...is just stinkin' tedious.

At the beginning of this pregnancy, I pictured the end of this pregnancy to be something like having the baby around 38 weeks after feeling fairly decent, cleaning my house thoroughly, and making a few extra meals for the freezer.

AS IF!

Everywhere birthing information tells you that the one difference between true labor and false labor is regular or irregular contractions. Not true. I have regular contractions all the time. A few times a week, usually around the weekend since 34 weeks I'll a few hours of contractions every 5 mins (this is in addition to the random Braxton-hicks felt regularly). They are non-progressive and they peter out. They are not particularly painful though have gotten stronger by the week. And they are wearing me out. It makes more sense to call it pre-labor, because in the end, they are useful for toning the uterine muscle and will probably stand me in good stead once I finally hit active labor. Then there's the incredible pelvic pressure that inspires permanent recumbency. In the meantime, my house is a wreck and getting food on the table is a minor miracle.

Kind of wonder if "efficient" is the right word for my labor process?

So this is just to say, that, though expecting a baby soon has done great things for my blog stats, I'm still hanging around in pre-labor purgatory.

Posted by at 10:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

I was feeling all excited today because I've basically made it to 36 weeks (well, as of tomorrow) and now I can deliver at the birth center instead of the hospital. My mom came for the day, and we took a long walk around the arboretum, which I've been holding back on, so it was nice to go. The baby is SO incredibly low and low back pain (that's been different from my other back pain) started last night; general yuckness. But no real contractions, just occasional Braxton Hicks. I've been holding back and resting, and today I felt excited and free to have this baby.

Then we went to my midwife appt. And I found my GBS test was positive. And she's like "It's hard when your first baby is early, because you could easily go all the way with your next." which is true. And sort of had been my mindset until our stint at the hospital a week and a half ago to stop contractions. I mentioned that I had already been at the hospital to stop labor and she was like--oh that wasn't labor or you would've have the baby; you'll have that kind of thing a lot at the end and you should just ignore it. No, they weren't contractions producing dilation, but it's hard to just ignore contractions coming every 3-5 mins for over 8 hours! Such as that stint was. whatever.

She didn't say anything that wasn't true. I could very well go all the way to 40 weeks. But she wasn't very encouraging about it either, just sort of matter-of-fact. And I kind of thought she'd do an internal exam, which she didn't, which is probably good, because unnecessary prying around is probably good to avoid, but it left me feeling like a pregnant blob and not like someone who might give birth soon. She didn't say anything encouraging about the fact that I made it this far. And in a sense, she didn't say anything different than the midwife said last time (there are 7 in the group, so I'm always seeing a different one), but last week the way the other midwife said it encouraged me and motivated me to keep persevering.

When we got to the car, I just cried. I cried all the way home and cried myself to sleep for a nap. I'm glad my mom was here.

I don't know what i was expecting. I guess I've been focusing too much on just making it to May 1 that May 29 just seemed like a laughable impossibility. Or maybe part of me even thought that if she did an internal exam she'd exclaim "holy cow! this baby is going to fall out!" I sort of feel like I've been running a marathon and starting to feel like i could spot the finish line, but someone pointed out to me that there was this whole extra 5k loop that I hadn't seen. Maybe I'll have this baby in four days, maybe in four weeks. Maybe some people just feel this crappy for weeks and weeks. And it's probably a good thing for the baby to bake a little longer. *sigh* I just feel really discouraged.

Right now I'm just trying to focus on being thankful for the little encouragements: my mom being here and my friend making us a meal for tonight.

Posted by at 08:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0)

I've felt pretty lack-lustre all week for posting. After Sunday night's episode with contractions, Giving Birth moved from a future possibility to an immanent possibility in our minds, and it's been a little nerve-wracking ever since.

On Wednesday I met with the midwife who took my Group B strep test a little early, which is good. I totally missed this test with E so was automatically put on antibiotics. Hopefully, it will be negative thus reducing the need to poke things into my arms.

I keep a very vague, general idea of Due Date (e.g. "end of May"), because I hate it when people get hung up on one day, when very few people actually give birth on their due dates. But having a specific due date does mean something to me at the moment, because the birth center I'm going to only does births between 36 and 42 weeks. So apparently I'm 36 weeks on May 1, so if I go into labor before then I have to go to the hospital that they work with, but thankfully, the midwife goes with me. At this point I'm prepared for both. And on Wednesday the midwife that if I went into labor they'll let me. No more stopping contractions. She felt around my belly and sized up the baby, guessing that he could very well be 6 lbs like E was for this gestational age.

Yesterday I had about four hours of regular contractions that petered out to nothing. (Every 3-5 mins, but short like 15-20secs and fairly mild) And I've been feeling "yuck" and crampy yesterday and today with a few more contractions (stronger ctrxn every 10mins for one hour but then I took a bath and they cleared up). How long could this go on? Who knows? Chris has been a fantastic help. This is the guy who would rather starve than stop working to heat up a ready-made plate of leftovers in the microwave for lunch--this guy has made dinner almost every night this week.

So anyway. There's a part of me that feels like that I won't last another week. A part of me that has no idea, can't even fathom beyond then. And pretty much all of me that does not want to be pregnant anymore.

Posted by at 08:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBacks (0)

A little excitement over here in babywatch last night.

I've been really tired this weekend. It's been lovely and warm (though I'm pleased to note that my feet are no longer swollen now that I've taken a break from basking in the sun). I rested a lot this weekend. But yesterday woke up feeling yuck. You know that weird yuck at late pregnancy that can't really be defined other than yuck? I did morning nursery at church, came home and had a quick dinner, and rested awhile. All the while feeling yuck and experiencing random contractions.

I was IMing my friend and noticed the time and it occurred to me that even though they were short and light (maybe 15 secs long), there a lot of contractions. Then I started timing them and they were like 3-5 mins apart, pretty regular, though fairly light, but definitive. So I called the midwife. Since I'm somewhere between the end of 34wk/beginning 35wk, I had to go to the hospital instead of the birth center.

When I was all hooked up I could definitely see the regular pattern of contractions (that was the only good thing about being hooked up to a monitor--I think it's cool to see the little wave read-out). I was fairly well hydrated anyway when I went in, b/c I had been drinking water all day hoping to help with the yuck. But after they realized that here we were the third or fourth hour into regular contractions every 3-5 mins, they hooked me up to an IV to see if more aggressive hydration would help. Four hours later, nothing. So I had to get three intermittent doses of anti-contraction medicine. Total yuck!!!! Made me feel jittery and my heart pound. Well, it did the trick. We got home around 2 am. And I really, really hope I can hang on for another week and a half, because I really, really, really don't want to go back to the hospital. Monitors and IV's are not for me.

It's a good thing I came in when I did, because if I had gone on for awhile I really might have started going into labor, but because we caught it early, my waters are still intact and my cervix hadn't begun to dilate.

So anyway. That's my drama. Chris was worried that this baby wouldn't have an exciting birth story like Ellis, but he's not doing so shabby at this point. I could do with less exciting myself...

Posted by at 12:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

Thirty-five weeks into my second pregnancy I am experiencing a pregnancy symptom I have hithertofore never experienced: swollen feet.

