Ka-Whump

I hit a wall. Yesterday morning I really didn't have the energy to go to the gym, but I decided I should anyway. I usually do about 25 min. on the elliptical machine, but yesterday I was positive my work-out was about over so I moved my book and found out I'd been active for a whopping 8 minutes and 36 seconds. The rest of my work-out didn't improve. On the treadmill, usually 15 min., the same thing happened but I refused to look at the time until I was absolutely certain my work-out was nearly over. 7 minutes 27 seconds. It was a joke. My stomach felt overly bulky, I was having a much more difficult time breathing, and I had to decrease my intensity on everything. I was incredibly frustrated.

The worst part is that it didn't/hasn't improved. I feel pregnant. Extremely pregnant. As pregnant as I felt a couple weeks before E was born. Want to see how pregnant?
Okay, that's not actually me, but it's precisely how I feel. (It's an anonymous woman who took the shot when she, too, was 27 weeks pregnant with twins.) T even came home from work and said, "Whoa! Did your stomach totally grow today?!" He can get away with saying things like that because I love him so much.

Today I took E grocery shopping and I am spent. Pushing that cart about did me in and when I had to lift the multipack of detergent into the cart at Costco I about flagged down assistance. I'm telling ya, if this doesn't subside I don't know what I do. I know this sounds really whiny, and it is, but I just had to share it.

Other, More Uplifting Pregnancy News:

• My sweet sister was inspired and sent me a lovely, perfect babies' gift that arrived yesterday. It was the silver lining to my day. Thanks!
  
• Two weeks ago I had yet another ultrasound and they finally gave me baby weights: Babette A weighs 1 lb. 10 oz. and Babette M weighs 1 lb. 5 oz.
• Kaiser registered me for their "Preterm Birth Prevention Program" for mothers of multiples and I've never felt so medically monitored in my life. Our doctor during my pregnancy with E was uber laid back: each of my 14 visits were about 5 min., and I had two ultrasounds. We're more than making up for it with the girls. I have an OB appointment every 2 weeks, an ultrasound every 4 weeks, a weekly call from a perinatal nurse that logs and monitors my daily contractions and kicks, two upcoming birthing classes, and a consultant geneticist.
• I had an encounter with a belly rubber! T and I went to JoAnn's Fabrics and were waiting at the fabric counter when the woman in front of me turned around and said, "You look about as pregnant as my daughter!" To which I replied, "Well, I'm probably due a little after your daughter. When is your grandbaby's due date?" She said, "The beginning of April. You?" I said, "Well, our's aren't due until the beginning of June, but there are two in there." At this point, the woman gasped, smiled, struck her arms toward me and started massaging my belly with both hands while making all kinds of squeals and giggles. I looked up at T who was staring, open jawed at the lady's hands and realized that his reaction was the exact same as mine. She rubbed on to her heart's content and then said, "Oh, I'm so excited for you!!!!" and moved on to other baby related small talk, though I don't recall a word she said. When she walked away T looked at me and said, "Did that really just happen." "Yeah," I said, "I think it did."
• I haven't taken any pregnancy pictures since my last ones, but I promise to take some soon and post them.

Follow-up to our parenting dillemnas:

• With the smoking issue... When it arose I calmly told E that we don't smoke because it hurts our bodies and our bodies are a gift from Heavenly Father. I used the word "hurt" instead of "sick" because I've been "sick" lately and I didn't want E thinking they were at all related. After reading your advice I've felt better about what I said and I'm sticking to it when it continues to arise during his imaginary play. I also want to thank my BC friend who emailed me and told me that they point out to their kids that it's a bad choice, not a bad person. That made it so clear to me and easier for me to explain to E.
• As for the potty... Last Friday, E and I picked T up from the airport (Michigan again) and we went to Ikea. We were enjoying a picnic in the car before heading into the store when E had a waterfall accident standing right there in the car. His underwear and pants were soaked. Luckily, there was a Wal-Mart right next to us, so I went in to get him some underwear and pants. I was looking at the underwear and saw the cotton boxer briefs and had an idea. I bought them for E, came back to the car and told him since he's growing so big he gets Big Boy/Daddy underwear as long as he can keep them dry. It's working! To quote my sister: We've been accident-free for five days now! Thanks for all your great advice!