Yesterday was the Australia Day public holiday and most of Brisbane decided to head to the beach to celebrate, us included.  After a LONG car drive, (traffic was BAD in parts), we finally arrived at beautiful Coolum and spent hours under the shade of tropical trees, lying on warm sand, and swimming in the turquoise ocean.

BEAUTIFUL!

It was baby's first trip, (though in utero), to the beach.

I was surprised to find that I was amazingly buoyant!

I could lift my feet to the top of the water and then just lay back and relax with no need to try and keep myself afloat.  Quite a surprising find and very enjoyable, very relaxing, the weightlessness was a welcome reflief.

It was also the first time I have been 'parading' around in a bikini with this round stomach.  Ok, so I wasn't really parading, and the bikini was pretty modest but it still felt kinda weird.

"Hi world.  I am pregnant, check out my stomach".

I have posted a new belly pic, taken last night when we got home, in the photo album.

Oh my goodness.  The unexpected pain.

So, last night I was sitting down with my beloved, eating dinner, (pasta with tomato, bacon, beans and onion and a little side salad), it was going down well.  I had been eating regularly all day long, it seems my appetite has stepped up a notch, and then, out of nowhere...

BAHM!!!!

The sharpest, stitch-like, pain right in the centre where my ribs meet, but down 5 cms towards my stomach.  It was literally like someone had a knife, or an ice pick and was just jamming it into my stomach.  Trying to twist into another position wasn't helpful.  I was stuck to my chair, wincing. 

Poor Caleb.  I don't know what he thought, but all I could think was, 'this freaken hurts, how the heck am I gonna handle labor pains!"

The 'stitch' for that is exactly what it felt like, though more intense than any 'I've just run round the block and have a tiny little stitch' type stitch, lasted about 5 mintues than went away... only to come back 2 more times.  At one point I was lying on the floor asking Caleb to pull my legs out straight in front of me because I literally couldn't move them myself without causing the stitch from HELL to increase.

Caleb quickly pulled out our Pregnancy 'Bible' that we received as a gift for Christmas, and there on week 23 (I will be 22 weeks tomorrow, gee I am advanced) was a section on Indigestion.

Indigestion!  This was indigestion!?  The book said around 23 weeks the growing uterus pushes against the stomach making digesting difficult and often painful.  It suggested a gentle walk after meals.

Once the 2nd 'stitch' had subsided Caleb and I sat down on the couch in an attempt to watch a DVD. 

Caleb - 'If it comes back , we will try a walk'

It came back.

And up I got, tentatively, to put on runners and socks and take my moonlight walk around the neighbourhood.

The walk helped.  And the 'stitch' didn't come back.

But in the back of my mind, throughout the whole experience were thoughts like -

(Read in tone of highschool gym teacher)

"Take the pain.  Handle the pain.  Come on! This pain is nothing.  If you can't handle this pain, how do you think you are gonna handle labor pain! Come one!  Where is your pain threshold?  You think this is an 8? This is a -800 compared to what you will feel in labor.  Stop winching! It's good practice for the match, it's coming in 4 months!! Are you tough enough!??"

And my poor husband had to watch me frozen with my hand on my gut, eyes pressed shut, wincing and breathing - I'm sure that was a really reassuring experience for him too!  Somehow, I think not.

Why does baby do this?

I will be lying flat on my back with my palm curved over the baby's body, amazed with all the kicking, punching, turning, squirming and flopping I am feeling.  Sometimes the sheer force of the movement makes me omit a gasp or a laugh...but when I call Caleb over, thinking, 'surely, he will feel some mighty kicks this time', and after Caleb has put his hand on the exact same spot my hand has been...

the baby stops all movement.

Why?

Time and time again this keeps happening.  It is really strange.  Can the baby tell the difference between my touch and Calebs?  Or is it purely coincidence.

Don't get me wrong, Caleb has felt the baby move, and sometimes he will put his hand there and get a tiny little kick, but soon after that the baby stops moving and just lies there.

It is getting to the point where I am becoming a bit obsessive compulsive about Caleb  catching the mighty movements.

The Scene:

Caleb is enthralled in the pages of a novel he is reading in the next room.  I am lying in the familiar position on the bed enjoying the baby's movement.

The movement gets stronger and stronger.  I am amazed at how much strength the baby has developed and want to share it with Caleb.

Me - 'babe, come here'

Caleb - 'ok' - (quite possibly thinking, 'not again')

Me - 'the baby is kicking so much'

Caleb places his hand on the spot and waits.

and waits.

and waits.

He starts to look bored.

I think, 'come on baby, kick'.

He is definately bored now.

I think, 'don't go, surely the baby will move at any moment'.

He waits.

The baby lies there under his hand.  Still.

Caleb looks at me, I sheepisly grin.

Me - 'they were kicking like crazy a minute ago'.

Caleb leaves the room. 

I scratch my head.

I put my hand on my tummy and BAHM!  A super twist, followed by a right handed jab and a round house kick.

Why?

Today I am 21 weeks!  It is nice to be this far along, but it also a little amazing.  Baby's kicks are more frequently felt and stronger every day.  They are so cute. And I have a real attachment to them, (weird huh?), but I just really enjoy the feeling of closeness they bring.

My belly button is looking decidedly more 'outtie' the last couple of days, so I suppose it won't be too long before it is completely inverted.

Yesterday my sister gave me her, practically new, baby change table and bath to loan, even though they had their 4th and "final" child a year ago, she said we should loan it just in case they have another.  She loves babies sooooo much, so I wouldn't be surprised if a 5th comes along.

In other news I am feeling much more active.  It is great.  I can feel the strength building in my legs and arms, as I have been walking alot and doing simple exericses, 'squats, lunges etc'.  I am starting to feel in better shape than before I got pregnant.  Is that possible?  It almost feels like my muscles respond quicker to the exercise.  But maybe, it has something to do with the extra weight that makes them look a little bulkier.. not sure.. in any event I feel really fit and healthy, which is great, and a vast difference to the saggy butt, thin armed weakling I became due to morning sickness in the first trimester.

Still can't take my pregnancy vitamins though.  And have given up trying.  I asked my midwife if I needed to be concerned that I couldn't take them, (not without hurling them back up, along with anything I have eaten in last 3 hours), and she said that I didn't need to worry, as long as my diet is sufficient, I didn't need them.  Well, I make sure I get a bowl of baby spinach leaves (with olive oil, cracked black pepper and balsamic vinegar) down everyday and our diet is generally very well thought out, so I am no longer worried about the multivitamin situation.  Though it sucks that I spent $60!!!!! on the box. 

Everything is going along pretty smoothly.  Not much to report.  No more future scans, no more shared care visits with my GP, from now on our midwife at the Birth Centre will take care of everything.  All in all, I am feeling very relaxed and content.  Trimester 2 is lovely.