I'm more annoyed about this than the stretch marks. My last hold-out. I am now one big puffy gigantic whale. It's a good thing that Ellis has recently learned how to speak whale from a certain little blue fish named Dory.

Posted by at 02:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

Shower and coffee before 8am. That's got to be some kind of record. Except I did it yesterday, too. E's been waking up earlier lately, despite his blacked-out window. But he's been sleeping better at night, so I guess I can't complain. Except that I haven't been sleeping better, what with that annoying bladder that needs attending and stiff hips/pelvis/entire body that won't get comfy. Seriously, every day I just feel like this baby is just gonna fall out. There is so much pressure it's hard to move sometimes. I suppose that's a good thing, because I hope that's exactly what he does--fall out, that is. Just a bit uncomfy in the meantime.

C set up the crib yesterday. After much measuring, moving, and pondering, we decided not to get a cosleeper, but set up the crib in a cosleeping arrangement, like with one side off attached to our bed. I'll post pics once it's finished, in case you're having trouble visualizing this. Our new arrangement is a little crowded, but it works. Honestly, our room is so small it's pretty much impossible not to feel crowded, but I think when we're done with Total Bedroom Makeover, it will feel cozy. I sewed the tricky part to the top of my quilt on Saturday and then sent the rest of the fabric and my sewing machine home with my mom. She'll add the borders and attach the back and sew my curtains. Thanks, mom! I've had plenty of evening time to sew, but absolutely zero evening energy. Basically as soon the dishes are done, I make a beeline for the couch until I stagger to bed. I do try to do a little yoga before bed. I feel so much better when I do.

Anyway, my pre-baby to-do list still feels a bit overwhelming, but it's starting to get under control. I actually made a to-do list for C, too, which I don't think I've ever done in our entire almost seven years of marriage. Since basically the majority of the things that need to happen require his brains and strength. I play the role of distressed female. He keeps asking, "how long until this baby is Ellis?" like if this baby is born as early as Ellis was, how much longer until then? Can you tell we were a little traumatized by that event? haha! As of now, we have two weeks until this baby is Ellis, six if this baby is your average pregnancy. I'm rooting for somewhere in between.

I'm kind of cracking up at us, though, because we're acting like first-timers. All the frantic household upheaval, rearranging, redoing. With E we were packing up and moving our household, so no decorations, fun paint colors, etc. Even though we're driving ourselves a little crazy, it is a little fun. E's infanthood paraphanelia was so haphazardly thrown together at the last minute. I was actually kind of shocked at how much we needed to do the infant thing again. I either can't find it or it didn't exist--probably a combination of both. Though, we are totally set on blue baby blankets of all sorts, shapes, sizes, weights--it's fun to get those out again, especially since so many people made us such nice blankets. It's fun to remember those gifts. Anyway, enough rambling. Better go do something productive while E is at school.

Posted by at 09:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

The baby can come any day now. We have diapers ready. And a blanket. E's old clothes are ready. A few new ones purchased. Got some new pacifiers. And a cute fluffy baby towel. I have lanolin and a nursing bra. And we have a carseat this time. It's lagniappe from here on out...sort of. I mean, it would be nice to have a bed set up. But it's not as necessary as, say, diapers.

Why am I doing this at 33 weeks? Panic. Sheer panic. Ellis was born at 36 weeks (4 weeks "early") after a totally normal pregnancy. Well, and two weeks after a cross-country move. We were barely prepared. Well, not even barely. Chris and his mom had to run to Babies-R-Us for a carseat. My mom brought me nursing bras. Thankfully, the hospital sent some diapers home with us. E wore the same like six onesies for the next month as gifts trickled in and my cousins had a shower for me in Lancaster. It was crazy. We were already feeling unsettled from our move and continued to feel unsettled for quite some time. Then gradually we settled into our routine and our new life.

Can I just err on the side of prepared this time?

For the record, Daddy picked out their first matching outfit.

Posted by at 05:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by at 10:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

And there's 10 weeks more. Could I get any bigger?
I don't think I'll go all the way to 40 weeks. I really don't. I'm guessing somewhere around 37 or 38.
(If I'm totally wrong, do not...I repeat...DO NOT rub it in my face or remind me in any way that I thought it would be a little earlier.)
The midwife did report on Wednesday at my appointment that the baby was head down. I know this doesn't mean anything by way of when the baby will actually be born. But it's the first step. And a relief when that happens.

Anyway, given my previous experience with Ellis, I'm going to be ready for this baby by 36 weeks. 'Cause I'm sure it's more fun sitting around waiting and prepared than utterly unprepared with a new baby. Besides, if I'm waiting, I can always find something to do, like organize the pantry or something. Or lie around and watch TV. You know, a variety of constructive options.

But since this baby is my second I don't have to start from scratch. That's nice.

So I'm drafting my to-do list here. Any commentaries on helpful/unhelpful things are welcome

Stuff To Get:
* sidecar cosleeper thingy. I'm one of those people who before she had a baby never understood the appeal of cosleeping...until I had a baby, and then I couldn't imagine doing otherwise. Love it. But I'm also a very light sleeper, and think I might do better if I had a little distance when not nursing, but still close enough that I wouldn't have to sit up or move or anything to nurse. I like the added safety a cosleeper would bring, too. i want to get a full-size so that I can use it as long as possible. I really don't want to set up the crib until at least 6 mos, and then use it only for naps, which we did with E and really liked. I have a pack'n'play with bassinet insert, too. But I plan on using that in living room behind the couch as a changing table until I feel like getting down on the floor where my basket system is for E. It might also be a nice nap place (esp if this baby is deaf, too. haha!) or safe place to put baby while i go to the bathroom kind of thing. So the cosleeper is probably the biggest purchase. That and a second carseat for when he grows out of the infant seat, but that can wait a bit.

* a highchair. I borrowed the one I used for E. I plan on getting Ikea's Antilop. My kitchen is SO small, I can't imagine having anything larger than this. Besides, I love that it's so simple, definitely redefines cleaning a highchair. And at $20, how could I resist.

* Moriah made me a cool pouch sling with padded legs. I'm very excited about this. I would also like to try a wrap, and I'm hoping I can meet someone who has one for me to try. I've been looking online for babywearing groups and am not having much luck. There was a group that met near here not long ago, but they met on Sunday, so no luck there. And I already have the Beco. So I feel pretty set for my babywearing needs. The stroller continues to gather dust in the back our van. It has its place; I'm not totally anti-stroller. But I will admit, it's not my favorite baby accessory, and I see no need for strollers in the first several months. And it's still in good shape, so I don't need a new one. That's just my style.

* Grammy just got us two swaddling blankets that are reported truly to be miracle blankets. I'm SO excited about this. ANYthing that will potentially help this baby be a better sleeper.

* I may get a couple of fresh new onesies and nightgowns for him, too. So that not everything he has is hand-me-down.

* I need new nursing bras. I threw away the ones I had before after E weaned, because they were so worn out.

