Gripes, gripes, and complaints

Well, as my third and final pregnancy draws to a close. ( Induction 6am Monday! If they aren't busy.) I'd like to reiterate all the aches and pains that this gestational episode has brought me.
First we will start with the "normal" complaints.
Heartburn
Sleeplessness (at least at night)
Achy back
Swollen feet and hands
General Discomfort
I can handle all of these. I have had them all before. Now for the list of the ailments that made their debut this third time around.
* Hips that feel like they are going to come out of their sockets. As in during my third month, I could barely go from standing to sitting, sitting to standing, and getting in and out of the car was torture. I have days where they still bother me, but at least I'm not hobbling around like a 90 year old with a broken hip.
*General digestive illness- as in I still have days or parts of days where nothing agrees with my stomach. Not cereal, not applesauce, not anything. Weird. I also spend a lot of time in the restroom. I might feel nauseous after I eat or it might  be that everything is so unappealing that I don't want to eat anything, even though I may be lightheaded from hunger.  Thus why I have only gained 23 lbs. to this point. I gained 35 with Madalynn and 40 with Jack.
* Feeling like I am going to fall/pass out. I don't know what the deal is. I can be fine, as in not feeling hungry one minute, and feel like all the blood has drained from my body the next. Not sure why. I had to take the lovely 3 hour gestational diabetes test and it came out normal, so not sure what the problem is.
* Being so miserable physically. I have never gained so little weight during pregnancy. Now take that with a grain of salt, because let's face it, I weighed more than I should have when I began this odyssey. I have also never felt like I was so unable to move around like wanted or needed to. I feel like I literally have a basketball, a large basketball, sewn to my middle that prevents me from sitting up, bending over, crossing my legs normally, getting any kind of comfortable, etc.
*Never have I waited so anxiously for a baby to arrive! I have been ready for her for a good solid month now. I mean really ready. Room ready, clothes ready, diapers, everything. I am ready to move on to the next stage of life and see how it is going to be with 3 kids. I am also ready to get back to my "normal" life. I miss being able to do what I want in the yard and at the farm. The only slight benefit this pregnancy has had is that I don't have to clean out the litter box. I say slight, because the only time my husband cleans it out is when the stench is so bad that you need a good 45 minutes to air out the garage after opening the door in the morning, prior to actually walking through there to get to the car. The last time he cleaned it out, he only left the litter that filtered through the "litter saving bag". Did I mention he doesn't clean it often, so let's just say there isn't alot of litter left.

When I got pregnant this time, I said "I don't want to be miserable, but when it is over I want to be glad it is over." Well, guess what? I have gotten my wish.

A Few Things I Won't Miss

As I type this I am about 6 weeks away from my supposed due date. That is, if the date is correct. I have measured 4 weeks ahead twice! So who knows! I may have a baby in the middle of August or the middle of September.
Jeremy and the kids are in Tennessee for the weekend. I decided to stay home and use this as "me" time. That is if you can call working like a dog me time. I have done all kinds of errands, laundry, put up the crib, found all the baby stuff, cleaned the girls room, hung the curtains in Mady and Jack's rooms (after 3 years!), cooked a batch of vegetable soup, cleaned out all the junk drawers, got the bassinet ready, hauled off all the recycling, cleaned out the garage and touched up all the scuffs on the walls. So instead of sleeping more like I thought I would, I have slept less, but I have gotten a lot accomplished.
Tonight as I suffered through terrible heartburn, and tried to reach around this belly to paint my toenails I thought of all the things I won't miss after being pregnant.
I won't miss the aforementioned heartburn. I won't miss the insomnia, thus why I am writing this at 1:30 am. I won't miss trying to roll around this big belly to get up or do anything. I won't miss getting up to go to the bathroom 58 times a night. I won't miss having a belly button that was once an "innie" that is now a major "outie". I won't miss swollen feet and hands. I won't miss not drinking caffeine. I won't miss the feeling of someone trying to kick their way out of my cervix.
I will miss the wonder of knowing I have a baby growing inside me; of creating something where there was nothing. I will miss feeling kicks and hiccups and later full blown rolls and flips. I will miss hearing your heartbeat at the doctor's office. I will miss seeing glimpses of you at my ultrasound appointments.  I will miss watching my belly grow and knowing you are growing too.
I'd do it all again and I can't wait to meet you Lillie Claire!