26 Weeks - OB appt

N is doing so well. . . and bouncing on my bladder currently! Today at the OB appt, his heartrate was about 153. Perfect!! My uterus is getting close to my ribs, and I think this is what is messing with my breathing in the last few days. I definitely feel N on my left side, well-above my belly button. This is a new development since last week! The OB thinks he has had a growth spurt. According to the office scale, I have gained four lbs in four weeks. That is perfect.

N kicked right at the doppler probe. I felt it, and the OB asked, "Did you hear that kick?"

I am also a little scared because things seem to be going so well.

I will have another ultrasound in about two weeks.

Almost 26 Weeks into Sub Pregnancy

It is Monday. I will be 26 weeks tomorrow. On Wednesday, I have an OB appointment. I have the orange glucose drink that I am supposed to take before leaving for the appointment. . . it is already time for my one-hour glucose!! It is hard to believe. During the last month, I have been really very busy, and that has been good, actually.

Baby N continues to grow. Despite the anterior placenta, he's big enough now that I feel him move often. Everyone is informing me that I finally "look" pregnant. During the last two nights, N has woken me up with his wiggling, jiggling, kicking and punching. Early this morning, he woke me up at 3 and 4 am, and then again at 6 pm. He's going to have his days and nights mixed up when he's born! N's dad has felt him kick several times, too - including during this morning's 6 am session. I am rather tired today as a result. I may take a nap!

I've still been craving apples, beef and now Trader Joe's Thai Rice Stick noodles. Rice itself is rather a turn off, as is lettuce. These are things I normally like, even desire, so it feels a little odd.

I've been working on the Pook cross stitch "birth announcement" that I started back when Sam was in the hospital. I never got it finished then - I only mostly finished Pooh, but not any more of it. I am getting close to completing it. My mom originally bought the kit. She thinks it would be lovely if I'd use it for this baby. That is the plan!

Sam's 2nd Birthday

Today is Sam's second birthday. I left home for the afternoon. My husband was not able to take today off work like he was able to last year. . . and I didn't want to be at home watching the clock. Sam was born at 3:38 pm central time. I went to a mall, walked, went to B&N to finish up Christmas shopping for my niece and nephew. Outside I realized it must be getting close to the time, and pulled out my cell phone. The time on the phone was exactly 3:38 pm central. I took a deep breath, whispered "I love you, Samnini. Happy birthday."

I then went to a grocery store where I picked up a few things, including a cake mix (one of the rainbow sprinkle kind), to donate to a local food bank drive.

Missing Sam While Now Enjoying My Pregnancy with N

This morning N has been "rocking and rolling" inside me. I ate more apple this morning . . . he seems to love apple. Can he taste it?

Even while I enjoy and even rejoice every time I feel N move, I sometimes miss my little Sam even more. I even find myself wanting to call this baby Sam, and I immediately correct myself. This baby is not Sam. I am feeling so hopeful now, after being so guarded and scared earlier in pregnancy, that we WILL get to bring this baby home. I will admit finally that I have been in full nesting mode already. I want to get our apartment fully prepared for the baby. Right now. I feel like I am living for the moment we will hopefully get to have with this little guy that we never had the opportunity to experience with Sam. Walking in our front door with a baby.

At this point two years ago, I was starting to have a few very irregular contractions (Braxton-Hicks). Sam's second birthday is in less than two weeks. I knew it would start to get harder again on the countdown to his birthday, but it's just a such a mix of emotions entering the third trimester of this pregnancy at the exact same time!

Saturday, Nov 28th

I did not feel N much this morning. I was busy - I had a bell gig. Inwardly, I apologized to N, saying, "Mommy's probably putting you to sleep, baby." He woke up and kicked me hard near the end of the second concert of the day. Maybe he was saying, "That's enough, Mommmy." Perhaps he was asking, "Why aren't you playing more?" (We were between pieces.)

Tonight, N seems to be awake for much of the last hour, or maybe longer. He seemed to like that I ate hamburger for supper and an apple. He's been bouncing on my bladder again, and managed to kick me above my belly button as well as to the left of my bladder. Yay, baby N!

I am exhausted tonight. Tomorrow we hope to decorate for Christmas.

23 Weeks

Not much new to update. . . and yet, it feels like there is so much that goes through my mind. I have been feeling N kicking so much lately. He was awake earlier this afternoon, going to town on my belly button again! Last night at bell rehearsal, he was awake and listening - maybe excited as well! He seems to be a very musical baby so far.

I have been preparing for Thanksgiving. We are having another couple over. Hopefully it will be a lot of fun. We will eat and we will play games. I have been on my cleaning/nesting kick for the last week and a half. . . this works out well for having people over!

N woke up when we listened to Handel

We listened to a CD recording of a Handel piece sung by Kathleen Battle and the trumpet part performed by Winston Marsalis.

When the trumpet part came on, all of a sudden N seemed to wake up (bouncing up and down again on my bladder)! DH is excited because he believes that means that N can definitely hear, and that he likes classical music, and he likes the trumpet. I said that N can definitely play the trumpet some day, because that is definitely a good marching band instrument! DH wants N in a symphony/orchestra. Hopefully, N can participate in both, and make both mom and dad happy!

We have such dreams. . .