1 o'clocka 2 o'clocka

I'm prepared for a little one to join our family. I'm not fooling myself thinking it will be easy. Baby1 was not easy. Even if Baby2 is easy, having both will not be.

I just didn't think it would start so soon. I was up all night with both kids, one crying out through the whole night and the other beating me up from the inside out. Lucky's always very active, but last night's continuous acrobatics kept jolting me awake. I think I even cried out a time or two. I really couldn't sleep through it.

At today's check up I was asked if I do Kick Counts. I laughed. There is really, really no need to count his movements. Perhaps I should track if he's ever NOT kicking.

grateful

• for living in a place and time that I get to choose where, with who, and how I have my baby delivered.
• for all the medical options I can have access to if needed
• for the awesome machines that let me hear my baby's heartbeat
• for the people who dedicated their life's work to discovering how the body works
• for simple tests and procedures that can make life possible and healthy
• that someone finally took the carbonation out of the gestational diabetes glucose test drink. It previously made me so very very sick that I've been fearing it more than labor. It was easy peasy.

the big switcheroo

I love Doc. I thank him for the baby I have. I thank him for all the odd hour appointments and his availability. I thank him for his compassion and tender words. I would highly recommend him. I hope he's not offended that we've decided to make a change.

Out of the blue in July I had a crazy feeling that I needed to change providers. It seemed like a crazy notion and I dismissed it as crazy pregnancy hormones. The feeling didn't go away and I had a little freak out wondering why I felt this way and what I was going to do.

I met my Certified Nurse Midwife today. She's everything on my list and more. She even told me that if I never came in for another appointment she would understand and be happy that I was following my heart. Though I spent hours at the hospital catching up on paperwork, questionnaires, labs, and exams, I left feeling rejuvenated and empowered.

I don't know if this choice has significance. Sometimes we are prompted by the spirit to do things. Other times God lets us make whatever decision we feel is best. All I know is how calm and happy I feel.

a rose by any other name...

Mason has a name picked out for Lucky. He's really quite insistent. We won't make any promises until we meet our baby, but the name is certainly growing on us. And it's so cute the way he says it...

We'll see if it fits.

big brother is watching

Mason is watching out for you, Lucky.

This morning he woke up first and came and got me out of bed. I sat up and said "ssssstretch" and we both reached out our arms like we always do. Suddenly he looked concerned and asked "Where'd the baby go?" (My stomach doesn't stick out very much in the morning, especially compared to the evenings when I'm tired from lugging a two year old around all day). I pulled my shirt tight across my stomach and reassured him the baby was still right there.

"Oh good!" he said, leaned over and kissed my belly, and ran out the door.