6 Months!

Today Olivia and I hit another very important milestone in development – 6 months.  In another 2-3 weeks, we’ll be in the third trimester and the home stretch.

It’s hard to believe I’ve been pregnant for six months already.  It feels like only yesterday I was staring in shock at the little “pregnant” word looking up at me from the test stick.  Since then, it’s been a veritable whirlwind of activity (holidays not withstanding…).  We’ve received a plethora of advice, been regaled with birth stories, and it feels like a new little package from someone shows up on our doorstep every few days.  The baby clothes, toys, and books are piling up in the soon-to-be nursery.

Olivia has been doing quite a bit of developing on her own.  Her kicks are a lot stronger and she moves around a lot in the late morning/early afternoon and then again late at night.  When she really gets going, I can usually see a bit of movement.  Stephen has felt her kick a few times and he grins every time.  I think him feeling that makes it a bit more real to him.  I’ve started playing music for her either just in the room or through headphones on my belly.  She reacts to some beats and rhythms, much to our delight.

I have to say, in spite of the aches, pains, exhaustion and occasional cramps, I love being pregnant.  I love everything about it.  I love having a little life growing inside me, moving around, letting me know when she’s awake, when she’s hungry (she kicks more when she wants food).  Yes, I’m excited and impatient to meet her and I may not love being pregnant so much in the coming trimester but, right now, I really enjoy it.  And I’m determined to enjoy it for as long as I can.  It’s as much a miracle of nature as it is a normal part of nature so why not enjoy it, right?

The next few weeks are packed with a few very important things.  The next OB appointment is the dreaded glucose test.  For those of you who don’t know what that is, I have to drink a sickeningly sweet liquid, wait an hour, then they do a blood test to make sure my body is absorbing sugar okay and I haven’t developed gestational diabetes.  Not really looking forward to that but it’s necessary.

We’re also doing our tour of Northside next month and taking an infant CPR class.  I’m excited about both.  Getting to see where my husband was born and where our daughter will be born is very cool to me.  There’s a new daddy boot camp that Stephen is thinking of taking.  He hasn’t decided yet.

One thing that is really exciting next month is we are going on a Babymoon!  I’ve been reading in a lot of different magazines about it and they all say “Get away one last time, just the two of you, before you can’t anymore.”  So, instead of the pricey spa resorts that are usually advertised, we are heading to the mountains Valentine’s weekend and getting a cabin.  The cabin we’ve rented is in Elijay in the North Georgia Mountains and will be perfectly romantic.  I’m really excited about this weekend away.  Right after we get back, I’m at seven months and the third trimester and things kick into high gear getting ready for the baby.

Speaking of getting ready, we still have some furniture up for grabs and we need to get rid of it in the next week or so.  I’m hoping we can get rid of it by beginning of February so we can clean the room and get it prepped for painting.  I have a grand plan for the nursery to which Stephen rolls his eyes and gently reminds me we rent this house, but we’ll see what happens.  I’m excited to finally get the room ready and get her furniture in there so I have a place to actually put all the presents we’ve been getting.

Whew!  A lot going on and even more to come.  We’re getting closer so here’s to another happy, healthy 4 months!

*holds up glass of OJ*