How are you feeling?

I get that question a lot lately. I think (hope) it's because people really want to know and not because I LOOK like I'm feeling miserable.

Truthfully, I'm not miserable. Any misery I'm currently experiencing comes from the kids that are already born, not the one yet to come. (I think Daniel and Leah must have some kind of magical pull toward each other. Too bad it's such an explosion of feelings when they get too close!) But I am getting more and more tired. I've stopped being able to sleep really well at night. It's a combination of heat, stuffy nose, dry throat, bathroom trips, barking dogs and a sort of "beached whale" phenomenon. The baby doesn't move enough to keep me awake, yet. Last night was actually better, but I was so tired, I don't think I could have stayed awake if I'd tried.

The only discomfort during the pregnancy (beside the pregnancy itself and the morning sickness the first 1/2) is a ligament at the front of my belly, just to the side of my naval. When this little part of me gets over-used, it feels like it's on fire and hurts like a bugger. If I try to hold it or rub it, etc., it hurts worse. Only rest and inactivity helps. I first felt this pain when I was healing from having Joseph. So I guess it can be a "coming and going" sort of deal. I expect to feel it as I heal from the delivery this time, too. And then I hope it's gone forever!

I do look forward to the end of my dry, itchy scalp. I've been suffering with that for several months. It's a miracle I haven't made myself bald. I even switched to Head and Shoulders sensitive formula. It didn't help. That's not the only itchy spot, but it's one of the worst. And I'll be glad when I only pee once each time I go to the bathroom. Currently, it's once when I'm meaning to, and once more when I stand up. Sorry for too much info. Pregnancy is not pretty.

I finally cut the baby's blessing gown out this morning. I didn't get too far into my project before the kids found me. Leah looked at the length of the dress and wanted to know just how big this baby was going to be! I had to explain to her that blessing dresses are extra long and showed here where the baby's feet would probably be inside the dress. That made more sense to her, but I think the big dress thing was still kind of weird in her mind.

I had the TV on while I was working. At that point, the only thing I could stand to hear was an old episode of "Friends." Some of you may recall the episode where "Ross" gets too hot in his leather pants and pulls them down to cool off, but then can't get them back on. Then he tries a bunch of stuff to get them to slide back up and ends up quite messy. I looked up at Nathan's face during this part and saw an expression there that I've never seen before. It was something of a bewildered, shocked and unbelieving look. Right on Nathan, I've felt that way about this and many other TV shows...MANY times!

I did get Rebekah's quilt binding sewn on last week. I only have to trim the yarn ties and it's done. I still have to tie the baby's crib blanket. I got a few sets of clothes sorted (thanks for the distraction, Kelli!) and need to get those bins finished up and into the garage. I still have the task of turning the sewing room into a bedroom looming in my mind. But that's months away, so I should just relax and worry about something more imminent!

Our ward choir had a summer picnic this Saturday. We'd originally planned to hold it the 13th, but were rained out and after postponing it twice, we succeeded in having a really good time. The choir is full of AWESOME people. I think it's the best group I've ever experienced in a ward choir. We all get along, we laugh at our mistakes, we welcome new members (and wish we'd get more...are there ever too many tenors and bases?), and just have a really good time together. These are humble, hard working people. I know some of them have joined the choir because they like to sing, but no one has joined thinking they are just what their section needs. And then there are those who don't feel very secure in their ability to sing well, but keep coming anyway. (I think those are my favorites.)

As for our summer, things are pretty much par for the course. We are still reading and doing worksheets, but the furor has died down a bit (thankfully). We haven't had any serious illnesses, but a seemingly disproportionate amount of skinned knees, legs, tummies, arms, hands, heads...considering it's still June. Daniel has been complaining of a sore cheek/ear/jaw since Sat. morning. It's a flighty little pain and has reduced him to tears at least twice. Of course, that is only at bed time and so we've just given him pain killers and sent him to bed. He's getting a tooth pulled next Monday. Can we make him suffer that long? And what if it doesn't even have anything to do with dental issues? I'm pretty sure Joseph had Roseola the first week of June. It took another baby in the ward to clue me in. And here I thought it was all ear infection! Apparently, kids can be cranky about more than one thing at a time. Who knew?

I've got some pictures of the girls on horses for you. Some very nice (and now favorite) people in the ward let them ride them at the end of the picnic Saturday. Somehow, Leah has developed a LOVE for horses. You may be able to see the sheer joy on her face in the photo. She and Rebekah have not stopped talking about the event. It's only the best thing to happen to them this year!