Week 35 pregnancy

Sleep is becoming more difficult. I’m up to two Tylenol p.ms. I can feel when they begin to take effect as my head starts to get heavy, I become woozy, and I gratefully sink into sleep. Two pills a night seems to be working though and it’s a relief to get a solid chunk of sleep.

I used the Thanksgiving holiday to spread my work over several days. I only went into the office one day last week and was able to alternate work with other activities, including naps. While I missed the commute and the contact with others, I found this much easier to handle than a full work day. I’m reaching the point where I’m ready to wrap things up.

I saw some milk in the store with a sell by date of 1/9/11. I found it reassuring, especially on a day when I wasn’t feeling well, that the baby will most likely be here before that milk expires.

Most of the people I know who are expecting have had their babies. I’m pretty much the next up to bat.

I’m starting to stress a little at the lack of certainly of when I’ll go into labor, how we’ll handle the logistics of care for River, how painful/difficult it will be, and how I’ll get through the uncomfortableness of the coming weeks and days.

It’s really tough to focus on anything beyond the most basic tasks. I’m very eager to give up whatever responsibilities I can.

I now nap, when possible, for an hour or two in the late afternoons. It helps keep me sane. I’m productive until nap time. Post nap-time I’m merely awake.

A single, childless friend came to visit and I realized how un-fun she found outings with a pregnant-lady and an almost three year old. Early wake-ups, leaving the attraction at 12:30, and naps at 3 were not her idea of a good schedule. It partially made me feel like a middle-aged mom. But the love and fulfillment I get from my family is worth it. And I no longer find late nights and late wakeups very attractive. There are benefits to being up early and to being among the first to arrive at attractions. Even my friend recognized the benefit of shorter morning lines by day two.

I put on eight pounds during the month of November. It’s probably a combination of water retention, the baby getting bigger, reduced mobility and the holidays. I’ve crossed the big weight hump and seem to be following the pattern from my first pregnancy of packing on the pounds in the final months. My face looks chubby and I feel fat.