2 weeks later... January 24...

"Are you sure you don't want to go to a bakery in Manhattan for your gender reveal cake?" Serena asks me as we prepare to walk into a bakery in Brooklyn.

"Yes, Serena. I don't think I need a super fancy cake to tell everyone what my baby is."

"Ok, then can I convince you to go to one for your baby shower cake in a few months?" she asks with a mischievous smirk.

"I guess, if you insist!"

"I just think you would find a really great cake design at my favorite bakery. They have practically hundreds of customisable options for every occasion; baby showers, birthdays, weddings, retirement, anniversary, congrats, you name it!"

We spend a few morning hours looking at cakes suited for gender reveals and I finally settle on a pink and blue striped, square cake lined at the edges in white candy pearls, with a pink bow beside a green necktie decoration in the very middle. I give the baker the note of which color to put on the inside, to keep the surprise from Serena.

Nate is the only person who will find out before the party, other than myself. Serena and I have scheduled my gender reveal party for February 16, 2:00 to 5:00 pm, at a lovely cafe in NYC that she insisted on reserving for the party.

At this rate, the party will be when I'm 25 weeks along. We'd originally only thought I would be 23 weeks, but baby's development decided otherwise.

I feel as though I'm a bit late on my reveal party, since most women seem to throw this party around 20 weeks. However, in my defense, I not only learned the sex of my baby later than most women, but my due date was initially calculated incorrectly.

Aside from the upcoming party, I have to leave the bakery and go straight to my first day at my new job. After a couple weeks of digging around, I finally landed a job working in Bergdorf's as an assistant manager. Since I was a year and a half through fashion education and have had previous experience, they assumed I could learn how to assistant manage a clothing store pretty quickly.

I gave my best attempt at a professional outfit, wearing a plain black, high neckline, knee-length maternity dress with plain black velvet flats in a size larger than I usually wear due to pregnancy swelling. To add to my professionalism, my waist length hair is half back, half down and perfectly straight. I have accessorized with a silver statement necklace and decent size diamond earrings (a gift from Lily for my 18th birthday).

My first day is just getting to know my new workplace and new job duties. I work from 1 to 7, then go over to Nate's and order some takeout to celebrate my new job.

The next day is a Friday, and I work my first real and true work day, from 9 to 6. The following day, I work 9 to 1 since it is Saturday.

I got paid for those first few days that afternoon, and invite Nate and Dan to come shopping with me. I get a baby crib, and their assistance carrying it inside turned out very useful.

The crib is white, wooden and rectangular all around. I also got a mattress to go in it. We decide to set it up in a few weeks or so.

In addition to the crib and mattress, I also purchase a unisex sleep suit, some baby safe laundry soap, a pack of camisoles for myself and my growing belly, and more maternity vitamins. I decide to shop for groceries by myself the following day.

After grocery shopping, I stop in to see Dad and Lily.

"These gender reveal party invitations are absolutely adorable!" Lily gushes enthusiastically when we three sit down on the sofa.

I take a sip of the tea she poured for me a few minutes ago.

"So, Jen, I found something you might find some appreciation in now that you're going to become a parent yourself." Dad says, setting a box down on the floor in front of us.

"What's that?" I question as he opens the box with an eye of mystery.

He pulls out a little pink and white polka dotted onesie and grey pants.

"Is that my-"

"-outfit you came home from the hospital wearing? Yes." He interrupts me with a massive smile. "And this is your receiving blanket and the first bottle you ever used."

"Why did you and mom save these things?"

"They're keepsakes with very special memories attached to them. I think you should have a box like this of your child's first things too."

"It's like a three dimensional scrapbook." Lily adds. "Have you been thinking about a name yet?"

"Well, I've been imagining some. I haven't really given any serious thought to it yet though."

"That's good. I had Serena's name decided at 33 weeks, but Eric's name not until I held him for the first time."

"I plan to have it narrowed down to a couple of names so that when I see my baby, I can decide which name is more fitting."

"I believe that's a good plan you have there," Dad tells me, "I'll be honest, your mother is the one who ended up naming both you and Dan. Not because I didn't want to, just because I've never been good at names. Also because I felt that she deserved to if she wanted, since she was the one who grew you guys in her body and went through the process of birthing you with no epidural."

"I know, Mom told me once."

"Have you thought about whether or not you'll be getting the epidural?" He asked in a curious but casual tone.

"I've thought about it, but I'm not swayed toward or away from it yet. I think I'll wait a bit more before choosing which route I want to go when it comes to my birth plan. I want to learn all I can about every option before I make anything for certain."

So far, I'd read about natural labor in both a hospital or a birthing center, epidural labor, water birth, home birth and gentle cesarean. I'd stretched the truth a little when I said I wasn't swayed at all; the truth is, I'm currently considering a water birth, though I'm not sure and want to continue learning about it and the other options first.

Later that night, I stood in front of my mirror in just a bra and pajama pants, looking at my belly. 19 weeks left to go before I meet the baby and learn to be a mother. 19 weeks until I get to try my luck and nourishing my baby through breastfeeding. 19 weeks until I start changing diapers and (hopefully) nursing every two or three hours. 19 weeks until my belly just makes me look fat. 19 weeks until I get to deal with likely a month of postpartum bleeding. 19 weeks until another person's life is my responsibility. Indeed, it's scary, but it's even more exciting.

The next day is Sunday, and Nate invites me to watch an opera he got dragged into attending with his family. The opera was boring, but that he wanted me to attend it with him despite my obvious pregnancy made me feel a new level of special.

It was hard to dress for an opera when I never go to them and don't really know what to wear, on top of my maternity clothes are all that really fits quirk. I ended up in a cream colored, round neck business dress with a white belt above my bump and shoes of matching white.

Saturday, February 2...

My next checkup is on a Saturday after I worked from 10 to 4.

A few stretch marks are discovered on the tops of my hips and the very bottom of my belly. At nearly 23 weeks pregnant, this is far from surprising. I gained another five pounds since my last appointment, totaling 14 pounds since I've been pregnant. Supposedly, only one pound is actually the baby, who measures nearly 11 inches at this point.

Afterwards, I go shopping for baby again. This time I bought a case of diapers as I always do when shopping in order to stock up, a three pack of baby bath towels all in light yellow, a waterproof mattress liner for the crib, a white animal crib mobile, a six pack of four ounce bottles, three slow flow bottle nipples, and sneakily, I buy a hot pink sheet for the crib and a turquoise 3-6 month chiffon dress with matching shoes. I go back for my usual grocery shopping, but with Serena for company and help.

Serena tries to get me all hyped up for my upcoming gender reveal party as we shop for the party supplies. While we shop, I buy a new bra and two more pairs of sweatpants from the maternity section.

I spend the next day with Nate, at a public pool. Why we went to a pool in February is beyond me, but it was fun overall and I enjoy the view of him without a shirt. He and I agreed not to get too serious before my baby is born, which means no long term plans and no sexual activity. As attracted as I am to him and despite how much I would like to have sex with him, it didn't feel right to even think about it with a baby who is not his in my belly. And we can't be sure we'll still want to be together once the baby's here anyway, since so many things change with the birth of a baby. I think we'll be together after that, but there's no guarantee and I'm only doing what is best for my baby.