Sleep...how I miss you

Everyone tells you that once you're pregnant, you need to get as much sleep as you possibly can.  They are always telling me "Girl, sleep in!,"  "Enjoy your day off", "Take lots of naps," etc.  I have yet to understand how one does this in their third trimester.  I have always loved LOVED sleep.  I could easily wake up during the night and fall right back to sleep, and I took every oppurtunity to sleep in that I could.  But now I dread it.  As tired as I am every evening, I dread heading to bed.

I definitely believe the statements that your nasal passages swell during pregnancy, because I can actually HEAR myself breathe throughout the day, and Craig says the snoring is out of control!

More recently though, I have felt as if my lungs are half the size they used to be.  I am not a fan of sinus problems or colds.  I would rather be throwing up over a toilet than have a stuffy nose.  I know it sounds weird, but I think its the claustrophobic feeling I get from not being able to breath well, that just absolutely unnerves me.  So, this is going to be one I really have to pray through at the end of this pregnancy.  I think the baby is sitting somewhat high, thus pushing all my innards into my chest and causing me difficulty in taking deep breaths.  Its a little more intense at night, so I am trying to do as much sleeping sitting up as I can.  Otherwise, I just feel like I am going to hyperventilate.  Sometimes, the baby will moved and I feel a little more relief, but mostly I just have to pray that I don't think about it and can fall asleep.

It's strange.  My first two trimesters were super easy.  Few, if any, complaints.  I even stated to Craig on numerous occasions that it was going by all too fast! (I think maybe as one who has experienced a long, difficult journey to pregnancy, I am all too aware that this might be our ONLY pregnancy, so I want toenjoy every second of it.)  I never really understood why women were so ready to be "un-pregnant" and had a running list of complaints and frustrations.  Well...now I get it.  I still want to soak in every moment, and I still am thankful for each and every pregnancy ailment or issue.  But I am most certainly praising Jesus for His Mercy in allowing pregnancy to be no more than roughly 40 weeks. Its long enough to feel ready, but short enough to find some relief to all the little irritants that seem to take over ones every day ability to function.  9 weeks to go!

****UPDATE:  Apparently the breathing problem is NOT just an evening thing.  Just ate a decent sized lunch, and am now sitting at my desk concentrating on inhaling and exhaling normally.  It's not working!!