Weeks Twenty-two & Twenty-three

Week 22 of pregnancy: June 8-15, 2011

Week 23 of pregnancy: June 15-22, 2011

Symptoms: Waddling?

These weeks have been similarly uneventful, so I chose to combine them.

I've been walking with Lindsey a few times, we go 3-4 miles at a time, and it feels great to get the exercise. However, the next day at work I waddle. You win some, you lose some. The waddling usually goes away after a day of rest. But there's no denying that Baby Brother is sitting low between my hips, and they ache like the dickens after either too much or too little activity (ie, sleeping in one position for more than an hour.)

I have to wake up every hour or so just to roll over and relieve the ache, but I get terrible heartburn in every position except lying on my left side. So I have to weigh the pain in my hips with the pain in my esophagus, and decide which one I want to get rid of. The obvious solution would be to keep Tums on the bedside table, but there's really no way to do that without Declan eating them all. I learned that the hard way.

I officially asked for the weekend of my birthday off of work so that we can go to the Omaha zoo! I love planning trips. Honestly, I've never planned a vacation that isn't a trip to see family. I get to make an itinerary and book a hotel room, what? It may seem contradictory to my disorganized homemaking habits, but I LOVE planning.

So far I'm thinking we'll start driving early Saturday morning, around 6 or 7, and go straight to the zoo. We'll have lunch there, hopefully stay all afternoon, then find a restaurant for dinner. We'll swim at the hotel pool, get a good night sleep, and eat free breakfast (still hotel shopping.) In the morning I want to go to Fontenelle park to play at the splash pad and playground, go have lunch, then head to the Omaha Children's Museum afterward. After that, we might pack up and head home so that the babies can nap in the car. I'd like to be in Des Moines by dinnertime, so that I can have a nice birthday dinner. Sounds like an awesome and busy birthday weekend to me!

Before we go on our little trip, I'd really like to get our double stroller. I've been shopping around like crazy, but I can't find it anywhere for less than the MSRP, $429. Mom offered to pay for half as my birthday present, which would be awesome. I'm thinking I'll use my paycheck that's coming on July 13th, buy it somewhere with free 2-day shipping, and hopefully have it by zoo time. Since Lindsey is coming with us, I figure Declan and Delana can test it out for us! :)

I can't believe it's almost time for another doctor's appointment (a week from Friday). Baby Brother is getting so big! I can't wait to meet him.