Baby Update

I thought maybe there should be a baby post on the progress of the belly and the household here. I am 22 weeks this week and can't believe how fast this is happening. Was it that way with your 2nd's? Craziness. Joe said the other day when we were talking about April being close, that there was going to be a baby here before we knew it. :) My belly is getting bigger for sure, still wearing some of my clothes and haven't had to delve into the maternity stuff too much yet, due to my tendency to wear bigger pants in general but the days are getting shorter for those ones i can feel it. I am measuring right where i should be and decided not to do the glucose test this time unless I really start gaining fast or something. Interesting difference this time to the last is that I'm less definate in how i feel about things like the tests etc. When all i knew was what SHOULD happen when you are pregnant and going to have a baby it seemed easier somehow to make decisions. Now I feel like really anything can happen, there are higher probablilities of certain events for sure but really anything. So I'm just trying to listen to my body, the midwife and the doctor and do what feels right not what everyone just does because its the way its done. ( am I rambling? i am sick so maybe this doesn't even make sense, oh well)

The baby is starting to be really active. The baby's favorite time seems to be story time at night when Abs and I lay down in her bed to read. The baby kicks and moves all around. Abby can't feel it from the outside yet but she tries every time. We joke about how reading time the baby is definately NOT going to be sleeping so hopefully he/she will be eating and we can still read- or "Papa can take care of the baby or read to me." It is so fun sharing this pregnancy with Abby, the girl is so excited, waffles back and forth about wanting a brother or a sister and finally says, we just want the baby healthy but we'll take care of it no matter what. She talks to my belly all the time, sometimes she tells me she's nervous about how it all will be and is very definate that she does not want to be here when the baby is born, that she would like to be at her Grandma Jan's thank you very much.

We are seeing two practitioners a family doctor that I've known for awhile now working for the hospital and who I think has a very level head, isn't your normal MD, actually was a nurse first then went back to school to be an MD. He said he would come in if for some reason I had to be transferred to the hospital. He is very supportive of the homebirth but the downside is I'm double appointmenting it right now which is a bit of a drag.

The midwife we are seeing is different than the one we used before, she is geographically closer and also over the last couple years have gotten to know her through work and being at Anna's birth. It wasn't an easy decision as she has a very different style compared to the other midwife but now that we are into it a ways I am so totally convinced and happy that went with her. She is wild and totally passionate about birth and about women's health. She puts a big emphasis on diet when you are pregnant so I'm back to taking a bunch of stuff every day- liquid fish oil (blehh) , supplements, etc. I found myself being resistant in the beginning to all the stuff as it reminded me of when i had cancer and was taking tons of pills and vitamins but it feels easier now. The first time I met with her and gave a very emotional account of Abby's labor and my history of the last 5 years- after all that stuff all I felt from her was pure good will maybe? Like she was absolutely "for" me in whatever capacity that was. She is a hugger and is so totally genuine.... she is a treasure. I've heard people say they want to have another baby just so they can see her more, and I get it now.

I feel this baby kicking way lower than i remember feeling abby. I remember my ribs being sore more the top of my belly- that may come later too, but this baby likes to stomp on my bladder instead, funny and sometimes inconvenient. "didn't you just go pee?"

Some days I still feel totally exhausted, winded when i reach the 3rd floor at work, wishing i could get in bed at 7pm and some days I feel fantastic, lots of energy.
I'm totally spoiled with my mom coming down for little spurts of help keeping the house clean as its a way bigger deal to me right now. Abs, Joe, and Kali are helping tons too. I feel so lucky... like this baby is so loved already and so lucky to be here in this situation and healthy.

My hand rests on my belly... the baby moving around like crazy all warm and safe in there.