+ Terrific Tuesday +
Well, it's a normal Tuesday, but I'm trying! You are a very active little girl, you know that? Last night you made me giggle you were so active. Then this morning, while I was watching the news before I got ready for work, I felt you kick my arm which was draped across my tummy. You kicked it hard too! I haven't had daddy try to feel you in a couple of days because I always feel guilty when he can't feel you. But I think it's about time to try again. Maybe tonight when we lie down for sleep he might have the patience to wait for you to kick him.

So, I haven't really updated on my symptoms lately, but I suppose since I'm doing this journal for posterity's sake I ought to do that. My feet haven't swollen that much since Saturday, but I'm being really careful, putting my feet up at home and getting up frequently at work. I have heartburn, and a lot of it! It started coming back a couple of weeks ago, and now I pretty much get it every single afternoon/evening. It's worse when I've had too much soda, so I'm trying to avoid it again. My face looks like a 15-year-old greaseball's! I don't think I've ever had this many pimples. It's very annoying. I'm buying the best cleansers and medicines I can find and it's only keeping it at bay, not improving anything. Ugh. Makeup is my friend (and my family and friends know I don't usually wear makeup much at all!). I'm doing much better energy-wise, and let's just say the 2nd trimester has brought back the desire for a love life I thought was gone forever. Let's see... What else? Back hurts pretty frequently. I'm getting better at sleeping. I brought in a flat, firm pillow to put under my right leg when I sleep on my side, and managed to sleep almost the whole night that way last night. Finally I think I might have solved the sleeping problem (without buying a $90 pillow). Belly's big, but no stretch marks or itching yet. I already had a couple on my hips, and they're more obvious now, but nothing on my belly. My breasts are still growing, after I thought they'd stopped. I bought a bigger (number and letter) bra last week, but it is still too small. That means I'm up 2 sizes! Yikes! Getting up is getting harder, and I can't use my stomach muscles to help either. I usually have to push myself out of whatever I'm sitting in (including the car). I'm still urinating frequently, but maybe a little less than before. There are some associated unpleasant things in that area, but I'll spare everyone those details, save to say that I checked into it and it's completely normal. My nails are growing like weeds, and my hair is finally getting thicker. It's also much redder, which everyone is starting to notice. I have no idea how, or why, but I don't really care. I LOVE my hair when it gets really auburn. Joe's dad's hair (and Joe's, really), is a kind of barely-red dark blonde, and my mother and I both have barely-auburn dark brown hair, so there's always a chance for a red-head. Joe and I would both be in heaven if that happened! HA!

Anyway, I know this is long, but I wanted to share what's going on at this stage, almost at 22 weeks. That's still so trippy to me. We're going to be parents. Wow.