Today's post brought to you by the letter 'H'

Hormones, heat, heartburn, hemorrhoids (yes, TMI), and heat rash pretty much occupy my time right now. I'm in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy, and looking forward to meeting our beautiful baby, Annika Joy.

I haven't been updating as there doesn't seem much to update lately. My time is spent trying to stay cool - not that it's been scorching hot for normal people, but with my baby belly, I overheat really easily and it makes me pretty miserable. So, I've been hanging out in the air conditioning as much as possible, try to cook in large batches only 1 or 2 days a week, and stay hydrated. But I am uncomfortably HOT pretty much all the flippin' time.

I did sneak into Seattle for a long weekend earlier in the month to enjoy some cooler weather. It was nice to wear sweats to bed, and use a blanket again. LOL.

Speaking of sleeping, I would have added 'insomnia' to the list above but it doesn't start with the letter 'h'. Most of July/August was miserable with trying to sleep - there was simply no comfortable position. Naturally a tummy sleeper, that option was slowly 'growing' impossible, for obvious reasons. Back is out. And I could only last on one side or the other for so long -- and then the vicious leg cramps started. No kidding - whatever side I was laying on, that corresponding leg would cramp within an hour. Calf, arch, toes -- and trying to jump out of bed while 7 months preggers to work it out -- very comedic.

After about 2 weeks straight of hardly any restful sleep, and some online research, we broke down and invested in a very comfy La-Z-Boy recliner for me to sleep in. I haven't slept this well in years. I sleep all night, only waking for 'nature' breaks. No leg cramps. I sleep through Victor's alarm, and only wake up when he kisses me goodbye in the morning. Who would have thought???? I love my chair. I may not go back to the bed...ha ha.

Other than that, it has been a picture perfect pregnancy. Perfect blood pressure, only have gained 13 pounds, despite being what the doctor calls my 'advanced maternal age'. Whatever....

I'm making a prediction. I fear that once I have the baby and the extra heat generating critter is out on her own, I am going to be freezing cold all the time. My poor husband. He has to deal with all this, as well as my bizarre crying at sappy cat food commercials, or crying over anything (DANG you hormones!). He loves me, so I'm sure he can handle another month of this....

So, if you think I've spent an entire post listing my ailments and boo-hoo complaints -- it's not really that bad. I know in 4 or so weeks, I will be holding a tiny miracle in my arms and it will be more than worth it.

I am grateful, hopeful, and excited for this new chapter in our lives.

I'm promising to post frequently once Annika gets here-- those will be more interesting than reading about my silly problems!

Take care - oh, and keep us in your prayers. As new parents, we are understandably a bit freaked out and just want to have wisdom, you know?