooper fetch it. I noticed Cooper keeping an eye on her and running up to her when she ventured into certain parts of the yard (keep in mind, he's taller). He would run along side her and put his mouth on her hands, lightly "mouthing", yet not biting. He would nose her in the shoulder and try and get in front of her. I soon realized that his brand new, 14" smoked bone was in the vicinity. We moved the bone and all was good. As Catherine moved up and down the stairs from the deck to the yard he would do the same thing. Again, we realized he must have something buried under the deck next to the steps. Due to her size, he approached her as a threat - yet did not respond that way to her parents - people unfamiliar to him.

It was interesting to watch Cooper around their daughter. He was quite interested in her diaper, licked hands and feet. Sniffed her ears and neck. She was very tolerant and not scared - quite impressive for such a young one. She would just giggle and squirm when he approached her.

As we try and gauge how Cooper will respond to our own child, it was interesting to watch his behavior around her. The slight, gentle - yet serious - warnings that something less gentle could happen - if we're not vigilant. It was interesting to watch - and I believe, a good sign.