200 Days!

I have been pregnant for 200 days, and am starting to really feel it!  Granted, I know this number isn't EXACT, since it also includes those two weeks where you aren't actually pregnant, but the tickers say 200, so I'm going with 200.

I am really dragging butt as of late.  Walking up and down stairs is a chore for me, and trying to keep our house clean is even harder.  My brain function is seriously diminished, so it takes me twice as long to get simple tasks at work done, which makes me feel significantly less efficient.  My feet are so swollen that my shoes hurt.  Seriously, I don't mean whiny "please rub my feet" pain, but swollen, bruised, hot, itchy pain.  My feet look like hams, and my ankles look like they are sprained.  My fingers are so swollen that I have officially had to retire my wedding rings.  And of course, my venture into Google didn't help, since now all I am worried about is Toxemia (because obviously the swelling isn't just normal pregnancy related swelling  but something serious... have I mentioned before I'm a slight hypochondriac?).

What's worse (to me, anyway) is that there was a small part of my that thought my sister (who is about 5 weeks ahead of me in pregnancy) and I actually looked about the same size-wise.  Umm, no.  My mom took a picture of us this weekend and not even close.  I am seriously double her size.  I know, I know, there's two in there, believe me I didn't forget, but I actually had been holding onto a small hope that I didn't look like it.

But now I know why people ask me every day if I will be put on bedrest; because I look like I need to be!  I think everyone at work is just waiting for me to collapse.

On a happier note, 200 days means only 2 months left in my pregnancy.  As I said before, my doctor will not let me go pass 38 weeks, so they are scheduling me for the first week of November if they haven't arrived on their own before then.  I'm getting to that point where I am scared of going early.  For starters, I would LOVE to avoid any NICU time, obviously, but I have other selfish reasons, namely working out my maternity leave.  I get 8 weeks total, so giving birth the first week of November would be perfect to get me through to January before having to come back to work (i.e. off the whole Holiday season, which is a huge plus for me!).  I also have saved up several weeks of PTO (paid time off) so I could technically stay out longer.  However, if they come early, or if I am put on bedrest and can't work, I only have 12 weeks of job protection under FMLA.  So I reallly want to make sure I make it though the month of September without any issues.  I can go out as early as October and be OK though until January, but anything before that and it will not work.  I know this seems petty, but honestly, Holiday PTO in my place of business is a hot commodity, and its been nice knowing I wouldn't have to fight for days off to visit family since I would be out on leave anyway...

I suppose that is all for now!  I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow with the dreaded glucose test.  Wish me luck, I don't want to have to do the 3 hour test!!  I will also find out if I can make the trip to Blackburg next weekend for my second baby shower (with Eric's family), so keep your fingers crossed for me!!  And on that  note, I'll leave you with a belly shot from this morning.  As you can tell, I look exhausted (thankfully I can cover most of my face with the iPhone)...and my butt is trying to keep up with my stomach.  Good times.