She's Dancing in There!

When I first got pregnant, my sister-in-law told me about a really cool website - and I've discovered the iPhone app - called BabyCenter.com.  Every week, they send updates to my phone telling me what's happening with the baby, how she's developing and what changes are happening with my own body.  It's really interesting and we look forward to receiving the little notifications each week.  Today marked 23 weeks, and I was delighted by the first few sentences of our update this morning.  It read, "Turn on the radio and sway to the music.  With a sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance."  Wow.  Now, that's what I'm talking about.

All my resources say that our baby is now probably almost a foot long and over a pound in weight.  And it's obvious she's getting bigger and becoming more active because over the past week, both Jacob and I have felt her move on several occasions.  While I'm not clearly feeling the movements inside of me (as I did the flutters early on), I do get a feeling which makes me instinctively place my hand on a particular spot on my belly and suddenly, I feel her dancing underneath the palm of my hand.  I love it and I can't wait to feel her more as she grows. 

We had a great visit at the doctor this week.  My OBGYN agreed that I don't need to continue seeing the high-risk doctor, as my pregnancy is going so smoothly and the baby seems totally healthy.  She shared some exciting news in that at 24 weeks - just a week away - the baby will be "viable."  In other words, she would survive if she came anytime after that point.  It amazes me that we've already come this far.  Also, knowing that she would live, even if she came early, gives me this wonderful sense of peace that I can't quite explain.  From here on out, I'll see the doctor much more regularly to monitor the progress.

Even with this belly that is getting quite big, I'm still managing to climb up into our Trail Blazer and my Mom's SUV without any assistance; however, I can tell that my days are numbered.  I can barely touch my fingertips to the floor when I bend over.  Hills are getting increasingly difficult to push up.  Even dressing is becoming a little more of a challenge.  But, all of this was to be expected.  I know that I've got a while to go, and I haven't seen the toughest part yet.  I'll continue to be creative and learn new ways to maneuver.  Plus, like it or not, I'll have to accept the help of the people around me.  I'm accustomed to doing things on my own and proving my independence, however, my sister-in-law recently gave me some more great advice.  She said, "You need to ask for help because your pregnant, not because you're in a wheelchair."  Thanks, sis.  That makes sense. 

Things are really getting exciting.  At 5 1/2 months, we're spending free time working on the nursery, planning guest lists for baby showers and registering for all the necessary baby supplies.  We're having so much fun and learning a lot.

Thanks for reading and please feel free to get in touch if you have any specific questions.  I'm really enjoying sharing our journey with others and educating people on the extraordinary potential of the human body.  Until next time...