Day 12 of mat leave: Cleaner soups and really itchy skin

As I mentioned yesterday, a mom tip that I received for a cleaner soup is to blanch the carcass & meats first, then boil for broth. Blanching as defined on Wikipedia:

"Blanching is a cooking process wherein the food substance, usually a vegetable or fruit, is plunged into boiling water, removed after a brief, timed interval, and finally plunged into iced water or placed under cold running water (shocked) to halt the cooking process."

Also, to use the 'double boil' process- after blanching, boil water first, then dump all soup contents to be boiled again and brought to a simmer for x hours. This makes for a cleaner soup with less fatty bits and pieces. I think some would prefer to have the fatty bits and pieces but if you don't, blanching the meats and bones first is a good method. 

So today we are embarking on week 40 day 5 of pregnancy. I have been feeling the need to pee more the last two days. I've also been feeling more tired and cranky and my ab area has been feeling funky. I still can't tell if I'm having contractions or braxton hicks or baby is just moving and taking up more space now that she's big. Add to that I have an insufferable itch on my belly that makes it impossible to focus on anything but to try and will myself to quit scratching- I'm more or less miserable and in constant prayers for this child to be ready to come out soooooon. I can't believe it's only day 12 of having been home. I previously thought that having a set schedule with set tasks would relieve me of this crazy cabin fever feeling that I am experiencing but it has not.

My family is adamant that I stay in doors as it's icy and cold outside and I might trip and hurt myself plus baby. Regardless, I snuck outside today to go buy some pita bread because I'm about to go nuts from recycled indoor air. I only know one woman who does this full time- not work, not drive, plays Candy Crush all day and then waits patiently daily to feed husband and son in the evenings and repeats until the weekend. I now understand why she's prone to depression, anxiety and general malaise. 

Am I really pregnant? Am I just fat? Is this all a joke?