Third Trimester!

Well, today, April 10th, marks the three-month point from Baby Michael's due date. While we are all a little suspicious as to whether he'll actually wait until July 10th, I am at least relieved that we are one week closer than when those worries started last Thursday.

This week has been pretty good, and I've been doing my best to take it easy and get some rest. Michael has been taking really good care of me (us) and helping to relieve some of the back pain I've been having with some nice back rubs before bed.

We've also been working overtime to prepare for labor and delivery, which, hopefully not, but may come sooner than later. We picked up some books on a particular method of childbirth and have signed up for classes at the hospital. These books have us do mental exercises to learn to relax and mentally prepare for childbirth. There are also some stretches and exercises I have been doing to prepare my body, and ease some of the aches that come along with the third trimester.

Some of the exercises are kind of weird, but it is something that we are doing together to get ready for the baby and increase our chances of having a natural childbirth, so I don't mind them.

Baby Michael seems to be doing very well. He's is continuing to be very active and is squirming around a lot. A LOT. He seems like such an active baby that sometimes I forget that he is still so little and fragile and needs a lot more time to grow in there. But he already seems to have so much personality, it seems like he is more ready to come out than he actually is.

He hates it when I take medicine if I have contractions. He goes insane...it's like a little cyclone in there. I don't even know what he could possibly be up to that creates the type of feeling I get...but he just goes nuts on that medicine. I can tell it speeds up my heartrate, and so it must do the same for him, but imagining that he is stuck in there with no way to burn off his increased energy...he goes so crazy. I feel so bad when I have to take that medicine, but it's better than letting my contractions continue. It just seems like he is so uncomfortable when I do that to him.

Normally, though, the baby is happy and moving around like the busy little boy that he will probably be. This morning, Michael was talking to me while he was getting ready for work, and as soon as Baby Michael heard Daddy's voice, he woke up and started kicking and moving around. I bet he can't wait to meet that funny man who is always making mommy laugh.

Baby Michael also seems to prefer me to sleep on my right side these days, because he frequently will kick and squirm incessantly if I am on my left side. Maybe that is a day by day thing, but he just would not settle down last night until I rolled over to the other side, then he quieted down right away.

Thank you for your continued prayers! We are on the last leg of the race, and are grateful for another healthy week!