STUFF TO DO
* Total Bedroom Makeover. We have to rearrange our teeny, tiny bedroom in order to make room for the cosleeper. And we're going to patch the plaster and paint it! And do something about extra storage/shelving and work on general coziness. I may even make new curtains. I need to make a quilt for the bed, too. It will be nothing fancy. But we can't use the duvet while cosleeping. And it's too hot for summer anyway.

* Sew!
-- The living room curtains. Chris would love it if I would sew a couch cover before our couch is totally destroyed. Some big pillows for toddlers to roll around on contributing to Ultimate Living Room Coziness.
-- The quilt. Maybe bedroom curtains.
-- Cute little lightweight cotton infant pants, because I think they are the cutest ever. Burp cloths (b/c spitup is infinitely more tolerable if you have awesome looking burp clothes). The diaper bag of my dreams, with compartments just the way I like. Soft baby shoes.
-- Some dressup stuff for E for his birthday in June.
-- Get caught up on gifts.

* Read stuff.
-- I want to read What your Doctor May Not Tell you about Children's Vaccinations and The Vaccination Book from Dr. Sears. I'm interested in delayed/selective vaccinations. I think vaccinating can be a good thing, but I don't think little babies should be pumped up with all the stuff, nor should they be vaccinated against STDs (um. yea.). But I need to know more. And I think I may have to find a new pediatrician, too, which I dread doing. But I have some numbers to call.
-- My birthin' books. I'm mostly going through Natural Childbirth the bradley way, which I like b/c is common sense/practical. I've also been reading Hypnobirthing, which, if you can get past the title, has some helpful things regarding relaxation. I'm not sure if I can totally get into it, but I like it's overall concept.

Okay. So there's my list. If I think of more, I'll add to it. But it's nice to write it all out. It's SO NICE to just be able to relax and have fun getting ready for baby, instead of madly finishing a semester and packing up house and home and moving across the country mere weeks before the baby is born. I didn't get to nest with my first baby, so I'm soaking it up now.

Posted by at 07:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (17) | TrackBacks (0)

The unusually high percentage of arabesques in my womb has no correlation to the inordinate amount of chocolate thin mints I just ate. None whatsoever.

Posted by at 09:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

At this point in my pregnancy with Ellis (end of second trimester), I didn't think it was possible for someone so little to pack so much punch, but it was. He kicked and grooved up and down his little egg like it was Mardi Gras. It wore me out just sitting there.

This baby is totally different. I didn't feel regular movement until later than I had with Ellis (I felt something occasionally, but not regularly). And it has gone from the occasional flutter, to polite little kicks, to relaxed body tumbles. No crazies. No all-out slam-down break dancing. I love my wiggly E, but I'm hopefully optimistic about not being wiped out by two Wigglies, know what I mean?

Posted by at 08:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

I had a midwife appt today. Everything is fine. Dum-de-dum. Heard the heartbeat. Ellis said "beebee" about a million times. Makes me smile.

Next time I go, it's the glucose test. Then after that I start going every two weeks: the first glimmer of hope that maybe I won't be pregnant forever. Every two weeks, then every week, then waiting for labor...

I think we might take a Childbirth Refresher course they offer. I was kind of hemming and hawing over it. But it does go through protocol for the birth center, and that might be helpful. And as I was reading the course description, I thought maybe it might be helpful to have some refreshers on the signs of onsetting labor, so I don't try to talk myself out of it again. ha. Eventually I will realize. We actually never took any kind of childbirth course with E. Never got around to it with moving and all, and we thought we'd spend the last month reading. Ha! Think again. We spent that month with a new baby. But we did read a couple of helpful books the first time and that got us through.

Posted by at 10:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by at 11:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

Out of 34 votes, 21 voted for girl and 13 for boy.

pretty sure it's a boy!!

After waiting an hour and a half past my appt time, we finally got in there, and position-wise the baby wasn't quite as cooperative as E had been for the moment of reckoning. He lay on his back, belly-up. We could see his face and got many very cute views of him opening his mouth and swallowing amniotic fluid. And at the end we did the gender check, and it wasn't quite as dead clear as it was for E, but the technician seemed pretty certain and when he pointed things out, I could see it. So it seems to be a boy.

The baby is developing beautifully and seems to be in good health. And measured right on for my due date.

The whole time we were in there, we kept trying to point out on the screen that there's the baby to Ellis. He just kept saying "baby" (beebee) and signing baby over and over and over. So cute! The technician was great and asked for signs to share with Ellis, "baby", "heart", "boy".

Definitely excited for E to have a brother. Though I'll have to modify some of my mental sewing projects. (Girls are just fun to sew for.) I think we're going to name him Marlowe, which we just thought of the other day...we had been pretty set on Frederick before, but Marlowe and Ellis sound so cute together. So unless we have another major epiphany, Marlowe it is. (And keeps up with our tradition of finding names among writers and musicians: Christopher Marlowe, in this case)

Ellis was a major trooper. He did very well, despite being cooped up at the hospital for 3 hours. Afterwards we went over and played with his best girlfriend Maddie, and we all ate dinner together after hanging out at Barnes and Noble, where the kids played with the train table.

i found E a cute book to try to help explain the pregnancy and immanent brotherhood.
.

Hello, Baby by Lizzy Rockwell

It has images of Mommy being pregnant, a great page of drawings of the developing fetus in the uterus, the little boy getting to hear the heartbeat with the Doppler (something E does when going to the midwife with me), the boy's stay with grandparents when baby is born, and then basic baby care with pictures of Mom breastfeeding, the baby crying, cleaning the umbilical cord stump, and dressing baby. I thought it was a good age appropriate book. I looked at a few that were great but more scientific than I think would be helpful for him at this point. I think he'll love having a baby brother. :-)

Posted by at 09:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (16) | TrackBacks (0)

I finally got around to making an appointment for an ultrasound today. I really like to know boy or girl. I just do. And it does make dreaming/planning a tad easier for me. So anyway, I was happy to get an ultrasound appointment a week from today, Jan 16. I have no leanings one way or the other. But you can make a guess!

Posted by at 08:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm coming up on 19 weeks this week. Definitely starting to feel it a bit. I don't mind this part so much. Look pregnant enough not to look fat, but don't feel quite the bulk as the end. The one time in life a woman can show off her round belly.

I took this pic in Photobooth. So couldn't find a good angle that included head and belly. Oh well, you know what i look like.

Posted by at 10:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

I just finished a nice warm cup of hot chocolate. A little someone tumbling down there is now enjoying it, too.

Posted by at 09:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Yesterday I had my first midwife appt. Hee, hee. I know, at 16 weeks. Second child and all that.

I'm pretty excited. Chris and Ellis came, and we all got to here the heartbeat. She gave Ellis the Doppler to hold so he could feel the heartbeat, and we did our best to explain to him that it was the baby's. He was quiet and thoughtful as he held it.

It's kind of a relief. Sometimes I start to wonder, did I make up this pregnancy? (despite all the signs that I didn't, including the fact that I'm only wearing maternity clothes at this point) When I stop feeling permanently nauseous, but haven't started feeling the baby move a lot, it's hard to believe sometimes. I think I do feel a flutter here and there, but no regular movements yet.

