One hot and dry climate to the next

I spent my last 2 days in Denver on Tuesday and Wednesday mostly relaxing because it was over 100 degrees both days and really dry and ok, maybe my mom and I did a little shopping at the mall and online, which is still considered relaxing right? Retail therapy!  He he!  I continued to be quite swollen both days especially my ankles.  I flew back to STL on Wednesday in what seemed like the never ending plane ride home.  We had over an hour delay on the runway and then major turbulence about the first 20 minutes of the flight.  I fly a lot, but I am a nervous flyer and I am the first person to be white knuckling my swollen sausage fingers around the arm rests.  The lady sitting next to me seemed quite nervous about the turbulence as well and wasn't making me feel any less stressed about it.   In fact, her expressions were freaking me out even more.  Ugh, just get me back to STL in one piece!  And with a 1.5 hour delay I made it back and managed not to throw up on the way.

Thursday I woke up in my own bed and discovered my swelling had gone back to St. Louis type swelling, not high-altitude Denver swelling.  I'll take it!  But it was weird because my joints in my fingers and knuckles felt arthritic and sore, like I would imagine an old lady's fingers to feel.  The joint pain has stuck around and isn't too big of a deal, but it is just hard to do certain things with my fingers or anything where I have to bend my knuckles.  Pregnancy is strange people!

It continues to be hotter than hell here in STL and very dry.  Although I would have liked to have stayed inside more than I did this week and weekend and hibernate I couldn't because we had errands to run and then Justin's cousin's high school graduation party Saturday evening and then Justin's family threw him a college graduation party on Sunday afternoon.  Both events were really fun and it was great to see all of his family on both sides whom we haven't seen in quite some months.  And I have to admit the pregnant lady attention is fun!  And I really don't seem to mind people touching my belly.  Some people have told me it bothers them when people touch their belly, but for me it is more like a cool connection thing that seems to bring me closer to people.  But, I haven't had a stranger trying to touch my belly yet, so that might be a whole different experience.

Last night, Sunday evening, I had something strange happen.  We had spent over 5 hours at Justin's party and came home after 6pm.  I was very tired and just feeling drained from everything..... talking, walking, being around lots of people, the heat, ya know everything!  And about 9pm I'm sitting on the couch and I start balling crying.  Justin looks at me very concerned and asks me several times why I am crying and what is wrong.  All I could say was, I don't know over and over.  And honestly, I had no idea why I was crying.  It was the strangest thing!  I couldn't stop crying and catch my breath.  This went on for at least 15 minutes.  Then I stopped crying, we went downstairs to take my weekly picture (hence the reason I look sad in my pictures this week), and then we headed to bed.  I woke up this morning still with no idea why I had been crying.  Again, pregnancy is strange people!

Sooo, how am I feeling overall.  Pretty good I have to say.  There are many little things that I am just getting used to as past of this process like tiredness, joint pain, swelling, random crying episodes, random throwing up episodes, and not being able to bend over without feeling like I am going to pass out.  (Yes, shaving my legs has become very interesting!)  Ha ha, sounds great doesn't it!  But really honestly again I would take all these things in a heartbeat versus having nausea!!  So no complaints here, but I will say this continues to be the most unique process I have ever experienced, but I am grateful because in the end I know we will have our 2 little girls!

Here are my pictures from this week:

Babies are the size and weight of grapefruits.  Sorry about my sad, red crying face!

Without the hand

Justin's graduation party at the bowling alley

How far along?  23 weeks

Total weight gain/loss:  8 lbs+ as of our last appt

Stretch marks?  Nope

Sleep:  Sometimes yes, sometimes no, sometimes I wake up at 530am for no reason

Best moment this week:   Visiting my mom, and seeing my ankle go down to half the size it was in Colorado

Miss Anything?   Cute shoes, rolling out of bed with ease, having an alcoholic drink at parties

Movement:  Yes, all the time especially in the evenings

Food cravings?  Burger King chocolate milk shakes, who knew they were better than McDonalds or Steak and Shake!!

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Broccoli...Yuck!, Justin I hoped you learned your lesson about cooking it in the house, he he!

Labor Signs:  No, not for at least 12-13 more weeks!

Belly Button in or out?  Half way out, ok more than half way out I just don't want to admit it cause it makes me sad

Wedding rings on or off?  Off and the fake one is getting tighter, ahhh!!

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy, except for my random crying episodes

Weekly Wisdom:   Don't visit Colorado if you are pregnant.  Don't get me wrong I loved visiting, but the swelling was out of control!

Looking forward to:  Our handyman coming this week to work on the nursery furniture and room.  Our furniture arriving in the next couple weeks!

Jenny & Justin +5