We went for a hike today, in as much as you can go for a hike seven months pregnant. We took it slow and stopped several times to do impersonations of Cayenne. 

Catoctin Mountain National Park is the location of Camp David. And as it turns out, the president and his entourage are at Camp David this weekend. So in a sense we were vacationing with the President. 

MOVING

The first home - the red one with the for sale sign hanging down - is the Baltimore row house we've been living in for the last two months. For those Westerners unfamiliar with the row house concept, its a very skinny, rather long, hallway of a house which shares both side walls with neighboring houses. This makes for a very dense, loud environment in the summer when people like to hang out on their stoops. Our house, in the neighborhood of Hampden, is 11 feet wide and 40 or so feet deep, with two floors and a dank dungeon basement. Cayenne was never able to recognize which stairs lead to our house. He'd either try going up each set or he'd walk right by our house, even after two months.

Today we moved out of Hampden and into an apartment owned by our realtor in Towson, MD. Towson is a large, trendy suburb on the north side of Baltimore. In many ways it reminds us of Bellevue (a Seattle suburb). For one, its defining characteristics is its huge, upscale mall.

We're within walking distance to a movie theatre, a trader joes, a plethora of restaurants, a surprising number of beach wear shops and a Hudson Trail Outfitters (East coast version of REI) - very different from our Baltimore Neighborhood. While we cross our fingers and hope our house closes in two weeks, we'll be comforted by those yuppie indulgences which we left behind in Seattle. A taste of suburban living before we plunge back into the city proper.

By popular demand...




A picture of Cayenne!

We are now in our 30th week and everything seems to be going smoothly. Except, of course, the rockin' and rollin'. Aeneas seems to become the most active when I lie down to sleep or when I have a full bladder. For a couple weeks it seemed that my stomach muscles and ligaments were fighting the expansion and his kicking was a desparate attempt to get more room. But, my muscles which dutifully sucked in my belly for 20-some years, have given up.

At times, I'm simply flabbergasted at the mammalian approach to reproduction. I'm growing a little person in me who takes what he wants/needs without my permission. And, did I mention that there is a penis growing in my belly. That strikes me as odd...

Look at that big upper lip!

At the ultrasound everything checked out fine. Except, he was bent in half, looking at his shins. The sonographer was unable to get a look at where his umbilical cord enters his belly. She wiggled and jiggled us, but he just wouldn't unfold. Instead, he stuck his tongue out at us.

Aeneas Mateo Wood (courtesy of Emily Wood) 

First message of our new Blog. We're intending on updating this with pictures and comments during the rest of Emily's Pregnancy, and then hopefully pictures of our happy, healthy baby boy, Aeneas Mateo Wood.

Actually we're planning on keeping this thing going on until Aeneas is old enough to use it himself. We're not really scrapbook people, so, consider this a scrapbook for Aeneas that you can participate in. We'd like it if you (family, friends or wandering internet surfer) would leave thoughts and comments for us and him.