we had our first hypnobirthing class last week, and I've been dying to write about it--but I'm still not going to right now because I know it'll be a long one, and I told my self I couldn't until I finished my current manuscript. (Which should be today!) But one of the things we talked about at that class was shielding myself from all the negative birth stories and experiences other women have had, because those stories become part of my expectation for what my birth experience is going to be like, and I'm aiming to experience something far calmer and more peaceful. So Tina, our instructor, made me promise to stop watching "Birth Day" on Discovery Health and "A Baby Story" on The Learning Channel, to which I reluctantly agreed.
So, a couple days later, I'm looking for something to watch, and Discovery Health has this show called "Make Room For Baby." It's a decorating show about people doing up their nurseries and stuff, and I was like, "That might be cool to watch!" So I try to go to that channel--and Dan has put a parental lock on it! Then, on a hunch, I try watching a show on TLC--same thing! "Password please," is says, and he didn't use the number we usually use, so I have no idea how to get into it. That stinker! But I couldn't help but be touched. He's such a sweetie. :)
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Oi.
Car died on us today. We drove Dan's parents to the train station--they came down for lunch--and we parked under a tree to hang out till their train came, and when we tried to start it again it simply wouldn't. So bizarre. Thank heavens for AAA--and when the tow truck got there he listened to the weird noise it was making and said, "Oh, it's your battery." Apparently the battery wasn't yet completely dead, because our windows, nav system, radio, etc. still worked--it just didn't have enough juice to start the car. Thankfully he was able to jump it, so we drove it to Costco because he said they installed new batteries--and then we got there and they said they didn't. Bah! So let that be a lesson to y'all: don't expect Costco to install the batteries they sell. Anyway, it held up till we drove home and brought it to the Nissan dealer, but who knows when we'll get it back because we had to have something else fixed on it, too, and that has to be special ordered, which of course they won't be able to do until Monday. Thank heavens we have the Focus--and given the price of gas these days, it'll save us some cash to drive that little thing instead of the "$40 doesn't quite fill it" SUV.
So now I'm trying to rehydrate myself--we sat outside waiting for the tow truck for half an hour in the near-90 degree heat, and then couldn't drive with the a/c because the tow guy said it would suck the battery dry--and the baby is thrashing away so I take that as a good sign. For once I'm glad we left the a/c on at the house when we left; usually we turn it off when we're not here, but it felt soooo good to walk into a cool house! And speaking of baby, Dan's parents gave us all sorts of great baby necessities when they came down: socks, sleeper gowns, t-shirts, and crib sheets--they're so small and cute!! I can't wait to use them! :)
So now I'm trying to rehydrate myself--we sat outside waiting for the tow truck for half an hour in the near-90 degree heat, and then couldn't drive with the a/c because the tow guy said it would suck the battery dry--and the baby is thrashing away so I take that as a good sign. For once I'm glad we left the a/c on at the house when we left; usually we turn it off when we're not here, but it felt soooo good to walk into a cool house! And speaking of baby, Dan's parents gave us all sorts of great baby necessities when they came down: socks, sleeper gowns, t-shirts, and crib sheets--they're so small and cute!! I can't wait to use them! :)
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Is this bad?
Four short stacks of pancakes with chocolate chips at IHOP in the span of 5 days.
What can I say--it's all that sounded good. Ever.
I'm not a very good mother, am I?
What can I say--it's all that sounded good. Ever.
I'm not a very good mother, am I?
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Learning to Drive
This is maybe thinking just a bit too far ahead, but lately I've been obsessed over figuring out how to teach my child to drive. Cars--especially the giant ones that people drive out here in Caifornia, Hummers and Tahoes and Titans and other metal mammoths--are really scary and powerful and dangerous machines, and the thought of my baby behind the steering wheel of one freaks me out.
Now, obviously I know that this "baby" won't be a baby when they're learning to drive, but you know how it is with mothers; their children are always babies in their eyes. I've learned that already and haven't even met mine yet. But still.
