Hungry, Hot and Huge

I'm 23 weeks tomorrow and week 40 can't come soon enough.  We are now on day 18 of consecutive 100+ degree days here in A-town, and every part of my body sweats like no other.  Luckily, I'm in an office where the AC works really well (sometimes too well) so I'm not out in the summer sun just baking.  And neither is Ellie.  Which is good. 

I really, REALLY look pregnant now.  I wish I had a picture to show.  I don't think I looked this big with GT until at least February, but I guess my body enjoys being pregnant, and wants to "strrrrrrrrrretch out" more.  Luckily, I can still wear some of my old clothes (bonus for being fat to being with!) so I haven't had to shop much in the maternity stores yet. 

I think I'm eating for two now.  I just like to have more meals more often.  I'll have dinner at 7pm and then another heavy snack at 9pm.  I just eat and eat and like to do that.  The weight isn't a problem yet.  At my 20 week appointment I finally hit my pre-pregnancy weight (depressing on many fronts). 

Ellie weighs a pound now and is growing greatly!  Her kicks are becoming stronger and starting to "surface" so it will be any day now that Daddy and George Thomas can feel her kick.  About 2 weeks ago, Petey painted her room a pretty purple, and we moved all of the white nursery furniture in there.  I feel bad that she is getting "hand me downs" of a rocker with faded stains, a crib with teeth marks in it, and books that have been chewed on, but I figure being a girl she will get enough "new" things to make up for it.

I do have to apologize to my only son, George Thomas.  When Petey & I were pregnant with him, we lived in a tiny 1400 square foot house and barely had $100 to our name.  Every doctor's appointment, surgery, copay, etc., came with knots in our stomach as to how to pay for it.  It wasn't THAT bad, but going through it the first time around, it hurt us a lot.  (financially and emotionally).  George Thomas was born and off of all the expenses we put on credit cards we had a weekend stay at a resort and two round trip tickets to anywhere in the US.  He cost us that much.  Granted, being pregnant over two calendar years (August 2006-April 2007) didn't help, as we saw our deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses start over again.  It just felt so much different when I would get bills or EOBs or whatever in the mail.  I feel guilty now because we would have paid ANYTHING to have our precious baby boy here.  And sometimes we did feel like we paid EVERYTHING.  But it was truly, absolutely, without a doubt...worth it.

I have better insurance with my new job with this pregnancy and an FSA to cover copays, doctor's charges, etc.  I also have a Hospital insurance plan in addition to the regular BCBS plan, which pays me money whenever I'm in the hospital.  That helps a lot when you are in the hospital not only for a cerclage, but for 48 hours with a c-section.  Obviously, Petey & I make a heck of a lot more money now than we did with GT, so our financial problems aren't as worrisome as they used to be. I think we are just used to whatever bills come our way. We expect it, we are prepared for it, so it's not the shocker like it used to be.

Not that George Thomas is emotionally hurt by this or that he is "missing out" because we were "poorer" when pregnant with him. The child has more crap then you can think of. And having 7 baby showers during my pregnancy with him, he got EVERYTHING he needs.

So again, I apologize to my daughter, who is getting hand me downs like crazy. Yes, she will have all new clothes, but the toys and furniture and books have all been used.

It's okay, it's just big brother germs. They don't hurt. Do they?