Turn, turn, turn

Growing a new life is amazing.  It's incredible to think that inside of me, a person is being knitted together.  A person is formed, down to eyelashes and fingerprints, spending time chubbing up to take on this terrible world.

It's overwhelming sometimes to think that this is happening with really no help whatsoever from me.  The most impressive things about me are things I have no control over, it seems.

I love this child already and look forward to the day he or she comes out and explodes our lives with joy (even as sleep is stolen).  I would prefer it if he or she listened to the time table and stuck around in there for a couple more months.  Every little kick and push and tickle reminds me how blessed I am to be carrying around this bundle of joy.

The big ones though...

Last weekend baby decided to be helpful and get into the right position: head down, nose toward spine, feet kicking lungs, heart, uvula, et c. My mother claims that for her this was a fast process, a kind of "oh, goodness, the whole world just flipped" deal.  My child does not think along these turns, but determined to get this right the first time changed direction slowly and painfully.

Oh yes, pregnancy is amazing and full of wonder and stupendous and painful.

Baby took the weekend to turn sideways.  To any woman who has ever carried a third trimester baby prone, you have my deepest empathy. I am not of the shape where sideways baby is an option.

Baby was encouraged to turn, turn, turn.  Baby did.  Slowly. Thoughtfully.  Painstakingly.  In a way that seemed to say, "Look Mom, I only want to do this once, so I'm going to do it right.  Leave me be." I feel that this shall be the child who spends five minutes drawing one crooked line on a page while his/her elder brother eats all the crayons, rearranges all the toys and jogs around the block.

Baby stopped the big movements then.  No need to get all excited, they must have thought.  He or she will drop down into position when the time comes.  Slowly. Thoughtfully.  Amazingly.