We are fortunate to have supportive friends and family who have provided us with advice and items to get us started (one of the benefits to having a sister  and brother and cousins and friends who have gone through all of this before!) and their love and support makes this journey enjoyable. I spend many moments a day reflecting on how lucky I am to be able to have this opportunity, and am grateful for everything. I mean, yeah, the thought of  spending time in a hospital gives me the heebie-jeebies, but at least I can go to a hospital (and at least it will be for a happy reason).

While the magnitude of it all can be overwhelming, I take comfort in the fact that people have been birthing and raising kids since the dawn of mankind, and even though the newspaper headlines may lead one to believe otherwise, the world is still a pretty cool place, full of goodness and possibility. Being able to contribute to that cycle of life is awesome, in the purest sense of the word.

The ultrasound was amazing and probably one of the best experiences of my life. Seeing the little baby move around, watching her fingers move and wave at us was surreal. It was great to see her heart beating away, to see her little feet and legs. I can feel her moving around now, sometimes more than others, and look forward to the day when Nick can feel her poking and prodding about.

People are always asking us now what names we’ve picked out, and while we have chosen one, we probably won’t reveal it to the masses until she is here. Every once in awhile we mention one of the names we like, and someone sort of says, disappointedly, “Oh.” So in order to avoid any “awkward” situations, baby’s name will remain a secret until further notice.

In other news, we spent two weekends in a row in wine country. The first one we went to three wineries in the Russian River valley: Seghesio, Hop Kiln, and Ridge.  I can’t vouch for the taste, but I can say that all wines smelled terrific, and I can’t wait to try some of them after the little one arrives. The second weekend we went to the member reception at Benziger, which is probably one of our favorite wineries. In addition to tastings of their most famous wines (including the 2008 Tribute straight from the barrel), they served a variety of Italian foods, which I completely enjoyed. And to top things off, one of the Benzigers saw me in line for the bathroom, and took me to her office restroom, because she understood what it was like to be pregnant and have to wait when nature calls. Awesome!

While I do have more energy, I also have noticed the subtle changes pregnancy has had on my body (aside from the obvious one!). Bending over to buckle my sandals is more of a challenge, and I am grateful for slip-on shoes. In addition, standing up for a long period of time hurts my back. And then there is the indigestion, which is just plain uncomfortable. None of this is anything worth complaining about, just more noticeable because I’m used to being able to do everything myself, and now I have to rely on other people to do normal things that I wouldn’t think twice about, such as replacing the water cooler at the office or scrubbing the bathtub. Nick has been super helpful and continues to cook the best meals ever. Our little girl already has a sophisticated palate!

This spring is of particular significance, in that it coincides nicely with a transition of my own. As we walked around the lake, observing the new life around us, my husband and I were keenly aware of the ways our lives were beginning to change. The first day of spring coincides with our transition from the first to the second trimester. A month before we sat together in the sterile doctor’s office, witnessing our child’s heartbeat for the first time. The wonder and amazement we felt, on top of the reassurance that life was actually happening, is comparable to the wonder one experiences when spotting the first crocus emerging from its slumber. This is real. This is beautiful. This is life.