27 weeks!

My COVID-19/third trimester exercise station

Another week of pregnancy down. It's weird to all of a sudden be in a position where I'm no longer the only one asking, "When will this end?" I wonder how being in a miserable/very uncomfortable/moderately uncomfortable state since mid-October has affected how I'm experiencing the pandemic and the social distancing it requires.

I am now officially done with running. But walking still feels very inefficient, and I like to get my heart rate up and sweat at least a little bit. Thankfully my in-laws have this basic exercise bike on their back porch. Nobody will be training for the Tour de France on this thing, but 30 minutes on it in the morning surely provides some physical and mental benefits.

Looks like the weather in LA will get into the low 70s this weekend and next week. I can't wait!!

COVID-19 Week #2 - three park visits

Today was a very nice day, clear with scattered clouds, sunny and reasonably warm. I had the "morning shift" for childcare, so M and I went to the park. The original intent was to go to Fryman Canyon, which is apparently good for celebrity sightings. But I couldn't figure out where the main entrance and the parking were, so we went to a smaller local park instead. Thankfully it had bathrooms and they were open! This almost-27-week-pregnant lady needs her bathrooms, and I can't just stop at a restaurant and a coffee shop these days.

M was very sweet, but didn't want to run around and expend energy. She did enjoy playing in the puddles from yesterday's downpour - I'm glad that her dad suggested putting on her rain boots. A bunch of people were walking their dogs in the park, and she was nervous, even though the dogs were mostly small, didn't bark, and were reasonably far away. We're social distancing, after all! Sigh...maybe one day she'll come around.

She asked to go home after an hour or so, but I took her to Griffith Park instead, since we still had a lot of time before lunch/nap. I thought I could entice her to walk up and down the steep trail. She likes hills. Alas, she just wanted to sit and snack on almonds on a bench. Oh well. She did tell me that I'm her best friend.

These days are exhausting, mentally and physically, and also so full of moments that remind me why having a kid is the best thing in the world.

One week down, ?? to go

Afternoon walk in LA

We've been staying with my in-laws for about a week now. It's been going as well as it could, given the situation. Everybody is getting along. M is happy and excited to have so much adult attention. O and I are taking turns watching her and working, and my MIL has been watching her A LOT. Hours and hours of help that we wouldn't have if we stayed home. So that's been truly amazing.

I have continued to feel like #&%$ a lot of the time...still mild but ongoing nausea, heartburn, a lingering respiratory infection from two weeks ago - maybe it's COVID-19, but who the hell knows, and I won't be able to get tested! I'm exhausted about 80% of the time, and tired the other 20%. And I'm sleeping about 8 hours a night, plus taking naps most days. Today I napped for almost two hours. It kind of helped.

The local 7-Eleven has a mini Beer Pong section!

That said, I've been pretty good about reminding myself to be grateful for the many many things I have:

• Lots of family time and family support
• Early morning yoga (using the YogaDownload.com podcast)
• Morning walks/jogs
• My boss and my company being really understanding. Definitely not as productive as I normally am or as I have set out in my goals
• Regular walks with O. Today we went on a hike in Griffith Park, and it was great to get out into some nature and spend time together
• Spring weather. It's been raining a bunch, but also some really nice sunny mornings, and in a week or so it seems like it will get a lot warmer here!

I think the gratitude helps me keep from falling apart. Though I can't guarantee that won't happen during this time. 

My MIL playing with M on the porch

I think I will look back on at least some of this time with fondness. And at least the pregnancy part of it will come to an end in three months, not sure about the pandemic part. Then we'll have a whole new crazy challenge...but I just can't think about that right now.