A few pictures of the pg tummy

In case anyone would like to see any tummy pictures, here's two from today - I'm exactly 13w today... here are a few from four weeks ago at 8w6d...

Second Trimester Here I Come!

Yipee!
I'm 13w tomorrow (Monday) and I'm starting to see the light... almost no nausea, peeing less often, not quite so tired (except tonight, I don't know what my problem is), feeling a little less first-trimester-ey. SO happy about that! I also felt definite kicks (strong ones) early this week (I felt them last week at 11.5w but they were much, much lighter). I LOVE this part of pg... I never tire of it or wish it wasn't happening at the time that it is - I always treasure each tumble, kick and flutter.

Well, I lost my job due to the previous postings going ons... the woman I e-mailed was my manager and axed me that Sunday... nice eh? It was fine though really, she was making working there a living nightmare and in the end, I have been having a very happy time with my Sat's and my family. She also said that she didn't do anything wrong and would do it again so we are avoiding that play group and her like the plague. Too bad really as I feel certain I did the right thing and she just wasn't able to see that her tone was not appropriate, but that's alright... the biggest lesson my life has taught me thus far (through difficult church circumstances, etc.) is that there are FEW things I ever regretted saying when they were on my heart, but there have been MANY I have regretted not saying. I would rather be the voice for my young son and reap some negative consequences than let it go. God put me in the position to be his voice and I'm just going to do it. I should have probably waited to talk to her in person but oh well. I'm not sorry I said something, at all.

It has been birth-city around here, I've been to 5 births just since the beginning of Feb. and that is a record for sure! It has been interesting, quite a few babies have had some initial breathing problems, I went to a homebirth-transfer, 4 homebirths and two of those home-waterbirth (that was unintentionally done in her hot tub). They have all been good learning experiences, I've seen some neat placenta-stuff, learned why blood-gasses are done in the hospital and have seen various styles of pushing (which, I find so facinating!). There are still 4 more births planned for Feb. and as it is the 19th today (leaving 9 days left in the month... it'll either be stretching into March, or I am going to be not home at all). On that note, I miss my family. I miss hanging out with them - the quantity time of our relationship all together. I miss my husband, I miss just chilling out. (Oh, baby kicks!)

Anyways, that is a small update from our neck of the woods...

Superwoman cape is getting washed, Mama bear is here!

Oh man... the other afternoon I was at a play group with a group of ladies I have been with for about 10 months or so. Everyone comes and goes as we wish so it's not always the same group, but often. There are a lot of differing opinions about parenting and child rearing as is to be expected (and the age ranges from 3.5 - newborn). Some days there are 18 people in this tiny house - so it's packed, chaotic and busy.

I'm sitting by the toys to monitor my very active kiddos to make sure they share, don't hit, etc. but am still talking with some of the moms. All of a sudden this mom grabbed her child away from sitting next to my youngest and reprimanded my youngest (for hitting her son - which didn't cause either of them to make a peep so it couldn't have been so bad) with a tone of voice and a look that I don't give my own children when I am angry. Oh my God. I have to say that I actually had a physical reaction to her audacity and I had to keep looking down to not tell her what I wanted to say (she was now across the house). I have thought about it since and each time I get upset... tonight I wrote her an e-mail and asked her (respectfully) to please talk to my children with the respect I give to her child in the exact same situation. It was a lot more involved and e-mailing was actually the best route for me in re: to this because when I was writing I started getting flush, my breathing sped up and my heart was racing... if we'd been in a conversation I didn't want to say something I didn't mean. I've thought about it for 3 days and I had to say something.

Damned if anyone is going to speak to my children that way... I don't care who they are. If a parent is that upset over child's play, something is not right in the situation... I don't expect my children to not get: kicked, hit, stepped on, left out, etc. when we play in groups - it's about learning boundaries, how to play together and really... that's how they learn. My husband told me tonight I am probalby opening more doors than I want to with that e-mail but I have to say, I don't care. I can't let someone think it's okay to treat someone else's kids that way - if I need to ask a child to not hit, I do it nicely, with care and respect for them - - I'm not their Mom and tread lightly b/c of it.

SO, the e-mail is sent, Mama bear is still here but maybe a bit more quiet tonight.
Watch out world, I'm not afraid to protect my family.