Thankful

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday.

Honey and I went to my parents for an early dinner on Thursday. We had a non-traditional menu of beef tenderloin, grilled salmon, baked potatoes, sweet potato casserole, fresh corn, green beens, cranbery relish, salad, and homemade rolls. For dessert, pumpkin pie and apple sheet pie. It was all so very delicious! Joining us were my parents, my brother, his daughter, and his girlfriend, my grandma and her boyfriend, and my great aunt and uncle. The weather was beautiful, we all got along, and had a wonderful dinner and visit.

After dinner, we left my parents and headed for Honey's family about 4.5 hours away. We stopped halfway up and picked up Honey's father, Pops. We arrived late, about 8:30 pm, but still were able to visit before many fell off to sleep. Pops stayed with one of Honey's brothers, and Honey and I stayed in a hotel suite. They were out of non-smoking rooms, and being pregnant, Honey was very particular about the room, so we opted for a suite, which happened to have a whirlpool tub smack in the middle of the room! What a treat! I was so surprised when we walked in.

A special moment happened one night during our stay. Honey felt the baby kick for the first time! He lay behind me, with his arm wrapped around and hand on my belly, and then, baby moved. It was awesome! I was so excited that he finally felt it, after over a week of me feeling him move around in there. I love sharing this experience with him.

We enjoyed three days with Honey's family, ate leftovers, and spent time with his six nieces and nephews. We even managed to take five of them out with us shopping on Friday morning. Nieces are 7 and 5, nephews are 7, 5, and almost 1. And with us pregnant, I'm sure many people were wondering, "and they are having another?!"

And Then He Kicked Me

I am in the middle of my 21st week (or 5th month) of pregnancy. In other words, halfway there. So far, I think things have gone much as they should:

• Found out I was pregnant in week 6
  
• Morning sickness started right on cue (i.e. the next day) and lasted right up until week 14 (end of first trimester)
  
• I lost 1.5 pounds the first 3 months (boy, was I sick!!), and gained four the fourth month, for a net of 2.5 pounds gained as of my last doc appointment
• Had an ultrasound in week 18 - everything looked good, and we found out it's a boy! They couldn't get a clear picture of his heart, so we're going back for another ultrasound the week after Thanksgiving, just to be sure all is well.
• Ever since, I have been waiting - wanting - to feel this itsy bitsy being inside of me move or kick or something!
• Instead, all I have is pain in my middle back, like a softball is lodged against my spine. It starts generally after lunch and grows increasingly worse as the day goes on. Honey was so sweet and sympathetic to my complaints that he went and purchased a shiatsu massage chair for me. It is the bomb!
• I've read all the articles on "what it's supposed to feel like" when baby kicks or moves. Some say butterflies, some say gas. I say when I thought I felt butterflies, it turned out to be gas!
  

So, last night as I received my full back massage, and Honey spoke with his grandma on the phone, a feeling I had never felt before came from inside my stomach, just to the right of my belly button.

My eyes got as big as silver dollars.

My mouth fell open in disbelief.

The biggest smile came over my face.

Was that a foot?! OMG! That felt like a foot - it was big! If I had been looking, I know I could've seen my tummy poke out as if being punched from the inside out.

Maybe it was an elbow? Ahh! There is was again! Not so big this time, but the same feeling nonetheless.

So, that's what it feels like when the baby kicks! Honey watched on, all smiles, as we enjoyed the first movement of our son. He put his hand on my belly, but, of course, baby didn't move then. What an amazing feeling. What an amazing thing! Life growing and moving about inside another life. God is great.