Jude’s kicking debut

 Jude has now kicked 2 people other than Liz and me.  The other night, we were at a friends house when he had a good kick fest, so I laid down and let her feel him kick.  She was delighted and he put on a good show for her.  A few nights later, she kicked B-man 2 solid times.  It was really funny because each time he did it, B-man jumped back like he was burned.  I think he was really shocked by how well you can feel the little guy.  He was kicking like crazy earlier when I was debating on taking the dogs for a walk and is even kicking now.  Note to self- maybe not take dogs for a walk on trash day.  The whole neighborhood is stinky.  We even got behind the trash truck at one point and yuck!

Jude is a very active boy and he is growing!  There is no doubt that I am preggie any more.  My belly is always out and round:)  We have been doing a relaxation technique at night where I tense a muscle and then release (part of our Bradley training) and Liz always says, “now tense Jude’s house” meaning my belly, but honestly, at this point, my whole body feels like Jude’s house!  This little baby has taken over.  The other night, I had my first charlie horse…that was not fun and my calf is still a little bit sore.  My feet have been very swollen at the end of the day, my breathing is restricted if I eat a full meal, and my belly is out a proud:)  My whole body is taken over by baby Jude.  I am 6 1/2 months now, so I am 2 weeks away from the famous 3rd trimester.  I think it is going to be a doozy with how nuts it gets at work and me already feeling pretty full of baby.

The only craving I have been having is salads (I think for the tangy dressing) and pumpkin things.  Liz let me pick out any recipe I wanted and she said she would make it.  I picked out pumpkin bars from Joy the Baker, and man o man, they are delicious!  They are like pumpkin pie with a delicious crust and chocolate chips on top.  I am at the point where I am starving all the time and cannot get enough to eat.  I  did gain 2 lbs. this week.  It is time to grow, so I am not too worried about it.  That brings my total weight gain to 15 lbs. now.  The dr. at my last appointment said I should gain an average of a pound a week at this point.  Oh little Jude-you are going to get so big!  Right now he is about 2 lbs.  It is very strange to carry his 2 lbs. self and all his stuff on the front of me all the time!

I really like the Bradley class.  It is very informative and I like the exercises.  It makes me feel like I am doing something now for the birth later on down the road.  I have been pretty good about them, but did slack off a few days because I was just too tired after work to do anything other than put my feet up.  Liz says I am still doing more than I was, so it is good:)

I am not looking forward to my next Drs. apt.  This is the one where they do the diabetes test.  I am not worried about the test, but I have to fast from 12pm-10am the next day.  I go in and they make me drink a sugary drink and then I have to stay there for 2 hours and they draw blood every hour.  I am not going to feel very good not eating for that long.  Plus, I am not excited to hang out in their waiting room for 2 hours!  I guess once this one is done, as long as the results come back fine, I won’t have to do it again, so that is good.  I am going to bring the computer with some shows to watch, so I am hoping the time flies!

I am still enjoying being pregnant.  I love his little kicks.  I am happy to grow our little baby inside of me.  Liz is a good partner and gives me foot rubs and thanks me for growing our baby all the time.  She is encouraging and sweet and loves me pregnant.  She even likes how forgetful I am and says it makes her feel more together which is funny.  I am looking forward to our baby showers and Liz and I are both excited to meet our little boy.  I keep telling her to quit telling him that so that he stays in for a few more months, but I am just as excited about his arrival as she is.

I am a little nervous about the birth, but the Bradley class is helping by educating me on what is going to happen.  I also had one of my employees the other day say that by the end, you are so ready to not be pregnant, that birth becomes less scary.  I still have time to settle into the idea of how he is going to enter the world:)
-S