Yes, it's been a while since I have written. The first 3 1/2 months of pregnancy were hard. Being stressed about the job situation and money situation and home situation on top of extreme fatigue sure took its toll. I couldn't wait until Christmas was over because neither Scott nor I were feeling much spirit. We did get a small tree and decorated the apartment to make things more cheery, but it seemed artificial. Christmas with my family was okay...just stressful when it should have been fun.

We went to Joplin on Dec. 31 for a week to see
Scott's family. Going on vacation did help...we were in dire need of some R and R. It was nice to see everyone and talk about the baby. Up to that point I wasn't feeling all that excited about the baby (sorry Junebug!) because I just wasn't feeling good at all. But getting my energy back and being away from the stress helped me focus back on the baby. Of course, the baby shower they threw for us helped a lot. :-) I opened a present with a cute little outfit and teared up when I looked at the teeny-weeny socks that we got. I'm such a goober.

There was some drama going on with the Francis clan that made our late Christmas celebration a little sour, but it helped take my mind off of my own troubles. We drove around town to the "rich" part to look at houses. It was depressing. For the amount of money we're paying on rent for our apartment, we could own one of these beautiful houses, 2500+ sq. ft., one many acres. Not that I want to move to Joplin, but it makes you wonder if you're not just throwing money away by buying a house in California. We're feeling very conflicted about our future living situation.
As it is, we're probably moving again in April/May. We're just too far from everyone and church. The isolation is hard. Thank God we have some friends that still make an effort despite our distance.

So, let's talk about the baby. Like I said, I was feeling pretty miserable until about 3 weeks ago. My energy is back (Yay!), like my doctor said it would and that has helped my mood. We got to have an ultrasound in December and it was really cool to see Junebug moving around. It was even nicer to actually recognize what we were seeing, which can be difficult with ultrasounds. I saw the doctor again on Jan. 10 and just did a routine check-up. They took blood for an Alpha Fetal Protein (AFP) test that screens for abnormalities in the fetus that may point to neural tube defects and Down's. They told me that they get the results within a week and would call me only if I need further tests done due to an abnormal result. I wasn't too worried, but you never know. I also got to hear the heartbeat for the first time. At first it took a while for the doctor to find it and then there it was...WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH. I was so relieved to hear that!

I started to feel little flutterings while I was on vacation in Joplin that I think were the baby. It's hard to tell because you think it could be gas bubbles too. Most first time mom's don't feel the baby "fluttering" until about 18-20 weeks, but I'm pretty sure I have felt the baby. It's so very cool. The baby seems a lot more real.

The latest problem that has developed since my energy started to come back is pain. All the ligaments in my pelvic girdle are starting to loosen and stretch in preparation for childbirth, as well as from the weight of the growing baby. I can feel the weight of my growing uterus at times like I'm carrying a bowling ball! And I'm only in the fourth month! On top of this pelvic stretching/aching pain, I'm getting terrible lower back pain. It's worse upon walking for a long time or sitting for a long time. Some days are worse than others. While I was in Joplin, it was getting so bad that I could hardly move by the evening. I had a full body massage while I was out there and that helped with the back pain a lot, but not with the frontal/internal pain. But I can handle one pain over both pains. When I went to the doctor and told him about the pain, he very sympathetically told me this is all very normal and gave me some tips on how to alleviate the pain. He just said that there will be days when it will be bad. He also told me to get a belly support belt that should help alleviate some of the back pain as I get bigger.

As for size, I have luckily and strangely only gained 10 pounds since I got pregnant. I'm not sure how that's possible, because I haven't been able to exercise hardly at all and I have been eating a lot. Aparently, all the weight has gone to my belly. It's really starting to get big as my uterus pushes all my existing fat upward. I'm looking forward to the nice, rounded baby shape that will be a lot more pleasing to my eyes, anyway. I am currently about 18 weeks along, so about 4 1/2 months along. I get to see the doctor in 3 weeks to have another "special" ultrasound of which I get a video recording.

In the mean time, I'm resting today after a fun day at the Zoo that killed my back and front and made it very difficult to move last night. Guess I can't do what I used to do for a while and it's driving me nuts!

But it's worth it. :-)