Pregnant pictures and current thoughts

It helps me that my mom doesn't live close by because I'm more motivated to take pictures ;)

29 weeks and 2 days.

I can't believe I keep flashing my belly to the world!

30 weeks exactly. I liked this outfit so wanted to take advantage of the moment and get pictures.

Close up.

Mark wanted a picture from my angle. So this is what I see when I look down. The brown dot on my tummy is a freckle. I can no longer see the tie on my pants and my belly button is on the verge of poking out, but not quite there.

So far pregnancy has been pretty easy for me. I know I'm fortunate! Other than the usual nausea, sensitive smell, and a few other things that ended around 14 weeks, it's been mostly smooth sailing.

I am at the point where I can't sleep on my back because it hurts and realized last night how I woke up probably 10-15 times to roll over to my other side (which isn't an easy thing any more), pee, or just move into a different position. I think that's probably the most difficult thing so far is that I wake up all the time and can't sleep very comfortably. I sleep well when I'm asleep (other than the crazy pregnant dreams), I just wake up a ton. I think some of these things are just preparation for after the baby comes ;) My only other minor complaint, other than how difficult its getting to move around (and I have 10 weeks to go!) and how sleepy I get, is the acid reflux I've been enjoying. But my Dr gave me permission the other day to take something stronger than Tums which has been working beautifully!

A few minutes ago I was looking through my scrapbook from 2007 and was envious of my former body. Although 2007 was the best shape my body has ever been in, thanks to marathon training and watching what I ate for our wedding, so it's not the best reflection of where I might be able to get back to after the baby comes. But I'm getting pretty excited about working on getting back into shape. I just hope I stay remotely motivated! I've been putting on a decent amount of weight so far. But some of the pregnant clothes I bought from July still fit the same except in the belly so I'm hoping that the weight gain isn't as much in the areas it's not supposed to be in. But I have stopped being surprised by the scale when I weigh in at the Dr office. And I still work out 1 to 2 days a week but am down to an easy 20 minute workout on the stair climber followed by a little weight training. And I do mean little! I don't think my workouts do much for me but it makes me feel like I'm lightly maintaining. I have aspirations of doing (doing = walking/running) a half marathon in late March of next year so will have to get right back to it after the baby comes!

Have I mentioned how I can't wear my wedding ring any more? My finger has been mildly irritated by my ring since I've been pregnant and by early July it was so bad I had to stop wearing it. So I took the opportunity to get it cleaned and buffed and now just wear it a couple days a week. The rest of the time I wear a small band. I really miss my ring!

On another note... oh man, I seriously forgot what I was going to say!!

Up until a couple weeks ago I was getting pretty anxious about the birthing process. However over the past few weeks it's turned more into excitement (not about the actual birth but having the baby out). I think I'm willing to go through this scary unknown process to welcome our child into the world and to get her out of my body ;)

I still like to enjoy moments of basking in the joy of actually being pregnant and about to have a child, which we've always wanted. We're certain we have no concept of how life will change after she comes, but are excited to adjust as needed. I know that some people never get to go through this process so I want to not take it for granted and be grateful for the opportunity to be pregnant, no matter what challenges come along with the process.