Month 6...a slow moving month...

Month Six (January 2012):
Going off of work, exciting news from friends, serious belly growth and a surprise present in the works for Daddy...were all things that were really memorable this month.

Last month, Mommy and Daddy had another secret to keep (there's been so many while you've been growing!), that they were just bursting and overjoyed all of Christmas!  My most favourite Christmas gift that I received, was a phone call on December 24th, that was by far, the "strangest" conversation that I had ever had with our best friends, Kathryn and Gary.  Kathryn was inquisitive, yet vague and all over the place.  Then she hung up.  I immediately told Dad that I thought she was pregnant, but knew that she would have told me if she was.  Then a photo msg came on my phone, of Brayden wearing a Big Brother shirt!!!!!!!!!!  I knew it!  I was so thrilled to find out that we would get to enjoy pregnancy together and you were already getting your first friend, closest to your age!  We celebrated New Year's together, which was such a fun time to celebrate two new lives coming this year!

This month, I also stopped working.  While I enjoyed my co-workers, it was getting very difficult for me to stand for long periods of time, with minimal breaks and constant lifting/bending.  My fibromyalgia started to get worse, my sleeping affected the most, as well as my joints, so the midwives knew that I needed to stop.  They wanted me to be able to get more rest, still be able to exercise and keep healthy, rather than go to work, exhaust myself, be in pain and not be healthy enough to not worry about your growth and wellbeing.  I felt very guilty about this and had a hard time adjusting, but the better I felt, the more I had a chance to take care of myself, the better chance I had taking care of you.  It made it a very long month, but it was the right thing to do!

You have been VERY active off and on this month!  You also like to play games on us though, hiding for hours...sometimes DAYS on end!  You'll move like crazy one day and then I don't feel you for a whole day, which not only worries me, but your Dad and the midwives.  You spent 48 hours not moving one week this month and Dad and I had to make a Friday night trip to Labour and Delivery.  Of course, as soon as we got there and they put the doppler on, you tried to kick that thing right off!!!!!!!  You were a little stinker!  Dad had a stern "talking to" with you after this, telling you not to do this again, as neither of us enjoyed that time particularly much!

Your nursery is REALLY starting to come along now and fabric has been decided on for your room!  Both Dad and I are REALLY excited to have found the nicest lady to help us make your custom bedding.  We wanted something "gender neutral", but FUN and she helped us pick the perfect choices for a travel themed room!  Pictures will probably have to wait till next month, as the bedding is currently being worked on, but I am on the edge of my seat till then!  Daddy has bought a few new toys for your room (mainly two 5 foot stuffed animals), that he is obsessed with and Mommy has found some of the cutest clothes and shoes for you!  A sneak peek:

Landmark Scenery fabric for some of your bedding!

I didn't think that my belly had grown too much during these weeks, but now that I compare our photo by the Christmas tree, to what my belly looks like by the end of this month, I realize that it has grown quite a bit, just not week by week!  Daddy still gets really EXCITED to my belly changing.  He loves to talk to you (sometimes through my belly button, thinking that you'll hear him better) and he loves to feel you kick!  He starts to pout when I feel you kick, he comes over and then you hide from him!  Lately though, your kicks have been getting SO STRONG, that it makes my belly bounce or my ribs REALLY hurt!  I beg you to move out of them, but it NEVER works!  You have yet to move "head down", so I pretty much spend the day, trying to push you out of my ribs, or get you to move from being sideways (transverse).  You have yet to let anyone else feel your kicks yet and are much more active when I keep my belly warm, then when I expose it...so funny!

 

A comparison of me at Christmas vs. me at the end of this month!

I guess that a lot HAS changed!  I don't know how much bigger I'll get, but I can only see it in my upper half.  It's starting to weigh down my hips and back, but I'll take that, over it spreading everywhere :)

Lastly, some cloth diaper shopping has been done for you and we have started our "stash".  Even Dad is getting excited about diapers and how soft they are, which are his favourites so far and how cute you will look in them.  He has picked out his favourite one to put you in first, which I think is beyond adorable!  We have great friends supporting us through this and giving us a lot of tips, so we are confident that this is a successful and good choice for all of us!  Dad's favourite minky diaper!

Only 3 more months to go!!!!!  I really hope that time starts moving a little faster soon!  Not only is your Dad getting more impatient to meet you, so am I!  Mom has also been working on a BIG surprise for Daddy, but that won't be revealed until next month!  All I can say is, that one very special lady helped Mommy make something for Daddy, that he is going to LOVE!