the ox or the cow

i really like it when christian's pictures turn out blurry - he's in motion all the time... but the little chap knows a photo op, and he poses (!) and smiles (!) who taught him that? these are pictures of him in his halloween costume - a little cow...he's really funny when he says a gutteral "hmmmmmmmmm" instead of "mooooo".

now that i'm in my 18th week, i've been trying to remember how christian was like when he was this old in gestation. at 16.5 weeks, he gave a very distinct kick although i felt fluttering at 14 weeks. i remember lying down on our bed and eric and i watched my belly and we saw this little elbow/foot go "nudge"/"kick". it was like an alien movie.

not one to be outwitted by his brother, his little sister gave us little kicks/movements at 16.5 weeks too. Since I already know what's it like to be on maternity leave and out of commission, how baby-brain-inflicted i could be when my zombied state of mind was always in a fog, i'm now cramming in as much work as i can during the work-week and trying desperately to spend as much time with christian as i possibly can. The result of which is how little attention I'm giving to the little one until late at night... when it's just my tolomeo lamp, my book, my lower ab exercises and my little bundle of joy-in-utero.

as with the engagement, gestation brings about a certain air of inspiration. as is with trying to eat well and stay as fit as possible, my brain is constantly looking for ways to be inspired. my guess is that all this is the hormones doing and i play a very minute role: with christian i was obsessed with audrey hepburn, her movies and her biographies, the music i listened to? abba, and this ponyo theme song. with my little girl, it was julia child, re-reading her autobiography, poring over cookbooks and re-reading harry potter and the deathly hallows. uh-oh, not too dainty-reading, is it? hmmm...

p.s. before i forget, a little video on the little cow (a little too big in size to be embedded in this post).