I remember, as a child, my dad would take me to the parking lot of his old high school on days when no one was there and let me steer from his lap as we crawled along. He wouldn't let me actually drive--I was too small at the time to even reach the pedals--just turn the wheel and make the car go where I wanted it to as he supplied the power, which was fun despite the fact there was nowhere to actually go. I remember being older and going back to that parking lot and being allowed to sit in the driver's seat all alone while I made the car go and Dad encouraged me to give it a little more gas. And I remember driving down the narrow side streets of Arlington Heights, shaded by giant trees whose names I never knew, in our little temperamental Jetta and being so afraid to turn onto Northwest Highway, which, despite its name, wasn't much of a highway, just a four lane (total--not in each direction) main drag that would take you all the way to Chicago if you wanted. But there was traffic there, more cars and actual stoplights, and I avoided it until I was really, really comfortable behind the wheel, because the speed limit was, like, 40.
And then I think of my kids and the streets they'll be driving on. The main drag through little RSM here is 55 mph in places. Fifty-five! The slowest it gets is, like, 45. And the roads here curve like asphalt rivers--no easy grid like Arlington Heights, where you only turned the steering wheel to turn a corner.
And then there's the I-5.
Now, I may be mistaken--someone in Chicago, please correct me if I'm wrong--but the most lanes the expressways have out there are, like, 4 in one direction. Typically, I think it's more like 3. Whereas the I-5 can have as many as 6 lanes at a time, each one filled with maniacs going 90 and other maniacs going 50. You could stay in one lane, never switch left or right, and find that lane to be both the middle lane and the far-right lane in the span of 5 miles, because lanes just peel away and add on line some mutant onion. And for some reason Cal-Trans has really embraced the idea of these little reflector things that they glue down in the paint between lanes, and in some places they have ditched the paint altogether, so that your space on this Great Plain of cement is defined so by nothing but the occasional plastic bump reminiscent of a Pac-Man pellet, but less frequent.
And I think, My baby is going to drive on this road someday?
Who knows, maybe in sixteen years we won't have cars anymore; we'll have transporters like on Star Trek. Or transporter belts like on The Tomorrow People. Or maybe some new public transportation system will burst onto the scene with such an efficient and extensive network that cars will be rendered superfulous. Or, more likely, the price of gas will have gone so high that it takes a double-income home with both adults working as top executives to be able to afford it and people will just go back to their bikes. I'm hoping for one of these. Because I shudder at the thought of my baby learning to drive.
Now, obviously I know that this "baby" won't be a baby when they're learning to drive, but you know how it is with mothers; their children are always babies in their eyes. I've learned that already and haven't even met mine yet. But still.
I remember, as a child, my dad would take me to the parking lot of his old high school on days when no one was there and let me steer from his lap as we crawled along. He wouldn't let me actually drive--I was too small at the time to even reach the pedals--just turn the wheel and make the car go where I wanted it to as he supplied the power, which was fun despite the fact there was nowhere to actually go. I remember being older and going back to that parking lot and being allowed to sit in the driver's seat all alone while I made the car go and Dad encouraged me to give it a little more gas. And I remember driving down the narrow side streets of Arlington Heights, shaded by giant trees whose names I never knew, in our little temperamental Jetta and being so afraid to turn onto Northwest Highway, which, despite its name, wasn't much of a highway, just a four lane (total--not in each direction) main drag that would take you all the way to Chicago if you wanted. But there was traffic there, more cars and actual stoplights, and I avoided it until I was really, really comfortable behind the wheel, because the speed limit was, like, 40.
And then I think of my kids and the streets they'll be driving on. The main drag through little RSM here is 55 mph in places. Fifty-five! The slowest it gets is, like, 45. And the roads here curve like asphalt rivers--no easy grid like Arlington Heights, where you only turned the steering wheel to turn a corner.
And then there's the I-5.
Now, I may be mistaken--someone in Chicago, please correct me if I'm wrong--but the most lanes the expressways have out there are, like, 4 in one direction. Typically, I think it's more like 3. Whereas the I-5 can have as many as 6 lanes at a time, each one filled with maniacs going 90 and other maniacs going 50. You could stay in one lane, never switch left or right, and find that lane to be both the middle lane and the far-right lane in the span of 5 miles, because lanes just peel away and add on line some mutant onion. And for some reason Cal-Trans has really embraced the idea of these little reflector things that they glue down in the paint between lanes, and in some places they have ditched the paint altogether, so that your space on this Great Plain of cement is defined so by nothing but the occasional plastic bump reminiscent of a Pac-Man pellet, but less frequent.
And I think, My baby is going to drive on this road someday?
