Sandy Lake Michigan

It's been a while.  I've been so busy with work, it's a little bit overwhelming.  Hopefully these deadlines can end soon so that I can resume a normal pace and normal stress level.  Until then... yikes!  It's going to be quite the end of the year, but I guess that just means it will help everything move along a little bit faster.  Good and bad?

The other day I had a field visit, so I took the opportunity to take some pictures of the Hurricane Sandy effect on Lake Michigan.  I've seen some big waves on the lakefront before, and these were probably barely bigger than some, but with all the hype it was hard to resist walking over there.  Driving back along Lakeshore Drive, all the shoulders and pull-outs were full of people who had pulled over, gotten out of their car, and walked to take pictures.  People are a little crazy.

I walked over to Belmont Harbor and then walked along the lakefront down to Diversey.  So many people were out with cameras and camera phones documenting it all.  People were down by the edge with the waves getting their pictures taken in Mickey Mouse Fantasia style.  I saw some guy start screaming at some people who were on the lower level of the concrete path about how he'd seen people die that way and how dumb they were being.  They were sheepish after that.  I made a highlight reel for someone when I was engulfed in a giant wave - or at least I hope I did, because otherwise it was totally not worth it.  I was being exceptionally careful.  I was on the other side of the boulders on the GRASS - probably 75'-100' from the water's edge and 20' above it.  I turned my back and within minutes I was completely engulfed... Sheets of water on either side of me and over my head.  I was soaked across my back, but you couldn't even tell from the front.  It was miserably cold.  About 15 minutes later, I was hit by a second wave in a separate section of the lakefront.  I chose to take the bus home instead of walking the 2 miles back... I thought my legs were going to freeze up, and while they didn't freeze they did turn a lovely shade of cherry tomato red. 

Here is some of what I saw:

 Glad I made the trek, but really wish I hadn't gotten hit by those dumb waves... I also wish it could have been sunny so that my pictures didn't look so gray... but it was exceptionally gray that day.

Now for the pregnancy stuff.  Wish I had more updates.  I really don't, other than pictures - which I guess is better than no news, right?  I still feel great... I still fit in my regular pants and generally most of my clothes.  Some things are more comfortable than others.  I think it helps that I've always worn clothes that are more on the "bigger" side than on the "tight" side, so that probably helps a lot.  

I'm getting a weird burning sensation across the top of my stomach - it feels like an Indian Rug Burn across the meeting of my rib cage.  So that's awesome... Heartburn has started to intermittently set in.  I wasn't prepared for that at all because I've never had heartburn really in my life.  It's super aggravating so I truly feel for people that suffer from it on a regular basis. I don't know that I could survive.

On the movement front, I'm waiting.  I've tried a couple of things to see if I'm just not paying enough attention, so I've spent time relaxing before going to bed trying to concentrate, and I've had the exact same response as I had in Ireland -- I fall asleep.  So, I'm either really bad at this intuitive thing, or he's just not really moving in a way that I can feel him yet.  Either way, I would like it to happen soon, I think that would be a good way to ease some of my anxiety.

We are starting to look into classes.  They are so expensive... I was shocked.  I figured it would be like "you're going to spend a fortune having a baby at our hospital, let's go ahead and give you a break on this one".... Strangely enough - no.  It's one giant money-making scheme I tell you!

Our roommate moved out this last weekend, so we are free and clear to start making updates to the spare room and start the transformation into a nursery.  That's exciting, overwhelming, exhausting to just think about.  We have to start by moving out the desk, which means we have to make room for the desk elsewhere... and move shelves and paint walls, and get rugs, and get baby things.  I don't know quite where to start, but I heard from a really smart friend that we should look into a crib sooner than later - especially with the holidays coming.  So that's probably going to be one of our big pushes (pun intended?) in the next few weeks.  Hopefully we find something we can both agree on that doesn't make me faint with cost.  Looking forward to getting some of these projects started though!  

So, I guess I'll just cut to the chase and show the latest pictures.  I put Weeks 21 and 22 next to Week 8 just for comparison sake.  I guess it's safe to say that my belly is bigger than I thought it was...  In the morning I look almost normal, but by the end of the day with gravity and tired ab muscles it definitely sticks out more.  I'm really into comfy pants. 

Week 21:  The Boy Banana (Chalupa Batman!!)

Week 22:  The Stationary Spaghetti Squash  (Still chillin' without me feeling anything...)

So there you have it.. the latest and greatest from our little world here in Chicago.

Tomorrow is bridesmaids dress shopping... I think that me in my 6th month of pregnancy is equal to me 3 months post partum, right??

Oh, and I finally broke down to get a body type pillow, and I think it's helping.  I don't have as much of an urge to sleep on my back anymore, so the panic of denying blood and oxygen to the little guy isn't as strong.  Means a little more sleep for me!

Can't believe it's already November... so close to Thanksgiving and then rolling into Christmas.  This is going to go so fast...