While painting today, I asked Jason what he thought we might be doing with all of our wintry weekends if we weren’t getting ready for baby. Neither one of us could decide, which got me thinking. It’s amazing how our lives move fluidly from one season into the next, finding room for the latest event or preparations, without edging out everything else we would otherwise have going on. I suppose this isn’t always the case, but it sure feels like we suddenly have very carved out time to get ready for this next big adventure. Don’t get me wrong; there’s still stress about decisions, and days we’d rather be lounging or visiting with friends (or sledding!) when instead we’re inside painting and pouring ourselves over nursery websites. Still, I’m grateful that things just work out the way they do. I’m grateful that we originally planned to have the nursery painted at the end of December, so that we were able to prioritize and shift things around and still get it all done long before the kiddo needs a place to sleep outside my belly.

As much as “grow” is my word for the year and I’m trying to order myself around the concept, “movement” would be another very appropriate term to add to the mix. It certainly seems that everything is moving these days. We’ve moved beds and other furniture, moved items out of closets, moved baby things into the house and moved poor Kruger out of his cozy nook and into our new room. We’ve moved dates around on the calendar to see what fits best, paint cans and boxes in the basement and, in Jason’s case, LOTS of snow.

I’d be remiss not to note the most present addition of movement in our daily lives over the past 14 weeks since the first flutter–Baby K is moving around at all hours, reminding and delighting me of his or her presence and assuring us that there is growth and life abundant within me. It’s been intriguing to observe patterns and watch-setting punctuality on the baby’s part; we can always count on a little belly wave first thing in the morning, mid-afternoon between 2:30 and 3p, and at night, like clockwork, just before 8:30pm (and until the wee hours). Baby either likes or dislikes very cold water and very much likes music, the sound of our pastor’s voice and when I talk to Kruger and tell him he’s being good. I think this is fabulous.

Kicks and tiny punches have turned into rolls and more flutters over the past week–I am so full of baby and my belly is taking its time growing. I feel like I’ve just eaten a big meal after a few bites and can no longer belt out songs to the radio without feeling like I just got in a good run. I can’t imagine the little one likes this very much at (according to babycenter.com anyway) around two pounds and the size of a head of cauliflower. The fruit and vegetable comparisons each week crack me up, but I will need my belly to give a little bit more to manage the pumpkin and watermelon I’ve read are in my future. Ah, the joys!

As we move towards lots of great things in the next few months–our fourth anniversary, Jason’s birthday and the peanut’s arrival, it seems like everything in our paths will just kind of jump on the bandwagon along the way. I pray that the necessary and beautiful things get swept up to come along for the ride, and that the minutia, inevitable worries and unimportant details will all find their own river to skate away on. In the meantime, we’re moving in a positive direction, with all of the growth that we can manage well on the journey.

Life is kind of like a pregnant belly in that way–adapting and changing and taking shape to make room for the important things, and adjusting back when the timing is just right. It’s not always comfortable, or even the most natural feeling thing, but it sure can be beautiful and celebrated. We carry it daily, and depending on our perspective, we determine it glorious or prohibitive or both. I hope I always feel about life as I do this belly. I carry it with me so full of joy and hope and inspiration, and I can’t wait to meet what it holds.

moving and growing,

mm