Downward Facing Dog

On Friday, Dan and I went in for our 31 week ultrasound and we were thrilled to see so much action. It was amazing to SEE the corresponding movements as I was feeling them; like a little sneak peek into his world. Ultrasound technology never ceases to amaze me. I constantly catch myself saying "Awe!"

During the appointment, we were able to see our little man yawning, rubbing his eyes (exactly like his dad does), kicking, stretching, etc. And when I say stretching, I mean it. He is still breech and has decided to perfect the "downward facing dog" position before joining us. His feet are up by his head and his hands were constantly gripping them. All this completely explains the thumps and knocks I feel against my ribs and lungs. Here's his hand, tickling his little toes which are next to his head:We also discovered an exciting diagnosis during our morning...3 pounds & 13 ounces of pressure on my vena cava will cause me to faint. We've often wondered why I start the intense cold sweats & dizzy spells during the past two month's of appointments, often attributing it to lower blood sugar and nerves, but low and behold...I'm one of those lucky girls who absolutely can't lay on her back, even for a small time. The good news is I now can identify the symptoms far before they affect me adversely enough to cause fainting; the bad news is I'm a horrible patient for any routine exam, measurement, or ultrasound as I have to lay on my left side for 99% of the poking and prodding. Oh well, I'll just get one of those infamous Elaine Benes medical chart entries that will never go away... "Patient is a pansy and faints if you make her lay on her back".And to answer the #1 question I get: "How are you feeling?" Honestly, I'm doing great. It's blatantly apparent that my organs are running out of room and I have to consciously think about taking deeper breaths, but I'm enjoying every second of this experience. It's such a special time and as much as I cant wait to meet our little guy, I'm happy to let him bake for another 8.5 weeks.

Next week we'll make the last "doctor approved" trip: a drive home to Little Rock. During our recent trip to Atlanta we discovered a few extra stops along the way are a must-do, so keep your fingers crossed that we'll make the trek in a decent amount of time. Cant wait to be home for a few days!