There are four couples on campus that are expecting their first babies within just a few weeks of each other.  We had the opportunity to get the new moms and dads together for a dinner this past Saturday night.  It was great to meet new folks and have a common topic -- babies! Kathryn and Eric are due early March, Aaron and I are due middle of April, Natalie and Ted are due middle of May, and Sara and Tony are due middle of May with twins (L-R in pictures). We look forward to getting together again soon! 

Aaron grew up listening to "Prairie Home Companion" and is a fan of Garrison Keillor. For years I have been trying to get tickets to see a live broadcast of the show for Aaron's birthday. The schedule never really coordinated with where we were around his birthday (when they were in WI/MN we were in NH/MA and vice versa).  But finally our schedules coincided and Aaron got one heck of a birthday present this year!  We went to PHC in Rochester, MN just a few weeks after Aaron's birthday. 

At the show we wrote a few notes that we hoped to be read by Garrison after the break but we didn't make the cut.  We wrote one to baby which we thought might be a winner.  It read:

To: Baby Koepke (due in April)
From: Dad and Mom (Aaron and Kristin)
Message:  Enjoy your first live public broadcast.  We hope you will be a lifelong public radio supporter. 

I have taken up swimming (again) during my pregnancy and it is when I feel the best!  The buoyancy is amazing on my joints.  And, amazingly, I don't get winded swimming laps.  I do get winded walking down the hall or going up a few steps so I am not quite sure how that works but it does.  Just recently I had to stop wearing my sporty one-piece Speedo swimsuit as my belly and ass were not sharing appropriately (the one-piece was just not stretching in all the right places).  So, I transitioned to a sporty two-piece Speedo swimsuit.  I had a few days of being shy at the pool with my two-piece but I am over it now.  I figure the life guards at the Y have seen worse!

I have never really been known for my dainty hands and have affectionately called my digits "sausage fingers".  Well, today I have officially tipped beyond sausages to maybe bratwursts.  I am no longer able to fit my beautiful wedding rings on my sausage fingers.  While this makes me sad as I do love my bling-bling, I realize it is best for me to remove them now than to have them cut off at a hospital.   I might venture out to get a band to wear to continue sporting the symbol of what the ring stands for.  If so, I realize I should just buy a band in several incremental sizes as I am sure these sausages will continue to grown in the next three months!

We went to the Rotary Lights in La Crosse with our friend Sandy.  We bundled up and brought our hot chocolate to enjoy as we walked around the riverfront park.  It's a really beautiful display of holiday lights! 

Baby Koepke likes to dance, kick, punch, stretch, and high-five.  It goes in streaks with placement -- sometimes upper right, sometimes upper left, sometimes real low and in back.  I guess it just depends on the mood and where the comfy spot is for the day.  It's been so neat to feel the kicks and we are both fascinated in watching the kicks through my belly.  I am taking advantage of the constant movement because I realize that sooner than later the movement will be more sporadic and much more dramatic due to constricted space. 

Over the holidays while at family holiday functions, however, the baby was quite still.  Of course I told all sorts of family members that the baby was really active and they wanted to feel the kicks but baby wasn't in the mood to show off.  We can't decide what that says about baby.  We have some possible ideas.  The baby (1) is an observer, (2) likes to analyze situations, (3) is a really good listener, (4) is shy, (5) enjoys noise, (6) can sleep through anything, (7) will be a constant mover, (8) is going to be an entertainer.  I think any of options would be plausible knowing the parents! I'll let you all decide which traits could come from which parent

I think part of it was the fascination with loud noises that baby wasn't used to (not that our families are loud to excess but holiday gatherers are with more than two people like in our apartment or a few people in my office).  In addition, I was standing and moving around more than I usually do so possibly the baby was just rocked to sleep more often than usual with a 'desk job'.  But, the instant I laid down each night the baby kicked like crazy and very strong kicks.  Even if it means nothing about traits it sure was fun to recognize that a change in environment was noticeable to the developing Baby Koepke.  It was also fun to speculate and talk about different personality traits in our child.  Oh this road to parenthood is pretty exciting! 

"Santa Claus is Coming to Town" -- that is what is supposed to be heard from this short clip of The Oak Ridge Boys Christmas Show which I saw with family a few weekends ago.  At the show, the baby started kicking like crazy!  It was absolutely the neatest thing ever.  I am sure that the baby was kicking my innards before the concert but I was not sure what to feel for or what it would feel like.  I am pretty sure at several points I confused a "tickle"/"flutter"/"butterfly" (words often used to describe early baby movement) as gas.  But now, there is no mistake what that movement is -- sometimes it's as if that baby is going to kick, punch, or knee right through my abdomen.  Of course, at this point in time I think it's fascinating...I am sure eventually I'll plead with the baby to leave my ribs and/or sciatic nerve alone.  Aaron is also loving the ability to feel the baby movin' and a shakin' though the little bugger will kick a few times in one spot and then as soon as Aaron puts his hand there baby will stop.  There have been a few timing alignments for Aaron and I am sure there will be many more to make him smile as much as I do each time I feel this active baby movement.  The moral of this story is that the baby is either (1) officially a fan of The Oak Ridge Boys or (2) a lover of really load music -- let's hope for the former!

Last night I attended a social get-together with some women from work and it was really wonderful to be included!  It was exactly what I needed -- appetizers, drinks (non-alcoholic for me), laughs, intellectual and social conversation, and new friends.  Thanks to Jo for inviting me.  There were six women there and 50% of the women are pregnant, and all due within a few weeks of each other.  Eventually the pregos grouped together to chit-chat it up about what we had and hadn't done in preparation.  We did apologize to the non-pregos for being exclusive; of course, not our intent.  However, the great news is I finally have a more local group of women to chat with about baby things in our 'new' hometown.  While I wasn't sure this was something I needed, having a brief encounter with the prospect I am very excited about continued conversations with my new mommy-to-be friends!