Who knows, maybe in sixteen years we won't have cars anymore; we'll have transporters like on Star Trek. Or transporter belts like on The Tomorrow People. Or maybe some new public transportation system will burst onto the scene with such an efficient and extensive network that cars will be rendered superfulous. Or, more likely, the price of gas will have gone so high that it takes a double-income home with both adults working as top executives to be able to afford it and people will just go back to their bikes. I'm hoping for one of these. Because I shudder at the thought of my baby learning to drive.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
BABY!!!!!!
LOOK!!!!!!!
Not sure whose profile that is, Dan's or mine, but it looks like Charlie Brown's nose--go figure. But it was the most incredible thing to watch the screen and see my baby MOVING--s/he actually punched him/herself while we were watching, definitely my child--and to have the tech say, "Oh, look there's the heart beating," Look, there's its little hands and arms," "Look, there's its little legs--crossed, so we don't have a choice about finding out the sex, it's not gonna happen today!" (Whew!) S/he was very cooperative, too; the tech said s/he kept showing off all the bits and pieces she needed to get clear shots of, so I'm looking forward to the possibility of a very compliant baby. :) (Yeah, right.) The heartrate went up to 153 from the steady 140 it's been every other time, putting the odds of a girl (supposedly) a little higher. Three separate people yesterday said "Oh, you're totally having a girl." This was just by looking at me, no comments made about all the supposed "clues" that might tell you one way or the other. Go figure.
So, all in all, not a bad way to spend my anniversary!
Not sure whose profile that is, Dan's or mine, but it looks like Charlie Brown's nose--go figure. But it was the most incredible thing to watch the screen and see my baby MOVING--s/he actually punched him/herself while we were watching, definitely my child--and to have the tech say, "Oh, look there's the heart beating," Look, there's its little hands and arms," "Look, there's its little legs--crossed, so we don't have a choice about finding out the sex, it's not gonna happen today!" (Whew!) S/he was very cooperative, too; the tech said s/he kept showing off all the bits and pieces she needed to get clear shots of, so I'm looking forward to the possibility of a very compliant baby. :) (Yeah, right.) The heartrate went up to 153 from the steady 140 it's been every other time, putting the odds of a girl (supposedly) a little higher. Three separate people yesterday said "Oh, you're totally having a girl." This was just by looking at me, no comments made about all the supposed "clues" that might tell you one way or the other. Go figure.
So, all in all, not a bad way to spend my anniversary!
Saturday, August 06, 2005
Halfway there!
Today I am officially 20 weeks along. I can't believe this pregnancy is already halfway over. It's taken FOREVER--but on the other hand it seems like no time at all. (An apt description of the rest of my life these days.) My next appointment is the Tuesday that we're back from Chicago--can't wait to hear that heartbeat again!
I found a place in Anaheim called Before the Stork--it's an elective 3D/4D imaging center where they'll give you a video and a bunch of black & white and color keepsake photos of your baby. The imagining room is set up like a theater with a sofa and a 60" screen so family can come and watch. It's $180 bucks, and not covered by insurance because it's elective (they don't check all the important medical stuff), but I think we're going to do it! I'm so excited!!
Today I got my book on hypnobirthing in the mail from our hypnobirth practitioner. I can't remember if I've talked about hypnobirthing yet--I want to pull a couple of my favorite quotes from the book before I write an actual post on it. But I'm just excited that I have it. I've already scanned half of it and am SO excited about doing it! We start our classes the week we get back from Chicago. Fun!!
I found a place in Anaheim called Before the Stork--it's an elective 3D/4D imaging center where they'll give you a video and a bunch of black & white and color keepsake photos of your baby. The imagining room is set up like a theater with a sofa and a 60" screen so family can come and watch. It's $180 bucks, and not covered by insurance because it's elective (they don't check all the important medical stuff), but I think we're going to do it! I'm so excited!!
Today I got my book on hypnobirthing in the mail from our hypnobirth practitioner. I can't remember if I've talked about hypnobirthing yet--I want to pull a couple of my favorite quotes from the book before I write an actual post on it. But I'm just excited that I have it. I've already scanned half of it and am SO excited about doing it! We start our classes the week we get back from Chicago. Fun!!
