Looking Forward

Claire

We are still getting the sickness out of our house and Claire has been having the cough from last week show back up and we all still have stuffy noses. I'm very done with this whole being sick thing but I'm glad it is happening now and not when we have a newborn in the house which is going to be pretty soon! I don't think Claire understands that there will soon be a baby sister joining her in the house to take up my attention so it will be interesting to see how she handles it. I hope they can be close as they grow up and there won't be too much bad feelings between them, I never had a sister to share anything with but I always wanted one. She loves being involved with everything we do weather we are vacuuming, doing dishes, cooking, or just relaxing on the couch. I'm glad she wants to be 'helpful' and hopefully that sticks around for her whole life!

Working out

I have now had an experience 5 separate times at the gym we work out at where someone comes to me and comments on how impressed they are that I am working out while THIS pregnant. I feel awkward and want to express that it really isn't that hard to maintain the weight I've been lifting before I was pregnant but all I say is "Thank you." It would be more impressive if I was still trying to run as much as I was before! Chris and I have talked about how I'm even able to do more during this pregnancy because my body knows how to handle it better than my first. I remember having to stop bench pressing because it would hurt my stomach and scientifically it was because my abdominal muscles were separating to make room for the baby. Now they already know how to do it so I'm able to do all my normal lifts except squats because I fell like I'm going to pee myself when I squat... Either way, I am very glad we got signed up for this gym where I have more motivation to go because it means Claire gets to be social with other kids and I get a free hour an a half. There is also other amenities that I have enjoyed like their hydro massage beds and their pool for easy cardio swimming.

Work

I'm still teaching in the morning and trying to stay comfortable while doing it for 3 hours by standing and sitting. I've been making decorations for the Chinese New Year to put up in my background and I love them even though less students will see them since not many of them will be taking classes during the holiday. I'll keep them up until I start decorating for spring though so they get some use and the students see my hard work! I've made a lantern, a dragon, envelopes, and what hopefully looks like fireworks! It should be a fun way to help them know I appreciate their holidays since I did decorate for Christmas and Halloween last year.

Everything else

I don't feel like I have much to say because life is just moving along and we are taking it one day at a time, maybe even being impatient as we wait for our new addition. I'm constantly feeling baby kick and I'm starting to get that feeling of anticipation I felt when Claire was a month out. I just want to hold her in my arms already and kiss her! It is still more than a month away until she is due so I have to wait it out and at least it is more bearable in the winter when I'm not way too hot to do anything. I get to be uncomfortable in other ways like when I'm trying to carry Claire, good thing she is still so small because I probably wouldn't be holding her much if she was any bigger. I also haven't swelled as much this time around that I've noticed but knocking on wood so that doesn't start now that I've mentioned it...