S e x

A good point was brought up by Nina on a blog I read ('Ben and Stella'), se*x...

I do wonder sometimes how many pregnant women are getting any, how many are wanting any and how many are just generally thinking about it at all. It may seem strange to care about other people private lives in that way, but I just want to know how normal Mr G and I really are.

I don't believe my drive has changed at all since getting pregnant. Ok, the first trimester was a major downturn, but since then I think I would like it as often as usual.

However, whilst it does sometimes upset me ('Am I such a turn off these days?') the thought of his little darling baby experiencing every moment of our se*x does manage to turn my husband off to such a degree that I don't know the last time we were intimate.

The thing that does worry me is when is the next time we will have time and energy for it after the baby is here anyway?!

Am I doomed to be forever officially 'not getting any'?!

29 weeks 4 days

Invitation

Come one and all to the disease playground hosted by yours truly.

Ah, work college with the throat infection of course you are welcome. No don't bother staying home from work just because you are sick, by all means, cough and splutter around here as much as you like.

Oh, and Master runny nose I see you have brought your friend stuffy head. You must have heard that throat infection was passing by and thought you would join us.

Why sir, what a surprise, I have heard many dangerous rumours about you. Mister fever please let me introduce you to some other guests, sit over here by my 2 paracetamol friends.

And who do we have here? Well really, at long last, I was beginning to think you would not join me. You have surely visited every other pregnant woman I know except for me. Come right this way Mr heartburn you have been expected for some time.

Now that you are all gathered here, let me just say it has been a delightful week at home on sick leave. But if you don't mind, kindly f$%k off and leave me and my precious baby alone.

Whose body is this anyway?

I am falling apart...

My ankles are swollen by the time I get home in the evening (something only sitting for an hour with my legs elevated seems to solve), but worse are these odd red patches that have recently made an appearance of each of my ankles. It is so bizarre, in the evening they are bright red patches of squiggly lines about 5cm round which are not itchy but are prickly and warm to touch. They then get less red by the morning and slowly flare up during the day.

I can't for the life of me think of anything I have been doing differently (other than gaining pregnancy weight and swelling as a result!). Does anyone know what they are???!!! My friend Google doesn't seem to help me on this one.

Other signs that my body is falling apart:

• I also noticed red spots on my stretch marks (embarrassingly stretch marks are on thighs rather than belly as one would assume) which I have read are common during pregnancy.
• I wake at night in a hot sweat at about 3 a.m. and have to dry the sweat from between my new found crevices between layers of flesh (mostly between and under my HUGE boobs!). It is a new experience to me as Melbourne is really mild weather all year round and I have never had a problem like this even in Summer, I have taken advice from people living in more tropical environments and apply talc which does help somewhat.
• My wrists have become fat. No one agrees with me, but I can notice the difference. I hate it.

However, there have been some benefits to my body caused by pregnancy changes:

• I love my cleavage. Not so fond of my boobs when bra is off (veins and huge nipples), but they look great in clothes!
• I have gone from using countless expensive face care products to... sorbolene! During my first trimester when I felt like crap it was all I could do to wash my face with soap and then use sorbolene whenever it felt 'squeaky'. My skin has become used to it and now looks great and blemish free with little care needed!

On the whole, I think my body is worse off than pre-pregnancy, however, I am sure the little life inside me is better off for all the changes to little old me.

Another friend for Pudding

On Saturday night I had dinner with my 5 best friends. The girl whose wedding I was going to in March the day I found out I was pregnant announced that she is pregnant too. She is only 5 weeks, so I know it is really early, but I am so excited for her and so excited for my baby that it will have a little friend to grow up with!

Double figures

Well I passed the 100 day milestone over the weekend (I know it is not really a 'milestone', but somehow in my head it means something). Depending on what you read I am either in my third trimester or a couple of weeks off it. I am noticing the pregnancy a lot more now. It really impacts my daily life, well.. daily.

I have a little trouble walking fast, I used to get so frustrated by 'slow' walkers, not I waddle behind with the 'oldies'! I am also rather uncomfortable sitting for too long or lying down for too long, but tire easily walking or standing, so I am constantly changing what I am doing to best find comfort.

I don't know if 26 weeks is too early to start nesting, but I had last Friday off work and about 3p.m. I realised that I was on my hands and knees scrubbing my skirting boards. I had also done 2 loads of washing, hand washing, scrubbed the kitchen and made the house generally sparkle. It might be nesting, or maybe I just realised that house chores needed to be done and we had a busy weekend on so Friday was my only chance to do it.

I am also overly emotional. After cleaning on Friday I sat down to read and had to stop because I kept bursting into tears. Admittedly it was a very sad part in the book, but I was sobbing, not just having a quiet tear in my eye. Also I get very emotional (translate to: cry) whenever I read baby or pregnancy books. Just the thought of how tough or beautiful having a baby in the house will be makes me cry.

Also I went to church yesterday with my husband's family and nearly cried about 5 times during mass (and it isn't even my religion!!).

I had my 26 week check up on the weekend and it all went well except, despite drinking my lovely green sugar drink, I didn't get my diabetes test because the midwifes couldn't find any veins and pathology was closed on the weekend. So I have to drink heaps of water and go back tomorrow. It was kind of good because late Friday night I decided I was sick of being 'good' and considering the baby before I put anything near my mouth and asked my husband to make a double chocolate pudding. It was lovely but may well have upset the blood test.

26 weeks