Getting Bigger Every Day!

One of the most amazing things that happens during pregnancy, I think, is the changes our bodies make to accommodate a growing baby.  Every morning when I wake up, I look at my baby bump in the mirror and just marvel at the fact that there is a baby in there.  A BABY!  And he has the most cozy little spot inside my body where he stays warm and safe.  For 40 weeks as my sweet boy grows, my body grows with him so there's never a point (until eviction day) that he is smooshed or uncomfortable.  Nowadays when Greysen really gets moving, we can see and feel him from the outside of my belly.  And we aren't talking little baby jabs...I mean rolling around full body movements that move my whole lower belly!  I like to think about what he's thinking when he's moving like that.  It's usually first thing in the morning when he's making those movements, and in my mind I'm imagining him stretching and yawning from a good night's sleep in my womb.  I love it when he rolls around partly because it reminds me that he's there and growing big and strong, and partly because I think it means he's happy and comfy.  He has his little routines already.  Honestly, if he keeps a similar schedule outside of my body as he has now on the inside, that would be glorious.  He is up and active for about 2 hours at a time, sometimes less.  He sleeps and is still for 4-6 hours in between.  His active times start around 7:30, 2:30, 8:30, and 11:00.  He no longer wakes me up at night with his little baby punches.  He rides low in my belly and usually lays on his side with his head on my right side.  I know this because even though I'm not always certain of what's an arm and what's a leg yet when I feel him from the outside, I DEFINITELY can feel the difference between a shoulder and a knee.  I feel his shoulder poking out of my belly on my right side nearly every day.  He still keeps those hands up by his chin.  I found out over Christmas that my Daddy sleeps on his side with his hands up by his chin like that.  I do it to when I sleep on my side (there's no belly sleeping these days!), but how cool that something like that is somewhat of a genetic predisposition??  Greyson is already trending after his Papa!

This little baby loves his Daddy already too.  He really loves it when Jonathan lays his head on my belly and talks to him.  I think Greysen likes his low deep voice.  Every time Jonathan talks to him, he moves.  I can tell already that Greysen is gonna be Daddy's little man.  Though I'm also certain he's gonna be a snuggle bug (albeit a wiggly one), so Mommy is gonna get her fair share of cuddles too.  Maybe more than my fair share if I have anything to say about it!  I haven't seen him on ultrasound since December 11th!  I have another perinatal appointment next week on the 12th and that's his last big ultrasound for a while.  I probably won't have another one until around week 34 or so.  I am still in disbelief that I'm more than halfway through my second trimester already.  My tiny baby is the size of a "mango" right now.  He's about 1.5 pounds and is almost a foot long!  It's a wonder my belly isn't WAY bigger than it actually is since he's gotten so big.  But honestly, even though my uterus isn't standing a foot past my pelvis at this point, Greysen is smooshing my other organs out of the way as he grows.  I've started experiencing a little shortness of breath as it's difficult to get a good deep breath with every inhale.  I can also acutely feel my kidneys pressed up against my back when Jonathan gives me back rubs.  And my gall bladder has started getting a bit crowded too which is presenting some...well...interesting side effects.  In the first half of my pregnancy I've only gained about 12 pounds, which I'm happy with.  Though Dr. Velarde is probably gonna kick my butt for the amount of those 12 total pounds that I gained over Christmas...  Yikes!  I actually called her office Tuesday to tell the nurse that I'd taken a big weight jump this month.  She laughed and said it was no big deal, but being the perfectionist pleaser that I am, I still felt a little guilty...

All in all, though, I can't complain.  This pregnancy has had its irritations and difficulties, but really it's been a breeze.  Minimal nausea, minor aches and pains, few weird pregnancy symptoms (i.e.-carpel tunnel).  I mean really, for as much as my body went through just to get Greysen growing, you'd think this pregnancy would be much more dramatic.  But it isn't.  Greysen is growing perfectly, my body is changing and growing to accommodate him, and my health statistics (weight, blood pressure, iron levels, etc.) are textbook.  I still feel like we are driving down that road full of stop lights that all turn green at once.  My body is finally getting to do what it's been wanting to do for so long and it's seriously a CHAMP at it man!  Every day I think about how much I want to meet our sweet baby and hold him and love him.  And at the same time I think how I would love for him to be as safe and happy and warm as he is right now for the rest of his life.  The mommy conundrum...or maybe one of the many!

For now, we wait patiently for another 17 weeks for our precious miracle to arrive.  In the meantime we are enjoying watching and feeling him grow from the inside and marveling at just how incredible this whole process is.  We love you already Greysen!!