Friday, August 05, 2005
And they're off! (the hormones, that is)
So apparently in the middle of your pregnancy--either that, or just in the middle of mineyour hormones go off and have themselves a little party at your expense. I had two full-out sob-fests yesterday over things that really didn't require them, and I just not found myself weeping at a rerun of "Mad About You." Now, I've always been an emotional person, to a point, but this is ridiculous. So you can add to the list of things I lost (among my waistline, my memory, and the ability to fall back asleep when I wake up in the middle of the night) "the ability to control my emotions!"
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Just for fun...
Okay, I *know* these kinds of things are supposed to be silly, but you've gotta wonder when they can claim accuracy in over 90% of cases, and it worked for all but one of the ten babies my friends and I tested on. (Like I said, 90% accurate!) So here it is: go to Ancient Chinese Gender Predictor and tell me if it was accurate for your kid (or the kid of someone you know). If it's right, we're having a girl--we'll see in 21 weeks. :)
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Woosh-woosh-woosh
That's what the baby's heartbeat sounds like--and it's still pumping at 140 beats per minute! Yes, we had our appointment today, and I got my baby fix when I heard that amazing sound. That's gotta be one of the weirdest things ever, to HEAR something living inside you. Crazy! And the best part: my doctor didn't make a single comment about me weight. Hallelujah!
So now I have to make an appointment somewhere to get our ultrasound. I'm bummed, because the place I wanted to go only does high-risk pregnancies, which mine is certainly not. Given the fact that we know a ton of pregnant women and people in the medical field, I'm optimistic we'll be able to find a place that is as cool as the high-risk clinic.
So now I have to make an appointment somewhere to get our ultrasound. I'm bummed, because the place I wanted to go only does high-risk pregnancies, which mine is certainly not. Given the fact that we know a ton of pregnant women and people in the medical field, I'm optimistic we'll be able to find a place that is as cool as the high-risk clinic.
Monday, July 25, 2005
Yay, comments! (and other things)
I'm such a dork--I never set the preferences for this blog so I'd be notified when people commented, and I just happened to glance at the end of one of my entries today and see comments. I was so excited! People are actually reading this! :) So anyway, thanks to everyone who's been writing. Even some strangers--always curious to know how y'all found your way here, leave me a comment and let me know! :)
Well, week one of The New and Improved Alison went quite well, I'm happy to say. Much healthier eating*, way more writing done (almost 1/2 way to my minimal word requirement!) and 12 miles of walking racked up. (It's so handy having a lake that is exactly a mile in diameter; I hate not having some idea how far I've gone.) This morning was even better in the walking department; I just had so much energy, which was SUCH a nice change, that I went for four miles instead of two. Hooray me! (Side note: anyone seen the Red Stripe beer commercials? "Hooray beer!" They're hilarious.)
Tomorrow is our next OB appointment. I admit I'm worried about what my doctor is going to say about my weight, but what can I do? It's not like I'm snarfing down cake and ice cream for every meal or something. (Well, I did have three scoops of Ben & Jerry's within a 3 day span and 3 cupcakes in the last 24 hours, but I SWEAR those were anomalies.) And despite the walking the weight is still climbing. I really wish I'd through to chart it, just for the heck of it--it would have been a fun baby album page. At least I've rememberd to take belly pictures every month. Speaking of which, I bought the most adorable album to use as my pregnancy scrapbook album, and I've still yet to start it. Granted, I still haven't finished our wedding scrapbook, either. I need to have one of those crop-till-you-drop parties soon and get on the stick!
We'll also be setting up our Big Ultrasound appointment tomorrow--at least, I think that's the plan. I can't wait for that!! I think my parents are even going to come. We should bring popcorn or something. :)
Well, week one of The New and Improved Alison went quite well, I'm happy to say. Much healthier eating*, way more writing done (almost 1/2 way to my minimal word requirement!) and 12 miles of walking racked up. (It's so handy having a lake that is exactly a mile in diameter; I hate not having some idea how far I've gone.) This morning was even better in the walking department; I just had so much energy, which was SUCH a nice change, that I went for four miles instead of two. Hooray me! (Side note: anyone seen the Red Stripe beer commercials? "Hooray beer!" They're hilarious.)
