Week Twenty-One

Nothing quite so exciting to report this week as last, and no big changes either. The baby is still moving around, but too faintly for anyone other than me to feel (although there were two kicks one night that I think would have been strong enough, if L had had his hand on my stomach right then).

This is the first week that I've noticed I've gotten a few long, possibly questioning looks at my belly from people. I think they're wondering, but it's not to the point where anyone with any sense would go ahead and ask me if I am.

What am I saying? There was big news this week: IT WAS COMPLETELY VOMIT-FREE!!! It's been just over a week actually; I threw up on Thursday the 12th, and haven't since. I'm still being very very careful with when, what, and how much I eat, but I'm doing so much better. Tuesday was actually a bad day where I felt like I was about to throw up most of the day, but I didn't, so that definitely counts for something.

I'm still waiting for the supposed second-trimester energy surge, because my stamina is still much lower than normal (although, yes, it is higher than it was weeks 5 - 10 or so). Yesterday I was fairly exhausted at the end of the work week (despite the fact that I didn't actually work all 5 days). I left work and would have been home close to 4:30 if traffic had been the usual Friday afternoon level. Instead, my car wouldn't start - dead battery even though it was just purchased in November? who knows - and after a few attempts to jump start it, phone calls to my husband, debating calling AAA, etc. etc, I finally caved and called a coworker who lives near me more or less, and he gave me a ride home. He works later than I do though so I wasn't home until after 6 and that extra hour and a half just about finished me off for the evening. Dinner was cereal, followed by ice cream, and all I did was move between couch and chair and finally to bed. I can tell I'm more hormonal than normal now, because I was fighting back tears when my car wouldn't start. I would never normally get teary over something like that.

Other changes I've noticed in myself include leg cramps, especially as I'm either trying to fall asleep, or am already asleep. Heartburn, although it's not anywhere near as bad as some stories I've heard, shortness of breath - I have to be careful as I walk to & from the garage at work or I'll exhaust myself and have to pause and rest and try to catch my breath again. And of course the apparently shrinking bladder which means I have to visit the bathroom constantly throughout the day and night. Oh, and fabulous backaches, which I'm really really hoping the massage I'm scheduled to get Friday will ease.

I think that last paragraph makes it sound like I'm completely miserable, and I'm not. I'm actually doing ok, and feeling him move is so wonderful that really, who cares about the rest. I'm just acknowledging that those are some pregnancy symptoms with which I'm familiar.

And one finale nice thing about pregnancy: the slightest whim for a food item is treated by L and my friends as a full-on pregnancy craving and while they may not rush out to indulge me in it, they're at least not judging in at all. Why of course I need a hot-fudge sundae right now! Who wouldn't? Sure we can go out and have steak for lunch!

It's awesome.