Transition

Transition is one of those things that is always uncomfortable and exciting at the same time. As MJ and I go through the transition of settling into a new place, we have been both excited and sad. Sad to leave behind so many friends and a day's drive to see her parents, and excited for our new adventures together. Its like an exchange - we gave up cool evenings for a true 4 seasons. We gave up 6 months of winter for mowing in March. We traded in mountain views for lake views. And we now rely on each other in ways we never did before.

I think that transition is a positive time in one's life. It forces you to change, and many times you come out the other side better for it. If things are good and settled, we don't usually buck the system- we just try to stay in that happy spot.

What I find interesting about change is the fact you get to this spot - where you are really uncomfortable and wondering what in the heck you are doing. You get two choices, push through or head back. What is even more interesting is when you get to the uncomfortable spot and realize there is no "head back". That is real growth - when you know you have to turn to God, reach up and grab his hand and go through to the other side.

So all this to say we have added one more item to the transition list ... my job. I have decided to take a new position inside my company. I have been doing the same thing for about 12 years. Not only that but I am in the same field where I got my degree so that is really 16 years. So as with all change I am excited to be doing something new and sad at what I am leaving behind. I have no doubt that this is the right decision ... but ask me that again when I am in the uncomfortable change spot wondering what in the heck I was thinking ;)

24 Weeks and 2 days that's 6 months ALREADY!

So here they are my 24W2D photos! I decided to do two photos this time.

I am sporting Motherhood Maternity T-Shirt and Shorts as well as my signature glowing white legs Ra Raa Raaa.

One showing how I look with my shirt normal

One true belly shot

Also, upon request I will be uploading belly shots every 2 weeks going forward. So check back in a couple weeks to see how I am progressing. Our little bean is growing more and more each week and we actually can physically see the changes in the size of my tummy.

I have been experiencing growing pains, if you want to call them that. As my belly has started to swell I have had itchy skin which I am battling with moisturizer overload; and some very interesting tingly and burning sensations on my belly skin. Which isn't unbearable just a nuisance and irritating.

If I had any doubts of being pregnant those days are far behind me.

I have even been asked when I am due by strangers. I think that is pretty bold on their part what if I wasn't pregnant??!! Lucky for them I am, however, I have a ways to go so we will see how I look in month 9 if I my pregnancy is already this obvious!

Visual confirmation of the bean

Today has been a great day so far. Strawberries are in season and today I got to see the bean in action.

So every day I get the joy of feeling the bean move about. Usually it is at night and it feels like MJ's stomach has the hiccups. Like a thump from inside. Sometime I here MJ go "whoa" and then I put my hand on her stomach and I can feel our little girl kicking away. Most the time I wonder where she is going or what she is up too.

This morning, I was laying next to MJ feeling the bean kick when all the sudden I saw MJ's stomach punch up like a thump. We both looked at each other and I said "did you see that?" Over the next few minutes I saw the same thing. So its official- the bean is in there, active and kicking like crazy.

All this movement makes me realize that I need to get her room ready and a car seat. Don't want to wait until the last minute.

I am a mammal!

I know, mammals have hair so why the exclamation now that I am a mammal???

Well, I find that I am comparing myself to a cow or goat at the moment. The past few days my nipples have actually become employed to do their "job". That's right they are secreting fluid, a fluid called colustrum.

This usually happens around this time of my pregnancy my breasts are starting to produce milk. Colustrum is the first kind of milk it will produce for our little bean. It is high in nutrients and antibodies to help our little girl fight off all or at least some of the bacteria and uckiness this world has to offer.

Really right now my nipples are just in training so they aren't working at full capacity just showing me that they can in fact do the job. Which is well, awesome! I never could quite fathom my nipples functioning, so for me seeing is believing. Very interesting, just like a cow's utter. Well much smaller and shorter, but functionally speaking very similar.

It just makes me wonder... will I be able to spray my milk at someone like you can with a cow's nipple? If so my nipples can have two functions: feeding my young and biological water gun... I guess technically speaking it would be a "milk" gun... but whatever. I am excited to find out!

What a punch!

Looks like my girl beat me to the "punch" writing about our big experience last night!! Pun intended!

The bean and I skipped right over the flutters and went right to jabs and hooks! It was an amazing feeling, like a mini person swimming in me. I don't know if what we felt was a kick or a punch but either way very welcoming!

What is crazy is that my girl got to feel it too, she even called out her first feel of it before I told her I felt something. Confirmation that it wasn't just my imagination or hers!!

This morning I got to feel our little bean again! Seems for me to feel her I need to be lying on my side which makes sense since the placenta is shielding the front of my stomach from her movements. It was the same feeling I felt last night, and I put my hand on my side and when she moved again I felt her with my hand. She is a powerful little girl!!

Feeling her warms my heart! I have fallen even more in love with our little bean.

Karate Bean

So all these books that MJ and I are reading say around 18-20 weeks you will feel the glorious first flutters of your baby. “Quickening” I guess it was called. Like flutters. Weeks came and went and nothing – no flutters, no unexplained gas feelings … nothing

By 20 weeks MJ was getting pretty frustrated that she hadn’t felt anything. On our last Dr. Visit the doctor informed us that MJ has an Anterior placenta placement which means the placenta is on top of the baby and acting like a buffer so MJ couldn’t feel her movements. So there was the bean kicking away and MJ didn’t feel a thing.

Also on our last visit, the Dr. said that I wouldn’t be able to feel the bean for like 4-6 more weeks. So that news made me a little jealous because I want to feel her too. I think it is fair that MJ gets to feel her first since she is the one having to carry her around all day.

Well guess what Mr and Mrs doctor – you were wrong. MJ has been under the weather and last night when she laid down on her side she said she felt something. This was the second time she has felt something. So I put my hands on her stomach and started my nightly game of find the bean and POW!.. I got kicked. We both felt it!! It was crazy. Melissa said “Did you feel that?” and I was like how could I not? Then about a minute later .. POW. I could feel her again. It was amazing. And I wished I could scoop her up into arms and kiss and hug her.

So now I am feeling the crunch. I have 19 weeks or more to get everything together.

Take Aways
1. Doctors just guess based on averages and your baby will do what it wants
2. Books can make you feel like you are behind the curve – ignore the books.