Abby K

30 weeks! 70 more days! EEEEEEEEEEE! Next appointment is in two weeks! We're so close! So why does it feel so far away? Oh yeah, the not sleeping, back aching, tight breathing...
We are so close to finally meeting this girly and I have to keep reminding myself of that. I am already pretty uncomfortable and keep getting discouraged, knowing we still have ten weeks. We've been talking about options for if sleeping gets worse. Basically, we'll have to move our ugly, but incredibly comfy, recliner upstairs until I can lay down again. Some nights are better than others, but some nights I wake up and can't breathe because my back hurts so bad. I have a muscle that spaz's in my upper right back and if I lay on my right side (my preferred side) it makes it very painful to breathe. Frequently I wake up, having rolled onto my right, and have to stabilize myself before very carefully sitting up, working out the muscle, and rolling back to my left. I have yet to wake Andrew to help with that process but there's been once or twice where I came close. Ya never realize how hard it can be to roll over until your back cramps up like that. So between that hurting and making it hard to breathe, plus Abby climbing into my ribs making it hard to breathe (which she only does on one side, so there's a little silver lining) plus reflux, plus my sciatica making movement in general painful, sleep is getting scarce. Ugh! Whine, whine, whine. I know. I'll stop now, but if you ask how I feel, I will tell you that I don't feel great. After two easy pregnancies, this is very rough on me.
Still, there are the pluses. Mainly, there is a moving human inside me! I do so love feeling Abby move. She is still a big mover though I have noticed the usual shift in movements. Rather than the big kicks and bumps we're getting more of the rolling and pushing. I can already tell that she's a strong little thing by how her pushing can get rather painful. Also, she really loves tickling me from the inside out (weirdest feeling ever!) I'm pretty ticklish on my lower abdomen right around my hip area, and she finds that spot frequently and gives a good jab. It tickles/hurts and I react accordingly. It always freaks Andrew out (my reaction) which may be why the girl does it, because I swear it only happens when he's home. Testing daddy already...uh oh...
Apparently I'm a little rambly today since I haven't even started in on my appointment today! Ah well. So, my appointment! Abby's heart sounds great. My blood pressure is great. My weight is great (I've gained 23 lbs) I'm measuring perfect. Everything is great. I had some blood work done a few weeks ago for life insurance purposes and the results said high cholesterol (also high HDL so my ratio was within the normal range) And of course, since it was for insurance, there wasn't a doctor to talk to me about what my number meant or anything. I was thinking I was going to have to give up my christmas cookies or something equally sad to make sure I stayed healthy for baby, but luckily Dr. Horsley put my mind at ease. High cholesterol in pregnancy is normal. And high HDL is excellent. So bring on the Christmas cookies! Thank heavens for Dr. Horsley. Not only does he put my mind at ease, but he encourages me to go for the cookies haha. No, but seriously, he told me at the first appointment to eat the chocolate if it helped with the PTSD from all of Livie's stuff. I'd say the same goes for cookies. Seriously! So rambly today! I must be in a good mood. The rest of my appointment consisted of birth control talk for afterwards so I won't bore you with that. If you really wanna know our plans, you can text me ;) And then, my favorite part! He checked Abby's position and she is head down! I absolutely loathe the idea of a c-section so this made me very happy. I was pretty sure she was head down but having the official say makes me very happy. We'll do an ultrasound next time (YAY!) just to double check everything is good.
So, yes, I'm kinda miserable. But there's a lot of good going on. Despite my pregnancy brain induced door jam collision that resulted in a jammed toe and hobbly Sarah, things are going well. Ella and Livie are getting more and more excited. I feel like I've been holding my breath for seven months, but am finally relaxing a bit (emotionally) and letting myself really get excited. And of course, Andrew. I have to gush about him for a second. To say I have been crazy this pregnancy is an understatement. PTSD from Liv, natural pregnancy mood swings, aching body etc have made me...well, not easy to live with. I added about a million unnecessary things to our to-do lists (refinishing dressers, crib, painting a room, etc.) Plus the things that have been on our to-do list for a while (building a shed, buying a car, remodeling a bathroom) And every step of the way Andrew has been incredibly patient and supportive. He has offered to skip hunting to stay home and get stuff done (which I wouldn't allow. He's been working so stinking hard lately. He needed some man time.) He has hung curtains at 10 pm for me. He has picked up paint for me. He has upgraded a dresser, scolded me for moving furniture, and rubs my back whenever I ask. He has held me during my crazy mood swings and let me vent and whine about the same stuff over and over again (mostly my back.) He has been amazing and I am so blessed. One thing I am most excited for is seeing him with a newborn in his arms again. Nothing makes me quite as happy as that image. Seriously, I am so blessed.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. This is going to be one amazing Christmas season.