6 Months and Counting....

I am now 23 weeks, which the book classifies as the beginning of the sixth month. I can hardly believe how the time has flown by! Of course, the second trimester is so much more enjoyable than the first that I have not been counting the days quite the way I was early on; I am just letting them come.

I suppose the biggest milestone of the second trimester is movement. I know that some people feel movement at 16 weeks and it was driving me crazy that I had not felt anything at my 4 month check-up. Finally, by the end of the 18th week, I was able to discern what was movement and not simply general tummy rumblings. Once I knew what to look for, it became more often and more obvious and now, every day. The most fun time is when I lay down in bed to go to sleep for the night. I don't know if it is because that is when I take my prenatal vitamin (water and nutrients headed his direction after not eating for a couple hours) or simply because I stop moving, but I can always count on that as our most active time. His movement that time of day is clearly discernible from the outside as well, so Allen has been able to feel it several times. SO fun!

Something new we have discovered this week is the ability to also kick/punch fairly strongly the other direction as well. Now that is weird. Something that would seem natural, but for some reason, I did not anticipate. And, of course, the most frequently kicked would be my bladder. Not fun. I knew that your expanding uterus would be sitting on top of your bladder and result in more bathroom trips, but I was not prepared for this, too. And to think as he gets stronger/bigger it will only get worse....The joys, the joys.

I must say, though, aside from this most recent exception, so far I have been pretty blessed. We do ask for continued prayers for health and strength for us both. As more new things come, we will share more of the latest!