24 Weeks

So week 24 - Wow 6mths!

I find myself excited, I find myself scared and yet at the same time I find myself reassured that we do not travel this road alone. We have each other and we have the Big Man upstairs.

All appears to be going well with the little one. Measurements seem to be on track.
Heartbeat sounds as strong as ever. Movement is everyday and I'm feeling pretty good really.

Only thing that's been a bit of a pain (literally) lately is cramps. I've been getting really nasty calf cramps that often wake me from my sleep. Most likely due to my terrible circulation perhaps also a need for a little more calcium in my diet. So solution is obviously a bit more exercise and getting into the cheese and milk.

My skin continues to get dry really easily and I've had the odd rash or two randomly come out of nowhere only to disappear just as quickly.

I'm feeling hungry a little more I think. My weight has not changed and my 6mth belly measures in this afternoon at 98cm which is about 38.5inch. I'm not going to measure the bust for fear that it may have expanded more!

Apparently by the end of the 24th week bubs is around 10 inches from crown to rump and weigh 2 pounds which is almost 1kg. So tiny. Stay there baby. Grow some more, enjoy the warmth of my womb and join us in the warmth and beauty of Summertime.

I've been thinking about how far away July feels some days and then how incredibly close it is too! Wondering too how big am I going to be by the end of this journey. And how big this baby is going to be that somehow (ok so we know how but lets not go there just yet!) has to find it's way out of me and into this wild and wonderful world.

I've been eyeing up little outfits and although we've yet to buy anything yet I'm really looking forward to it. Once we've moved into our new place this weekend and returned from our trip to the States at the beginning of April we will be able to start the nesting process. Should be fun!

Until next time I will leave you with this little Chinese Proverb to ponder..

"To understand your parents love you must raise children of your own."

You got me thinking

I've been thinking about you lots baby. Knowing what gender you are has been wonderful. I love talking to you like I do and just babbling on about this and that. Then it strikes me that you have no idea what I'm talking about.

You've never seen the sunshine that today is lighting up my day.
Or a beautiful sunset as that same day draws to a close.
You've never experienced the beauty of Spring or the bite of Winter.
You've never seen me or your daddy and so you just have to take my word for it when I tell you that he's the hottest daddy around.

I've been thinking about the different ways in which we're going to love you, laugh with you, hug you, nurture you. I can't wait to share our hearts with you and to pray with you and for you.
And then I realise that love is something that we're going to teach you... yet it can't really be taught so we're going to show you. WE will be LOVE to you. I hope that you can feel the warm fuzzies of our love already as we talk about you and look forward to you joining us in July.

Yip baby we're a little scared. We've never cared for something so precious and small like you. We've never had the sole responsibility of teaching you all that we know, of leading you in the way you should live a good life. So all I can promise is that baby we will try.

I found this quote today:

"All of us are born for a reason, but all of us don't discover why. Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others." - Danny Thomas.

I think of all the ways we could be successful in this life. Setting up a business, discovering wealth, completing courses, degrees, masters. And yet really, truly, it all does seems to be insignificant in comparison to the opportunity that we have as the parents of our child. The opportunity to nurture our child, moulding and encouraging him/her in life. Being there in their hard times, celebrating in the good times, going out of our way to show them the true meaning of love. Whether they choose to love us back is irrelevant. When WE choose to love through thick and thin means everything.

I truly believe that the best thing that Ryan and I have to offer our children is the best relationship ever. Not with them but with each other. For them to see the love of a woman and a man, of a wife for her husband and vice versa. I think we should crave those moments when our children say "ewwwwwwww grose!" and leave the room after catching us making out. Not that we should go out of our way to embarrass them but because it's important for us to put our relationship at the forefront of our parenting. To care for each other whole heartedly. To be an example, to have the support and the strength to get through the hard stuff, to remain a lover and best friend.

Ryan is my everything. He is the sunshine in my sometimes cloudy day. He lifts me up when I'm low. He knows me more than anyone. And he loves me more than I could ever have imagined being loved. And as I feel this child move within me I can't help but think of the man I love. I can't help but think of this little life that has been created out of the love that we have for each other and when I do... it simply blows my mind.

Splish Splash Feel Like You're Taking a Bath...

...in my expanding womb! Rub dub just kicking my tum...

That's what it's been like this week! Lots of kicking and moving going on in there. It's such a magical thing to feel your child, another person altogether, moving around inside you. Having obvious times of sleep and wakefulness. Saying 'hello' when you least expect it.