Tomorrow is our next OB appointment. I admit I'm worried about what my doctor is going to say about my weight, but what can I do? It's not like I'm snarfing down cake and ice cream for every meal or something. (Well, I did have three scoops of Ben & Jerry's within a 3 day span and 3 cupcakes in the last 24 hours, but I SWEAR those were anomalies.) And despite the walking the weight is still climbing. I really wish I'd through to chart it, just for the heck of it--it would have been a fun baby album page. At least I've rememberd to take belly pictures every month. Speaking of which, I bought the most adorable album to use as my pregnancy scrapbook album, and I've still yet to start it. Granted, I still haven't finished our wedding scrapbook, either. I need to have one of those crop-till-you-drop parties soon and get on the stick!
We'll also be setting up our Big Ultrasound appointment tomorrow--at least, I think that's the plan. I can't wait for that!! I think my parents are even going to come. We should bring popcorn or something. :)
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Thoughts
I've realized lately that there are a lot of parallels between awaiting your baby and awaiting your wedding day. There are entire bookcases full of guides and advice on what to do to prepare for The Big Day. There are tons of plans to be made. You get parties and lots of gifts for both of them. And once The Big Day actually arrives, you realize all the planning was for naught, because nothing can prepare you for the reality of the event.
The other similarity is that everyone talks about the preparations, but hardly anyone talks about what happens after. Buy this stuff, make this plan, blah blah blah...but what happens when you get home from the honeymoon and realize, "Holy crap, I'm going to be looking at your face for the rest of one of our lives. You're going to be in my bed, in my space; your stuff and my stuff are gonna get all mixed up together; I don't get to think of just myself EVER AGAIN."
I have a feeling it'll be the same with the baby. We'll get this helpless little mini-us home and set it in the crib and stare at it in total and complete terror. "Holy crap, I'm going to be looking at this face for the rest of one of our lives. You're going to be in my arms, in my space; your stuff is gonna get all mixed up with my stuff, and I won't get to think of just myself EVER AGAIN." I'll be a mother, a role for which there is no real preparation, other than a lot of theory and "Well, this is how it was for me..." which, as we all know, often proves pointless for us.
Obviously people have been raising babies for many, many years now, and since I fancy myself to be at least as intelligent, if not more so, than the average bear, I'm sure I can handle it. But I know there are going to be nights when I stare down into the crib at this little tiny person who somehow managed to get put together INSIDE ME (my gosh) and, even more miraculously, managed to come OUT of me (which I'm not nearly as worried about as one might think) and wonder to myself, "What exactly am I suppose to do with you?"
The other similarity is that everyone talks about the preparations, but hardly anyone talks about what happens after. Buy this stuff, make this plan, blah blah blah...but what happens when you get home from the honeymoon and realize, "Holy crap, I'm going to be looking at your face for the rest of one of our lives. You're going to be in my bed, in my space; your stuff and my stuff are gonna get all mixed up together; I don't get to think of just myself EVER AGAIN."
I have a feeling it'll be the same with the baby. We'll get this helpless little mini-us home and set it in the crib and stare at it in total and complete terror. "Holy crap, I'm going to be looking at this face for the rest of one of our lives. You're going to be in my arms, in my space; your stuff is gonna get all mixed up with my stuff, and I won't get to think of just myself EVER AGAIN." I'll be a mother, a role for which there is no real preparation, other than a lot of theory and "Well, this is how it was for me..." which, as we all know, often proves pointless for us.
Obviously people have been raising babies for many, many years now, and since I fancy myself to be at least as intelligent, if not more so, than the average bear, I'm sure I can handle it. But I know there are going to be nights when I stare down into the crib at this little tiny person who somehow managed to get put together INSIDE ME (my gosh) and, even more miraculously, managed to come OUT of me (which I'm not nearly as worried about as one might think) and wonder to myself, "What exactly am I suppose to do with you?"
Monday, July 18, 2005
One six oh
Three little numbers, so many possibilities. The number of dollars I could save with Geico. The number of books on my reading list. The number of days until the baby is born. (Well, that would be 157, actually.) But no, it's none of those.
It's the number of pounds I now weight.
I could hardly believe it when I stepped on the scale. Only 17 weeks and I've already gained all the weight you're supposed to gain in an entire pregnancy. I go to the doctor again next Tuesday; I can't imagine the browbeating my OB is going to give me!
