Lessons Learned from Baby #1

1. It's the weirdest, most wonderful thing when your baby starts to kick. It feels like a little flutter at first because they are so ridiculously and adorably tiny, but as they grow, the kicks will get stronger. I'm not going to lie; I thought it felt kinda strange at first because hey, there's an entirely new person  in there, and he's kicking you, and you have no control over it. Wrapping your mind around that is a mysterious, amazing process.


All this spontaneous kicking will, however, keep you endlessly entertained. Babies, you see, don't just kick. Depending on how big they are, they'll somersault, flip, and roll, most of which you can feel at a certain point.The bigger they are, the more you'll actually be able to see your tummy move with their movement, and the more you'll be able to feel their little hands and feet (and elbows and knees) with your hands.

Our baby boy? Well, he moves all the time. No, seriously: it's like a circus in there. He's given up kicking and seems to  prefer STOMPING around emphatically as if he's attempting to either find a way out or impress us with his mighty man muscles. I've informed him that while he really needs to stay put for another twelve weeks, even I am slightly taken aback by how strong he is.

For instance, this morning, I ate a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I was excited about it, but my kid was ecstatic. He loved it. He literally danced his tiny feet all the way up the side of my tummy, then performed a few well-executed somersaults. He's going to be fun when he gets here; I can tell.

Random note to all you tall people: you may not have to worry about getting kicked in the ribs (which apparently is a good thing since it seems like it's not an especially pleasant experience). If you have a long torso or are just tall, the baby may not be able to reach that far up. Yay for you and your tallness!

2. Victoria's Secret. A happy mama is one who is wearing things that fit. That's all I'm going to say about that.

Maternity dresses can be cute! This one is from A Pea in the Pod.

3. You will need maternity clothes. No, really. You will. Baby bumps are special, and need special clothes to cover them. And yes, you can absolutely rock the baggy t-shirt thing for a while, but you may find yourself more comfortable (and look less like a tent)  in something more . . . fitted. Sometimes it's hard to adjust to all the changes that are happening to you, and having a few fitted, cute outfits will really help restore your sense of normalcy. Did you know that Old Navy, Target, and Gap have wonderfully stylish maternity lines? They do, and they are awesome. Treat yourself.

4. You may very well not be miserable for the entirety of your pregnancy. When we first found out I was pregnant, I just assumed that I would probably be very, very uncomfortable for the majority of it. Oh darlin. Not so.

While all women are different and will have different pregnancy experiences, you are not necessarily doomed to misery. Really and truly. Do what everyone says: eat well, find something you enjoy doing for exercise, and don't sweat the small stuff. Even on the days when pregnancy does wear on you, you'll feel better about yourself.

Also, you may even feel pretty good in the first trimester. I felt a little nauseous in the evenings, but I felt fine otherwise. Easy pregnancies sometime happen! Take whatever symptoms you get as they come - everyone is a little bit different, so don't make yourself miserable by expecting the worst.

5. Baby clothes are expensive. Thrifted baby clothes are not. Now, I should just admit to you here and now that due to a certain intangible, inexplicable, preternatural affinity for brand-name, high-quality clothes, I am a picky person. I like nice clothes, is what I'm trying to say. And I'm picky about clothes for little boy because I want him to look cute. I kinda have a thing for adorable tiny boy babies in adorable tiny clothes. It can't be helped; believe me. So when I discovered that most thrift stores have an amazing variety of baby clothes, I kinda unintentionally on purpose went nuts. Behold the inevitable stockpile:

Twenty-eight items for less than $25. Most of these are made by Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren,
Carter's, Children's Place, and Osh-Kosh.  They're in sizes newborn to 18M.

My faves. I heart stripes. 

Most of these were half off, ranging in price from .50 to $1.  The most I've paid for something? $2.50.

The majority of the baby clothes I'm finding have no wear on them because, let's face it, the little goobers only wear most of them for a few weeks or months - they grow too fast! Thrifting them is a win-win situation all the way around: practically brand-new, dirt cheap, high quality - what more could you want?