Someday I'll see my feet again.

When you become pregnant, it is difficult to really think about anything else. It really dominates every facet of every thought I have. So, I apologize in advance for yet another 'pregnant-centric' post. Also, I cannot promise that it will be my last. (My due date is still about two months away O_o )

I am now well in my third trimester, which is always encouraging to think about, (despite being two months away from having the baby. Did I mention that I still have TWO months of waiting left??)  it means babytime is getting close-ish. It also means I am that much closer to an abrupt end to all the mind numbingly awful uncomfortable symptoms that have fully set in.

"Uncomfortable" symptoms and what I have learned about them over the course of being pregnant three times:

• Sciatic nerve pain- This is one I have suffered from with each pregnancy. It differs from traditional back pain in that it isn't in my back. At all.  It is just easier and more socially acceptable to say "lower back pain"than to say "stabbing, upper butt pain that sometimes shoots down like electricity to one or both legs at the same time". It is stealthy, it is awful, and can strike at any time. Often it stays around for long periods of time. As in, always, it is always there. 
• Loose Joints- When you become pregnant your body goes all dramatic and releases all kinds of fun hormones to make your body all ready to give birth and stuff. One of those fun hormones is called 'relaxin'. Relaxin is responsible for all the joints getting loose, (get it? it "Relaxes" things. And yes that is the clinical term for it) especially the ones in the hips and pelvis so that the baby can get out. I get this, and I respect it. What I don't appreciate is that it's efficaciousness is increased with each pregnancy. I can seriously hear my hips popping in and out of joint at any given time during the day. Ever cracked your knuckles, neck, or knees? Oh yeah? Well I can do it with my pelvis!
• Indigestion/heartburn/reflux- Remember that little hormone relaxin that we were just talking about? Apparently it is also responsible for the near-constant hot lava that has taken up residence in my esophagus. Apparently that little valve in there that is supposed to keep stomach acid and all the stomach stuff in the stomach, relaxes too and allows it to travel back up where it doesn't belong. This is particularly miserable when I have forgotten to take into account my uterus-compressed stomach and the lack of room therein, when I get hungry and accidentally eat too much and it sits there in my stomach forever and ever and then refluxes into the back of my throat JUST as I am about to fall into a deep sleep and causes me to choke on my own bile and wake up in the most unpleasant way possible. It's...it's gross.
• Reduced bladder size- Everyone knows that pregnant girls pee a lot. I won't waste much time discussing this one. Just know that it is, in fact, very annoying.
• Sleep issues- Not being able to fall asleep at night because I am uncomfortable. Not being able to stay fully awake during the day because I am so tired. It's all in preparation for the sleepless nights full of baby feeding and diaper changing to come. I know this. It doesn't mean I like it. 

Now, I am not a COMPLETE pessimist. While I am often more aware of the negative side effects of pregnancy, simply because they demand my attention, The pleasant effects do not completely escape me either.

Pleasant aspects of my pregnancies:

• Feeling baby movement- Feeling the baby move inside me is all at once weird and cool. Early on its hard to determine actual baby movement unless I am lying very still and paying attention. Now though, It is not only noticeable at all times, it is very visible. I swear my kids start trying to punch and kick their way out as soon as they are aware that they can make their own arms and legs move! There is obvious movement that appears to be jumping and/or flipping, and can be seen as my belly undulates, violently, frequently throughout the day and night. Thats what I get for procreating with a parkour enthusiast I guess. 
• Limited physical deformity- By this I mean that I don't tend to get the "all over" deformity that often accompanies pregnancy. My feet and ankles pretty well stay the same size as before, my face doesn't change shape, and I don't really 'widen' too much more than necessary. Being tall has a few benefits, one of them being that my belly grows straight outward when I am pregnant. As a result I can do the belly"fakeout". Rob demonstrated this when I was pregnant with Aubrey by taking these pictures from the bedroom while I was standing in front of the mirror: 

  

  Possibly not pregnant...

  

  BAM! Totally Pregnant!

  
  Getting told that I "don't look pregnant from behind", is definitely encouraging. Also getting pregnant is better than getting a boob job! Seriously, I am up two full cup sizes!

• This view- 

Perfectly round belly.
And
Boobs. For. Days.

• Maternity clothes- One of the very best things about pregnancy are the maternity clothes. These days we aren't relegated to the muumuus and circus tents that were once the staple wardrobe of the gestating. You get to dress in cute clothes, while still being comfortable because everything is designed to allow room for the growing belly! Maternity jeans are the absolute best!  All the look of a cute pair of jeans, with all the comfort of a pair of yoga pants!
• Baby clothes- I recently pulled out the box of newborn boy clothes that I have had packed away in one of my hoarder closets. I am as yet, afraid to get rid of my kids clothes once they outgrow them, so I pack them away in case I have more kids who might need to wear them. Turns out, that was a pretty smart move on my part since I am totally going to re-use all of Andy's baby clothes! I did have to do some serious stain removal on a few, but that is okay since I have PINTEREST to help me!  I found a homemade stain pre-treater recipe that really does work

(This is an example of one of the about 12 items that I treated with this stain remover. If you want to try it, you can find directions Here. It is pretty awesome.)

Awesome right?!

• BABIES!!!!- I mean...obviously.

  

  This. (Andrew)

  
  

  

  .....And this. (Aubrey)
  
  

   We are two for two as far as adorable kids go, so of COURSE I am excited to meet #3!