In list form…kind of.

*  The ice storm definitely came at an interesting time and all of Western KY is still working on clean up.  My parents got power only a few days after the storm struck (lucky them for being on a main line), and our home actually got power (FINALLY) this past week.

*  Mom and dad have been without cable and internet, which has been both a blessing and trial (although not a huge trial comparably).  But, today – their internet has been restored!

*  My personal life has been all over the place, and after a rather large upheaval, I was sent searching my inner thoughts as well as for any divine inspiration that would just TELL ME WHAT TO DO!  I’d been spun around again and felt like I was about to explode.  So, for days, I searched for an answer – the path I was “supposed” to travel.  (Yes, I know this is sounding kind of cryptic for those of you who don’t know the background info…sorry)  And, apparently I’m a blockhead sometimes and don’t grasp “life lessons” always on the first try so God had a bit of a week pounding it into my head by several people (and other mediums that were planted in my path very nicely).  Things I’ve learned?

-It’s okay to decide not to move at all.  It’s okay to decided NOT to decide and to just be for a little while.
-If you don’t know what to do, do nothing at all…
-If you aren’t 100 percent, in your heart of hearts, SURE of the decision you are making…then wait
-On the other hand, sometimes you just have to close your eyes and just jump – because you can never know EVERYTHING – nor should you expect yourself to.

*  There’s more, of course (I’ve had a busy week or two – or 8.)  Things like, there’s nothing more that *I* can do at this point to fix things – I just have to wait and see, or decide to not wait and see anymore.  That, and I’ve been shown how much fight I have left in me and how much work I need to do in other areas of my life.

*  I need to be more patient.  I need to work on surrendering, more – Even when things get scary.  No, especially when things get scary.  It’s not my job to do everything right or to know how to do everything and to think so is giving myself more credit than I deserve.  I’m not that big.  (Nor do I want to be)

*  I’ve decided to stop trying to make plans for a while – well, the important kind.  I’m going to go about with a more “experimental” approach and try to take each day at a time.  I have no control over these things right now, and have tried to foresee and plan and I end up with a metallic taste in my mouth from biting my own tongue so much.  So, what happens happens – this is me, surrendering.  Oh, and God?  Can you please just send me the next few lessons in list form?  I promise to be a better student and would really like a break from “finding out the hard way.”

Pregnancy Updates

• Wednesday and Thursday (January 28th and 29th) nights of the ice storm I had some major back labor cramping.  Thursday, I was in enough pain that I wanted to call out but was having trouble keeping my breathing steady (type of pain where you have to remind yourself to just breathe).  I have a feeling both had to do with emotional stress and dehydration.  But, what do I know?  (I’ve not had the same type of pains since)
• I am approximately 111 lbs (I may have gained since my last appointment a little over a week ago).
• I just completed 28 weeks last Tuesday/Wednesday (depends on who you ask).
• Supposedly – according to my week by week pregnancy book – the baby is 2.5-3 lbs and between 16 and 17 inches.  I have a feeling that my baby is shorter – only because um, have you seen me?
• It doesn’t FEEL like the baby weighs in at any less….
• For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been super achey.  All over.  But, it’s not so bad – compared to my first trimester.  Achey is good compared. 
• According to my book, this pressure/pain I’ve been feeling (pelvic?) isn’t supposed to happen til next month – so my body is skipping a chapter.  It only gets intense here and there and can be alleviated by lying down and making the baby move (like into my ribs).
• New pains have shown up this week.  Like, the sharp stabby ones I had last night, accompanied by the urge to throw up AND feeling dehydrated (but I wasn’t…and if I drank, I’d throw up).  Eye clenching, hand grasping, sucking in of breath and such.  Fun times.  It went away, finally, after lying down propped with lots of pillows.  And a bucket.  Just in case.

L Updates

L is going through some more developmental phases…

She’s become super interested in sign language and has been learning (or being introduced to) several signs a day for the past few days.  She’s not mastered them, yet but she’s sure trying!

She’s listening to directions, more.  Whether or not she’ll DO it is another issue, but telling her how to get out of a box or into something else using multiple steps is something she’s paying more attention to.  I’m pretty sure half of the predicaments she finds herself in she puts herself there on purpose just so she can try to have the challenge of getting out.

Eating is an on-again off-again thing.  Textures are huge and it seems like she’ll eat really well one day and then almost skip (except for random snacks) the next.  She still prefers fruit but we’ve gotten some V8 Fusion juice to help with her vegetable intake.  That, and rotini noodles with vegetable spaghetti sauce (she doesn’t like the slippery spaghetti noodles as much)

Still obsessed with “babies!!!”  and shoes.  And lotions or soaps (which would be okay if they didn’t go directly to her eyeballs).

Willing to go up to adults more, now (as long as we’re nearby) and still “plays” with other kids by handing them toys.  She seems different than most other kids I see playing her age…where they’ll play “together” but separately…side by side using the same toys but in individual play.  L seems like she wants to be involved in their play but in a non involved way.  She’ll take toys to them and stand near them and just watch and observe…

Welcome back!