Oh, the joys of pregnancy...

Not much to blog about these days, but I didn't want to keep seeing Bill's obituary as the most recent blog entry. So I thought I'd share about some of the good and bad aspects of pregnancy. For those of you who have "been there, done that", you can remember your days as the Goodyear blimp. For those of you who haven't, this will give you a good idea of what happens to some of us.

First, the good stuff:

• I usually get first preference for the bathroom if there's a line.
• I had a great excuse to buy a whole new wardrobe.
• I can blame mood swings, food cravings, and voracious hunger on the baby.
• I'm constantly amazed at what God is doing and has done in creating this child.
• I got to register for gifts again...even though almost none of them are for me. :)
• People are very solicitous and concerned about whether I'm getting enough rest, how swollen my ankles are, how stressed I am, etc.
• Feeling Susanna (the baby) move inside me is INCREDIBLE.
• We made our mothers and my maternal grandmother happy.

Next is the not-so-good stuff. Before I get to this list, all0w me to say that I know several people who, for one reason or another, have not been able to conceive a child. I am very aware how blessed I am to be able to get pregnant, and to do so fairly quickly (five months after ending birth control). I know there are many women who would give all their limbs to be in my position. I also believe that Susanna is worth all the following symptoms/drawbacks and more. Having said that, there are some drawbacks to pregnancy:

• It's hard to find maternity clothes, especially if you're not a size S (small) or M (medium). I'm currently trying to find a dress for Brent & Kylee's wedding, but not having much luck. There's literally nothing in my size...
• People are just plain inconsiderate/rude sometimes. They think they have the right to make comments like, "You're due in September? Is it twins?"
• My boobs have gotten ENORMOUS. James, of course, loves it. I don't. I was perfectly happy with my pre-pregnancy chest size; I've now gone up TWO cup sizes. By the time I give birth, I'm afraid that I'll be wearing a ZZ cup or something...
• Stretch marks. 'Nuff said.
• Braxton-Hicks (aka "practice") contractions. They began about three weeks ago, and are sometimes downright uncomfortable. Not painful, just uncomfortable.
• My sheer bulk...and it will get worse. I can no longer squat down without needing help to get up and rolling over in bed is tough.
• I find myself constantly worrying over every little symptom and what it could mean. At first, I was scared of miscarriage. Now that she's viable (barely), I'm scared of premature labor, stillbirth, or other complications. Of course, once she's born I'll be worrying about her for the rest of my life. No relief on that front...
• I feel like an invalid sometimes. I used to be able to run around all day and not feel really tired for eight hours or so. Now, if I'm active for more than a couple hours, I get winded. I also can't stand up for more than 30 minutes before I feel the need to sit down.
• HORMONES. I find myself crying or getting mad at the drop of a hat sometimes.
• No roller coasters for me this summer. :(
• No trip to Zurich, Switzerland this year. James was going to present a paper at a conference, and I was going to tag along. Maybe in a couple of years...

After Saturday, just 14 more weeks to go! Hopefully this weekend we'll be able to go up to Lynchburg and order our nursery furniture. It can take up to ten weeks to arrive, so we want to order it soon. Our plan is to use a Pack 'n' Play with bassinet for the first few months, so she can sleep in our room. But I would like to have the nursery set up before she arrives.