Contractions already!

I'm 19 almost 20 weeks along with you. Last week lots of things happened. My belly seemed to explode over night, I started feeling you moving all the time and we had our thorough ultrasound.

The first time I knew it was you moving inside me was a complete epiphany. All of a sudden, it was like I wasn't just "pregnant," I actually realized that I have a living person growing inside of me. Reality slapped me in the face real hard and I couldn't believe that you would actually be here in my arms so soon.

And now you move ALL the time. Last night, I was feeling you move all around and I placed my hand on my stomach and it was the first time I felt you move from the outside. Your dad has been wanting to feel you move so badly so I told him to come over quick and I placed his hand on my lower stomach. We sat for a while waiting and then I felt you move again. I asked him if he felt it and he said he thought he did (with a smile creeping up at the corner of his mouth). I can't wait until he really feels you move.

Last Wednesday, we had our anatomy ultrasound where they looked at all your tiny bitty body parts and told us that everything looked wonderful. They could also tell us your gender, but we decided we were going to wait until your dad's birthday, which is tomorrow. He's going to be 30! And I'm throwing him a surprise party that he has no idea about and that he's really going to kill me over :) The ultrasound tech placed the gender in an envelope, and I brought the envelope to the bakery who is making your dad's favorite chocolate cake with chocolate icing and a surprise blue or pink filling. We can't wait to find out!

Yesterday, I was having bad cramps in my stomach all day. It hurt to move or walk or do anything. I wasn't feeling too concerned about it, and I went into work late trying to suck it up. But as the day went on and the pain didn't ease up I was starting to get a little worried. I went to the clinic at work who told me to contact my doctor who told me to go to the hospital if the pain didn't go away by evening. By the time I got home, it seemed to be getting worse so I called your dad, who had been worried about me all day and told him that I thought we just needed to go get everything checked out.

Lots of questions, examinations, blood tests and one ultrasound later, I was diagnosed with Braxton Hicks contractions. Contractions! At only 19 almost 20 weeks along! I couldn't believe it but the doctor made it sound completely normal. I'm really hoping that they don't persist and are rare during the rest of this pregnancy. By the way, the ultrasound tech at the hospital called you "a very pretty baby." That made me smile :)

I'm reading lots of books and doing research on how I want to bring you into this world. I feel like I've become a total hippie once I became pregnant, but it is only because I want to do what's best for you.

I hope you can tell how much we already love you.