Pregnancy: Over Halfway There!

I'm 21 weeks now, which is very exciting because I'm over halfway to meeting baby Edith! I had Will snap a few pictures the other day before we went on a date. I'm not sure how you people who take weekly pictures do it, it is hard enough for me to remember to do one every few weeks.

The second trimester has gone very well for me. I really don't have anything to complain about because this is such a short-lived season and I am so thankful to have the opportunity to carry my daughter.

Here are a few random tidbits about my second trimester so far:

• I finally started to feel more energized around week 16-17.
• Full-time wearing maternity clothes at 14 weeks.
• Felt the first baby movements at 17.5 weeks.
• Will felt the baby move at 19 weeks.
• Was asked if I was pregnant by a stranger at 20 weeks.

A few weeks ago I sent out a facebook plea for a free crib to borrow, and I was so grateful when FOUR friends replied within hours that they had cribs for me to use. I know that Israel won't need a crib forever, but he will be 22 months at Edith's arrival and I'm sure he will still need a crib and not a toddler bed (especially since he's not walking and he does some crazy ninja moves in his sleep).

Our neighbors and church friends, the Reaves, offered to loan us theirs that they bought for their grandkids to use. Guess what... it is beautiful.  I had no idea what it would look like or if it would be in a great condition, and I didn't care. I just needed a crib! And the Lord was so good to us. I was telling my friend Courtney the other day that I just feel like God has been so generous to us in this season.

My sister-in-law also loaned us some beautiful Pottery Barn crib bedding that she used for her first daughter. It is perfect and actually matches the wall color in Edith's room (formerly my sewing area) perfectly. Again, God is so gracious to us.

There's really not that much that we have to do to prepare for Edith's arrival at this point. I still need a few basic things for her (and for me as I plan to breastfeed), but most of what we would need for an infant I had already for Israel - including an infant carrier, baby bath, baby wraps, etc. We also scored a great deal on a Bob double jogging stroller a few months ago!

I have definitely come to enjoy being pregnant. Having a son who was adopted and not knowing how his prenatal care was, it makes me think of his birth mom a lot. I wonder how she felt during her pregnancy, when she felt his first kicks, if she got up to pee as much as I do in the middle of the night, etc. Part of me aches to have carried Israel myself. Part of me is thankful that when I feel my Edith kicking, I am connected to a woman in Ethiopia who carried my son.