love and pain

DAMN this baby kicks HARD! Last night I was actually in pain and kind of freaked out by the strong kicks and movement I was feeling. I was like WHAT is the baby DOING? It chilled out a big, but I guess it's just getting bigger and stronger and has less room to move, so I am feeling it more - but it was weird. Maybe it was something I ate? Other than the strong kicks at night, I am also having more sleeping issues. I sleep well for the first few hours, and then I wake up, thinking that I must have slept through the night, but I glance at the clock and it's only 2:30am....argh! Then I toss and turn more for another 6 hours....Pillow between the knees, pillow under the belly, pillow under my head, pillow over my head - I'll be VERY happy when I can sleep on my back again!

I also am starting to feel like I almost 35 weeks pregnant this week. Yesterday I was feeling some pain in my ligaments after only walking about 2 blocks, and every time I get up from a chair I feel 95 years old. Actually i feel kind of similar to before I lost a bunch weight a few years ago....a little icky and achey! I am not at the point yet where I am saying "I can't wait to get this baby out of me" like some pregnant people I've come across....and frankly I can't ever see myself saying that. It seems harsh and mean. I feel like this baby is currently in the safest place it can ever be - don't get me wrong, I don't want to keep it in here forever, but once it's out - I have to share it, and having it in here and feeling it move is a warm, fuzzy and loving feeling that I will be sad to be done with.

pS> I think the image i've included is totally fake...it seems to be a pretty famous internet image. I call bullshit.

It seems like murphy's law, that as soon as I post something saying the baby is kicking a TON, that the kicking slows down. It figures! After a couple of days of plentiful kicks, the kicking is now very sporadic and not happening too often. I'm not worried since everything I've read says that I have a few weeks to go before it SHOULD be more consistent, plus I know that my placenta is on the front, so there is a big cushion between the kicking and feeling the kicks. I am convinced that it's just not facing out and that's why I'm not feeling it. Either way, we have the doctor on Wednesday, so I will ask her opinion on when it should be more consistent.

In other news, I somehow twisted my back the other night and I stand and walk crooked. I was in SO much pain yesterday that I didn't leave the house and I just napped and tried to remain comfortable. Now I have a bad back, but this was some of the worst pain I've been in in a very long time. It feels a bit better today, and better once I walk for a bit. I had a hunch that I should have at least goen for a walk yesterday, but I didn't. That probably would have made things feel a whole lot better. Here's to hoping it goes away soon!
PS> I'm 22 weeks....5.5 months!

kicky mckick's-a-lot

The baby is officially kicking. My husband even felt it the other night. It feels SO strange....but it's so nice to finally have my own kind of knowledge that there is a living, growing being in there! It's strange...I felt it in Chicago, then not for a couple of days, then I felt it a lot one day , and then not for another 24 hours, and today I am feeling it a lot. I read that it gets more consistent as it grows and there are even patterns to be felt after about 24 weeks! neat-o! I was on the subway yesterday and felt a massive kick that it actually made me jump! Yesterday I barely felt it at all, so that was a pleasant surprise. I've renamed it "Kicky".

On another note, we're going to have another baby store adventure this weekend. A couple of weeks ago we went to Babies-R-Us and Buy Buy Baby. This weekend we're going to go to The Stork Store, Schneiders, and Mini Jake. My goal for this month is to have a glider purchased and also a new rug for our living room...oh and to have appointments made for our hospital tour and the "intro to the birthing center" class so I can see if it's a place I want to be! I think setting goals like this is key in the coming months. I also want to decide which crib to get and which stroller/car seat to purchase too, but I don't know if I need to do those things this month. We shall see!

baby moving?

Sorry - this will be short but sweet since I am going to Chicago in the AM for work...I have to pack and go to bed. So...AM i feeling the baby move? Sometimes I feel some flutters, sometimes I don't. I was told that since my placenta is attached to the front, that it might take me a little longer to feel it, but I thought I did, but then it became lighter. I dunno! Time will tell! We have our 20 week anatomy scan on 9/2, which will be super exciting and maybe the baby will move and I will see it AND feel it move! I'm off to Chicago for a quick trip tomorrow....wish me luck and sleep!