Things I Can and Can't Do

Pregnancy is a weird thing.  It does strange things to your body.  I thought I'd share with you some of the things I find myself no longer being able to do, and some things I can do.  This post will have some tmi moments, so be forewarned.  I'm going to lay it all out there.

Things I Can't do:

•  Sleep.  It's like I'm just taking long naps every night.  I wake up anywhere between 1:00 - 3:00am and then am wide awake for 2-3 hours.  I cannot go back to sleep.  I usually use this time to catch up on all my blog reading, take my turns playing Words with Friends, and watch a little t.v.  When I try to shut it all down and go back to sleep, I just can't seem to shut down my brain.  This isn't a problem on the weekends, when I can sleep in a little later.  But during the week, finally falling back to sleep around 5:00am only to have my alarm clock go off 30 minutes later for work, really sucks.

• Put on my tennis shoes and socks like a normal person.  It's not a problem with my left foot, but it is like gymnastics trying to put my sock on my right foot.  I can't reach it!  I have two babies in the way.  I have resorted to asking Hubby to put my sock on a few times.  But if he's not around to help, I have to kneel down with my heel on the floor, slip the sock over my toes, and then swing my foot around behind me so I can then pull it up over my heel.  Good times.  Actually, it really is quite entertaining.

• I can't clip the toenails on my right foot anymore.  Same problem as putting on my socks.  I can't reach.  Darn.  I'm gonna have to get a pedicure.  That's really too bad.  Not!

• Sit/Stand up from a reclined position.  I have to turn to my side and push myself up.  I have no abs anymore.  If I'm sitting on the couch and need to stand up, it is not done without a lot of grunting and groaning.  I sound like the beef heads in our weight room at the gym, only I'm getting a different sort of workout.  It's called standing up.

• Okay, I warned you earlier about the tmi.  I cannot see my crotch below my belly.  I'm pretty sure I'm becoming a hairy beast down there.  I attempted to shave this weekend, but who knows what it actually looks like.  It's not like I've just got belly fat that is a little more pliable and can be moved to the side.  No, these babies make my belly hard.  There is no pushing it to the side to see what is going on below it.

• Again tmi.  Don't say I didn't warn you.  I can't have a bowel movement without fear of clogging the toilet.  I have never seen such big poop before!  Seriously.  It's a little a lot ridiculous and actually quite painful, even though I have to admit I've been impressed a few times as well.  I just pray I don't ever have to take a grumpy at someone else's house because it would be rather embarrassing to clog someone else's toilet.

• I can't stop itching.  My belly and my boobs itch constantly.  I have a slight rash on my belly.  Nothing major, but definitely annoying.  I hesitate to put lotion on my belly because sometimes it really burns. 

• I can't help with most of the projects around our house.  Hubby worked his butt off over the weekend painting the kitchen and ripping up the floor.  Me, well I offered great advice when it was needed and otherwise stayed out of his way when he got overly grumpy because he'd smashed his fingers one too many times.

Things I CAN do:

• I can feel these babies moving around.  No swift kicks or elbow jabs yet, but I can definitely feel activity.  I've been feeling it for at least a month, but didn't start acknowledging it as movement until a few weeks ago.  When you don't know what it really feels like, it's difficult to 100% identify it as movement.  I'm pretty sure now though.

•  I can still reach the lever in my car to pop my gas tank.  Barely.  I discovered last week that this will soon be transitioning to the other list though.  There is just not enough room for me to bend over and actually reach down for anything anymore.  I envision that I will have to get out of my car and actually reach back in to pull the lever.  (It is actually against the law in Oregon for us to pump our own gas, which I am forever grateful for)

• Take naps.  The sleeping at night issue definitely contributes to my ability to take much needed naps in the afternoon when I can barely keep my eyes open. 

• I can plan on a simple trip to the grocery store taking at least an extra 30 minutes to an hour.  The joys of living in a small town.  I can't go to the store without running into half a dozen people that want to congratulate me and ask how I'm feeling.  Even people I don't know.  For example, yesterday I ran to the store real quick and had a lady ask me if I am C's daughter in law, followed by the normal congratulations, and hearing how excited C is to have twins.  Apparently this gal goes to church with my mil.  I didn't even know her and I was stopped for a 5 minute conversation.  (I actually DO like living in a small community.  Sometimes I'd just like to be able to run my errands as quickly as I need to.)

• I can celebrate that I have now reached viability.  Crazy that I've actually passed the 24 week mark and have not one, but two babies growing inside me.  It still doesn't seem real, even thought we are working hard in our preparation for them.  The reality will come when we are holding these babies in our arms, which is getting closer and closer to actually happening every day. 

• I can be excited for finally having my very own baby showers to look forward to!  There are four of them in the works.  There will be a shower for Hubby's side of the family, one for my side and friends, a softball baby shower, and a work shower.  I definitely feel spoiled.

 I'm sure there are more things I could add to both of these lists, but this is all I can think of at the moment.  In other news....

Remember last week I posted this picture?  This was the view in our living room from our couch as of last weekend.

This is what it looks like now, sitting in the exact same spot on the couch.

Yep.  The stove really is that close to the couch and yes that really is the refrigerator in our living room.  There is barely enough space between the fridge and the entertainment center for me to squeeze through to the kitchen (which is empty) and around to the hallway on the other side of the china hutch, which is also taking up residency in our living room.  I have to get to the hallway to get to the bathroom and bedrooms.  Our dishwasher is currently in our backyard.  We feel a little like we are camping.

The new flooring is going in the kitchen today.  Then we have to wait until Wednesday when we can start moving stuff back into the kitchen.  I can't wait to see what it all looks like with the finished project!  Then it will be time to start on the spare bedrooms and getting the nursery ready!