And it felt validating to have the midwife poke around and say "nice pregnant uterus." It's for real! It also felt validating to be able to have a good discussion concerning dates (I do sort of chart after all), and be on the same page regarding my due date.

I'm really excited about this place. It makes me feel like a real person.

Posted by at 10:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

So I finally made a midwife appt. I decided to go to this birth center. I don't think I'll be able to have a water birth there, which was what I really searching for. I even considered a home birth for awhile, but that's complicated insurance-wise. But at this birth center they do have laboring jacuzzis in every room. Anyway, their earliest opening for appt is in December. So I'll be around 16 weeks before I finally see someone. heh, heh. Second child. It's funny, because with E they gave me an ultrasound at 8 weeks (which means I had actually seen a doctor by then). I'm a little bummed, because I'm ready to hear the heartbeat! Anyway, I'm totally excited to go the midwife route this time.

Posted by at 08:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

So far this pregnancy is just like the last one. Thankfully I blogged extensively everything, because it was all so freaky, and I didn't have anyone else to talk to except the world wide web.

So First Couple of Weeks: find out I'm pregnant, woohoo! feel great! wow, this pregnancy thing is too easy!
Week 6: starting to feel nauseous, but eating lots of protein helps
Week 8: feel Permanently Naus. All the time. Nothing helps. Should not complain, because at least not throwing up, but even that sounds nice, because maybe it would relieve the nausea. Just a few more weeks to Second Trimester.
Much harder being the Mom when feeling permanently like crap. Especially when getting No Sleep because Boy had bad cold this week.
BUT at least I'm not writing papers and taking exams. Can't decide which is harder.

Final note: I'm a total wimp with the pregnant thing.

ETA: although I don't typically deny myself a good whine, I did mean for this post to sort be more about how this pregnancy is exactly like the last one. Here's another one for the checklist: Must Have Fresh Fruit Now! (I am taking vitamins, seriously) Kid must want the real stuff, too.

Posted by at 10:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

Well, friends, it's time to come public.

We're having another baby!

I about 8 weeks along with late-May baby. I'm already starting to get something to show for it. :-P And I pretty much feel like crap. But I'm totally excited about Ellis having a sibling, because I think he's going to love it! They will be almost exactly 3 years apart. I'm liking this kind of age gap.

This pregnancy feels almost exactly last Ellis's. I'm not throwing up, but do feel nauseous a lot. And right now coffee is one of those things that inspires feelins of nausea. That is very hard for me, because I love coffee. Same with taco salad, which is pretty much my favorite food ever. I have been drinking chai and eating mashed potatoes.

And there are about 6 other women at church who are pregnant, which will make for a very interesting spring. Can't miss out on a good party. Park day should be crazy next summer. haha!

Anyway, we're totally excited about this new baby. We were ready for #2. The only question is, where to put the baby, which shouldn't too much of a problem at first, since I'm a fan of cosleeping. But babies grow. And I still don't have my prenatal care figured out. I'm exploring a variety of midwife options. I'm really thankful to be in a place with so many options. I just need to find one that will work for me and my pocketbook. But I have some time yet. I mean, what are they going to tell me at this point? uh, yea, you're pregnant.

It's nice to be facing pregnancy without feelings of utter freak-out like I was last time. heh heh.

p.s. I think this baby's in utero nickname will be Secundo (unless, of course, we find out it's a girl, then it'll switch to Secunda), 'cause you know, we already have Primo.

Posted by at 06:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (27) | TrackBacks (0)

I kind of didn't get a chance to finish. Archiving the belly pics. Glad not to be hauling around that load anymore.

Continue reading "belly archive" »

Posted by at 03:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Four weeks early and a whopping six punds, Ellis Thurman was delivered at 3.24AM, June 15 2005. Mom and baby are resting comfortably at Abington Memorial Hospital, here in PA. Herself will fill you guys in with futher details when she comes home tomorrow morning. Thank the Lord!

Posted by at 11:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (21) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm thinking about getting this stroller. I like that it's multi-terrain, smooth riding, durability, easy maneuverability, reclinable seat, all ages. It seems the only drawback is bulkiness for small cars, which I have. But this is the stroller we're buying with gift money for that purpose, and if I want a quickie, lighweight one, I can afford an umbrella stroller later, whereas I couldn't afford a good, solid stroller later. Whadya think?

Posted by at 01:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

* You know how much I loathe and hate historiographical essays? You know how glad I will be when this one is done? half-way there!

* It's mid-90s outside, and I just want to pause and express how thankful I am for our new air conditioner!

* Congratulations to the Knutsons on the birth of Eden!

I am so ready to have our baby. I don't even care that we don't have a bed for him yet or that we have to move over 1200 miles yet or that I have to write 10 more pages and take two stinkin' finals yet or that really there's 9 weeks left to gestate so that he'll be a happy, healthy human being breathin' oxygen. uum...Okay. Given that last point, I'm happy to carry the little fish for a bit longer. C'mon lungs!

I think he's growing every day. Of course, he is. But I really think I feel a noticeable difference from day to day. Given that I had only gained a pound at my last appt, he's probably making up for it a little bit...growing in spurts. My bellybutton is completely extroverted now, but it's so stretched out that it doesn't stick out all that much.

Okay. Must. Finish. Essay.

Posted by at 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

Anyway. So things are starting to get done. On Saturday we cleaned out our stuff from our friend's garage. They had been letting us store some stuff there. Since both they and we are moving, it seemed to be a good time to sort and clean. A lot of stuff goes to Goodwill, a lot of stuff goes to the dump, and a few manageable bins are left. Even with the help of a couple CurlyHeaded girls, it took us several hours. And afterwards I realized how little I can actually do in this whole packing up thing. I had difficulty really bending over sorting through boxes. I couldn't lift or move much stuff. I think I will be the Sorter. And I was surprised at how exhausting the whole procedure was. Chris did about 5 times as much as I did on Saturday, and I'm the one crashed out on the bed barely moving.

We spent most of yesterday with the Hamiltons. Trying to spend as much time with them as possible before we each go our separate ways. (they are moving, too) Playing with their CurlyHeads, snuggling with their baby, and yummy food and pleasant conversation.

Okay. It's about time for another picture. So we are at 30 weeks. It is I, the Sorter. Sportin' my way expensive shorts that I didn't get on sale from Old Navy and the desperate need for a decent haircut. I can tell by the slight adjustments in his movements that Elvis is getting bigger. I'm also getting bigger in more places than the belly. But the butt and thighs need to get bigger to support the belly, right? Hopefully, nursing will relieve that little issue.

Posted by at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I just got back from the farmer's market with a flat of strawberries for only $10. Of course, we'll have them eaten in a week, especially when I get a big tub of vanilla ice cream when I go grocery shopping this afternoon. I've also sunk to new lows, buying pie crust, but Whole Foods has really good pie crust, and it makes quiche and strawberry pie go from an impossibility to a possibility at this point in the semester. That's a happy thing.

Another happy thing is that I actually turned in a paper. Wonders never cease. I'm glad I took the long time that I did, though. It essentially was a translation project and approaching it fresh every few weeks did great things for the translation.

