22 Weeks

23 weeks 5 days

Today is the 5th day of my official "vacation." I put vacation in quotes because unless you are on an out-of-town trip by yourself, you don't get a vacation from your home life. What I meant by "vacation" was temporary freedom from my paid responsibilities outside of home which is good enough for me. This week the kids & I have enjoyed grandma Chris & grandpa Gerry's visit from Wenatchee. I also carved out some time for trips to Value Village & Target for a few overdue purchases, house cleaning & trying new recipes.


Green Lake

This morning I had an ambitious plan to walk around Green Lake (it's a beautiful waterfront walk that usually takes 30-45" depending on one's speed). I regretted it as soon as we got out of the car. First of all, it took forever to find parking. Then the playground was overcrowded, teeming with too many kids & parents. As I watched Sophia head out in one direction & Gerritt in another, my panic mode set in. Gerritt started crying as one girl didn't want to share a playground toy, "No, it's mine!" Then Sophia almost got knocked down by older kids playing chase at the top of the tall play structure. It was annoying to constantly bump in strollers & other people & their kids. It was around noon, the blazing sun was hot & there was not a hint of shade anywhere. I finally convinced the kids to sit in the stroller in order to walk around the lake, however, I quickly realized I was running out of energy. I've decided to stop my walk while it was still enjoyable by turning around after walking about 1/3 of the loop. It took me forever to get out of my parking spot as people parked too closely in front & behind my car. The car was hot as our air conditioner broke this spring. Red & sweaty we were finally back to our cool & comfortable home (thanks to shade from multiple large trees growing nearby). I learned a valuable lesson - at 22 weeks of pregnancy it's time to scale back on long outdoor & social outings. From now on we'll stick to activities close to home or even in our back yard.
My pregnancy is in full swing. I haven't been sleeping well for past couple of weeks. I get too hot with Gerritt & 2 dogs in my bed. Also my bladder is unable to hold all night like it used to. I can't seem to get quite comfortable & turn & toss often. I now have a constant backache - probably from lifting 2 toddlers in & out of car way too many times. My belly has grown considerably, & I am afraid to imagine how much more it will grow. My feet started to swell up occasionally (especially in hot weather), so I need to watch the time I spend standing.


My husband is grilling AGAIN to satisfy my constant hunger


Our typical summer meal

I am eating every 2-3 hours & the only substance that truly satisfies my hunger is protein (red meat, chicken, peanuts, walnut butter, cheese), so my husband has to grill something at least every couple of days. I feel great otherwise. I am probably in better shape now than I was during the past year, thanks to my walks with our dogs Sammy & Maxie twice daily (at least 30" each time) for the past 2 months. My pregnancy rhinitis is back. I have a slight nasal congestion & sneeze often. I still sleep on 2 pillows, but the pillow number usually increases the further along I get. On a "positive" note, I had to go shopping for new bras since my breast size increased from a AA to a B cup. Pregnancy is the only time I get to have a real cleavage. :-) I now have a hard time putting on my shoes & usually have to do a weird side twist so my abdomen isn't in the way. Unless I am exercising, I will wear mostly easy-to-slip-on flats for the rest of my pregnancy.
I stay positive & try to imagine my little boy's face when I'll hold him in my arms for the first time. I know it will all be worth it. I have only 4 months to go & just like with my previous pregnancies I will not remember most of the unpleasant stuff. I also focus on not wishing this pregnancy away & try to enjoy every moment & every little kick in my belly. I stil remember slight sadness when it was over all too well.


Salmon caviar on a buttered whole wheat toast

My latest food cravings include caviar (I haven't wanted it for years!) & piroshki. After sampling some salmon caviar at my friend's house, I wanted to buy some more. Luckily, one of the largest red caviar distributors in the US happens to be right here in Bellevue. Coincidentally, Awers, Inc. is a Russian-owned business.


It took a lot more work to satisfy my piroshki craving. After reading & re-reading Darra Goldstein's recipe multiple times & gathering all of the ingredients, I braved to make 2 kinds of piroshki - poppyseed & broccoli-mushroom-cheese. My Mom was never good at baking, so I was afraid I inherited her lack of baking talant. Surprisingly, piroshki turned out better than I expected, but the amount of energy it took for me to make them was too high. With hurting feet & back due to prolonged standing & slightly irritated from being interrupted by kids too many times, I finally was able to enjoy the piroshki with tea at the end of the evening. The kids were not interested in tasting them at all & my husband ate only a couple. Needless to say, I probably will not make them again for another few years.