the storks are circling

I’ve had a not-so secret for the last three months, and I’ve finally been given the all clear to share it on a larger scale. Of course, I realize that everyone who reads this blog probably already knows, but even if you already do, I have something cool to share that's new.

When I said that the whole world has gone baby crazy, I guess I should have been a bit clearer. I’ve gone baby crazy because my best friend Christy is pregnant and … drum roll please … my brother and sister-in-law are expecting, too! I'm going to be the "crazy aunt"!

And here’s the cool part; Christy and Mandie are due within just days of each other. Because their dates are so close, they’re going through a lot of the same things at the same time. Just as Christy is starting to show and wearing copious amounts of elastic in the waist area (I may borrow those for Thanksgiving like Joey in “Friends.”), I assume that Mandie is breaking out the maternity apparel, too.

Although Mandie and Stephen live four states away, I feel closer to them because of my experiences with Christy. I even went with Christy to the doctor’s appointment where she first heard her baby’s heartbeat and saw her baby clapping in the womb. It was amazing! Earlier that week, Mandie and Stephen saw their baby kicking like a Rockette in utero. My family and friends are so talented, even as mere zygotes. (OK, I know they’re no longer zygotes, but I love that word!)

Anyway, the appointment with Christy was life-changing. I actually started crying when I saw the baby moving. I was overwhelmed with excitement for Christy and her family, and also for my family and me.

Here are two all-too brief videos from Mandie and Stephen’s last doctor visit. In the first one, you can hear the heartbeat, or possibly a cool new beat track for Daft Punk. Under that, you’ll see a restless Baby Shook moving around just trying to get comfy. Enjoy. Coo coo.