Another happy thing is that Elvis is still healthy and strong. 'Course I didn't need the doctor to tell me that he was strong, as I get living proof everyday. Chris gets a big thrill of pushing the lumps protruding from belly and feeling Elvis kick back. I think he likes any kind of interaction he can get, meanwhile, I'm the innocent bystander. Last night when Elvis had the hiccups, Chris put his ear to my belly and said that he could hear the "hic-" and the "-cup" parts of a hiccup. It said it had kind of a swooshing, gurgling sound. I want to hear it!

I do feel like crying a bit, though. As were trying to get insurance and new doctor straightened out for going to Philly, it has come to our attention, that doctors won't take a pregnant woman after 32 weeks. that's like in two weeks! When we decided to move up there, we thought "wow, that's only 4 weeks to finish semesters, do last min things in New Orleans (drat we missed JazzFest again), pack, and say sad goodbyes." So we had sorting of been gearing up for that time framework. The idea of cutting already precious time two weeks shorter and being separated from Chris during that time so I can go to a couple stinkin' doctor's appts has kind of thrown me for a loop. Especially when I'm so low-risk! I mean, my ankles aren't even swelling, for pete's sake! I just feel really sad, but in a weird, I-could-burst-into-hysterics-any-minute kind of sad, maybe it's pregnancy. I think also it's compounded by the fact that the reality of moving is starting to kick in. I knew it hadn't yet, and I knew it would at some point, but a date and plane ticket makes it seem so much more pungent. *sniffle* so I'm just going to go eat strawberries for lunch.

Posted by at 12:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

Today I thought I'd kill a little time waiting for traffic to dilute itself a bit and pop around the outlet mall, which is on my way home and a convenient stopping point for bathroom break/snack purchase/very expensive fuel for my car purchase (what is it with these gas prices!?!?).

I never have had a reason to go into the little kid clothes stores before, so I thought I'd scope out the terrain a bit, seeing as I'm entering a new phase of life. I first hit Osh Kosh, because I wanted to find some jeans. Nothing. I'm not paying $12 for jeans for a little kid, even more so that didn't even snap on the inside of the legs even if that price was 50% off (no kidding!). Furget it.

Next stop, though, jackpot! The Children's Place is having incredible sales!! Racks and racks of winter things for $1.99!! I stocked up on a few sweaters/fleeces/wool pants/fleecy pants. I'm the type that never expects to find a good shopping deal (partly because I never shop and don't really like it), so I'm doubly excited that I actually found a deal. This is a national retail chain, so I imagine they have the same sale in all their stores...or at least their outlet stores. Thought I'd share the love (and my excitement).

Posted by at 08:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

I don't know why I'm getting into the entries that are snippets of thoughts here and there; perhaps that's how my brain is thinking at the moment. Like popcorn.

* Last Thursday I taught Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring. I showed a video of the Joffrey ballet's reconstruction of the original performance/choreography of Nijinksy--the performance that caused a riot that fateful day in 1913. It is so striking. I never get tired of it. It was interesting to hear the students' reactions; how surprised they were about how disturbing and violent it was to even them. It is about human sacrifice, after all. After class one of my students came up to me and mentioned that she had actually studied with the Joffrey Ballet and had danced some of Nijinsky's choreography! that was so cool. I wish I had known earlier, I would've asked her some stuff. She said that she and her friends used to joke that these were the "ugly ballets". The forms and movements are very angular and unnatural, but they fit so well with the music. Stravinksy must be seen. (The other thing she said which blew me away and made my day was that this class was her favorite! could I actually be making sense?) So, now two recordings I definitely want to get for pedagogical purposes is the DVD of the reconstruction of the first performance of Monteverdi's Orfeo and the video (is it out on dvd?) "Paris Dances Diaghilev."

* I had a crazy day on Thursday taking care of the Curly-heads. I was so pooped by the end of the day. I have the utmost respect for their mama. I've been making supper and taking it over every evening since. Then we just eat with them and chat a bit. It's fun holding the baby, though my baby doesn't like it when I'm hanging out with other babies, because he starts kicking at them. Guess he doesn't like his style cramped at all.

* By 8 am it's 80 degrees. Lovin' it! Due to the fact that summer is officially here, I had to get some shorts. I stopped by Old Navy and had a lousy experience and spent waaaay more than I had originally intended. Sale items were at a low. I was kind of perturbed, because the only maternity shorts on sale were ones for only the first two trimesters. Exploiting the poor pregnant women! I just had a bad day in Old Navy. I was so hot and so tired that when I needed a different size, I just asked the sales associate to find it for me. He forgot about me. Granted, he was swamped, but still. I sat there on the little bench in the dressing room and just burst into tears (very quietly, of course). I felt ridiculous, and then there's this big mirror in there, so I could see myself crying, which made me cry more! Eventually I pulled myself together and went out and asked him if he had been able to find what I needed. He had found only one; I went to the rack and promptly found the other. :-S I also got a very cute red sweater on clearance for the Curly Head baby (and I grabbed on for Elvis, too) and a pair of lightweight linen pants. It gets so hot here that by July I don't even bother with jeans anymore; I find them too hot. Maybe if we had decent a/c I could...

* Today is much better. Lovin' my laptop. Sitting in bed in front of the a/c unit getting some good work done.

Posted by at 09:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

* Congratulations to Bob and Michelle and Caleb! Can we say big brother?

* You may have noticed a few things from the pictures of my three curly-headed friends. What is most striking initially is their shared point of beauty in having curly goldilocks. The next thing you might notice is that they're all girls. Three curly-headed girls. Well, folks, last night Curly-Head #4 entered the world, and it's a boy!!! I totally called it!! We only got to see him through the nursery window briefly last night as we took the girls for a quick hello to their mama and new baby brother. He doesn't have much in the way of hair right now, but chances are good that it will be blond and curly. So these next few days will be full of Curly-headed Fun for me.

* I think I felt my first Braxton Hicks yesterday. I was running all over campus and then when I sat down for lunch, I felt an uncomfortable tightening that felt like it couldn't be a kick or a jive or a boy lodged in a weird place. Later it occurred to me that that's what it could be, and after checking the book, it's one of things one can expect in the seventh month.

Posted by at 09:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Yesterday I didn't even go up to BR. I had my routine glucose test and dr's appt, so I didn't feel much like rushing to school afterwards, esp not knowing how long the test (and waiting to be seen) would take. It ended up not being too bad. And, you know what, I kind of like the orange drink, but then I've always been a fan of orange soda. Though I think it made me a bit woozy initially. But then maybe that's just getting the orange stuff in Louisiana. Anyway, everything checked up as normal as could possibly be, which is a big blessing. I'll have to wait and see what the glucose test comes back as, but I'm not too worried.

Well, this week starts the final stretch--the third trimester. For the most part, I'm feeling pretty good, though starting to feel a bit cumbersome with the whole belly thing. At the same time it's a little annoying yet cracks me up. Like switching which side I'm sleeping on, which entails this conscious haul of all of me over.

