I've been known to say in recent months, "Sure it's hard, but this pregnancy has been so much easier than the last one that it's hard to complain." Turns out? Not so hard, apparently.

I'm generally feeling like crap. The ever-present post-nasal drip is turning disgusting again as actual cold season approaches. This lends itself to two lovely additional features of this awesome pregnancy - increased morning sickness and coughing that inevitably leads to wetting myself within the first five minutes of my first class of an eight hour day.

My whole life, I've had incredibly low blood pressure (to the point of my mother being reprimanded about my sodium intake as a child - as in, I didn't get any). The exception, of course, was last time I was pregnant. I remember from a very young age having to sit on the edge of my bed for ten minutes or more when I got up in the morning to prevent myself from fainting once I stood. The increased blood in my system seems not to have improved this situation in me as yet. This morning, I was looking over my shoulder at Alliclaus sitting on the couch next to me while I finished up a quick exegesis. When I turned back to the computer screen, it was all I could do to maintain consciousness.

There's a woman in my department at work who is 39 weeks pregnant, and I am surely more pregnant-looking at 24 weeks than she is now. I can't possibly have 16 more weeks of growing to do. (I have considered posting pictures so that you wil understand, but it is truly mortifying.)

Finally, I got pregnant in the Spring and have been pregnant entirely through the warm, dry season thus far. Fo that reason, my flip flops have practically worn through. Since it is pouring this morning, I decided that my tennis shoes would make more appropriate classroom footwear. Too bad my dogs are so swollen that they barely fit. Dude! My shoes don't fit and I am only 24 weeks pregnant! I didn't even think my feet looked swollen.

On the other hand, I am very excited to be able to bring another baby into our home. And this pregnancy really is easier than the last one, so I guess it should be hard to complain.