Assume the Position

Well...for a solid week now I have been battling a sore back. I attributed most of the problem to lugging around some extra baby weight and taking 3 kids all over town to 4 or 5 different stores last week in a matter of 3 hours. By the time I got home from that adventure, my back was tired and a little stiff. When I got up the following morning, it had hardened and I knew I was in for a few days of stiffness. There's only so much Tylenol can do and muscle relaxation is not on the top of its list. For the first time yesterday morning I could get up and move around without a 10 minute stretch session just out of bed...which I happily welcomed. I spent most of the day doing the daily things I do, including the endless cleaning up of the playroom and various toys scattered around the house from 3 happily playing children. In doing so, I spent a lot of time on my hands and knees. And by night's end, I realized I had not felt the baby move much that day. What I did notice was that I felt every bit of 9 months pregnant at a mere 24 weeks and if my stomach could have popped last night, it would have. Everything was so tight and hard. When I finally layed down to rest..I was anxiously awaiting all the fun kicks and prods I usually have on the sides of my stomach from this little being inside of me (which we still have no name for!!). And to my surprise, they were no longer on the sides of my stomach. I was getting kicked in the ribs. And, when I woke up this morning there wasn't one twinge of any pain whatsoever. So...in my professional, pregnancy opinion, I think the baby has finally decided he needed more room and chose to turn himself south. And that I am quite thankful for...it has given me some much needed relief. Now, I realize it is still very early and the baby could choose to flip and move however much he wants to between now and whenever he arrives, but I am thankful for the time being that I have some relief of the pain I had. And maybe now he'll have a little more room to wiggle.