Growing Pains

Well, it's 4AM and after nearly an hour in bed awake I decided to rise and (because I'm hungry) have something to eat. A strawberry Poptart and bowl of multi-grain Cheerios, if you must know. Unfortunately, I think I'm feeling worse not better after eating. Figures.

I've been thinking about this post for a few days. And mixing my 80's TV show references for effect...the theme from Facts of Life has been running through my brain: "There's a time you got to go and show, You're growin' now you know about (sing it with me) The Facts of Life, The Facts of Life". Because it's way better than the Growing Pains theme: "Show me that smile again. Don't waste another minute on your crying, we're nowhere near the end. The best is ready to begin." "Wait!," you're thinking. "Those GP lyrics seem to make great sense for a pregnancy". Right. Just what I want to think about - being nowhere near the end and someone telling me to quit crying. Awesome.

Anyway, the baby inside is starting to show itself. Now, I'm not really concerned about what I look like, per se. It's more that I'm between clothes right now and every day is a challenge to get out the door. My own clothes are quickly becoming snug and maternity clothes make me look A. Frumpy or B. Chubby, not cutely pregnant. And I'm feeling a little stuck as we can start to see the coming of the end of summer (trust me, I'm in no hurry). I feel stuck because I don't want to buy new clothes to wear for like a month (capris, shorts, etc.) and then go into fall and need to get more new clothes. Many of you mothers and pregnant friends are thinking, "oh, the Bella Band". Yes, this amazing piece of expensive spandex can be nice and cover up those unbuttoned pants. But, if you are say five feet tall, it covers from well below your waist up to the bottom of your bra, sorta like a really cool tube top. Again, Awesome.

On the bright side, we're in the process of picking paint colors for our interior. I know, no painting. Mark's doing the hard work (along with any willing friends). We bought some test colors last night after a week with different colored cards stuck to the walls. The living/dining color seems to be too light...we worried about too dark. The kitchen splotch looks good color-wise but the paint job is leaving a little to be desired (I suggested buying the stupid foam brush, my fault). In case you're wondering, I did laundry and painted my toenails while Mark tested out his skills. He thought the nail polish smell had to be far worse for me than the paint. Whatever.

Everyone keeps asking how I'm doing. The one word answers, depending on the moment: busy, stuffy, itchy, tired, hungry. Work has picked up quite a bit so I've been extremely busy but this past week has been great! I don't feel tired until the moment I'm walking out to the car. And then I feel like I could eat everything in sight (which is usually a piece of fruit or Fiber One bar).

I've been stuffy since the end of week 9 (count 'em, 9 whole weeks!). I'm congested mostly in the evening and during the night due to allergies and pregnancy. It was suggested that I not take my normal allergy medication as...well, no drug company is stupid enough to test drugs on actual pregnant humans! So, every now and then I pop a Benedryl which lasts me about 5 hours. I didn't take one before bed tonight and thus am awake. Our Nurse-Midwife made mention that I may feel congested THROUGHOUT the pregnancy. Seriously. With the stuffiness comes the ever-so-attractive "ahem" filled with phlem in my throat. I actually opened the car door the other morning at a stoplight to spit. Yet again, Awesome. I'm a 70-year-old man. Oh, and I forgot to mention that on our camping trip last weekend (which was great, thanks) I picked up some great mosquito bites on my feet. So, many nights during the past week I've been awoken by myself scratching my feet. Gross, huh. Sitting on the edge of the tub and running freezing water over them seems to calm the itchiness down but wakes me right up.

Thankfully (and quite seriously), I could never imagine a better partner on this journey than Mark. He has been my personal chef (many times breakfast, lunch, and dinner), encourager, compliment-giver, and event planner. I already think he's a better parent than I'll be...every day is an adventure and I'm so glad that he's willing to take it with me. He gets my humor and doesn't think it's gross when I tell him pregnancy stuff (or at least, he tells me it's not gross). I am so blessed!