And I'm much more tired. Going to Baton Rouge (85 miles each way) especially really takes it out of me. I'm stressed about what remains in the school year, which seems so little and inconsequential in light of all this other stuff I'm trying to take care of. For instance, we've had a lot of church responsibilities creep up on us lately, which blows resting on Sunday (I mean, still keeping the Sabbath, just working for the church rather than curling up in a selfish nap), and that really affects my week. And there's just a lot of other things. (Sorry to be so cryptic. Not really blogging about x, y, and z at the moment.)

So where do I find myself at the beginning of the last lap? 1) Feeling a little bit like pregnancy is forever and is getting more uncomfy. Also getting kicked like crazy, which actually sometimes hurts. But I'm glad he's strong enough to pack those punches. Watching my belly ripple along with movements also serves as all the evening entertainment I need. 2) Facing a lot in the way of Life. School just needs to disappear for a few months so that I can deal with it.

Posted by at 10:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I heard once an undergrad complaining a little about a class she was in, but in the process, saw the problem as lying in herself rather than the professor's teaching job. (Being somewhat familiar with the situation, I think this undergrad shouldn't have been so hard on herself, because my opinions of this profs teaching ability are not very high.) The undergrad remarked with this caveat concerning the prof, "S/he's brilliant and everything, but..." Then it struck me: many undergrads think professors know everything/are brilliant. Well, folks, some of them are not. (Where was I going with this? I can't remember. Oh yea.)

There's this sort of image in our culture of the quintessential professor--a brilliant, perhaps eccentric, genius. Having come this far down the road, I would agree that there is an element of madness; grad school inspires madness, but I digress. My point is about academic blogs. Every once in awhile I take a swing through a bunch, see what's going on in the world, and what strikes me every time is how exposed they all are. (Many realizing this, go to great lengths to preserve their anonymity.) What is exposed is nothing more than mere humanity and its stark reality. Yea, the life of the mind is great and all-consuming, but it's still full of bad days and spilled coffee (this is the university now, we left the milk cartons back in elementary school). It's kind of interesting to view this as an outsider and a sort of insider.

****

These past couple of days have been noted by increased awareness of Elvis's presence. I'm thrilled that he's a strong, healthy little boy, moving and jiving. I'd rather have all this kicking than none. I'm not complaining, but sometimes I say to my little guy, "Dude! Chill out already!!!" because he never stops! I think these next few years are going to be...tiring. ;-)

Posted by at 12:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

This week Chris and I are on Spring Break. Since our breaks are tied to the religious calendar (Easter), I'm off at both universities I'm affiliated with. Blessings!!! We have fairly staggered into our break. It couldn't have come soon enough. Last week, I was home Wednesday and Chris on Thursday, for exhaustion/sickness.

I have a long list of things I want to get done over the break. Hopefully, I manage a fraction of them. They're mostly reading/papers/grading oriented. Drudgery. But I'll be glad to have some of them behind me. I usually skim books. In grad school there's no time to actually read a whole book. I hope to get through about 10-15 books this week in my skim method. But I'm reading one book carefully to get me started off on the right foot for my dissertation. I'm so glad that even though I'm griping and hating all the other stuff I have to do that I get totally excited and into the books that I read for my own work. It's kind of reassuring.

Sometimes I feel like I'm hating everything all the time, and I start to wonder if I should still be pursuing musicology. But I have to think long-term. I'll be glad when I'm 50 that I finished my PhD when was 30. Hey, I'll just be glad when I will have finished it. It's hard to think about life after that right now when there are so many more immediate pressing questions. But I know I'll be glad to write the diss. There's a lot of unfinished skills and information that I want to learn and to get out of my grad school experience, that I know writing the diss will help me acquire. It will be my finishing. I just need to persevere and get through some of the not-so-fun parts of coursework at the moment.

So anyway. That's one thing my brain is mulling around this week. I'm also thinking about the birthing stuff. I had hoped Barnes & Noble would have a shelf of birthing books, so that I could peruse, but nope. If they reduced the books on choosing a kid's name by half and supplemented that with birthin' books, they would have a start to a good collection. They had a couple I flipped through...more inspiring than actually containing helpful information. Got a couple of good ones on their way from Amazon thanks to my Mom2 aka Doula.

Last Saturday I went to a kid's clothing sale with my friend. I got a few more things for Elvis. I now have about 2-3 outfits for every growth stage up to 24 months. And I found the cutest little infant sandals for less than a dollar, so I was pretty excited.

So books and birthing are on my plate. And to make the week pretty, I bought a few annuals at Home Depot. We need some color around here, and by the time we move, it'll be too hot for them to live much longer anyway. They make life so much more pleasant. I'm going to plant them up this afternoon. I also bought a strawberry pot, and one of my friends is going to give me a couple of offshoots from her patch. Yay!

Also on the plate this week is a tune-up for my car. I need new brake pads and the air conditioner needs a little work before it gets too hot. Every once in a while Ol' Faithful needs a little massage.

Chris and I are definitely glad we have a week home together. These past couple of months have been the busiest ever in our life here; just non-stop. So it'll be nice to have a few moments to actually see eachother. Maybe we'll go canoeing one afternoon in the bayou.

Maybe I'll get time to blog a bit more, too. We'll see...

Posted by at 12:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Warning! TMI discussion in the baby category. If you're not interested in reading about birthin' move on.

So anyway. I'm over the half-way mark in this pregnancy, getting the Stuff for the kid, but one other thing is looming and there is going to come a point when I just can't put it off any longer...getting into a birthin' class, because this baby has got to get birthed at some point. I'm the world's worst procrastinator, so at 23 weeks I'm still trying to figure out what to do in the birthin' category.

So my cards line up this way:
* I like my OB a lot; I'm perfectly happy having the baby in the hospital.
* I've been encouraged about the natural birthin' options. I didn't realize that so many people had them...it always seemed like a thing no one did. So between the fact that it is quite attainable after all and that to get an epi you have to receive a shot from a large needle, I'm perfectly happy to give it my best shot (no pun intended), but if I have to an epi I won't be devastated.
* My OB is pro-natural, too, which is nice. She's had two kids: the first ended with an epi, the second was natural.
* So the question comes down to what kind of class to sign up for. Every method has its weirdities, but I'm sure has its helpful parts, too. Everyone I know has taken the Bradley classes and really likes them...seems to be the going thing.
* My OB digs the Lamaze method as one she has done and taught.
* From my reading, I kind of tend to prefer the Bradley's approach to focusing on the pain and how to deal with it, rather than the Lamaze's approach of distraction from the pain. (I mean, really, who really can distract themselves that much? I'm sure I have ADD lurking somewhere, but I think it won't kick in enough when needed for this occasion.)
* I can't get ahold of the Bradley instruction in the area. I've emailed and left voicemail. This doesn't bode well.
* My OB is totally cool with my wanting to do Bradley, but highly recommends having a doula.
* Bradley costs a lot.
* And, having one sounds great, I don't want to pay a doula, too. (See, it's all about economics in the end.)
* I don't know how much Lamaze costs, but from what I hear, I think it's less than Bradley.
* So what if we just take the Lamaze classes and read a lot, including Bradley books, to round out our information? We're both scholars and like to read.
* I know birthin' is an important thing and probably worth the cost of preparation, but dude, I'm worried about being able to afford the basic necessities of Having a Kid.
* Has anyone done comparisons of any of these things or have any opinions?
(* ugh. I even took an internet quiz "which childbirth education class is good for you?" the answer? "It sounds as if you're interested in exploring all your childbirth options." thanks, a lot, Internet.)

