Week 24 Recap

This week was fairly uneventful, unless you count the contractions. And I have been counting! Or at the very least feeling.

Here's what makes me have contractions:

• bending over
• walking too fast
• walking up/down the stairs
• carrying anything remotely heavy
• yelling
• talking loud
• getting angry/irritated/concerned over my kids and their behavior
• lying too flat
• lying on my right side
• not drinking enough water
• having to pee
• worrying
• stressing
• wearing too tight clothes around my lower abdomen

So at my appointment on Thursday, I got prescriptions for Terbutaline, my favorite drug ever (not), which helps stop the contractions, but also makes my heart race, and makes me dizzy and breathless (more than I already am, BTW), and then for the med which tries to counteract those side effects. Awesome. Last time, when I had to go on these meds, I was also put on bedrest. But we did another ultrasound and saw that even though I'm having many contractions, they aren't doing anything to my cervix (yet). So I'm not sidelined yet.

I really, really, really don't want to end up on bedrest again! And the timing would be just awesome - the holidays. So I'm trying to "stay hydrated", "take it easy", "not stress", and all sorts of other impossible stuff. Oh, and trying not to worry about possibly getting the nasty flu and dying. That's all.

Measurements:
Waist: 33.75"
Belly Button: 38"
3" Down: 38.5"
Hips: 41.5"
Weight: 153.6

Week 23 Recap

How nice it is to say that this was an uneventful week, at least pregnancy-wise. My main problem these days? I cannot get focused. I try really hard, but I'm either exhausted or just unable to keep myself and my brain on track. I know it's partly because we have a lot going on in the family these days, and partly because pregnancy-induced retardation is par for the course, but still. It's extremely frustrating. It's bad enough having 2 sons who can't keep on task for more than 5 seconds - having Mom being in the same boat doesn't help much!

I'm getting more and more uncomfortable, of course. I know it's just going to get worse, but it's already difficult to move around and do what I need to do. Plus, getting to sleep still isn't easy. Fun times ahead!

She moves around all the time, which is always comforting, if not always comfortable. However, I've discovered a sure-fire way to get her to calm down: have Dad put his hand on my belly to feel her. She immediately stops moving. Go figure.

Measurements:
Waist: 33"
Belly Button: 37"
3" Down: 37.25"
Hips: 41.25"
Weight: Don't want to know

Week 22 Recap

As I was updating the last couple of weeks and now this week, I couldn't believe I'm already at 23 weeks! It's like once I made it to 20 weeks and all the crap that was going on there, I've gotten 20 weeks stuck in my head, while time is starting to fly by. Wow.

Anyway, I'm getting very uncomfortable all of a sudden. My ribs are killing me, which I think is due to things being shoved out of the way in that area to make room for E. She must be moving up, because my low-belly measurement has gotten smaller this week. Starting to have trouble getting to sleep, which I had hoped to avoid for a while longer.

I think it's completely unfair how women's hormones affect us. While I'm far more aware of my moods and what's influencing them than I ever have been, thus helping me to control things when I feel I'm losing it - I still think it's pretty crappy. When men are at the mercy of their hormones, they do "manly" things, like further the species with random women, blow crap up, or take over smaller countries - all in the name of being "strong" and "powerful". Women, however, get called "crazy", "overly emotional", "bitchy" and have people treat them like they're this bomb that might just explode for no reason - which it might. And of course, being pregnant is like having 9 months of PMS. It really sucks. I'm going to have to have a long talk with Heavenly Father about that after I die, and he'd better have a darn good explanation. So there! :-)

Oh, and I'm getting so big! Of course I track these things, so I'm as big as I was at 25-26 weeks with MaraJade. But I'm just so hungry!

Measurements:
Waist: 32"
Belly Button: 36.25"
3" Down: 36.5"
Hips: 41.25"

Week 21 Recap

So I have another random infection - we think. After the rash had been around for a week, I called Peggy and went in. Of course, by the day of my appointment, it had faded. However, I woke that morning with a horrible pain in my left underarm, where it was red and had a small, very painful bump. It made my entire shoulder area ache. Anyway, Peggy ascertained my body is definitely fighting something again, so I'm to finish off the antibiotics she gave me when we thought I had staph and go from there.

So I still can't get my flu shot, because I have to be healthy and not fighting something before I introduce a new virus into my body. And PJ is very worried about H1N1 for me and the kids, and that's a new stress to deal with. Fun.

Otherwise, things are going pretty well. I'm getting increasingly uncomfortable, though. I've gained so much weight! I didn't gain anything with Tristen until 17 weeks - I've gained 18 thus far. But I'm close to on par with my weight gain with Mace, but farther than I was with MaraJade. I just don't know how to "watch my weight" as I've never really had to do that before. Ugh, I don't want to have to worry about this too.

Measurements:
Waist: 31.75"
Belly Button: 35.25"
3" Down: 37.25"
Hips: 41"
Weight: 150 lbs.