23 Weeks - Kick, Punch & Repeat!

23w0d
Size: Papaya (month 5)
Weight Gain: +1 (+17 total)

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

On Tuesday I was having a lot of contractions all day, toward lunch time they were about 5 minutes apart and lasted about 30 seconds but were not very strong. Still, I was worried so I went to see the doctor - and everything was fine. My doctor had the early shift, so I had to see Dr. Davis (the other male doc in the practice). And he was so mean to me! He basically told me that I was crazy and wasn't having contractions because my cervix is not dilated at all and is so long and "perfect". So I started having one and asked him what was happening, he examined me and said he thought it was just the babies kicking me that contracted my uterus but he didn't really know and wasn't worried. I hate it when doctors don't take me seriously, I mean this is my first pregnancy be nice and helpful not mean!

In better news, the babies are moving like crazy all the time now these days. It feels really cool, but after a few minutes being kicked in the same spot over and over again it starts to hurt and tighten up. Usually I have to be laying down and focus to feel the babies, but this week it's constant. Tonight we actually saw them move in my belly tonight for the first time. My whole stomach moved (and still is as I'm writing this - kick, punch, repeat!) Right now is actually the first time I've felt them both move at the same time, and they've been at it for a good half hour. How crazy, that they're big enough not only to feel but see move! Our boys are growing up (plus I riled them up by eating peanut butter chocolate ice cream just now - I think I made them hyper)!

Since the boys are moving a lot these days and my belly is getting bigger I've started walking around with my hand resting on my stomach. This is something that I used to think was kind of annoying, but it's so second nature and with a stomach this big it's only natural! Not to mention with this big growth spurt, more stretch marks. This week I officially noticed new dark stretch marks. I knew it was coming, I just didn't know I'd get them *there* and over *there* and yes *there* too! Yikes - it's for a good cause.

Tonight we bought a new chair; a great glider for the nursery. After a lot of research, and driving around to every store possible, we decided that we needed to get a higher end chair because the others even in the mid price range weren't very sturdy or comfortable. I started looking and found an amazing deal second hand! One of the moms on my eMOMs site was selling this Dutailier glider for $125 that usually retail between $500-700. We went and saw/bought it tonight and it's great, the couple we bought it from was even really nice! It has a white wood frame, and black microfiber covers. It looks brand new. Ever since we brought it home Tails won't leave it alone, if I get out of it he jumps in - silly kitty. Now all we need is crib bedding and the boys can come home!

More later, I'm off to find something to eat - yes I eat anything and everything these days. One small meal about every 30 minutes - which lead to the cartoon picture above! :)