It's not rational, this pregnancy thing. I now know why pregnant female animals are dangerous. Something instinctual happens. It's hard to explain.

Baby is now about 12 weeks--that means he/she is ~2 inches long, eyes are moving closer together, fingers and toes differentiating...we have a doctor's appointment Monday and I'm hoping we can schedule an ultrasound soon. I need to know that there's just one healthy little being in there. (Too many people have been scaring me with twin stories and the likelihood goes up when you're over 35.) It still feels kind of surreal, but this intensity I feel about taking care of this miniscule being just starting inside me is profound.

For those of you who've been through it, I know it's no revelation. For me, wow.

Saw some friends last weekend who have two kids and got a lot of really helpful, useful perspective.

I am trying to learn as much as possible so that we can, hopefully, do things as naturally as possible, but I'm also open to the chance that we may have to make changes in our plans. That's the biggest bit of advice I've been getting. It helps that our doctor has such an amazing reputation with everyone I talk to who knows her--I feel so blessed.

More soon.