+ Tummy ache +
Stress is bad. I'm glad I don't get stressed very often. It makes my whole tummy sore. And back. And shoulders. It's a really busy day and I'm feeling the tension. I'll have to visit that spa in Aladdin while we're in Vegas. You haven't moved as much yesterday or today, which is kind of worrisome. Just when I really start to freak out though, you give me an obligatory kick and I relax a little. Move some more, will ya? Thanks.

+ 23w6d and Doctors +
Well, everything is perfect so far! I didn't get all the numbers (like my belly measurement) because I have to ask for each of them, and I forgot. :-) But my bp was 110/72, your heart rate was about 150 ("right in the girl range" according to Dr. U.), and... I gained THREE pounds! Woo hoo! I joked with the nurse that I've been trying my darnedest, so I was glad to see it was paying off. Seriously, as huge as I'm feeling lately, I truthfully expected it to be close to 10 pounds. But 3 makes me really happy. It means that I'm finally getting up to speed in that dept. Everything was fine, he had no concerns for me and told me that a couple of my minor concerns were nothing to worry about. We go back 12/17 for the 1-hour appointment for the glucola test. Yippee. I am definitely not looking forward to that, but I'm sure we'll be fine.

Anyway, glad things are going well, and glad I finally got in to see him. I'm feeling kind of crampy today, which tells me I didn't sleep carefully again. On the other hand, I slept fairly well. I woke up several times, but never to pee, and never more than a few minutes at a time. I was probably finally exhausted from all these half-sleepless nights.

+ Rollin' on out +
Well, this is the first time I have felt even a tiny "wave" of movement. You apparently are a little too squished on the right side of my belly, not far below my ribs, and you keep rubbing some appendage back and forth, back and forth. Very strange feeling...

+ Shots and Doctors +
We're off to see the doctor in a couple of hours, Baby O. They tried to cancel on me, but I didn't give them the pleasure. I informed them that, although I really really didn't want to take time off of work, I will NOT wait until next week for my next appointment. That would be 7 weeks, and I don't think I should go from 17 weeks to 24 weeks or more without an appointment. That just doesn't seem right to me. So we're going at 2:30.

I did get my flu shot today. I hope you don't mind that. My arm's a little tingly, but that's normal I think. I have had them before, so I'm hopeful there won't be any problem. The nurse, when she gave me my permission slip for the shot last week, didn't give me much comfort. I asked her if this was normal, if she gave these regularly and she said, "Oh, sure! It should be fine, unless... No, I'm sure you're fine." What was the unless? I didn't ask. Now I hear that voice in the back of my head as I sit here, rubbing my poor shot arm.

+ Amazing +
I've been hanging around in a couple of message boards throughout this pregnancy so far, and something really struck me today. One girl on a board is being put on bedrest because she's having premature labor. She posted that she won't be around anymore, and she's just praying to make it 4 more weeks to give the baby a better chance. Now, what's so disturbing about this, to me, is that she's due just 4 days before me. And she will probably have a baby within a month. Oh. My. Gosh. I know I said before that I was happy you're nearing the viability point (basically there now), but I didn't actually think about what that could mean. Honestly, I feel like I'm just now starting to get used to the idea of being pregnant. Only recently have I really started showing. Only recently have I started feeling you regularly and clearly. Even though I go to sleep early and can't move around quite as well as I used to, I don't actually feel hindered like I should for having a baby inside of me - one that could probably live OUTside of me. Does that make sense? It's like the last 23 weeks were warm-up to actually being pregnant, which is only yet to begin sometime in the not-so-distant future. And to think of that getting interrupted by unwelcome labor? Yikes! That's scary.

+ 11/18/02 +
Today is your mommy and daddy's anniversary, Baby O.! Two years ago, we married and were already talking about when we would get to meet you. We knew we weren't in a complete hurry, but we also knew it wouldn't be long.

This weekend was a busy, busy, busy one. It didn't center around you like last weekend's shopping spree almost did. But you were oh-so involved. First, at the movie yesterday, you decided to see what it was like to actually kick my bladder. Now, I'm sure you've put pressure on it before, moving around. But these were kicks. I was sitting there, innocently watching the movie, when suddenly I felt this poke and desperate urge to pee. A split-second later, it stopped. Then again. You were kicking my bladder. I wasn't sure I'd know what that would feel like, but I was sure wrong! You didn't help me sleep at all, thanks again. Last night I got about 4 hours of sleep. :-( Plus, all that talk last week about BH contractions made me start paying attention to what's going on in there. I can feel my uterus contract sometimes. It's like, normal, and then suddenly my whole abdomen, from really low to under my ribs is hard as a rock. It doesn't last, and it doesn't hurt. It's quite strange, actually. Daddy's getting frustrated about not feeling you, which is what I was afraid of. It's actually a sore spot now, and I'm afraid to ever mention it. I didn't tell him about you on my bladder. He figures when it's really obvious, then he'll feel it, and until then he doesn't want to try. I feel really horrible about that, but I know it's frustrating. I just want him to be able to share in all this with me. He knows that, and he loves us. He'll feel you soon.

Today you are kicking me over and over in one new spot. I've had a little aching, especially when I lie down, that I can only think is somehow related to my ribs. My uterus isn't quite up there yet, but it's on its way, and everything else has already been pushed up there. Tomorrow is our Dr's appointment. This one has been 6 weeks in coming, which I'm not happy about. I'm going to make sure to make my next one early so if it's cancelled again I don't have to wait this long. It makes me nervous.