And completely unrelated:
* Has anyone thought about donating the baby's cord blood? It seems like a great way to support stem cell research without having to tap into other sources for stem cells--i.e. it doesn't hurt anyone. Do it cost something to do this?

Posted by at 06:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (13) | TrackBacks (0)

As I said before, the church ladies threw me a shower last Saturday. It was a really nice time, and I was really touched by how many (for our group) were able to make it.

It was held at the Hamilton's house, and another lady helped in the hosting. Between them, there were 6 little girls, age 6 and under, who were getting a lesson in hosting, as well, which made the morning very entertaining, too.

The girls first helped by adding their own touch to the cake. Yellow marshmallow peeps seemed entirely appropriate and coordinated--though they didn't last as part of the decor for very long.

We had a nice time eating and chatting. After I was escorted to my official rocking chair by one of the little girls, another volunteered to make my plate, which had like one peanut, one carrot, one cookie, etc. carefully arranged on the plate. So hilarious!

Then the little girls wanted to pass me my gifts, so they each took turns, passing and hovering over the unwrapping process. The youngest age 2 handed me a little bag with a small Pooh toy in it, and hardly containing her excitement, whipped out the tissue paper on top, crying "Pooh Bear in there!" as she handed me the bag. I was laughing so hard.

We got a lot of nice stuff for Elvis, too. The gift of the day really was fleecy, soft blankets. Definitely stocked up in that category. We got some fun toys (really fun, we kept playing with them), a couple of cute outfits (everything really is super cute), bath-time paraphenalia, and a bouncy seat, with a promised PacknPlay to come. Our Box o' Baby (taking the place of a nursery until we move) is nearly filled; we'll have to start another one soon. I hoping to work on clothing the child at a sale this coming Saturday, so that should be fun. In some ways it's a little surreal. When I had a wedding shower, I was getting stuff I would use anyway. But the baby stuff...that is completely different.

So we had our official Baby Shower. It was a wonderful, special time to celebrate with the church ladies.

Posted by at 02:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Lately I've taken to wearing parts of my meals on my belly. I'm getting clumsier about eating, and, well, the belly is there to catch it all.

Yesterday reached a new high in the category of "things I'm wearing on my belly".

Since our department moved across campus this semester, the coffee shop is now no longer behind our building, rather across campus, a good 10-15 min walk. After lunch, I don't mind walking over there, getting a cuppa, and walking back, because I'm usually feeling the need for some exercise and some coffee. So yesterday I went, got my cup, and on my way back a rather amusing situation befell me.

It was raining a bit, so in my right hand, I was holding my umbrella, and in my left hand, I was holding a carefully orchestrated combination of napkins and cup of coffee, and a leaf fell from the tree and landed on my belly! My hands were full, so I couldn't brush it off. I tried nudging it with the bottom of my coffee cup, and it wouldn't budge. It was a very persistent leaf, and I wore it the rest of the way to building, perched jauntily on my belly. It totally cracked me up!

Posted by at 05:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Life is careening by, and I'm trying to spend less time on the internet, as I tend to get distracted surfing and whatnot. And since I've lost concept of time passing, this is dangerous. I haven't had to try very hard, though, since I'm kept so busy.

Couple of highlights:

* On Saturday we upgraded our cell phones. We've been using the same ones for about 4 years. The people in RadioShack laughed when they saw the dinosaurs we've been toting. My new phone is SO cool!!! There's a little mountain scene on the screen where the time/date are and in the daytime the mountain scene has a day sky, and at night, the sky changes to dark with stars! And the phone even has Tetris. We each allowed ourselves a splurge item. Chris downloaded a Miles Davis ring and I downloaded Tetris. We're like kids with new toys. :)

* Elvis is jiving!!!! In case there was any doubt before, there is definitely a baby in there. He is basically acknowledging his presence 24/7. It's mostly fun to have him tumbling, jiving, and hiccuping. Constant entertainment. (I sometimes have to encourage him to try other parts of his egg, though, because constant pummeling on me in one spot does get a little uncomfy after awhile.) Chris is even able to take part in the entertainment now, feeling him move all around.

* School is going okay. I'm feeling more energetic lately, so I'm trying to take advantage of it and get some stuff done. I'm getting excited about some projects, which is always good.
One bit of advice, though, don't agree to substitute teach for a professor who is going to be gone a couple of days if this professor tells you (repeatedly!) the wrong time the class meets. It's going to be majorly frustrating, since you've already had to majorly reorganize a couple of your days. Also, go to a school with other grad students who can be asked to do such things, so you're not the only one to get dumped on. (Actually, I ended up cancelling one of the classes. I figured it was my prerogative since I was given such short notice, and this prof will just have to deal. It'll be fine; sometimes my duties as a student just have to take priority, since that is what I am.)

Posted by at 12:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

* My morning is off kilter. Tuesday, a note was left on our doorstep saying that because of some work that needed doing, water would be turned off from 8-5 on Wednesday. Good timing, while most everybody is at work. No problem. Well, there is problem it is after 9 am on Thursday morning, and the water still isn't back on. *sigh* Sometimes New Orleans is not a fun place to live. It's this really flexible idea of "services" and "timeliness" that plagues just about everything from the U.S. mail to restaurants to just plain getting things done. My friend is out and about and when she gets home, I'm going over to her house to take a shower. Right now, though, I'm feeling a bit cold and grumpy about it.

* The church ladies are throwing me a little shower in a couple of weeks. So I fixed our Target registry last night. Now I kind of wish I had gone to BabiesRUs, b/c of better selection, but it doesn't really matter probably. At least it gives an idea to the people who want to know. It's not like registering for the wedding. I feel like I had a better idea then of what to do. I just stood there with the scan gun last night thinking, "i don't know." Like equipment: Yea, I'll probably need a stroller, but I don't know what kind of travelers Elvis and I will be together. Will I wish for something bigger? smaller? Same with the diaper bag. Bigger? smaller? what kind of pockets will I want? Things I won't know til I'm hanging out with Elvis. I guess I shouldn't think too hard about it. Like my book bags, I'll probably make a diaper bag suit my purposes, but I'm still a little up in the air with the stroller thing. (I couldn't pick out a diaper bag anyway at Target, because they were all on the top of the shelves! Like I could reach!!)

