28 weeks

I'm now at the 28 week mark, so anyone who's not legally blind can tell I'm pregnant, and nearly everyone who sees me asks me the inevitable question, "So, when are you having that baby?".

What this means for me is that barely any of my old clothes still fit (I had to buy a bunch of size 16 shirts the other day--thank goodness for a well-timed yardsale), my back aches on a regular basis (I think I'm gonna need to invest in some sort of back-support device if I'm gonna make it through the next three months), and most days, if I sit still long enough, I can feel lots of kicking and other fetal acrobatics. Feeling my little squirm-worm move around is quite entertaining, and gives me a reason to laugh several times a day.

My work situation is surprisingly compatible with pregnancy. I carry a cushion around to sit on, and that makes sitting episodes bearable. I don't have to stand around a whole lot, but the day is interspersed with several short walks. Nobody needs toileting. Our class schedule includes Yoga every day, so I get to stretch on a daily basis (which makes me feel a LOT better). Since I'm not constantly responsible for supervising students every single minute of the day, I can take short breaks throughout the day to take care of my own needs. I don't have any students with severe behaviors to deal with (no runners to chase after, and no grabbers, screamers, hitters, or biters to worry about), so I'm perfectly safe while I'm at work. And since I'm not working in a mainstream classroom setting, I don't have to worry about breaking up fist fights, or dealing with Axe Bodyspray, or any of that nonsense.