So today I turned over a new leaf. I got up at 6:30 this morning and had a protein-heavy breakfast as my first step to cutting down on the carbs I've been snarfing. Then I went to the lake for a 45 minute walk. Man, did that feel good! ('Course, I think I may have pulled a muscle. Figures.) I simply can't believe I'm going to be gaining weight for another 6 months when I'm already this big. Something must be done!
It's the number of pounds I now weight.
I could hardly believe it when I stepped on the scale. Only 17 weeks and I've already gained all the weight you're supposed to gain in an entire pregnancy. I go to the doctor again next Tuesday; I can't imagine the browbeating my OB is going to give me!
So today I turned over a new leaf. I got up at 6:30 this morning and had a protein-heavy breakfast as my first step to cutting down on the carbs I've been snarfing. Then I went to the lake for a 45 minute walk. Man, did that feel good! ('Course, I think I may have pulled a muscle. Figures.) I simply can't believe I'm going to be gaining weight for another 6 months when I'm already this big. Something must be done!
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Four months down!
On Saturday we reached the four month mark, which means we're only 4 weeks away from being halfway through this pregnancy. I so can't wait for the halfway mark! I know nothing will be that different, but it's just the fact that it's all downhill from there, you know?
My next appointment is on the 26th, and I think we'll be scheduling our big ultrasound that day, too. At this point the plan is still to not find out of it's a boy or a girl, but Dan keeps dropping hints so I think, if it were up to him, he'd want to find out. I keep telling him that if he REALLY wants to know, we can find out, but he keeps saying it's my choice. That being the case, we're keeping it a secret--I love surprises and think it would just be too anticlimactic to know ahead of time what we were having. Two of my other pregnant friends are going to remain in the dark with their babies, too, and it's driving others in our social circle absolutely nuts that we don't want to know. Oh well, too bad! :) I'll just save all the gift receipts for the yellow and green unisex stuff we get. :)
I'm going to try to schedule our hypnobirth classes in the next week or so. I was hoping some of my friends would want to go with us, but they're all planning on going for the drugs. I'm bummed, but can't really fault them; everyone approaches their birth experience differently. I'm really excited about the classes, though; can't wait to start!
My next appointment is on the 26th, and I think we'll be scheduling our big ultrasound that day, too. At this point the plan is still to not find out of it's a boy or a girl, but Dan keeps dropping hints so I think, if it were up to him, he'd want to find out. I keep telling him that if he REALLY wants to know, we can find out, but he keeps saying it's my choice. That being the case, we're keeping it a secret--I love surprises and think it would just be too anticlimactic to know ahead of time what we were having. Two of my other pregnant friends are going to remain in the dark with their babies, too, and it's driving others in our social circle absolutely nuts that we don't want to know. Oh well, too bad! :) I'll just save all the gift receipts for the yellow and green unisex stuff we get. :)
I'm going to try to schedule our hypnobirth classes in the next week or so. I was hoping some of my friends would want to go with us, but they're all planning on going for the drugs. I'm bummed, but can't really fault them; everyone approaches their birth experience differently. I'm really excited about the classes, though; can't wait to start!
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Do To List
Eat.
Eat.
Take a shower.
Eat.
Eat.
Eat.
Do some laundry.
Eat.
Eat.
Eat.
Eat.
Clean the living room.
Eat.
Run some errands.
Eat.
Eat.
Eat.
Eat.
Eat.
Eat.
Eat.
Go to bed.
Sometimes it's a wonder I've only gained 16 pounds.....
Eat.
Take a shower.
Eat.
Eat.
Eat.
Do some laundry.
Eat.
Eat.
Eat.
Eat.
Clean the living room.
Eat.
Run some errands.
Eat.
Eat.
Eat.
Eat.
Eat.
Eat.
Eat.
Go to bed.
Sometimes it's a wonder I've only gained 16 pounds.....
Saturday, June 11, 2005
140 bpm and still going strong!
Had my first big OB appointment Thursday, and we got to hear the heartbeat on the Doppler! It was incredible--whoosh-whoosh-whoosh, just like in the movies. The doctor got a big grin on her face and said, "Oh, that sounds good! Nice and strong!" Which of course made me feel MUCH better. And even more connected to the little alien in there than when we saw the ultrasound.
Today I am 12 weeks--three months into my pregnancy. 28 more weeks until the end, give or take. That seems like SO LONG. I swear _everything_else_ in my life goes fast but this. I guess becacuse there isn't anything else in my life that I measure by the week.
