pregnancy survival guide

This pregnancy has been a different ball game than my pregnancy with Lena.  Let me paint a picture for you of how my third trimester was last time:

1. Husband is deployed
2. My foot is broken
3. I cannot work because of said broken foot (I am an ICU nurse)
4. I am stuck inside in January, and February, and March
5. I am very miserable

Honestly I don't know how those last few months of my pregnancy with Lena even happened.  They are a blur now.  Thanks to good friends and a wonderful church and living near my family, I was very well cared for, but I was very, very glad when those months were over and I had a beautiful baby in my arms!

This pregnancy has been sooo different.  I have a husband at home to take care of me and worry over me.  (He took care of me and worried over me last time, too, but from Egypt, so it was a little completely different.)  I don't have any broken bones... yet.  I work hard, but my job description has changed to include mothering a toddler, running a home in a foreign country, and managing my knitting and sewing venture.  I am not stuck inside, but I do spend a lot of my time inside, and that will explain a lot of the things on my list!

Here are a few things I've loved this pregnancy:

1. Cute jeans.  I love my jeans, which were a gift from my mom and have helped me feel stylish throughout both my pregnancies.  These jeans are a cut above Old Navy brand but not as pricey as Citizens or Sevens.  (Save that splurging for the many, many months of your life when you're not pregnant!)

2. Knitting.  You all know I love it!  This season I have been so content to sit and knit in the evenings or occasionally even while Lena is playing during the day.  The slide and click of my knitting needles is relaxing, and so is the feeling of productivity as I create beautiful things.  Image via here.

3.  Oranges!  They are in season in Sicily and they are delicious.  Lena and I eat multiple oranges a day.  She is learning to peel mandarin oranges all by herself.  I love to watch her quietly as she furrows her brow in concentration and delicately peels off the skin.  Image via here.

4.  Warm, caffeine-free drinks.  I am sipping this Mighty Leaf tea right now.  I tasted this brand for the first time in a spa before a pregnancy massage two years ago and have been hooked ever since.  During these cold days I also love my decaff coffee every morning (with plenty of cream and sugar) and often enjoy a mug of spiced cider in the evenings.  I make my own (recipe here!), store the jug in the fridge, and heat up a cupful whenever I'm ready for a warm treat.

5. IKEA stacking toy.  I bought it on a whim at IKEA a few months ago and it has amused Lena for hours.  I had no idea she would love it so much, but wow... I am so grateful!   It's teaching her important motor skills on the living room rug while I run around getting dinner ready.  Now we're giving her this toy for Christmas... partly because all the reviews say it kept their kids entertained for so long!

6.  Slippers.  Our Italian house is cold during the winter and the floors are the coldest part of all.  You literally cannot walk on them in socks because the chill seeps right through socks and into your bones.  My sister Emily and sister-in-law Jess (who are best buds... how cool is that?) bought me these slippers last year and I literally wear them for about 8 hours every. single. day.  Thank you, girls, you really nailed that Christmas present.

7.  Knee-high, flat-heeled leather boots.  I bought a pair (not these, but they sure are gorgeous) a few years ago and wear them with dresses all winter long.  Especially when you are pregnant, any dress will seem awfully short when your big belly hikes up the skirt in front!  Knee-high boots add a little coverage, look so cute with a dress, and will be a staple from the first hint of fall till the green leaves pop out on the trees again.

8. This book has its quirks, as does the whole Bradley method, but I am so grateful for this manifesto for natural childbirth.  I gave birth to Lena using this method and had a great experience, and so natural childbirth is my goal with this bambino too.  I'll be re-reading a lot of my old materials in January in order to prep for labor, delivery, and the post-partum period... which is coming up so soon!
 
A few things not pictured:

• Zantac.  I have awful reflux this time around; it just feels like my stomach doesn't even have room for a snack sometimes.  Popping one of these tiny over-the-counter pills kills the reflux in 30 minutes and makes me a much happier girl.
• Nap time.  Lena is still taking two naps a day most days and how I love them.  Time to knit, read, blog, clean, bake, prep for dinner, or just sit still for a little while and pet the cat.
• Body pillow.  Elliott bought me this pillow during my last pregnancy and I just got it out of storage last week.  I'm so glad I did; it makes sleeping at night so much more comfy!  Thank you again, Elliott.

Any suggestions for things you or your loved ones enjoyed during pregnancy?  I'm all ears!