The Holiday Season is over. Finally?

It's Monday morning, my first day back after a five-day hiatus from work. It's also the last sign (for me anyway) that the Holiday season is over (the first sign being me and Mark taking down our Christmas tree). I know some are relieved when Christmas/New Years is gone, but I get a little depressed. It's such a happy time of year, or at least it's supposed to be. :o) I just keep telling myself that next Christmas is going to be awesome because I'll have two little boys running around!!

New Year's was great. We had Allison and her husband Terry over as well as my step-sister and her husband. We played Guitar Hero World Tour and a round of Trivial Pursuit (I won!). It was definitely a good time and I think it was almost better than bowling for New Years last year.

I haven't been feeling great, physically, lately. I've been really swollen in my nether-regions which no one warned me about until I googled it. I never got swollen like this until after Aidan was born, so it as quite a shock when I looked down and saw the monstrosity that was there. I felt really embarrassed to call Dr. Hulsen or Dr. Dalla Riva about it, so I called the nurses at Anderson and they told me to alternate between sitz baths and ice packs. So far, both have helped a little bit but it still sucks. I feel like I've been riding a horse for a week straight and sometimes it hurts to sit down.

I'm still suffering from the shortness of breath as well and that sucks. It's suppose to get better the further the baby's head travels downward, however I'm thinking because I'm such a tiny person to begin with, that just isn't going to happen. :o/

And I'm totally freaking out now because one of the girls that was pregnant here at work (and was due the day before me) had a stroke last week. They had to take her baby early (obviously) and apparently the baby is okay, but I haven't heard about the girl. It scares me because she is only a year older than me. I hope she's doing okay. I'm going to have to ask around to find out.

I have my check-up with Dr. Hulsen at 5 this evening and it will be a pelvic exam. I'm assuming he's going to do the Group B test (why wouldn't he?) and I'm hoping that I've already begun to dialate. With all that's going on down there, something better be happening!!!

In non-baby related news, Mark and I bought a new car last week and it definitely has all the room we need for our new little one. I love that car so damn much too. I look forward to driving to work now instead of loathing it. I'm sure that once the new-ness wears off I'll hate the 40 to 45 minute drive again, but now it's just fun.

I guess that's it for now. Here's where I am this week...only five weeks to go!!

How your baby's growing:

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.