Wednesday, January 03, 2007

What's New

Boy I'm getting sloppy about posting the "weekly" belly shots. This one is from this past Monday. I think we're 29 weeks now... We're really getting there! I am still feeling good and staying active for the most part. Although all the snow and ice on the ground has discouraged me for getting out and taking my walks. Don't think I mentioned it, but I had a little whoopsee the other day. We went out to try our new snowshoes out (super cool dude!) and one minute I was standing there and the next minute I was on my rear. It stung my pride more than anything - didn't come close at all to bumping the belly. But ever since then I've taken more care on the ice, Arwen points out every remotely slippery patch, and I've been known to take a walking stick with me.

I must say the City of Denver has not exactly done a stellar job of removing the snow and ice. All the major streets are clear, but most of the neighborhood streets require 4 wheel drive to navigate, and it's so bumpy it's rather unpleasant. Plus not all the sidewalks have been cleared, and even where they are clear there are big piles of snow at the curbs so crossing the street is a bit of an event. I'll admit that we haven't done our part either. I did shovel the front and back walk after the first snowstorm (and was mighty proud of myself!) but didn't bother with the last snow. Now that's partially melted and refrozen so it's pretty treacherous for our poor mailman, and I think the forecast is calling for more white stuff tomorrow or friday.

Anyway, like I said the cold and snow has not exactly been conducive to taking nice strolls through the park. So yesterday Arwen and I went to the gym to try to get back into our regular routine. For me it seemed a little pathetic. I felt I was really pushing myself just to do 20 minutes on the bike and 30 minutes walking on the treadmill. It's funny. I've seen a gradual decline in my ability to be active over the past month or so. A few weeks back I went snowshoeing up and down hills for 2 hours and didn't break a sweat. Compare that to last weekend when I could barely make it across the park and back without taking a million breaks.

Breathing has definitely gotten to be more difficult. Sometimes I find myself out of breath just from walking across our little apartment or even - if you can believe it - standing still! There have been times I've just been sitting here on the couch and suddenly feel like I need to catch my breath. It's an odd thing, but seems pretty common for at this point in pregnancy. More and more, baby encroaches on your diaphragm and lungs.

She has also been making her presence known more often and more forcefully. I'm not to the point yet where she's waking me up in the middle of the night, but it is beginning to feel a bit like that scene from Alien where the creature makes it's debut. An active baby is a healthy baby, and it always makes me smile to feel her moving.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness! You are so adorable!! Glad to hear you're keeping up with staying active (or at least trying to). I hear that'll help keep labor to a minimum. On the icy streets thing, I dunno if it's the same in CO, but in NJ you HAD to shovel your sidewalk & a clear path for your mailman or you could be ticketed! Now that u've learned the melt & refreeze thing & how it turns to a sheet of ice impossible to shovel, I'm sure next time you'll be out there flinging powder while you still can! Love you guys. SEE U SOOOOOOOON