Weird People and Pregnant Ladies and Stop Grabbing The Belly

People act weird around pregnant ladies. (Although, to be fair and politically correct, I'd imagine people would act equally weird around pregnant men).

Some of it is pretty sweet. Folks riding the X-2 bus with us are a little more likely to offer a seat, family and friends are more sensitive about our time and eager to make sure Mimi gets enough rest.

Then there are the belly touchers. Family and friends aren't a problem, but strangers off the street are. They seem to be under the impression that they are entitled to touch my wife's stomach. They'll ask permission sometimes but usually they're reaching for her stomach before she gives consent.

"Excuse me, ma'am? Can you kindly remove your hand from my wife's stomach?"

I want to think that people are just enamored by the mystic time that is the creation of new life. But I don't think it is. I think it's just American entitlement.

Little Earthquakes

It is the strangest feeling in the world when something is growing inside of you. Yes, I know it has been said before but I'm a little weirded out by the baby turning somersaults in my belly. Baby P woke me up last night at around 3 a.m. kicking me in the side. By the end of today I felt like he/she had bruised up my entire inside belly. It feels like a mini-earthquake (far from those that impacted Haiti or Japan, but very impactful in my little world).

The responses about this on Facebook were all excited ones. Mother's gladly sharing the joy they felt when they felt their little babies moving for the first time. I am excited, but at the same time this is all sort-of strange. Hoping tomorrow that Baby P is a little nicer to my insides, but perhaps as I get scars from the preliminary kicks it will feel more like he/she is kicking and less like getting jabbed in the stomach from the inside.

I know the earthquakes will just become bigger as my pregnancy progresses. One thing I do know is that the more I feel the baby move, the closer he/she is to arrival. The first half has gone by so quickly (yesterday marked five months until Baby P's due date). I'm praying for you each day baby. I love you and I cannot wait to introduce you to this world.

The Halfway Point (Almost)!

We are almost half way through the pregnancy! I am so excited because while at the lake with my family I was able to feel what I think is the baby. To me it felt more like bubbles popping. We find out Baby P's gender on May 31st (hopefully). I have one more OB appointment before that.

Things are coming together with the transition to Missouri. Hopefully we will close on a house in Columbia before the end of the month. I'm so excited to begin to create a nest for our little family.

This month we visited Texas for my sister Sarah's graduation from Southwestern University, we went with my family to Lake Buchanan (the lake my dad has been to pretty much every year since he was 4), I've only missed 4 years in 28. I cannot wait to teach Baby P how to fish for white bass, catfish and stripers. The fishing was not too good this trip, but hopefully in future years it will be better.

We also celebrated Mother's Day. Several of my friends wished me a Happy Mother's Day on Facebook, and I got to have dinner with my mom and dad, sister Catelyn and Greg. The baby will be here in less than 5 months and I cannot wait to meet him or her and know what it is like to be a mom.

We are in Birmingham, AL right now visiting my sister-in-law Edge. Edge will graduate from Samford University on Saturday. Such and exciting time in the life of the Perreault Family!

Great Anticipation

For those of you who want to know how mommy-to-be and Baby P are doing, let me just say the last few weeks I have been feeling better. I have a little more energy and other than two long car trips that left me feeling more frustrated than ever I've been great.

This month has been a whole new adventure. I turned 28 on April 7. I got to celebrate twice with friends--once with a small party, and the second time with our friends Julie and Jared who moved to North Carolina last year.

Greg and I went to Texas this weekend so he could attend a conference and we could spend my favorite holiday, Easter, with the Wiggins. We had the bonus pleasure of seeing my sister Sarah present her capstone project on the Lamu port in Kenya (well at least the last 20 minutes of it). We also took some family photos of the family before Baby P arrives, I went through the storage unit and picked out furniture--for our potential home in Missouri, and I got to eat at several Boerne, Texas eateries I have missed. I also saw several people from First Baptist Church of Boerne who said they are praying for Greg and I during our time of transition. I am so grateful to have friends and family that support us!

I eagerly am anticipating my next doctor's visits on May 17 and then 31 (when we will find out Baby P's gender, hopefully). I cannot wait!

Today I received some baby books in the mail with artwork by the impressionists. I am so excited to get to share my love of art with my baby someday.

Included are some photos of baby gifts I have received. Tomorrow marks 16 weeks, but I'll post that photo later.

Mimi Develops Superhuman hearing

My wife is in the process of becoming a superhero.

A few nights ago, I woke when I sensed Mimi had left the bed. When she came back, I asked what happened.

Mimi: "Oh...I heard a ziploc of kibble fall down downstairs in the kitchen."

She heard it through numerous layers of flooring, on the opposite side of the house. Also it was a cellophane-thick bag which fell from a pretty low height.

It was kind of crazy. Now I know that the days of planning her birthday on one side of the house while she's on the other are over.

I'm taking nominations for superhero names.

A home for baby P

After a trip to Missouri to check out Mizzou and a few homes, Greg and I decided on Saturday that Missouri is the best place for Baby P to enter the world. It is a hard decision as we love Washington, DC. We love our church, Mosaic, our neighborhood in the Atlas District and most of all, the friends we have made here. That more than anything is going to make it more difficult to leave (see Greg's Gaelic Gopher blog here).
Columbia is what everyone there referred to as a "progressive" town. It has a lot of parks, recycling, vintage stores and a historic downtown. It was a mixture of several places Greg and I have visited and enjoyed. It will be different, but I think we will enjoy it.
Baby P is the size of a peach today. I had my second ultra sound in a week to see the baby. He/she was not as active this time, but was rather folding his/her hands in a prayer position. It is nice to know that the baby is meditative. This made me think he/she was at peace about our decision to move to Missouri in August.
Greg also got awarded an additional fellowship from Missouri yesterday. This was real affirmation that we are going to the right school. The next step is to figure out where we are going to live. Missouri is so inexpensive we're going to be able to buy a house, which is really exciting!

New Pictures

He/She's rolling around in this one.

That's a serious nose. My grandfathers nose was pretty serious--hopefully the child dodges that landmine.

ps. I've begun having conversations with Mimi's belly.