Alex went back to work today, but I still have today and tomorrow off. I was going to actually get some work done, but decided to just take it easy today. Maybe I'll continue painting, maybe I won't. I think it's been making me sick anyway.

I had a sinus headache/migraine on Christmas from all the holiday stress and lack of sleep. I was in the choir and performed at both the 5:30 vigil and midnight mass on Christmas Eve. It went well, but I was too sick to go back for the 10:30am mass. Or to do much for Christmas dinner. Good thing I talked Alex out of having a huge crowd over!

Yesterday, I spent several more hours painting the baby's room. What a chore! I wound up in tears from exhaustion and frustration. It's been a job I'm tackling all by myself, which means a lot of crawling around, climbing step ladders, sanding, and awful paint fumes! I had another horrible headache by the evening, which didn't go away until this morning. Guess my body is telling me to take it easy. I just want to have it finished soon so that there is plenty of time for the paint fumes to air out.

This week has been utterly crazy! It's a far cry from my plans to take it easy, sleep in, and get the baby's room painted and organized. I feel like a pinball being knocked around and forced to climb ramps and bang into flashing electric bumpers! Alex and I even had a somewhat heated discussion over my desire (or lack thereof) of spending this week visiting with everyone he knows.

Monday was the only day this week we actually had to ourselves! That day was spent bringing the cats to the vet for their check-ups and getting paint supplies for the baby's room.

Tuesday, I spent half the day visiting with my mom and her friends at lunchtime and exchanging gifts. Then, Alex's dad arrived into town, which meant we had to trek out to his sister's house that evening and drop off his niece's birthday gifts. As always, we were there for HOURS! We never get to leave until I am ready to pass out from fatigue, and this was no different.

Wednesday was spent installing my mom's front door while she was away (a Christmas surprise.) Again, a seemingly simple job turned into a huge ordeal that consumed the entire day! At least I DID get a little primer on the walls - or at least one of the walls in the baby's room.

Thursday, Alex had scheduled us to visit his friend Danny and his family for the afternoon, before dinner with my brother and mom and my 7:00 choir practice. I decided that I needed a break, so I ran off to my friend's house instead and had some hot chocolate and gingerbread with my pals. I had a nice little whine session about how I was being misunderstood and overscheduled and Alex just doesn't get that pregnancy alone is EXHAUSTING without being forced to visit and make merry with everyone he knows every second of my vacation! From my friend's house, I met my brother and mother and Alex and his dad for dinner. Then I ran off to choir practice.

Today, was a complete wash! Alex told his sister, who lives 2 HOURS away, that we would come visit her around 1:00 and then exchange gifts, then have dinner before driving back home. What the ???!? We didn't get home until 10:00 tonight!

Tomorrow will be even worse. Heaven forbid we drop off Christmas gifts and do Christmas with his other sister and her family Tuesday, when we were over there! OH NO! For some, inexplicable, and utterly ridiculous reason, we have to set up a time to do Christmas separately. (Again, what the ??!??!) So, at 10:00 tomorrow morning, we will have to be at Alex's dad's and meet up with his sister and her family. Then, he told his friend, Joel, that we would visit with HIM for lunch around 1:00. And I'm supposed to sing in the choir before both the 5:30 and midnight masses tomorrow, so at some point, I'll need to practice my pieces. I'm also supposed to get the house and the dinner ready for Christmas day, when we have my mom, his dad, and the lady his dad invited, over. I'm also supposed to bake a bunch of cookies for all the neighbors. WhatEVER!

So much for having the baby's room painted! Alex said, "well, it doesn't have to be done right now," but he doesn't understand that if I don't do it now, I will not be able to do it. Already, I'm stuck with all the sanding and preparation, and painting on my own. That's a LOT of up and down on the step ladder, crawling around the baseboards, and flying dust clouds which may or may not consist of lead paint chips. As I get closer to the baby's due date, I'm going to have even less energy, mobility, balance, and flexibility. I'm just grateful that I have at least TWO days to myself when Alex will be working, so he can't schedule my time off to visit more people.

I had my monthly check-up today. It was great! I was there and back in less than an hour!

I met one of the doctors I haven't seen yet, Dr. Scott. Alex had his team lunch today, so he wasn't able to go. No biggie. The doctor just measured my belly and brought out the fetal monitor to hear the baby's heartbeat.

I am measuring well for 23 weeks. The doctor said that the average was 1 cm per week, and I'm on target. I mentioned that the baby's heartrate was 152 bpm last time too, and he said that it will fluctuate. For the most part, as the baby grows, her heartrate will slow, but if she's bouncing around in there (which she was), the heartrate would be higher because of all the activity.

We also discussed my upcoming glucose and hemoglobin test. He gave me a form to take to the lab and said to wait a little while first, until I'm around 25 weeks. He also said that I should fast from midnight the night before and go first thing in the morning. No prob! I've got the next 12 days off, so I'll just go the morning of my last vacay day.

Finally, we talked about Braxton-Hicks contractions. The doctor asked if I felt any cramps or contractions, and I told him I thought I felt my first one this morning. He said that my uterus will start contracting in preparation for the delivery, so no need to worry. If I feel more than 4 contractions in an hour, or if they are severely intense, last more than a few minutes, or are accompanied by bleeding, that I should come in to the office. He said even in those situations, things probably are fine, but they just want to make sure it's not preterm labor. Hopefully, I'll never have to worry about that.

I asked about distinguishing between contractions and just stretching pain, and he told me that when I feel the discomfort, to push on a different area of the uterus and see if it's firm or soft. If it's tight and firm, then it's a contraction. If it's soft and squishy, it's probably just stretching or intestinal.

Alex and I have both felt the baby moving around quite a bit lately. It’s comforting to know she is getting stronger and more active now. Despite this reassurance, I’ve been having these horrible dreams lately about the baby.

The other day, I dreamed I was at my doctor appointment, and she told me they were going to go ahead and induce labor because the baby was already dead. Then last night, I dreamed I started bleeding really bad. I was gushing blood, and I knew it was the end of the line.

Guess I need to stay away from the internet sites for a while and stop reading all the horror stories on the bulletin boards!

My monthly check-up is this Friday. I’ll meet one of the other doctors in the group and talk about glucose screening, which I suppose I’ll have to do next week. Hopefully, my levels will be normal and I won’t have to go back for the three-hour ordeal.

My body is definitely becoming a reminder of my pregnancy. Not only am I “showing” significantly now, but even Alex has noticed that I am… uh… growing in other areas as well. I told him not to get too used to it, that after the baby’s born, things will probably go back to their diminished size. Ha!

I refer to myself as “the walrus” because I feel so awkward, especially when I’m flopping around trying to get comfortable in the bed. Alex laughs at me because, he says, it’s such a dramatic production. The bed is high, so I have to climb in, then try to get under the covers, then get my pajamas situated as I get into a mildly comfortable position on my side, while tucking a pillow between my knees. It involves a lot of grunting and groaning and always ends with a big “thud” as I finally flop down on my pillow! (And I won’t even BEGIN to describe the production of rolling over to my other side!)