Emotional: Steady. Just steady.
Spiritual: As elaborated on in my Knitting Tattoo saga, I believe that God has designed each one of us with love and for unique purposes, having equipped us with the tools and talents we’ll need to fulfill those purposes.
I wonder what He has in mind for Bennett.
Mental: Working a full-time job at this point in my pregnancy seems like a good method of distraction for me. I think that contemplating my clients’ hair, bone structure, face shape, etc. has kept me from obsessing in an unhealthy way over being the most perfectly prepared newbie mom there ever was. While I don’t think that I have what you’d call an addictive personality, I do think there’s such a thing as an obsessive personality.
Another benefit to being distracted is that I don’t dwell on the physical differences that I feel from moment to moment. Notice them? Yes. Dwell on them? No.
Physical: For instance, yesterday was the first day that it felt like I had arthritis in my hip and butt bones. The sensation is sorta like what I’d feel if I had participated in a squatting marathon. Except it was definitely the bones, not the muscles.
This makes sense because, according to my midwife, yesterday my belly measured to be 35 centimeters while the week prior it was 36. She explained that the absence of that one centimeter means that Bennett’s hunkering down and getting into place for his birthday. (Okay, she didn’t use the words “hunkering” or “birthday.” That’s my own interpretation.)
This came as no surprise as I’ve been feeling more pelvic pressure and I just knew that my belly had dropped “a degree.” It was nice to have confirmation that I’m not crazy. And speaking of pressure, I don’t want to be graphic, but let’s just put it this way (And you ladies who have experienced this before, back me up!): Have you ever had an incredibly painful pimple on your face? Most of them don’t hurt, but every now and then a new breed of pimple will surface and it actually hurts to even gingerly touch the head of it. The pressure that this pimple is undertaking even looks painful and angry given its swollen, discolored state.
Well, ahem, that’s how I feel some days… Except not on my face.
I don’t seem to be experiencing excessive swelling throughout the rest of my body though. My ankles and fingers and toes all seem mostly fine. And while you can’t tell that I’m pregnant by looking at my ankles, if you watched me slump onto the couch at night, you’d just know. It’s like I’ve lost the will to ever move again. Except I’ve just gotta. ‘Cause these support hose have to come off eventually (which is usually my final act of physical exertion every evening).
So far, in spite of my growing belly, I’m too stubborn to enlist Brian for help in the support hose department. No, I much prefer to look like a bug who has been flipped onto her back and is struggling unsuccessfully to return to a normal position.
And finally, let’s discuss sleeping. Most nights I’m still doing pretty well. The discomfort is less in finding the right position (thanks to my bazillion pillows) but more in experiencing internal discomfort. I’ve had a few dreams that I’m going into labor and I think that some of that could be due to my experiencing small, “practice” contractions in my sleep. It’s quite reminiscent of a menstrual cycle.
(Blooper shots updated here.)
you look great suzy. wow.
Yeah that all sounds about right. I don’t know if it would make a difference now but I was put on vitamin D for my bone pain because my levels were so low. May be something to ask to have blood drawn for just to check your levels.
Good idea to have D checked. Low D causes all kinds of bone aches and pains.
You really do look great! I hurt towards the end with Ty…just ached all over. The good news is that vanished as soon as he was born, š By the way, the mental image of you squirming around like a bug made me smile, because I can see myself doing the same thing!
Blessing on the three of you as you are on the home stretch of this phase of the incredible journey! It looks and sounds like you are doing wonderfully. All ache and pains will be forgotten once you look into his sweet little face!
Love the picture … and I love that you have entered the home stretch. š
Can’t wait!!!
Yeah, it’s all sounding perfectly normal to me! I had one of those really painful zit things . . . there . . . when I was pregnant with Nathan and almost done. Never had that with any of the others though?! First babies do drop earlier. More room to breathe, less room to eat! You’re getting close!!
Angry zits not exclusive to pregnant women. Even 70 year olds get them from time to time, believe me.
You look so radiant. It is obvious you have worked at minimizing any ‘illness’ factor in this pregnancy.
Brava!
Oh Suzy. It’s almost over and the pain Will go away once he is born. Yes the swelling down there is well painful. And yes the bug thing is how I looked everyday getting dressed towards the end. Your body prob is holding onto alot of fluid at this point. Can’t wait to meet your little bundle of joy!
Yeah, I’m there with you on the painful pimples! Seemed like cruel and unusual torture to me! The majority I had were actually after they were born. Good times. They did eventually stop coming though. š
Oh, Sarah, I wasn’t really talking about pimples… Just using them as an illustration…
Ah,Hahaha…well, just one more thing you may get to enjoy. Hopefully it can remain just an illustration for you.
Awww Hang on Sue! You’re almost there!