23 weeks, and she's going to play soccer. I can feel it. Literally.

I'm starting to feel a lot more movement.  She used to have two or three kicking episodes a day (morning, evening, and at about 4:00 am), but now she seems to be doing somersaults, backflips, twirls, and 45-yard punt attempts - nonstop.  Last night she was kicking so hard that I dreamed she kicked a hole through my stomach and accidentally delivered herself.  In my dream I was worried sick because I knew her chances of survival were very slim so early, but also I really liked her so I didn't want to put her back inside (which seemed like a perfectly reasonable thing to do in my dream).  She had black hair and big blue eyes (like Tim's) in my dream.  I think feeling her for the last few days, though at times uncomfortable, has also made me really excited to meet her in the flesh.

I've also started having Braxton Hicks contractions.  The intertubes tell me that these are "usually" painless, but I think they feel like moderately painful menstrual cramps.  When I told this to the midwife who examined me at my last appointment, she reassured me that I wasn't actually feeling any discomfort... hmmm.   They happen five to ten times a day, usually when I'm quite tired or dehydrated.  I'm not worried about them... I think.

In happy news, I haven't given any food back to the good earth for three days in a row.  This is a record for me, and I hope a trend that will keep on trending.  Tim and I are planning to drive across the country Friday, and it would be nice if it could be free of unpleasant episodes.