24 weeks and feeling fine!

I'm 24 weeks and 2 days today! Yesterday I felt super hormonal so I wonder if there was a new surge of hormones happening. Today I feel better. :) I read that baby will gain a 1/2 lb this week, which is a lot considering she only weighs 1.25 lbs as it is. I see a stretched belly in my near future...

I am about to go meet with the Midwife for the first time. I will be sure to update the blog and let you all know how that goes. I met with the birth doula, Darby, and I really like her! She is beyond qualified and although she has a laid-back attitude I can tell that she will advocate for me and be assertive if need be.

We (my son and I) will be going to Wyoming in August to visit the IP's and their family. I am SO excited to do this and can't wait to spend more time with them and meet the gang. Thea has just finally started kicking/moving/pushing hard enough so we can feel her from the outside of my belly, and see it too! The Wyoming gang will have so much fun feeling those kicks and I don't mind hands on my belly like some women do. :) She's actually pushing against the laptop right now which is sitting on my belly. Sorry baby, gotta blog!

I have a lot of people asking me if it will be weird to give her to her parents after she's born, and while I'm sure it will be strange, I completely feel that it would be even more strange to keep her then it would be to give her to them. She was never mine to keep. I am at peace with the process and don't feel an emotional strain or weight over it at all. This pregnancy is SO extremely different than my pregnancy with Zeppelin. I love this baby and want to care for her and make sure she is healthy and happy but it isn't the same as if she were my own. I'm not planning my life with this baby, I'm not talking to her as a mother, I'm not sharing this pregnancy with her father or siblings in an intimate way, trying to create bonds. Don't get me wrong, I do talk to her, rub my belly, send good vibes and thoughts her way, making sure that she feels loved and wanted, it's just very different. It's more like an Auntie love. I love her like I do my nieces and nephews or my best friend's children, which is quite a great love! Also, I know she has a family waiting that desperately wants her and loves her so it feels amazing to be able to give her to them. I know she will be abundantly loved by so many, and that is a wonderful thing.

Well, I think that is it for now. I will post later on how my midwifery appointment goes.

-Lady Stork.

22 weeks!

So I'm 22 weeks this week! 18 more to go (give or take). I'm officially in my 6th month!

This little girl is so active! Her daddy just competed in the Ironman triathlon this last week and I have a feeling she will be following in his footsteps. I am already noticing distinct sleep/awake cycles with her and when she is awake she is on the "go"! I took my son, nephew and niece to see Rio in the theater the other day and during a loud part she kicked so hard I looked to the side of me to see who had poked my belly. To my surprise it was an inside poke! :)

I'm feeling pretty good this week and only feel "morning sick" a day or two out of the week now. Such an improvement! However, now I have horrible allergies. Can't this prego lady get a break?! The round ligament pain has subsided and I feel like Baby T is sitting higher and giving my cervix a rest. My belly is definitely getting bigger and is now a constant hand magnet. The other day I walked up to the sales counter to buy something and the clerk said "I like your baby". hahaha. That was a first!

I have decided to give birth in the -gorgeous- new hospital in Eugene and I will be using the midwives at the Peace Health midwifery group to assist in my prenatal care and the delivery. I gave this a lot of thought and although it would be nice to give birth in the birth center it just isn't practicle for this pregnancy. I want to be able to stay for a while after the birth and at the birth center they expect/require you to leave in 4-6 hours after delivery. Giving birth in the hospital will allow for a little R&R before I go home and also a little bit of time with Baby T and her family before they go home. The midwives seem to be great and I feel like the hospital is well equipped and will support my birth decisions. I also have a meeting with a birth doula tomorrow to see if I want her to help me during the birth. Being a birth doula myself, I have pretty high expectations, so this should be interesting :).
Here is a fun interactive video thing that my Aunt showed me. Take a look!

http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/you/the-exhibit/your-beginning/make-room-for-baby/interactive/

Well, I think that's it for now. I will post a belly picture later.

-Lady Stork