Time is flying by!

Gosh, I feel like I am always starting these off with 'sorry its been so long since my last blogpost', but I seriously feel like weeks are just passing by and they feel more like days!

LOTS has happened since I last updated almost 2 months ago!

In July, I had my 20 week ultrasound.  Everything looked great with the baby and he was just SURE he wanted to remind me that he was still a boy ;)  Here is a cute one of his legs crossed. The ultrasound tech kept saying how long his legs are.  Makes me smile now, but around 36 weeks I might not find it so cute! haha.

Originally Kellie and Chris planned to be there for this ultrasound but as we got to planning it, the logistics of them flying to Iowa right before the 4th of July just seemed too difficult.  So, instead we scheduled a fun ultrasound at a place in Florida called 4D Sprouts!  We were all planning to be there in July for an It Works conference, so it just made sense to plan one while we were there instead of just flying out to Iowa for a day or 2.  Baby Kaufman was less than cooperative for this ultrasound though!  All he wanted to show off were his boy parts... AGAIN!  Boys will be boys ;)  He had his feet up in front of his face and was being really shy.  Regardless of being able to see his face, I know the Kaufman's were thrilled to just see him moving around and see what a perfect, healthy baby he is!   Here are a few cute photos we got after they loaded me up with some chocolate to try to get him to move!

In July, my family and I went to Martha's Vineyard for 2 weeks.  We had a blast while we were there. This has become an annual trip for us and its something that we will continue to do for years to come.  It's absolute paradise there and such a hidden little gem.  It allows us some wonderful family time away from it all.  Here are a few highlight photos from the trip.

and one that shows the bump!  (this was 22 weeks)

Here are a few photos of when we were in Florida.  One of Kellie and I at a top leader dinner and then also one of us with hubbies and friends on a catamaran cruise!  

After Flordia, the traveling still wasn't over quite yet!  15 of us girls were planning a weekend in Chicago to attend a large leadership summit.  We had planned this about a year ago and it snuck up on all of us.  It worked out perfectly that both Kellie and I were planning to go, so it was more time spent together.  PLUS, while in Florida we tried so hard for Kellie to feel Baby Kaufman kick, but after several tries, he was just being too shy for his mama.  Well, while in Chicago, we were all sitting around late one night and he started moving around quite a bit!  I laid on the floor and had Kellie come over and see if she could feel it.  SHE DID!  It was such a special moment for us.   I am sure it just got much more real to her when she could feel her own baby move from the outside!  And the ironic part of it was, the 15 ladies that we were with were a large majority of the same ladies who were the very first to know that Kellie and I were going to be on this journey.  In october of last year we had signed the contracts but just weren't ready to make it public knowledge yet until we knew for sure I was going to be able to be medically cleared to do so.  However, we both really wanted the support of some close friends.  So, Kellie and I made the announcement to a group of women we trusted and SO many of the women who were in Chicago were part of that same group.  Pretty special.  Even Baby Kaufman likes them ;)  

Here is a photo of that special moment...

Now, on to the 'how I am feeling' question!  Seriously... I feel SO good.  Almost too good.  I have a ton of energy (for the most part) and I am not to the uncomfortable stage at all.  I haven't gained much weight yet because my appetite is a little weird.  I am just not hungry or get full very fast.  I am SURE that will change and I am probably jinxing it right now. haha.  I am 26 weeks pregnant today and I felt like by now I would start feeling big and maybe start moving slower.  So far, so good!   

A few days ago we did have a little bit of a 'situation' arise.  I started having really sharp pains in my upper abdomen above my belly button.  It wasn't anything I had experienced before and I was so confused what they meant.  It didn't come and go and it was sometimes worse when I would stand or walk.  After several hours I felt it was just best to go to my doctor to be seen.  I am not normally one to run to the doctor for a pain but since this baby isn't my own, I feel even more responsible to take care of him and be sure he is okay!  The comforting thing thru it all though was he was SO active.  He was almost trying to tell me "hey lady, I am fine!"  :) 

I went to the doctor and after an exam she said I most likely have something called, diastasis recti.  Which is the separation of the muscle in my abdomen.  It can tear in half while pregnant and can cause a pretty uncomfortable pain there since the uterus is rubbing directly on it.  My doctor said it most likely tore when I was pregnant with my twins but I just didn't notice it.  I was on hospital bed rest from 24-27 weeks so I am sure since all I did was lay around, it wouldn't have bothered me much.  The dr said there isn't anything that can be done for it now and after the pregnancy some women have surgery to repair a lump in their stomach it will leave behind.  She said to think of it like a 'pregnancy hernia'.  That first day was kind of rough.  VERY painful especially to get up and down off the couch.  I was kind of worried for the days to come and if this is how I would feel for the next 14 weeks.  

Well the next day I pretty much just laid around and was lazy.  The pain felt SO much better from that day of rest and I was feeling much more optimistic that there would be good days and bad.   Yesterday I relaxed and swam in my pool for 2 hours.  When I got out I realized that I had NO pain at all.  Even getting up and down off the couch or bed didn't cause pain.  YAY!!  I am not sure if the pool is what helped so much but it really seems like it did!  So thankful I have one in my backyard so I can go in there whenever I am feeling like I need a break from the pain.  Something about being weightless must really ease it.  Today I feel wonderful again!  Back to myself and NO pain at all.  I do have a feeling that on Tuesday (when all this began) Baby K was up in that area a lot.  Seems like his head was directly in that spot since it was pretty hard and even the dr noticed it.  So, as I get larger it might not be possible to avoid the pain since he will have to be sitting in that area as he will run out of room.  But, we will just have to see!  The dr did recommend using a pregnancy belt, which I still have from my twin pregnancy so I can use that as needed.  But, for now, I am thrilled to feel good again and happy that I found something to help the pain if I need!  

I still can't believe I am already 26 weeks pregnant with this little guy!  I thought that since we literally knew the day we put this cell into my body, that the pregnancy would feel it dragged on and on.  But, its been the complete opposite.  Since I feel so great and truly feel like myself, the time is passing and I often forget I am even pregnant!   In 2 weeks I will schedule the c-section and so that will be crazy cool to have the 'finish line' date all set!  We are also chatting with our attorney to be sure we are all squared away for the birth and the legality side of it.  I know there is some stuff she recommended we work on now and so it will be good to feel like we are checking some of those items off our list!  

Well, I think thats all for now!  Sorry about the long post!  I'll leave you with a photo of Kellie and I that I love!!  Makes us look a little like sisters, don't you think??  If you agree that I look even a small portion like Kellie, I would be a very happy girl!! haha :)