Pregnancy and all its glory

29 weeks and counting.  Aside from increasing bouts of heartburn, the feeling of my skin stretching tighter and tighter around my mid torso, fear of stretch marks, and always feeling pretty tired, thus far I have had few complaints about my pregnancy.  I really do like being pregnant.  I have to say though that I didn't think it would come to anything like this.  After weeks of uncomplicated, uneventful progression of my pregnancy, we've had some big changes of events.  It started with a routine visit to my OB, Dr. Lewis on Tuesday April 1.  A check was done to make sure I was safe to fly to MA that weekend for a wedding shower.  It was discovered that the increased sensations of pressure in my pelvic cavity that I had been feeling for the week or two prior, actually meant something though I had, as a newbie to the pregnancy thing, chocked it up to being normal as a result of a growing baby sitting very low and on my bladder.  I was 25% effaced during that visit, meaning my cervix was starting to soften, a process that normally begins toward the end of pregnancy when its time to give birth.  This was cause for concern in my doctor's mind but not enough to prevent me from flying to MA.  I took my trip to MA which ended up being much busier than expected.  My mother and sister threw me a baby shower for which close family and friends were in attendance.  This was followed up by attending the beginning stage of a bachelorette party for one of my close friends and the next day a wedding shower for another very close friend.  On the Monday when we got back, I followed up with Dr. Lewis as directed the week before for a recheck.  It showed no further softening, however it lead to scheduling a sonogram for more accurate measurement of my cervix and another follow up visit by the end of the week, as well as the shortening of my work days to 6 hrs a piece vs. the 12 hrs I had been doing up until the week before.  The sonogram was done on Thursday the 10th.  It was a wonderful opportunity to see my little man on screen yet once again-I had not seen him since his 18th week.  And just like the first and second sonograms it was love at first sight all over again.  It was amazing to see how developed he was thus far.  He even posed for 2 take home face shots in which his little eyes were in clear view as if he were looking eyes wide open at me.  The sonogram tech left me feeling optimistic that the next day I would see Dr. Lewis and be granted permission to continue on working shortened shifts and rest as much as possible.  Much to my surprise however, I was further effaced than before-just about 50% at that point warranting bedrest like activity, no work, steroid shots to help speed up fetal lung development, and continuing on a prophylactic course of antibiotics.  So here I have sat pretty much 24 hrs a day at home since Friday April 11th attempting to find creative ways to entertain myself in between sappy chick flick after chick flick running around the clock on Lifetime movie network.  I find myself now adjusted to it much more than when the first set of restrictions were implemented.  The intense worry and anxiety I immediately felt regarding first and most important the health of my unborn child and the potential repercussions of him being born way too soon as well as my concerns for our financial well being going so abruptly from the comfort of two good incomes to just one have calmed somewhat, though they are never gone completely.  I also have been fighting my frustrations with having to accept being forced to stay down for the count for the sake of my little man.  Its just something that I am still finding difficult to adjust to.  Never have I been told not to work or not to do housework, etc.  I am only used to the limitations I set for myself through laziness and procrastination.  But somehow everything will have to find its way of working out for Cameron's sake.  The goal at this point is to make it to 32-33 weeks minimum.  Thank goodness for my stubbornness, I WILL MEET THAT GOAL!!!