That's an Eggplant BAAAABY! (Week 25)

Ok! I know I say every week that I can't believe this pregnancy is going so quickly, but this is really getting out of hand!! We are even almost to the 3rd Trimester, which is debated to be anywhere from Week 26 to 28 depending on who's counting or what book you're reading. And we get a new food this week. My little Lily is the size of an eggplant! Holy cow! How is this happening!

That explains why I'm looking more and more pregnant. And why I'm feeling her more and more, which is awesome! Due to having an anterior placenta (when the placenta attaches to the front of the uterus instead of the back) I am behind in feeling her move. I've been getting some "pops" and "knocks" for a few weeks, but nothing really strong enough to feel from the outside (with a couple of exceptions). I feel her moving around every day but it's not what other girls describe. But that is really starting to change. I'm starting to feel my whole belly move when she gets kicking... AND... this weekend Jay got to feel her move for the first time!! It was so awesome! We were lying in bed, enjoying the morning off and he was cuddled up behind me with his arm around my stomach. I had been feeling her moving around but didn't want to say anything because I think I stress him out sometimes when I say she's moving but he doesn't feel it. Well, I think she got the hiccups because it felt like she was jumping off one side of my uterus and banging her head on the other side in quick succession. I felt him go deathly still and then he said, "What was that?? Was that Lily??"  We laid there for a couple more minutes while she did it a few more times and I almost cried! It was such an amazing moment. I can also tell that she's getting bigger because I'm feeling movement further up in my belly. Before she had buried herself deep in my pelvis and most of the movement I felt was very low and on the sides near my hip bones. But now I'm starting to feel kicks and punches closer to the midline of my belly.

I heard something cool the other day, though about her not kicking when Jay puts his hand on my belly. Another girl posted about this phenomenon on my message board (good to know I'm not the only one it happens to). She had heard that sometimes the babies get still and quiet because they are listening to the daddy's voice, because usually when the mommy calls the daddy over to feel they talk and the baby hears the daddy's voice. The babies like the sound of the daddy's voice so they get still and quiet so they can listen to it. I thought that was such a sweet thought. I tell Jay that that is why she gets moving in the mornings after he leaves. He goes to work about an hour before I do, so I'm awake, but still in the bed when he goes down stairs. Before he leaves, he always bends over and kisses my belly and talks to Lily, telling her to have a good day and to take care of Mommy. It's usually about 10-15 minutes later when she starts bouncing around. I tell him that he wakes her up. :-)

So what's up with Ms. Lily this week?

"Your baby's body parts are continuing to become more proportional to each other.  Baby fat is also continuing to fill in your baby's wrinkled skin for a smoother look and more hair is growing, developing texture and color."

So, what up with Mommy?

I've actually had a fairly good week. Had the usual ups and downs but I'm learning to manage them a little better, I think. Had a really great weekend. Saturday, Jay went to Cars and Coffee with the boys so mom and I went to breakfast. MMMmmmmm... the Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes from The Original Pancake House were awesome! We also went to Target and did a little shopping around. I got a new maternity jacket, which I'm loving! It's really more of a heavy sweatshirt, but that's what I was looking for. I usually end up just wearing my fleece most of the winter, but am having a hard time getting it zipped now, plus it hikes up my shirts when I do that.

It's super cute and so nice having something that fits properly! And at only $40, I thought it was worth it. Now, thankfully, when it gets really cold, I'll probably just wear Jay's Columbia jacket if I can even get it to zip. I'm not really interested in paying $100 or more for a heavy coat I'll only wear for a few months. I also figure this jacket will be something I can probably wear after the baby comes.

Saturday night, Jay and I made an awesome Craigslist score too! I'm writing a blog about the epic quest that has been our journey to buying a stroller, but the short version is, I found a used Bumbleride stroller, which retails for $350ish new, for $115! It's awesome! It has all the features I wanted, is a better quality than the one I had on our registry and we actually got it cheaper than the one we have on our registry! I love getting a great quality product for an awesome price! It's in great condition and I think it will serve us very well.

Tonight is our last HypnoBabies class. So I need you all to be following up to make sure I'm doing my practice like I should from here on out! I can't start slacking off now! One fun thing though is that we are having dinner with one of the couples from class tonight! I hope it'll be really fun. They seem like a really cool couple... plus the husband has a BMW which makes them a shoe-in with our group. Hehe. (Note... WE do not have a Bimmer, but Jay's best friend, as well as my brother and his bestfriend/roomate all do. So, we're kind of surrounded by Bimmer people. Hehe.)

So, how's Daddy doing?

He's great as always. Like I said before, he got to feel Lily moving and that was the most exciting thing yet! He has been so awesome with helping with housecleaning, laundry, and food prep lately, since I never seem to have gotten that 2nd Trimester energy surge. Pretty much he's just bumping along, being his usual laid back self. He has really gotten into his role as the Hypno-Guardian (as the HypnoBabies book calls him). He wasn't all that sure of his abilities to be in the labor room with me. He has a hard time seeing those he loves in pain and didn't seem to feel comfortable in his ability to support me. I think the classes have really helped him. They've given him a very positive outlook on the whole experience. He expects that I'll be able to handle everything very well and he knows what to do in order to help me do that. He also sees himself as the guardian, the protector, the watchman. His job is to interact with hospital staff, midwives, nurses, our friends and family, etc. so that I can stay focused on relaxing and riding each pressure wave as it comes. We've talked a lot about how I deal with stress and he knows not to take it personally if I just want to be left alone to listen to my hypnosis script cd's and do my thing. He knows that he is still vitally important even if all he's doing is sitting in the room standing guard. And I love knowing that I'll have him there to help keep me "safe" so I don't have to be worrying about what the midwife or nurses or anyone else wants or needs. I know that he'll deal with them and all I have to do is focus on letting my body do its thing without distractions. I am so thankful to have such a wonderful and reliable partner.

Well... Happy Wednesday everyone! Have a great rest of the week, and I'll talk with you again soon!