I'm 32 weeks and praising God for that.  I'm really feeling good overall.  I have had some sciatic nerve pain (ooh...it can kill with each step I take!), which makes me feel disabled, at times, but it comes and goes depending on what I've been doing, it seems.

Today I had a regular OB appointment.  I thought I'd just bring Alex along, rather than trying to arrange for someone to watch him, since that can be hard, especially with the frequency of dr. visits later in the pregnancy.  I can't remember the last time I had brought him with to an appointment...possibly since the big 20-week visit with Lydia when we found out her condition!  That was enough to never bring him with again....but since these office visits had been uneventful this time around, I thought it would be fine.

The nurse practitioner questioned the movement I've been feeling...or not feeling.  I had discussed this with the doctor last time, but he didn't seem as concerned.  Well, of course, the NP was being more cautious.  She asked if I feel four kicks/hour and I said, "heck no."  I may feel little movements here and there occasionally throughout the day, but I mostly feel kicks at the end of the day when I finally lay down on my side.  My babies have ALL been the same in this regard though.  Alex was extremely inactive, which raised red flags at times (including a non-stress test and an emergency ultrasound) and Lydia was not much different.  This baby girl is continuing the trend.

So, the NP wanted to do a non-stress test (hook me up to a heart monitor and I press a button every time I feel baby move).  They got me comfortable in a recliner, which hello, I never get to lay/sit like that!  I was already anticipating the fact that I most likely was not going to be pushing that button...I had been through this before with the almost-5-year-old standing right next to me (funny side note...Alex thought every time I pushed the button it did something to the baby).  Anyway, I cannot tell you how hard it was for me to concentrate on my belly and being in tune to any and all movement with my chatty, wild, klutzy, busy kid right next to me.  It was nearly impossible.  I was getting very frustrated with him while he was juggling my cell phone (if he breaks that thing, I'll hurt him!) and trying to balance a full tin of Altoids, etc.  I could feel my blood pressure rising!  And then I was constantly thinking, was that a kick, or not?  SO hard to tell because they've really never been that strong anyway, but with the distractions...ugh.  I thought I possibly felt a few little ones in about 30 minutes time, but I was not positive.  The NP checked in and was a little concerned about the baby's Central Nervous System...that when there was movement her heart rate only went up for about 10 seconds when they hope for 15 seconds?  Also, supposedly I had 3 contractions during that time...I didn't feel a thing!  She was going to consult the on-call doc.

Meanwhile, she gave me and Alex a few chocolate treats to share...mini Snickers and Whoppers.  Maybe that would help get the baby moving (not to mention the preschooler who was moving plenty already, in my opinion!).  Sure enough, I definitely did start to feel some more and stronger movements after that bit of sugar and the read-out from the machine looked much better, so yay.  I've been told I need to monitor movement for one hour increments, two times/day.  If I'm not feeling at least four kicks in an hour, then need to eat/drink and lay on my left side.  If still not feeling four kicks, then call in to the doc.  Seriously though, I truly think it's a combination of things...I have sleepy babies in the womb (does not mean they come out sleeping all the time though, haha); I am thicker, fluffier...whatever you want to call it and, therefore, might not feel it as easily; I rarely sit during the day when I'm busy with Alex, so I may not be as in tune to it.

So, all seems okay for now.  I think my babies just like to mess with my mind before they're even born...and oh, they're stubborn little things, too!  Also, I will not be taking Alex to any more appointments...just not happening.  Any volunteers to watch him?  :-)  Oh, and I will be buying some Snickers soon, since this baby girl seems to really like them AND since I didn't gain any weight this visit, haha.  Here are a couple of belly shots taken today and Alex at New Baby Day Camp a couple of weeks ago.  It was so cute watching him change a baby doll's diaper and attempt to swaddle :-)