I am really pregnant!

This weekend was nice and quiet. Travis and I brought Charlie (our dog) home from eye-removal surgery on Friday and spent our time cuddling him (thus missing the big convention in Grand Forks that had Barack Obama, Hilary Clinton and Oprah Winfrey in attendance!). He was actually quite perky on Friday--very happy to see us! He's become a little quieter since then, and seems almost depressed...I think it's because he has to wear a cone on his head all the time and he's getting rather tired of it. The eye doesn't look as gruesome and weird as I had expected...it's just a bunch of skin all sewn together. I am so happy to have him back, and I hope that this is the last time his eye ever gives us any trouble! (Especially since his surgery-related appts have cost about $800...and all of the appts that he's had since damaging his eye last summer add up to at least twice that amount!). Travis' mom joked that having Charlie is as expensive as having a child...I guess I should thank him for all the practice we're getting!
In other news from this weekend, I woke up on Saturday morning in a complete panic about having a baby! It occurred to me that the nursery is practically empty and I haven't finished decorating the house, and there are a million things to do in the 3 months or so that we have left before baby arrives! So, I spent no less than 4 hours on Sat morning sterilizing and redecorating our main bathroom. It looks great! It burned off all of my nervous energy too. Travis and I also watched 2 baby videos this weekend and as we watched we both expressed feelings of "Oh my god, we're going to have one of those!" It's sinking in.
In addition to emotionally and mentally coming to terms with having this baby, I have also been feeling "very pregnant" lately! Since I'm such a big fan of lists, here are the ways in which I having been feeling "very pregnant:"

The "Very Pregnant" List:

1. My tummy is HUGE! (and my face and my backside...)

2. I can feel baby kicking very regularly and throughout the day. Baby kicks like clockwork right when I go to bed and kicks me awake in the morning! (often at about 5:00am) In fact, baby seems to be kicking the majority of the time...whenever I want to feel the baby I just have to be quiet for a moment and focus on my tummy!

3. Bending over gracefully is impossible--which I unfortunately forget frequently and so I often end up in an awkward pile on the floor!

4. I've been getting uterus "growing pains" (shooting pains)

5. Back pain!

6. Off-balance...I fell backwards for the first time yesterday (thus worstening the whole back pain thing!)

7. Leg cramps! All the time!

8. Peeing! All the time!

9. I've been getting headaches...especially when I don't drink enough water. It doesn't take very long!

10. Heartburn...ugh. That one just started and doesn't seem to follow any rules, but is especially vicious right when I lay down for bed (even if I haven't eaten for HOURS!)

11. Lactating (need I say more?)

12. Did I mention that my tummy is HUGE??? Pictures coming soon!

Wow, I am really pregnant!