This week the major highlight has been Daddy Mo being able to FEEL our Mini Mo! The other night I was chillin out on the couch and could feel bubs moving about and kicking inside so I put my hand on my tummy. Then 'kick' I was sure that I could feel it on the outside as well as within so I got Ry to put his hand on my belly. First of all he couldn't feel a thing and then when bubs kicked again I told him the area he should be feeling it. Nope he didn't think he'd felt anything. Then again the baby kicked harder this time. "There!, There! Ryan did you feel that??!!"
"Hmm maybe I did.." it took a few more kicks or punches from the wee one to get through to dad 'I'm here!'

When he realised he could feel the baby I was so excited I started to giggle. I've been waiting for this moment. For Ryan to finally feel that little bit closer to our little one. To actually FEEL our little one at all. Very special. We sat there for about half an our. Me trying not to laugh so that my abdominal muscles didn't tense up and Ryan trying to feel for those precious movements.

Major highlight in this pregnancy journey.

Today too I was sitting at work listening to one of the research nurses explain to us about a trial they starting and had my arms resting on my belly. Then BAM! I actually jumped myself cos I wasn't expecting it and let out a little squeel. One of my colleagues asked if I was ok and all I could do was giggle and smile and resist interupting the meeting by explaining.

Another Midwifes appointment today. They really are a bit of a non event really. I could do half the stuff myself. Blood pressure and urinalysis to check for glucose in urine - in case of gestational diabetes. Then she measures the fundal height to make sure the uterus is at the height that it should be and that's it. Ryan has come along to each of the appointments but I can see why many women just go on their own. It really is a non event. The best part is hearing the heartbeat each time.

Because we're moving this weekend we will be out of the zone that our Medical Centre covers and so we'll be changing GP's and also midwife. No biggy really. Midwives here that see you antenatally don't actually deliver your baby. That is done by the hospital midwives so the relationship is a little differnt.

This is a picture of us on our recent trip to Sardinia. Can kinda see the expanded belly. Though I tend to get a little bit distracted by that cutie standing next to me!

22 Weeks

Boy does time fly!

The last couple of weeks work has got in the way of play a little and so I haven't managed to blog anything about our detailed scan last week.

So THE SCAN!!

I was working that day and so Ryan came and met me at work. I got to introduce him to my workmates which was nice. Then we headed down the long corridors of the hospital to the maternity wing. After my bladder hadn't been idealy full on the last scan I had been determined this time to have it full as full so that they could get the best picture. As a result of my stunning efforts I only just made it to the ultrasound without bursting. Kept telling Ryan to slow down because I felt like any moment my bladder was going to give way! But thankfully we made it and I made it through the scan despite the prodding of the probe.

Jelly on tummy and there's our baby!

Once again a beautiful and amazing experiece to be able to see the little one moving about inside and to see the growth that has occurred over the 9 weeks since our first dating scan.

We saw him/her from back to front, top to bottom, left to right, inside and out. The brain -there! phew! and looking like it was working overtime. The heart with atrium and the ventricles filling and emptying. And even the vavles doing a stupendous job at opening and closing. Absolutely out of this world amazing! The bones were looking nice and strong and the expected size at this point in the development. The sonographer did not mention any sign of big feet or crossed over toes so there's hope for this child yet!

One thing is for sure. If this child carries on the way it's going it will certainly need a physio for a dad! The whole scan he/she was standing on his/her head! looked terribly uncomfortable! And to think that it's only going to get more cramped in there on the insuing weeks. Poor thing. Word of advice to baby: arrive on time not a day late and you can be out of there and have the whole world to float around in!

Nearing to a close there was one piece of information that we hadn't been told and so Ryan asked the question he was so looking forward to the answer of. And so yip we know what this little one is! And it's our little secret (well until we slip up maybe). It was sureal finding out and wonderful. Walking away with big grins on our faces now know and being able to connect with more of who this little person is who will be joining us in 18ish weeks!

(We might post the scan pics but they're not as clear as the first lot.)

Bubs continues to move about which I'm getting used to and it might not be long now until bubs is big enough for us to see the movement on the outside and for Ryan to feel it. That will be very neat.

I'm definitely putting on the weight now. As you will have seen from the last post the belly is there. I'm now 70kg! shoc horror. They say if you're a healthy weight before pregnancy then expect to put on about 11-16kg. So at half way through I've put on 7kg. Hopefully I'll stay at this pace. I do need to get out walking a bit more. Feeling like I walk all day though and so the motivation is hard to find. I get home from a day at the hospital and all I want to do is to lie down especially after long days. But I do need to take care of myself. It's easy to much away on unhealthy snacks so I gotta start favouring the healthy options or I will balloon. I know weight gain is inevitable but it does take a little getting used to when you have always been a stable healthy weight (not that this is an unhealthy weight... but you get what i mean?)

Measurements:
Weight 70kg
Waist 97cm
Bust 95 cm

Right well now it's off for a weekend in the sun... well hopefully anyway. Celebrating our 2nd wedding aniversary in Sardinia. Should be grand.

Blessings to you all.