Make My Arms Longer, Please?

I am of the opinion that, along with all of the other changes that come with pregnancy, one's arms should grow in length 2-4 inches, returning to their former length following childbirth.

I felt them kick on Sunday. I am sure I felt them before, only there was no question on Sunday. It was like a little jab, and I can imagine that it will feel more like a punch later on when they are bigger than five inches. I also dreamed that they were born. C and I were lying in bed, and they were there, small and new. I woke up feeling like I would burst with happiness.

I am hitting the stage of, "Now I've got them inside of me, I will at some point have to get them out." There are many interesting thoughts that follow that vein, and so many unknowns. I start thinking about birthing classes, and wondering if reading all of those books will really help. Will they be in position to come naturally, or will I have to undergo surgery? Will they weigh enough that we will get to bring them home, or will they have to continue baking in some incubator?

Exercise is proven to increase birth weight, which is an odd thing to wish for when you are eager to birth two babies without the doctor touching a scalpel. Still, exercise I will. "Strengthen your abs and your back so that you won't have problems later." I was told. I am still doing Jillian workouts with a few adjustments. Sometimes I use my knees during push-ups/planks, and getting up and down between circuit work requires slow motion. Supermans are out, and I can't plyo quite as intensely. Occasionally I have to pause to catch my breath since three of us are competing for my oxygen. Yesterday I did 30 minutes of circuit work, 15 minutes walking briskly on an 8.5 incline, 15 minutes running, and 15 minutes doing back exercises.

I finally found my salad groove again, and have been able to eat more veggies. My main crave so far has been fresh fruit, but eating more vegetables feels great. We gave Kawi a huge romaine leaf yesterday and C captured it on his Blackberry. I think he likes it when we eat more veggies, too.

I am dying to SHOP for baby things, but I have this little problem: We still don't have the gender verified. Today I am at exactly 17 weeks, so just three more weeks to go before we know! I did discover something fabulous last night: my new sewing machine will do applique! Custom Onesies, baby! It also sews on buttons, although the 10-step process makes me think that a hand-stitch will be much faster.

Work is going great. I feel I am able to strike a good balance between work and life without work taking over. There is plenty to do, but prioritization means that managing the affiliate relationship always takes precedence. I have made more trips to FedEx this month than I have my entire life, over-nighting urgent data. I took my old team out to lunch this past week which was delightful. They asked questions about my new company and I think I changed several misconceptions. I love the un-corporate world. My new job takes everything good about my old job and magnifies those elements 100x.

Speaking of a balanced life, in addition to cozy hammock time and blueberry pancake Fridays, C and I have been venturing out on summer evenings to enjoy 4th of July celebrations, dinner with friends, birthday parties and most recently, professional sporting events. I recently managed to get front row tickets to a baseball game, and even the bench seating at the soccer game was thrilling! Saturday may include an early jaunt to the farmer's market, followed by a baptism at 11:00 AM.