Claire Devon

We thought picking a middle name would be easy once we'd settled on Claire for the first name, but it wasn't. Anyway, we've finally decided just to go with Devon, for Claire Devon Kirby. We aren't crazy about the way the full name flows (it could use another couple of syllables), but overall we like it better than the other combinations we tossed around.

The main thing we like about Devon is that it's not at all common (ranked No. 793 for 2008) or girly. I don't think of Claire as a girly name either, but we found that when paired with most of the middle names we considered, it took on an overtly feminine quality that we didn't like.

Also, happy six-months-in-utero birthday to Claire (as of last Wednesday)! Here's the six-month/24-week picture, which we actually didn't get around to taking until last night, but it's close enough.

Reservoir randoms

We've had a bunch of warm, sunny days in the past few weeks, and I've tried to take advantage of them by running at the reservoir. I almost inevitably see someone I know. Yesterday I passed a woman who's a casual business acquaintance going the opposite direction.

She said: Hey! ... HEY, I thought you were pregnant!

I thought: What a thing to say! What if I had been pregnant but something had gone terribly wrong? Should I spill all the sad details as we randomly cross paths on the trail?

But I said: I am!

She said: And you're RUNNING?!

I said: Why not?

By that point I was quite a bit past her and there was no prolonging the conversation unless I stopped running, which I didn't. I spent the next few minutes thinking about how crazy it was that she acted like I was crazy for running while pregnant. At every doctor's appointment I confirm with my doctor that it's still fine to keep working out, and all he has ever said is "Keep doing what you're doing" and "The more active you are now, the easier your pregnancy and labor will be."

As I got to the end of the loop I passed a couple of women who were walking. I detoured to the bathroom (because that is one thing about running while pregnant -- I have to pee every couple of miles) and when I came out I ran into them again.

One of them said: Can we ask you something? How old are you? We were trying to guess.

I said: 29.

The other one said: I guessed you were 17!

Ha! They obviously didn't get a good look (if nothing else, my wedding band and baby belly should have tipped them off), but it was good for a laugh anyway. I wonder if that will be the last time I'm ever taken for a teenager.

Anyway, there's no moral to these stories, I'm just blabbering.

Yay for eBay!

Right after writing the last post a wonderful thing happened. I decided to check eBay one more time for the elusive 7 For All Mankind maternity jeans in my size and length and for a reasonable price, and miracle of miracles! A pair had just been listed in my size, with the original (34-inch) inseam, and for less than one-third what they cost in the store!

I was excited but didn't get my hopes up because there were several days of bidding left and I wasn't willing to pay the "buy it now" price. Yesterday, with just a few hours left in the auction, I finally put in a bid, still sure someone would swoop in at the last second and take them from me. But apparently most people in the market for these jeans really have shorter legs than I do because I WON!
I can't wait till they get here. I feel sure they'll fit because they're exactly what I've tried on in the store (and exactly what I wear in non-maternity jeans). But even if they don't, at this price, I'm confident I could resell them and break even, if not turn a profit -- although I might have to throw in a credit for hemming. :)

This afternoon we had our monthly doctor's appointment. It was completely routine -- all they did was check the heartbeat. And weigh me. Apparently I have now gained either seven or nine pounds (the scale flickered back and forth and I don't know which number the nurse went with), almost all of which came in the last month. Clearly I have a healthy appetite.

Yesterday was the first time a stranger commented on my belly, and it happened not once but twice, in Chick-fil-A and then at the new shoe store beside the new TJ Maxx. Amanda was with me both times. The woman at the shoe store also felt the need to inform Amanda she is in fact going to have a boy. Multiple ultrasounds? Whatever. She's carrying it like a boy. (No worries, she agreed that I'm having a girl.)

What to wear

Week 22 already! That's so hard to believe. This is my stomach as of last night:
People who know I'm pregnant keep saying it's really popping out, but I still feel like strangers might look at me and see a beer belly.

Last week I decided, with Matt's input, that rather than buying one pair of super-expensive 7 For All Mankind maternity jeans, I'd buy:

a) one pair of cheap jeans (these are from Motherhood Maternity and with a 31-inch inseam they're just long enough to wear with flats; hopefully they won't shrink AT ALL in the wash, but if they do, they'll make their way to Amanda's closet like countless other pants);


b) one pair of long dressy jeans (these are from GapMaternity and I LOVE THEM. They are long enough to wear with heels or wedges and I can dress them up or down);
c) one pair of casual, lightweight pants that will be good with a T-shirt and flip-flops -- as comfortable as sweatpants, but cuter (I haven't bought any yet, but these are from GapMaternity);
d) and one pair of black dress pants (so far I haven't found a single pair that fits right -- they're all short and baggy).

All of these will add up to less than one pair of designer jeans (crazy) and I think I'll be happier with several options rather than just one perfect pair. I might be wrong about that, but I can say for sure that I LOVE the long Gap dressy jeans (which I'm wearing today). While I don't love the way these "everyday" jeans look on me, they're good enough ... I think.