halfway there!

reading back on my blog from 5 years ago, it was at the 20 week mark of my pregnancy that i went on short-term disability and modified my work hours to 50%.  and now, just past the 1/2-way mark of this pregnancy, i'm pleased to be doing much better with my sciatica.  the mornings are the hardest, and i still feel twinges throughout the day, but nowhere nearly as bad as last time.

the biggest issue right now is the headaches.  they come on daily, and sometimes i get up to 3 headaches a day.  my OB said i could take tylenol throughout my pregnancy, and i'm trying to save it for the really bad days, but they seem to be more frequent.  i hate to complain about the beautiful weather, but the heat is just compounding the problem. also, if i don't take meds to combat the pain, they actually turn into a migraine, complete with nausea (case in point, i was sick on our trip to whistler).

i've now had my 3rd ultrasound, and this baby is RI-DI-CU-LOUS!  besides being very active, it's  very poorly positioned...the technicians just can't get a measurement of the heart chamber :P  i relieved my bladder, i lay on my right, i lay on my left, she jiggled my belly, and i jumped up/down for 3 minutes.  no change.  so, baby boy and i are scheduled for a 4th ultrasound in 2 weeks time.  yes, baby boy.  now i'll be outnumbered 3-1 by males.  seems only fitting that all the gambling boys had male offspring...las vegas should be very happy about this :P

there was much relief that came with today's ultrasound...learning the baby's gender (now all we need to do is come up with a name!), and getting confirmation about the "notching".  pleased to report that the blood is flowing normally and notching is not a concern!  yippee :)  my appointments with my OB are being ramped up to every 3 weeks just to keep an eye on my blood pressure (which so far has been fine) and to monitor my overall well-being since the blood tests showed abnormalities.

i felt my first kick at 19 weeks, but nothing much since...just the occasional movement when baby rolls around.  i can only assume that since baby is positioned weirdly, that's the reason why my sciatica hasn't been bothering me nearly as much as the 1st trimester. overall, i'm feeling pretty good, and we're making baby steps to getting our home ready for gabe's transition to a single bed, and moving our furniture around to eventually fit a crib.

and i can't believe kindergarten is just around the corner!  we're coordinating with my mom so she can help us with the gradual entry and help minimize gabe's anxiety as he starts a new chapter in his life.  it's also a new chapter in my life as i go back to work 5 days a week!  i'm still only working at 90%, but it's so strange to not have a free weekday to book appointments or run errands.  of course, i'll be on maternity leave soon, and work will be a distant memory :-)