Baby update, and life.

It has been a while since I did a baby update, so I thought I might take the time this evening, just in case anyone is interested :)

How big is baby? At 29 weeks the average baby is about 15 inches long, and weighs almost 2 and a half pounds. I can say for sure that baby is getting big enough that when s/he stretches I can feel and see it.
Total weight gain: ~20lbs. I'm thankful that my doctor has specifically said that she is more concerned with health than numbers on a scale. And I passed my glucose test with flying colors! So I'm trying not to feel bad about gaining more than I wanted to...I can work on getting rid of it once baby is here.
Maternity clothes? Honestly I'm getting tired of wearing what feels like the same 5 outfits over and over. But, at least now people can actually tell I'm pregnant!
Sleep: Some nights I sleep very well, other nights I toss and turn all night. It usually helps to have the room slightly chilly.
Best moment this week: Even though it is slightly uncomfortable, I love when Berry stretches out. Basing my assumptions on the last few ultrasounds and the way my tummy gets stretched, Berry's favorite way to stretch out is with the back of his/her head on the right side of my belly button, and I can usually feel the legs (I think) all the way to under my left arm. It made Alex and I laugh the other night because my tummy looked so distorted.
Gender: is still unknown, though when talking to each other Alex and I usually say "he".
Movement: Is very regular, and tends to be more hyper and strong in the evening and around bedtime.
Belly Button in or out? Still in, barely
Stretch marks? Mhmm, and I seem to be getting more of them daily.
What I miss: Actually, I miss my long hair. I want my bangs to grow out so I can keep them out of my face, and I want to put my hair in a ponytail.
What I am looking forward to: actually meeting the baby! As far as things not concerning pregnancy, one of my best friends will be arriving tomorrow and I'm really excited about it!!
Milestones: Umm, I don't know of any major ones. I think that by this point all that's left for baby to do is layer on the fat and get a bit bigger. And s/he must be developing stronger bones because I have been drinking a lot of milk.

I still haven't really had any consistent cravings. Life cereal usually makes me pretty happy, and I no longer want pizza every other meal. The last few days I had been craving pancakes and my sweet husband made some for me this morning.
My belly is getting bigger a lot faster than it was, and I actually feel like I look pregnant sometimes, though I still forget on occasion and try to sit up too fast, which causes a weird pull in my tummy.
Pretty much my one complaint with the whole pregnancy is that the hormones seem to have caused dry patches of skin on my face that will sometimes itch like crazy. The dr prescribed cortisone, which I have been using to keep it from getting terrible, but there are still some days when I look like I have been through a war because of all the red splotchiness around and under my eyes.

29 week belly!

In other news...

Today Alex and I took KitKat in to get him declawed. I felt so terrible! KitKat has always been an inside cat, leaving the house all of 2 times in his life. Once when he was neutered, and once when Alex and I moved him here. He was so lost and frightened and was crying the whole way to the vet. I felt like crying too, but decided that the last thing Alex needed before 8 in the morning was a scared, crying cat, and a crying, hormonal, pregnant woman in the vet's office.  We get to pick KitKat up tomorrow and I am really hoping he isn't too traumatized.

Today after Alex got home from school he also helped me re-arrange the livingroom. He'll be moving his school desk out here for now, because we don't think it will work to have it stay in the baby's room. We were going to just leave it in there longer, but with my friend Christa staying here for a week in the spare room, we figured now would be a good time. (Plus, I'm just a bit impatient to feel like I have something completely ready for the baby. Because right now there isn't one thing we have fully done,lol.)  Also we have a new, smaller, dining room table, and we got bar stools for the breakfast bar. I like the way it turned out!

I guess that's all for now. It had been a while since I've updated, and I was actually sort of in a writing mood tonight. Maybe someday I'll get back to writing more often...but I'm not making any promises!

A soap box...

The other day I was reading a new book and I found myself very annoyed! The time period of the book was set back near the depression and one of the couples, the parents of three little girls, owned a store. As the book progresses the wife mentions that her husband won't let her work at the store because he wants her to be home for their children, and she talks about how irritating it is for her, says she'll try wearing him down and being persuasive to change his mind. Towards the end of the book you find out that she resorted to not having sex with him until he would give in, and he started sleeping at his office. Then her dad has a stroke and they are all concerned about losing him, and the couple realizes what a silly, minor thing they had been arguing about. They both apologize....and then the husband gives in and tells the wife she can work at the store! Maybe I sound kind of silly to some of you readers, but that made me so mad! The whole underlying situation (this couple was just part of the supporting cast of characters) during the book irritated me. Not just the wife's bad attitude about agreeing to her husband's wishes, but then that the situation would end because he gave her what she wanted? It would have been a whole different thing had she approached him and talked about how she felt useless at home doing nothing while the girls where at school, and after hearing her, he agreed that a few hours a week would be okay. But that she was manipulative and disagreeable until he gave in? It upset me...a lot. And I know that that kind of thing happens a lot, even in Christian couples (as this couple was portrayed to be). But I don't think it's right that this is accepted -and even encouraged- behavior for women.

And if you can't tell by now: I am very opinionated when it comes to a wife obeying her husband. I think that she needs to obey him regardless of what he tells her to do and how she feels about it. The only exception is if he is telling her to do something that goes against biblical principles. I know that this is probably a very unpopular opinion, especially in a world where "women are equal". It is my belief that it's not wrong for the woman to talk to her husband -with a proper attitude- if she is unhappy or has doubts about a decision he has...but if she talks to him and he doesn't change his mind? End of story. She should obey him anyway. And the physical relationship between them should never, ever be used as a bargaining chip.

As for myself, I honestly don't know why it's such a difficult idea to understand and accept that the man was made and put in a position of authority over a woman. (Her father, and then her husband) To me its a relief that with most things I'm not the one that has the huge responsibility of making the final decision, and though there are times when I have to share the consequences if it was a bad decision, I feel secure in knowing that I did the right thing in obeying and supporting my husband. I haven't had any reason to regret it yet, and Alex and I have a wonderful marriage. I know that he loves me and that regardless of how his decisions may annoy me at the time (My hormonal, pregnant self asking "Why shouldn't I get to have fast food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?") I realize that he does want what's best for me and that I make his burden of responsibility that much easier by being submissive.