Dan's brother was here with his family for the last few days. Their son, Simon, is almost 2 and a half, and just hilarious. So many words in his vocabulary now, yet he'll babble and babble and only two or three words will actually make sense. But he looks like he's really trying to make conversation; it's so cute! But what was _really_ cute was watching Dan play with him. Simon LOVES his "Deeter," which is what he calls Dan. (I am Lallie, usually said two or three times in a row for some reason.) Anyway, Dan is like a giant toy for Simon. He wrestles with him, crawls around with him, puts him on his shoulders, tosses him onto the couch or the bed...adorable. I can't wait to see him with our kids.
Today I am 12 weeks--three months into my pregnancy. 28 more weeks until the end, give or take. That seems like SO LONG. I swear _everything_else_ in my life goes fast but this. I guess becacuse there isn't anything else in my life that I measure by the week.
Dan's brother was here with his family for the last few days. Their son, Simon, is almost 2 and a half, and just hilarious. So many words in his vocabulary now, yet he'll babble and babble and only two or three words will actually make sense. But he looks like he's really trying to make conversation; it's so cute! But what was _really_ cute was watching Dan play with him. Simon LOVES his "Deeter," which is what he calls Dan. (I am Lallie, usually said two or three times in a row for some reason.) Anyway, Dan is like a giant toy for Simon. He wrestles with him, crawls around with him, puts him on his shoulders, tosses him onto the couch or the bed...adorable. I can't wait to see him with our kids.
Sunday, May 29, 2005
Hazy Lazy Days of May...
I was all proud of myself yesterday morning because I got such a great night's sleep and was all psyched about going for a walk around the lake. Half an hour into my walk I was exhausted. Yippee, half an hour--I felt like a dork that that was all I could do. When I got home I sat on the couch for an hour, then went to bed and slept for another hour! How the heck am I supposed to exercise when it takes four times as long to recoop?!
On a good note, I seem to have stopped gaining weight. 14 pounds in less than 3 weeks--it's a good thing I stopped! It's certainly not because I'm eating any differently; now quite sure what's causing it. Definitely not exercise, since I've hardly done any in the last two weeks. Whatever the reason, I'm grateful. Now, if only I could eat something besides cereal and protein shakes, I'd be really happy....
On a good note, I seem to have stopped gaining weight. 14 pounds in less than 3 weeks--it's a good thing I stopped! It's certainly not because I'm eating any differently; now quite sure what's causing it. Definitely not exercise, since I've hardly done any in the last two weeks. Whatever the reason, I'm grateful. Now, if only I could eat something besides cereal and protein shakes, I'd be really happy....
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Comfort Food
If you've ever known a pregnant woman, then you know food is a touchy subject for those of us Currently With Child. I've discovered that the mere mention of particular foods (I can't even type their names!) send my stomach reeling and threatening to toss whatever I've managed to choke down recently. After a particularly heinous evening of gagging, I finally went to the grocery store to see if anything there sounded remotely edible. It seems as though all our food at the house just makes me sick.
I came home with two bags of goodies that I nearly opened right there in the aisles to start devouring. And as I unpacked it all at home I realized they're all foods from my childhood:
-chicken noodle soup
-Spaghetti-O's with meatballs
-fruit cups (love those cherries!!)
-Jell-o cups (strawberry and raspberry)
-tapioca pudding
-cheese sticks (well, the stick concept didn't come till I was in high school or so, but cheese was a definite childhood staple)
So I'm trying to determine if my childhood palate was just really mild, and thus appealing to a queasy stomach, or if it's psychological.
On a completely unrelated note, I got the first (and hopefully last) sunburn of the season today--I'm now sporting a lovely farmer's tan. (Well, burn.) Of course, the one part of me I was deliberately trying to sun--my ghostly white legs--are not a single shade darker. Figures.
I came home with two bags of goodies that I nearly opened right there in the aisles to start devouring. And as I unpacked it all at home I realized they're all foods from my childhood:
-chicken noodle soup
-Spaghetti-O's with meatballs
-fruit cups (love those cherries!!)
-Jell-o cups (strawberry and raspberry)
-tapioca pudding
-cheese sticks (well, the stick concept didn't come till I was in high school or so, but cheese was a definite childhood staple)
So I'm trying to determine if my childhood palate was just really mild, and thus appealing to a queasy stomach, or if it's psychological.
