Musings on Getting Closer to "The Day"

I've already found myself looking forward to fall. This feeling is coming dangerously early and I don't want to jinx what remains of summer and our baby-free life, but I'm so excited about life with baby that I am already thinking about buying a tiny Halloween costume in October and bringing our little Buddy to Michigan for the big Thanksgiving gathering in November. And Christmas? Forget about it. It's going to be all about the Jooner and it's going to be so different and enthralling. Yes, I used the word "enthralling." I'm not trying to wish any time away (god knows it goes by quickly enough without that), but I feel like the future holds so much that I can't wait to dig in.

My third trimester is going well, and it's all I can seem to think about: the third trimester, eight more weeks, less than two months before Jooner arrives. Our birthing classes start on Monday, and while I'm trying to keep the actual birthing process at a distance so I don't get anxious about the pain or pushing or the labor part of it all, I know it's all part of the process and I'm going to look back and treasure every moment. I can't promise I'll treasure every moment as it happens (especially the pain of giving birth), but I'll try to do that, too. It's also helpful to know that labor pains aren't something unique to me; every woman who has a baby goes through them, and once they're holding their baby in their arms it's the last thing you'll hear them speak of.

My belly is growing bigger every week, it's a little harder to stand from a sitting or laying position than it used to be, I'm hungry really often, and I'm wardrobe is getting slim, but what's new? I'm enjoying pregnancy and rubbing my belly, and I still get a kick every time Jooner gives me the same.

I got a sheet from the doctor's at my last visit about "Kick Counts." They recommend that every day I lay on my side during one of Jooner's active times and see how long it takes for him to make 8 movements. It's supposed to be a way of monitoring his activity, but for me it's another thing to be paranoid about. One day if he's not as active as he was the day before I get a little nervous, and it builds until the next day or the day after when he's back to his tumbling, kicking, punching self. I don't mean to take kick counts too lightly, but I also remember my sister telling me that her baby, who is now a tumbling, kicking, punching 4-year old, barely moved at all in the womb, no matter how much she poked and prodded at him. It all goes back to that every baby is different thing, and in addition to that, I'm going to have to understand that every parent is different, too. Oh man, there is a lot to learn.