Just for Kicks

Well, my daughter has finally made her presence known. Not only can I feel her move, but I can see her kick. It was crazy the first time it happened. I was resting my hands on my stomach when, suddenly, one of them jumped. I looked down and, sure enough, my stomach was moving by itself. Crazy! Phil managed to experience one of these kicks as well--which is good, because ever since then, she's been messing with him. She'll be kicking me pretty good, but the minute he puts his hand on my belly to feel, she stops. She's already an independent-minded little bugger. Wonder where she gets that from? :)

We've also reached a new milestone this week--viability. If born now, she has at least a 40% chance of survival. That, to me, is amazing. Even so, it is my fervent hope that she stays in the oven to bake a while longer. It's strange. Some days, November can't get here fast enough. Other days, I can't believe it's August and wonder where the time went.

I was talking with a friend at lunch today, and was surprised to realize it hasn't even been a year since I was told I couldn't have biological kids without fertility treatments. In fact, my daughter is due roughly a year from our first visit to the fertility center. Looking back on what I've been through this past year, I'm amazed. Not only at myself and what I've accomplished in terms of personal growth (and I don't just mean my stomach), but amazed at how everything lined up exactly right. From finding an amazing, top 5% fertility center fairly nearby, finding a way to get a loan, our IVF cycle being moved up so I'm not due at Christmas, and being successful on the first try. It seems clear with hindsight that this was meant to be, but having read so many stories of women who undergo 4 or more cycles unsuccessfully, I remember being so afraid. I feel extremely blessed that I was not only successful, but on the first try. I am also grateful for having had a remarkably easy and uneventful pregnancy thus far. My life is truly full of blessings. These days, all it takes is a little kick to remind me.