* Last night I was going over some brief timing things with my advisor, since previous pictures I had built now have to be revised due to impending Elvis. So I think I'll take my comps in January instead of September. The thing that my advisor suggested, though, that *duh* I should've thought of was that perhaps I should start working on my prospectus now, because if I wait until after comps, well that basically wastes a whole year out of the very stingy 4 yr limit the graduate school imposes. So then it occurred to me that perhaps I should try to get it done before I have Elvis. AAaaaugh!!!!! I'm very overwhelmed at this prospect. My work ethic hasn't been exactly high this semester, but at the same time, I am getting some stuff done, and I do have a lot on my plate. The thing that pushes me over the top, though, is teaching, which I didn't even want to do to begin with this sem! This class I'm teaching basically eats up most of Tuesdays and Thursdays, which are my "work" days. MWF are eaten up because I have to travel to Baton Rouge to attend classes and have very little precious time on campus. So I'm trying to snatch some work in here and there to keep up with my classes, and the idea of getting started on diss research is like a joke!

*I would really like to just have a shower and a cup of tea.

Update on water situation: Around noon (that is 19 hours late), my neighbor knocked on the door to say that the water was back on. He had turned it on or taken care of it or whatever (his words were "this whole block better kiss my ass"). The city forgot. They were fixing a main yesterday on a side street and forgot to turn the water on. The sad thing is...I'm not surprised. That's just living in NOLA folks. I spent a very pleasant morning at my friend's house taking a shower and eating my breakfast (sharing it with her 2 yr old who wanted to try everything on my plate "Me try!"--Hey, if a kid wants to try new food, I'm all for it). It's not every friend you could call with a desperate plea to use their shower. Now I have to finish preparing the test for my class I'm teaching. Heh, heh. I love giving tests...so much fun than taking them.

Posted by at 09:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm at the library and violating the yellow sign that informs me that the computer I'm on is restricted for specific academic use. So what's academic after all? Can't my blog be academic? Whatever.

I haven't been much for writing lately, because my head is so fuzzy. I've tried to write some emails, which really are the easiest thing in the world to zip off, and I'm so easily distracted just doing that. If I can get a good night's sleep, I'm okay. I can get good work done. But if I have a night where I can't get comfy, my bladder plagues, and high-action, crazy dreams exhaust me, I feel fuzzy the next day.

They say Fuzzy Head comes with being pregnant. Okay, that makes sense. The funniest manifestation of Fuzzy Head...the kind where I really must say it has to come from pregnancy, because I've never experienced it before...is that I've lost the sense for the passing of time. I normally have a very good concept of time. I could guess "25 min" and I would be right on. But now 40 mins will have passed, and I'll be shocked! How did that happen!!? I have to be careful or I'll be late. I'm already frustrated at what I didn't get done because time passed unaware. Very strange. I'm starting to set the microwave timer for increment passings to help keep me on track.

Perhaps the funniest incident related to loss of Time happened last Friday. I am a TA for a class that meets in 3 sections (8.30/9.30/10.30). I can't go to teh 10.30 section ever because I have a conflicting class, so I alternate between the first two. Friday I was running late, because I had forgotten to turn on the alarm after I had set it the night before. So I really pushed to make it for the 9.30 section. I breezed into the classroom sighing a huge relief, because I had made it, only to stop dead in my tracks. The professor was already lecturing, and not only that, the class was settled and attentive (usually there are some stragglers still getting situated at the beginning of class). I just stood there. I couldn't believe it! I was so sure I had made it on time. The professor looked up at me with a confused expression on his face, "We'll be done in two minutes." Spluttering the realization to myself that I had come into the remaining minutes of the 8.30 section, I slinked out. And I did make it to the 9.30 section on time.

I had a good, rejuvenating weekend at home. Chris and I have been giddy since we've found out that Elvis is a boy. It's like the excitement of finding out we're pregnant, but with none of the shock. Chris beams around the house talking about "his heir" and the "fruit of his loins". I don't know what he thinks the boy is going to inherit.

We went baby shopping for the first time on Saturday. A friend had alerted me to a consignment shop of really nice things. We picked up a front carrier and back carrier, and I picked out a couple of really cute outfits (after Chris approved them as suitable garb for his heir). It's nice to have something to picture my little boy in. We hadn't gotten hardly a thing yet for Elvis because we've been waiting to find out. And we're keeping Stuff pretty low-key (or at least trying to), since we're moving, and really, in principle, let's just keep Stuff low-key.

Not much else I'm up to writing about at the moment.

Posted by at 12:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Yesterday marked the beginning of week 20 in the pregnancy. That is exactly half-way to the 40 weeks of a full-term pregnancy (don't ask me how they come with this method of measuring). It's exciting to think that we've arrived at the half-way mark unscathed. But now is when I really need to buckle down and get some things done (like sign up for some birthin' classes! yikes!).

The half-way mark is when we get our second ultrasound, complete with gender description. So this morning we found out whether Elvis is a girl or a boy. The ultrasound room was all high-tech with this cool high-resolution screen on the wall for us to see everything that was going on. Let me tell you, Elvis is a Wiggle Worm! After they measured all the normal stuff, they were trying to get a good profile shot of the head. After chasing Elvis around for about 15 min, they finally gave up. Already a bad kid! :) I thought it was really cool how clearly we could see all the parts, from the little foot to the chambers of the heart, and the spine, I thought, was especially cool, so they got me a good body shot.

Vertebra is horizontal going across the top, with the head on the right side looking down.

The real question of the day, though, is Elvis a boy or girl?

Continue reading "Elvis sighting: sugar & spice or puppy dog tail!?" »

Posted by at 01:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (14) | TrackBacks (0)

I've had a horrible cold this week, starting with a wretched sinus headache. Sinus pressure and a leaky faucet where I once had a nose have been plagueing me with no hope of relief from drug store pills full of drugs potentially harmful to Elvises and that I so often quickly turn to when such ills do plague me. I'm such a wimp when it comes to feeling bad, so going without meds has been a little bit of a trial, but just like I thought, I'm surviving. In fact, I'm even starting to feel better. And I will recommend a little treatment I read in What to Expect... for alleviating sinus pressure: alternating hot and cold compresses on the sinuses every 30 sec for about 10 min. It felt wonderful!!! So magically therapeutic.

Last night I even slept decently for the first time this week. In fact, when I woke up I was even breathing through my nose, though it was only for a short time. I slept so well last night, that I let myself sleep as long as I could this morning, since I still have today off for the the Mardi Gras break, figuring rest would help in the recovery process. Chris had to go in to his school earlier to do a few things.

While he was gone, I heard a thump outside our apt door and what sounded like someone giving the little knocker a quick rap. I was a little nervous, because here I was alone, in bed, sniffling. But I got up, put on my bathrobe, and opened the door, and sprightly waiting for me sat two boxes! The big one was oranges from Florida that my grandma has sent every year of my life (or at least as long as I can remember). And the other was a box of much-needed maternity clothes from wonderful KatieK.

THANK YOU, KATIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I couldn't believe my eyes when I opened it. It was like Christmas!!! Jeans, pants, shirts, and even a swim suit. (Yea, Katie, I laughed, too. But hey, it's like you said: Elvis is a JULY baby!) I was so excited! For the first time in days I felt motivated to relinquish the comfort of my bathrobe. I called Chris and babbled to him excitedly over the phone with my stuffy-nosed voice. This is SUCH a huge blessing, and I'm so thankful!

(I also had to share the card, because it totally cracked me up.)

Posted by at 01:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)