hiya

When i first started my blog almost 3 years ago, i remember thinking how nice it would have been to have had a blog when i was pregnant with the boys. Easily record the experiences. The sonos. The changes. Etc etc. Well. Now that i'm pregnant and have a blog, i've realized pregnancy apparently sucks the life and creativity out of me and leaves no interest in blogging about it. It all seems so mundane (even though it's not). Or complain-y. Or i'm too busy making another piece of white trash bread, toasted, with a couple teaspoons of butter, and top that with a couple tablespoons of sugar and a dash of cinnamon and...

And then i think about how much i HAVEN'T blogged about that i want recorded, related to pregnancy and not, and i feel so behind and bogged down when, really, i should just start from today, or whenever, and go from there. Right?

So. Today. I worked. At the hospital. An actual shift. I haven't worked an actual shift since JANUARY. And not because i'm pregnant. Things have just been very slow at work and the few shifts i'd signed on for ended up being on slow days and i was canceled. I've been toying with quitting the work scene, in part because of the frequent cancellations and having to then cancel my babysitter (or keeping my babysitter because i don't want to have to cancel her again, which isn't so bad but I'M not getting paid to pay her. Does that make sense?). But also because i think, now honestly, am i going to want to/feel able to go back to work within a couple of months? With 3 kids? With a nursing newborn? Mmmmmmmmmmmmm. I kinda don't think so. I'm all for pumping (that was almost typed as "pimping") and having a break. But on my own schedule. And being a nurse? Not.really.a.break. Today? I had to change an adult diaper. NOT A GOOD SCENE. MUCH GAGGING AND COUGHING ON THIS PREGNANT CHICAS PART. And i had to take care of a bunch of pediatric patients, which just isn't my thing. So. Not missing the work scene so much. Like the money. Like interacting with my co-workers. Like feeling like i'm keeping the proverbial foot in the door. But. Overall? Probably done. Just need to sleep on it some more and talk to my boss (not Doug. Heaven knows I'M THE BOSS in our house!).

As for the pregnancy, things are great. Really really great. Surprisingly and knocking on wood great. The heinous, what-i-was-certain-was-never-ending-nausea subsided around 18-ish weeks and i've gained the 15 pounds plus more back because i really like to eat. At 18 weeks, i started contracting and was absolutely sure this pregnancy was from hell. That i was headed down the preterm labor/bedrest/anxiety-filled road i've been on before. I was worried that it would be another pregnancy like Bode's since i didn't have problems with Keegen until about 26 weeks, but with Bode it all started at 18. Anyway. I was on oral medication to treat the contractions for 2 weeks and my OB assured me by 20 weeks, the weekly injections i get to prevent preterm labor would work better. I did not believe him. But. Happily. He was right. Things calmed down and i haven't needed the extra meds and hope not to anytime soon (or ever). I've been feeling her move since 13 weeks, which i think is kind of crazy. But i'm almost 24 weeks now and can really feel her shake her booty now. I had a stress-binge the other night (filled with Laffy Taffy, chocolate toffees and whatever other leftover Easter candy i could find that i liked). Afterwards i was lying on the couch and felt the kicks, jabs and punches of a sugar high go on inside of me which i enjoyed very much.

The boys have been very cute about this growing baby sister. Keegen often almost absent-mindedly rubs my belly, but also throws himself back on me when he's trying to sit on my now non-existent lap that it hurts! He asks a lot about when she'll get here, when my "belly will pop" and she'll come out. Bode actually asked how she gets out and the whole belly popping theory was discussed. Which i shot down. I just told them that she has to stay inside my tummy and grow until she's big enough and strong enough to come out. And that at that time there will be a hole for her to slide out of (doesn't that sound like fun? A little SLIDE). And then? I held my breath in hopes that there would be no further questions on that topic at that time. And there weren't. And i was relieved...They ask what she'll be able to do and what she'll want to do and we've talked about how much they can teach her and so far things seem pretty positive on that front.

And that's all i've got for now. Off to bed for me.