away we go...

we had an appointment (meet n' greet) with the midwives of Seattle Midwives in Greenwood last night and i just adore them. oh, i feel so much more relaxed and at ease now knowing that this process is going to be a joint effort among like-minded women. i filled out my transfer paperwork right there after the meeting. our first actual "official" appointment is getting bumped until around my 27th week due to the fact that ND and i will be in wisconsin for the week of christmas - but it's on my calendar and i'm ecstatically happy.

also! i learned something from them i didn't know from all my extensive reading - did you know that you can labor in water in a hospital but you have to get out to push? they make you. some legal mumbo-jumbo. but i can have a perfectly safe and legal water birth from start to finish at home or at the birthing center. score! and suck that, ms. doctor lady, who kept trying to convince me i could have the same birthing experience at evergreen as a birthing center.

i do, however, have a call into the nurse's station there as we speak because we watched the movie "away we go" not too long ago and though maya rudolph's character is only 6 months pregnant (exactly how far along i will be at christmas time) they tell her she can't board the plane because "she's big"/they think she's farther along than she's saying. they then have to scramble to make other travel arrangements - a la uncomfortable time consuming train car. noooo, thank you. i'm all about romantic train rides, but not when the only week off i have is going to be hectic enough as it is with trying to squeeze in multiple family visits, a photo shoot, friends, and time with nate's kids. so, i'm seriously wondering if i need a doctor's note and maybe i should have one with me just in case. i AM NOT going to take the risk of being a preggo lady crying into her cell phone to her parents saying she can't come home for christmas because of something like that. and knowing my luck, the airline wouldn't give me the bad news until AFTER the TSA agent had already gotten to 3rd base.

seriously though. can.not.believe. how fast this is going. and el bebe ear of corn is kicking harder and harder and more frequently too. enough so that i tend to let out little surprise noises when he gets a good one in. it took a few weeks but ND is getting used to my "ufs!" and "ohs!" and "GOOD LORD almighty, kiddo, what in THE FREAKING HELL are you doing to your mama?!!" we were sitting on the couch a few nights ago when he started doing laps in the embryonic sac pool or playing womb-wii or something of that nature and i pulled my shirt up because i wanted to see if we could actually "see" him. oh yeah, we could. i'm so glad ND doesn't get freaked out by stuff like that - we mostly just sat and watched in silent dumbfoundedness at his strength so early on. i know i'm in for some rib or kidney bruising in the last few months due to my little ultimate fighting champion but instead of worrying, i'm so happy that he's healthy and strong and definitely responding to the sounds of our voices. oh, and james brown. bebe LOVES when i crank that sweet soul music on the car stereo...

- mama bee and james brown say baby baby baby, baby baby baby...