Week 32: Let's play Whack-A-Mole!

I remember the first time I felt Daniel kick.  I was sitting at my desk at work and had my hand resting on my belly, when I felt what was unmistakeably a kick.  Needless to say it was an exciting moment.  For the next few weeks I felt them more and more often, but I wouldn't say they were uncomfortable or painful. 

These last few weeks though, as Daniel keeps getting bigger and his temporary living space gets more and more cramped, those movements have sometimes become rather unpleasant and at times actually painful.  It feels like I have an alien in my belly trying to break out!

Another interesting development as he gets bigger and the uterine lining and amniotic fluid barriers between him and me get thinner is that now I can feel not just movements, but body parts.  I can't usually tell which part it is but I can definitely feel a limb poke out.  I'll feel something poke me on my right ribs (a favorite spot for him, apparently) and push it in to get it off my ribs.  A second later I'll feel some other part poke out on the other side.  As soon as I push in on one spot, something pokes out somewhere else.  It reminds me of the arcade game whack-a-mole.  As soon as you bop one mole another one or two pop up.

Sometimes I think he likes to turn and wedge his backside against my ribs, because I'll feel a big bump that doesn't seem the right shape for a leg or arm.  I'm actually rather impressed with how much he seems able to move around in there given the limited space.  I can't imagine what it would feel like with twins-a sackful of fighting puppies, or maybe thrashing eels?

Even when it's uncomfortable, I remind myself that an active baby is a healthy baby, so if my ribs feel like a jungle gym and my bladder a trampoline, well, that just means little guy is growing bigger and stronger and developing the way he should.  Kevin is convinced that this is proof that Daniel will be quite the athlete.  If so, hopefully he inherited Daddy's athletic ability...I'm more enthusiastic about sports than I am good at them, so little guy didn't get much help in that department from me!

I'm guessing he'll be quite an active little wiggle-worm once he's born if this is a preview of his personality.  That should make for an interesting challenge trying to change his diaper while he's squirming and thrashing around, all the while trying not to get peed on!

7 1/2 weeks to go...