22 Weeks: Halfling Update

Good Morning Humble Readers!! 

I hope that you are all doing well this morning and that the weather where you are isn't too hot or too rainy.  We seem to waffling between the two here on the flatland.  I missed last week's Halfling update due to being at my parents' place, but I wanted to get back on track here. 

How far along? 22w1d

Maternity clothes? Of course.  Other than my jeans (still weird), I don't have anything that fits that's not maternity or worn with a bella band.  While we were in Kelowna, I picked up another pair of work appropriate pants and a few more t-shirts. 

Body Oddities?  So so many oddities... heartburn, weight loss rather than gain, leg cramps, stunning hair growth, stuffy nose, dry skin (especially on 'the girls).  But what's really weirded me out this week (and this is tmi) is the increased amount of earwax.  I know, I know... who notices this stuff?

Sleep? I struggled with sleep the whole time we were on vacation.  I can fall asleep easily, but I can't seem to sleep longer than three or four hours at a stretch, at the best of times. 

Best moment this week? The look on my mom's face when she heard the Halfling's heartbeat.  (Yes, I brought the doppler on vacation)

Worst moment? The long drive home on Sunday.  I was really uncomfortable in the car, and my feet and ankles were really swollen from sitting for so long.  I had also managed to strain something in my back, on the right side, which then with my hypochondriac tendencies, I started worrying that my liver was inflamed (a sign of pre-eclampsia that my OB mentioned).  Of course, it was just that a lower rib was slightly out (fixed by my wonderful chiropractor this afternoon)

Movement?  Off and on throughout the day.  I can feel the Halfling rolling, poking me, and shifting from one side to the other.  My Beloved is very anxious to be able to feel our Halfling from the outside.

Food cravings? Mostly sweets recently... and I'm not really a sweets person.  I'm trying to be careful about how much I eat of them.

Rings? Still on, but Sunday night when I was feeling so very bloated after the drive home, I had to take them off for a few hours.

Gender? Not going to find out, but I think it's a boy

Intense Dreams?  Constantly.  The weirdest one was about my Grandma R dying.  It wasn't really an upsetting dream, as we have been expecting and even praying that she could go soon (she really has no quality of life any more and lives in pain and confusion).  In the dream, my mom called me from Grandma's nursing home, and told me that she had passed during the night.  My Beloved and I dashed down there, and when we arrived, my high school friend 'D' was there and I was trying to tell him about Grandma, but he wouldn't stop tad dancing around me in circles long enough to hear me tell him the news.  He just kept tap dancing around me in the entryway of the nursing home. 

Medical Concerns? High blood pressure (on 50mg Trandate/Lobetalol three times a day). I will be going for multiple (3+) GD tests... yuck!

What I miss?  Proper sleep, energy for intimacy with my Beloved

What I look forward to? starting to work on the nursery, doing more practical prep for mat leave and the Halfling's arrival.

Emotional State? Up and down.  I found myself being rather irritable with my poor Beloved a lot more lately.  I think it's primarily due to my lack of sleep, but I really do feel bad about it.