The Pregnancy Thing

THE HEAT

Let me begin by expressing my sincere and undying appreciation of air-conditioning.  It is a beautiful thing.   Moving air is good-- in the form of a fan or a nice breeze.  But the unnatural cold air of air-conditioning in the summer is... well... it'd hard for me to find the words.  No joking, it almost moves me to tears.
I did swear off any more summer babies after Peter, but I find myself again, quite great with child in the nearing 100 degree heat of summer in Utah.  Tomorrow Clark is headed off camping in the Uinta Mountains, where he heard there might still be traces of snow.  I begged him to take me with him and pack me in snow.  I cannot get cool enough!  I feel like I am in a constant state of sweat.  It's disgusting, I know.  I blame my hair.  This is why I chopped it off again right before I had Peter last summer.  I'm trying to hold out until after the baby is born, but Ladies, I'm telling you-- the men have the right idea with short hair in the summer.  Way back when I went short for the first time, I was amazed and in love with feeling air on my head for the first time in my life.

THE FOOD THING

As I mentioned earlier, I've been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, which stinks.  And even though the nice lady teaching the diabetes class at the hospital tried to make the other pregnant moms and me feel better by saying it wasn't our fault, let's be honest.  It's totally my fault.  One cannot simply eat all the gummy bears and slurpees one wants in life without some repercussions.  So, the rule of my food life is now "never eat carbs without a good amount of protein to go with it".   That keeps the blood sugar in check.  I've pretty much completely cut out the sweets, including my precious Otter Pops.  I test my blood sugar four times a day-- as soon as I wake up and then two hours after each meal.  Thus far, my numbers are perfect and it's completely under control with diet.  I suppose that is good news.
Want to hear something else that's pretty good about it?  I've actually lost weight over the last month.  Well, what do you expect when you can't eat anything fun?

THE EXERCISE THING

Sadness.  I had to tell my dear walking friend that I'm out of walking commission for the duration of the pregnancy.  Basically, I have NO muscles left in my pelvic floor.  I hear nine babies will do that to some women.  Probably the same women who gorge themselves on gummy bears.  I can walk and it feels pretty good to do so, but the rest of the day (or two) is shot to pieces and I can hardly get around.  So, I'll keep trying to do short little walks with my very patient dear husband who hates to walk slow, but will do it for me. 

THE SLEEP THING

Hallelujah!  This is one area I do not struggle.  What can I say, I have a gift. 

THE HIGH-RISK THING

Because I have had a previous stillborn, and now that I have gestational diabetes, I am considered "high-risk".  This means I have non-stress tests every week from 32 weeks on.  It also means they don't mess around with my induction dates.  Without question they will induce me at 39 weeks.  In a non-stress test they hook you up to monitors and watch the baby's heart rate for 20 or 30 minutes.  They also measure amniotic fluid by ultrasound.  I find them to be surprisingly stressful, even though they reassure me that all is well.  Dr. appointments get rather time consuming during the last few weeks.

  THE NESTING THING

Nesting is in full swing in this house.  Unfortunately, for the children, that nesting frequently takes the form of me demanding people clean up every little thing they get out.  Which is a rough gig in the summer when we're all doing a lot of hanging out in the air-conditioned house.  It's not like they are all occupied with school work or busy with normal activities.  Lots of playing equals lots of mess equals crazy pregnant mom.  I'm starting to think about strollers and baby clothes and sleeping arrangements.  Lots to do in the last month.