Little Kicker

Last night the baby kicked my hand!

I was sitting there watching TV after dinner and the baby was squirming around a bunch. I had my hand resting on my lap, which meant my thumb was up against my belly. I felt a nudge on it, and I was like "Hmm... I wonder if that was the baby." So I laid my hand on my stomach and about 20 seconds later the baby gave it a noticeable kick! I was like "AH!! The baby just kicked my hand!"

It was the first time that I knew for sure that what I felt on the outside was an actual kick, and not just a muscle twitch. It was so cool! I started laughing. It was the only way to express how I was feeling.

I have a theory. I've been feeling the baby move for awhile, but it took awhile for it to get any stronger. I think that's because my uterus is so big in comparison to the baby. Normally your uterus just hits your belly button at 20 weeks. Mine hit my belly button at 14 weeks. It's about half an inch above my belly button already now at 17.5 weeks.

However, I'm feeling movement on the outside earlier than one normally would, even though it's still not incredibly strong on the inside. I think that's because my uterus IS so big, and that made the walls thinner than they normally would be at 18 weeks, which makes it easier to feel it on the outside.

I'm an analytical person. I had to come up with some sort of reason tying this all together. ;)

17.5 Weeks

I haven't been posting that much. I just don't have that much I want to talk about. For a little over a week I've been going through a not-so-pleasant time at work with my boss. I could blog about it, but I kind of would rather live in a little fantasy land where he doesn't exist. I haven't talked to him in 8 days, which is a feat when you have a staff of like 11, with only 5 full-timers.

Other than that... I think the baby's movements are finally starting to become more distinct. They're still not really strong though. Everyday I feel a few kicks on several occasions, which is pretty cool. Unfortunately, Bambino's busiest times are while I'm at work, so I usually can't sit there and pay attention. I also always feel like the baby is moving around while I'm driving, but that's really hard to distinguish because I'M moving around while I'm driving. The roads are bumpy and the car vibrates. And in my 25 minute drive home, it's most highway driving with few stops. Sometimes at the stops I feel some wiggling. I think the baby likes the car!

I'm going to my pregnant neighbours tonight for tea. I haven't seen her in a couple of weeks. We had some plans that ended up falling through. I'm going over to see all her brand new nursery furniture that just arrived on Monday. I'm worried I'm going to feel jealous. I know she got really nice dark wood stuff, which is what I would have gotten if I wasn't trying to save money. And they apparently also got this really nice glider recliner. I don't even have a glider yet. AND she knows the sex (a little girl) and that makes me so jealous!

I really like her. I just don't like feeling jealous of material things, because I am so happy and blessed to be where I am. I love my little munchkin and I love his/her little room. I'll find out the sex in about 4 weeks (grrr for late ultrasounds). I just have to be patient.

Cervical Woes - 16.5 Week Appointment

I'm home sick today. My husband got a bad cold last week, and as hard as we tried to prevent it, I ended up getting it. So lame. I went to work yesterday but I'm taking today and tomorrow off.

Today I was checking my cervix again and the stupid thing was even more open than it was before. I called my OB's office and said that I have an appointment tomorrow afternoon, but I'm worried about my cervix so were appointments open today? I got in less than an hour later (which is a feat, seeing as I needed to shower, blow dry my hair, do my makeup, and drive 25 minutes to the office).

The good news: I've gained more weight, and the baby's heartbeat was good (so the movement-like feelings I've been having are actually the baby and not my imagination, according to the OB). My uterus is still measuring 4-5 weeks ahead. At 20 weeks it's supposed to be at your belly button. Mine has been at my belly button for at least a week and a half now.

The bad news: my OB couldn't put me at rest about the cervix thing. As he said, "I don't know what a 16 week cervix is supposed to look or feel like - I don't check the cervix until later in the pregnancy because there's no point."

HELLO?! You're an OBGYN!! How do you not know what a pregnant cervix is supposed to feel like?

He told me it feels normal, but he has no idea! He didn't even believe me that your cervix opens and softens during ovulation. He obviously knows NOTHING.

So my fears of having an incompetent cervix are not being relieved. He told me to stop checking my cervix. Yeah right! I can fit the tip of my finger in there - there's no way I'm going to stop monitoring that.

To top it off, I've been having contractions several times a day for several weeks now. I'd say I probably have at least 10 every day. I know that's supposed to be normal, but when I pair it with my opening cervix, it's freaking me right out!