26 Weeks Today (98 days to go!)

I am definitely at my best in the morning.  I love waking up early before everyone else and sneaking around the house.  I adore how it irks Mike when he gets out of bed to find I am already up and about.  He says, "How long have you been awake?" Since he sleeps like a mouse and hears every little noise, I find it quite a feat when I am able to slip out of bed unnoticed.

I wish I could stay feeling this way all day long, light and airy, almost the way I used to feel before the creature took over my body.  LOL  As the day progresses, though, my body seems to soak up everything it takes in like a sponge and I start to feel like I'm retaining water. Funny, since I pee ALL DAY LONG. How does that work?! Seriously. I am probably in the bathroom at least once an hour!  I am not sure, but this may be due to sitting at my desk with my legs crossed.  I think I maybe even had this happen BEFORE I was pregnant, when I would sit too much.  Today, I am going to try getting up and walking around more frequently, and also drinking more water to flush out any excess salt.  I had a lot of paperwork to catch up on yesterday and thus spent most of the day sitting at my desk.

The baby seems to be very active at night and in the early morning, or maybe that is just when I notice her movements. Last night I was sitting on the couch watching the news, sort of leaning back with my feet on the coffee table, and my belly was jumping all over the place - I think there was a boxing match going on in there!  Mike could see the baby's antics from all the way across the room.  Watching and feeling her movements is very cool...one of the greatest joys of pregnancy.

Then in the early morning, right after I wake up and am resting quietly, not wanting to get out of bed - she starts her roundhouse kicks to my bladder. LOL Sometimes her movements are delicate, like a dog nudging you with his nose when he wants to be petted - but other times they are very forceful and make me jump in surprise.  Amazing what a little 2-pound baby can accomplish from the cramped quarters of the womb!

When I was little, I was always wishing for the "next big event."  I LOVED (and still do) having something to look forward to.  My dad used to tell me "Don't wish your life away."  Even though pregnancy gets frustrating at times when I focus on some of my current limitations, looking at the grand scheme of things it is a very short period in time.  Also, since this is my last pregnancy, I need to treasure the experience even more.

Before I know it, baby girl will be in my arms...but until then I'll try to just enjoy the moment.