Baby girl is 14 1/2 inches long and just over 2 pounds. This past weekend she was the most active I've felt yet. Gabe's parents were in town and we saw some bluegrass & watched a musical puppet show and she moved around for both of those. She also is quite busy during our childbirth classes, and in the morning, and night, and after I eat or drink water. Or when I sit or lie down. It's a frequent reminder that there is a real person in there, and one who is due to arrive in just a few months!
We did a 3-d ultrasound on Friday which was another huge reminder that here is a person. We saw her smiling face! We could count her toes! All this before she's even here. I had reservations about the whole thing, because it wasn't medically necessary. But it was just 15 minutes and was an incredible experience. Right from the start she was smiling and making faces, and then she curled up with the cord and hid for a bit. Later she scratched her little face and stretched out her legs. The tech commented that she has long legs (that's definitely not from me) and she looked pensive (that sounds more like me). Everyone says she looks like her mama, but I haven't seen Gabe's baby pictures so it's hard for me to tell.
I'm feeling definitely large at this point. I understand why they say carrying a baby. I get tired and achy more easily. I've given up my stubborn refusal to put on my underwear or pants any way but standing up. I don't just pop out of bed, it is a process. You can see the outline of my bellybutton through my shirts.
My attention has shifted from a focus on pregnancy to preparing for her arrival. This means lots of cleaning, buying things, spending some quality time with my husband just-us, reading some books about babies and having some mild freak-outs about how unprepared we might just be.
We went for a walk yesterday and bumped into our neighbor two doors down. Turns out she has a 2 yr old and is now pregnant, due in January. The neighbor across from her is due the same day as her (and has a baby as well I think). Across the street is a tiny little baby I haven't met yet. There are only seven houses on our street so I feel really lucky that there are two other pregnant ladies and a few babies around.
We had our second childbirth class yesterday and it went really well. We had to be in hypnosis while still being active (opening eyes, talking). During this time you are given the suggestion that you direct your own 'anesthesia' in the mid-part of your body, including arms. Whatever sensations happen will only be interpreted as pressure, not discomfort. At some point Gabe rubbed my arm a few times and I just felt light pressure. After everything was over in the car I asked him what he did and he gave me a nasty pinch and turned my skin - OW! (It felt like what we called indian burn back in school.) I had felt nothing before! How exciting that this stuff works!
I must have felt pretty good about it because I had a dream about birthing last night. For some reason I was by myself. I wasn't worried because I felt her moving down but there was no pain at all. I just kept going with the flow and at some point remembered to call the midwife. By the time she had gotten there I had labored too long and the baby had ended up in my thigh somehow, and she had to push the baby back into my uterus so I could push her out :) Bizarre!
27 weeks, early a.m. picture. Seriously glad we're gonna end up taking maternity photos because I look just awful in every one of these pictures.
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