Hobbit Feet and Hearburn

I know you all think that some tragic fate has taken me out of this world. Fortunately, you're wrong. I've just had a gazillion things to do and updating my beloved blog has been pushed to the end of the to-do list far, far, far too often.

I know a void opened in your world without me. I will try harder to remedy that!

Today I am going to post about something that consumes my world: pregnancy. This pregnancy has been blissfully easy and fun. I'm one of those freaks who really enjoys pregnancy. I've not really had any of the aches and pains associated with pregnancy yet (knock on wood) and as I enter my 34th week of pregnancy I can really only complain about two minor discomforts.

Yes, Hobbit feet and heartburn. Fortunately for me, I don't have the other dreaded "H" that is often associated with pregnancy. (Again, I'm fiercely knocking on wood.) If you've been pregnant, you know which "H" I'm referring to.

Tuesday was my last day going straight from work to my second job at the community college. Those Tuesdays were my 14 hour days, and as I got further and further into my pregnancy, they got harder and harder. Tuesday night I was wiped out, and when I propped my feet up on the coffee table at home I saw not the cute little feet I am used to, but Hobbit feet. (Minus the disgusting hair, obvs.)

(BTW, a Google images search of "Hobbit Feet" results in some really gross images. This one, from here was the least disgusting one I could find.)

Basically, since Tuesday my feet have been puffy, square appendages that are in desperate need of a pedicure. That's why the image above is not of my own feet. (Well, that and I don't want to become one of the gross images that comes up in Google images when people search "Hobbit Feet." What? People search for that. Trust me.)

Aside from staying hydrated, another "remedy" to Hobbit feet is to elevate them. I try to do that as frequently as possible. I'm currently teaching Hamlet and Macbeth  in the two different levels of 12th grade English I teach. Instead of standing, I have been sitting in front of the class and propping my feet up in another chair to keep the swelling to a minimum. I find that said posture also keeps my professionalism to a maximum... Or not. Oh well.

Anyway, I'm hoping that at some point in the next six weeks the swelling goes down and I can have ankles and cute feet again.

My other ailment is good old-fashioned heartburn. Prior to this pregnancy I'd never experienced heartburn. Now, it is a daily occurrence. It doesn't matter what I eat, it's going to light my esophagus on fire and slowly burn until I pop my new favorite product, Tums.

The Assorted Berries are pretty dang good. Once upon a time, the 96 tablet size above would have lasted me years. Now I'm lucky if I can make them last a month.

But, like I said, I am so very lucky and thankful that aside from these minor discomforts, this pregnancy has been an absolute pleasure.

At this point our little guy is big, healthy and head down. I like to say he's locked and loaded and ready to greet the world. (But hopefully not until I finish the school year...)

Over the next few days I'll (hopefully) have posts about my AMAZING baby shower, some great reads, some products (other than Tums) that I have loved over the past 33.5 weeks, the nursery, my trip to CA, etc.



Until then, have you guys made it though experiences that should have been majorly taxing with only minor complaints? More importantly, have you missed me?