On a completely unrelated note, I got the first (and hopefully last) sunburn of the season today--I'm now sporting a lovely farmer's tan. (Well, burn.) Of course, the one part of me I was deliberately trying to sun--my ghostly white legs--are not a single shade darker. Figures.
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Mother's Day...
Well, today seemed to be the fitting time to make a big announcement. All the things worth blogging about lately have revolved around a secret I've been keeping, but I haven't written them because I wanted to make sure things were on the right track before I did. And it looks like they are. May this post not jinx it. Not that I believe in jinxing. And yet I feel the need to write that. Hm.
So anyway, the secret is that I am pregnant again. Talk about a shocker. The doctor said not to try, so we weren't, and yet, God had other plans than us waiting until June like we'd planned. I found out the 27th and called my doctor immediately to get in for a blood test; I wasn't going to let myself get excited until I'd seen where things were chemically. My dear doctor rushed my labs so I wouldn't have to wait till Thursday afternoon for the results, and everything came back perfect. My betas were so high (21,725 or something--I only got as high as 131 last time) that they said I wouldn't even need to come back Friday for a comparison test to make sure they were doubling--they had to be if they were that high. In the words of the nurse, "Honey, you're very pregnant." Hallelujah!
Of course, given my history, they wanted to get a visual of everything, too, to make sure things looked right. So Friday we got our first picture of the baby. Not a whole lot to see--the baby is about the size of a raspberry at the moment--but apparently it looked the way it should because the ultrasound tech seemed pleased with the results.
As of this posting I am 7 weeks and 1 day, and my due date is Christmas Eve. I have symptoms this time, which is what prompted me to take the home pregnancy test in the first place. I've also already gained 7 pounds. That part is not so good. But that's what I get for sitting around and not exercising while I eat twice as much as I normally do. I know I'm not "eating for two" as they say, but I've been so freaking hungry that I can't even sleep through the night without getting a sizeable snack. I suppose that's better than nausea, although I'm now to the point where I'm hungry but the thought of actually eating anything makes me woozy. A lousy combination of sensations.
So, for those of you out there who are praying types, please pray that this pregnancy sticks and turns out the way pregnancies should: with a healthy happy baby at the end of the road.
So anyway, the secret is that I am pregnant again. Talk about a shocker. The doctor said not to try, so we weren't, and yet, God had other plans than us waiting until June like we'd planned. I found out the 27th and called my doctor immediately to get in for a blood test; I wasn't going to let myself get excited until I'd seen where things were chemically. My dear doctor rushed my labs so I wouldn't have to wait till Thursday afternoon for the results, and everything came back perfect. My betas were so high (21,725 or something--I only got as high as 131 last time) that they said I wouldn't even need to come back Friday for a comparison test to make sure they were doubling--they had to be if they were that high. In the words of the nurse, "Honey, you're very pregnant." Hallelujah!
Of course, given my history, they wanted to get a visual of everything, too, to make sure things looked right. So Friday we got our first picture of the baby. Not a whole lot to see--the baby is about the size of a raspberry at the moment--but apparently it looked the way it should because the ultrasound tech seemed pleased with the results.
As of this posting I am 7 weeks and 1 day, and my due date is Christmas Eve. I have symptoms this time, which is what prompted me to take the home pregnancy test in the first place. I've also already gained 7 pounds. That part is not so good. But that's what I get for sitting around and not exercising while I eat twice as much as I normally do. I know I'm not "eating for two" as they say, but I've been so freaking hungry that I can't even sleep through the night without getting a sizeable snack. I suppose that's better than nausea, although I'm now to the point where I'm hungry but the thought of actually eating anything makes me woozy. A lousy combination of sensations.
So, for those of you out there who are praying types, please pray that this pregnancy sticks and turns out the way pregnancies should: with a healthy happy baby at the end of the road.
Saturday, May 07, 2005
Welcome to the new blog!
Well, I didn't think it necessary to submit all my readers (all, like, 5 of them) to my musings of pregnancy when "A Little Creative License" was supposed to be a writer's blog, so this is the new home of my nine month adventure. Just what I need--another place to procrastinate when I should be writing my book. :) But that's obviously not stopping me!
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