April 27, 2004

We had birth class tonight. The topics were breastfeeding, vaccinations and baby massage. We had a baby massage specialist come in and do a massage on our instructors six month old baby. I can't wait to massage our baby. Can you imagine the little toes and fingers... the little teeny spine? I can almost (but of course not quite) smell and feel his or her sweet baby skin.

The whole vaccination issue seems like a very complex one. We need to do a lot of research on that, it appears. Apparently, there are all these potential risks inherent in the vaccinations themselves. Well, I'm big on the research, so here goes...

April 26, 2004

We picked up the glider rocker chair today at Costco. Bummer we have nowhere to put it in our house now. Looks like it'll stay in the box until we go to our vacation rental at the end of May, after the remodel begins. I'm not so great at waiting for fun things. I guess waiting for this baby is teaching me patience. Before I probably would have taken the chair out of the box and set it up in the middle of the kitchen just so I could sit it in now. See, motherhood is already making me a more grounded and centered woman.

Someone in one of my classes today says it looks like I've "dropped". Maybe that explains the increase in middle of the night bathroom visits from two to three per night to more like four on a regular basis. Of course, it could just be that the new luxurious proximity to the bathroom we have created by moving our bed downstairs into the office has me not wait like I used to when we were upstairs.

April 25, 2004

I've been searching everywhere for a glider chair ever since Jenn said it was one of the most essential pregnancy items she owns. Our friends Debbie and Pete also have one and they say it was indispensible for both early at-home labor and after their babies were born. I also think they feel amazing to sit in, so I was easily convinced. I just had no idea, 1) how hard it'd be to find one in Bend, and 2) how expensive they are! Then, as usual, Costco pulls through! Today we were strolling around just seeing what's new (no mind we were there just a few days before and did the same thing - what is it about Costco that has a person do that?!) and picking up some pictures, and we happened upon - yep, you guessed it, a glider rocker chair (this link goes to the same chair, but our price in the store was even better)! Costco virtually always carries good quality items at good prices, as you probably know, so it's pretty much a done deal. This is our one major baby splurge... I expect it'll be worth it. We'll probably go pick it up tomorrow. I'm really excited.

I've had the request to put up a recent prego photo, so here's one from the packet of pictures we picked up at Costco. This is from Easter Sunday on our drive to the top of Pilot Butte (pronounced "bewt", for those who are wondering - and it's a large hill in Bend with cool views of the city all around), so it's right around 32 weeks (eight months).

I keep thinking I'll wait to post a picture until I have one I like more (you know, better hair or angle or lighting... whatever) but then I realize I seem to think that about all of them. Hmm. Ah well, it's my belly that's of real interest anyway, right?

(Scout looks pretty cute, though, doesn't she?)

April 23, 2004

Remember the house remodel/expansion I wrote about a while ago? Well, we begin shortly. Last word is, we will likely need to be out of our house around mid to late May - just in time for the baby. (We like to keep it simple, ya know)

Since Norma will be here for a month around the time the baby arrives, we are looking for a place to stay for that first month. After that, we will stay in her house next door for the remaining five months or so. (She offered her house and she would stay elsewhere for that first month, but we insisted that we want her in her house.) Anyway, I think we just found a great place today! It's a condo at Broken Top, which is a really nice golf club community here in Bend. The condo is completely furnished and very comfortable feeling. It'll be a bit like being on vacation. The only things we'll have to move there are clothes and other personal stuff - and the gigantic amount of baby stuff we would have to move wherever we go anyway! I think it's going to be very cool.

Jim says he's going to stand in the road outside the club house and practice hitting into the driving range from there, since it's a private golf club and he likely can't play there. It'll be fun and a bit taunting for him to be right on a golf course 24/7 and not have access. He'll be real busy changing diapers and singing goofy baby songs anyway.

April 22, 2004

Thirty-four Weeks

We have this beautiful walk we take Scout on every day in some open space up the street from our house. There is a 15-20 minute version that we use on less frequent days where we just don't have time for more (and we throw the ball A LOT so she gets some good running) and we have a 45 minute version. We usually do the 45 minute version; it's good for us and Scout needs some solid exercise every day. The reason I say all this is, I'm having some trouble making the 45 minute version lately. Hmm. Aren't there marathon runners and other women who keep up the vigorous exercise throughout pregnancy? Seems I'm the other kind of pregnant woman.

Frankly, if I could somehow tell myself the right story to make it feel okay, I'd rather skip the exercise all together at this point and just do lots of resting. Fortunately (or unfortunately), all the stuff I read keeps telling me how important exercise is for a faster and more productive labor. Blah, blah, blah.

April 21, 2004

Well, the Ohio bunch went home today. Their flight actually left at some unearthly hour, like 6:40am, so we said goodbye last night. They plan to come back in October to enjoy the baby - and Norma will be back in just over a month - so it wasn't too wrenching of a goodbye. I'm not so good at the big goodbye's anyway.

EXCELLENT baby news!! He or she is no longer breech! At least not today at 2pm for our midwife appointment. I kept telling Jim that I could swear I felt the baby flip last week. I was sitting still in a chair; I can't even remember what I was doing exactly. It was just this big, huge tumble then settling feeling in my belly. I was afraid to be too certain, but I felt like it could be the baby flipping into position. Now, send your thoughts and prayers that he or she stays in that general position.

All else is looking really good. The heartbeat sounds great, the baby was active during the appointment so his or her heartbeat was responding appropriately to the movement (150-160 when moving, and 140-150 when still), and my fundus (fundus, fundus, fundus) was 33.5 centimeters, which is right on target. Mickie says it feels and sounds like there is a good amount of amniotic fluid. She also said that it feels like we have a nice size baby - not too small, not too big - though it's hard to tell just yet. Around 38 weeks she'll give us a better guess at the baby's size. She was just pleased to feel that it doesn't seem we have a five pounder in there already.

We won't talk about my weigh in. Did I tell you how much I hate her scale?

April 20, 2004

We had pregnancy class tonight, just before which I remembered we had homework. So, while Tricia got dinner ready, Jim and I were in the living room practicing various laboring positions. They were all acting pretty cool but I'm pretty sure they must have thought it was simply goofy. After all, they didn't have any pregnancy class and labor position training and they birthed kids just fine. Anyway, I think I favor the supported squatting positions. I also like the ones that are a bit like slow dancing.

Tricia and Norma insist that there's no need to yell during labor. From what I keep hearing about the process, it's a bit hard for me to imagine keeping quiet. We'll see.

In class we did this really annoying exercise where we got into one of the laboring positions and our partner held an ice pack on our neck for sixty seconds. We were supposed to "notice how we responded to the sensation". Um, "OW! Get that thing off me!" is how I responded. Okay, I didn't say that, but now that I think about it, it seems we should be focusing on as much pleasure as we can experience now, given that we'll be going through enough hours of pain coming very soon. For example, what happened to praciticing the labor massage techniques? Maybe I need to make that suggestion to our instructor.

We did get Tricia's butterscotch pie when we got home tonight. There's some pleasure.

April 18, 2004

The time has officially arrived. I just couldn't continue to make the treacherous trip up and down the stairs three or four times a night from our bedroom to go to the bathroom. We moved our mattress into the office today. The 9X10 room is now literally covered, every square inch (save just enough to open and close the door), with our mattress, bedtime reading stacks, the computer/fax/printer desk, and Scout's bed. One unexpected advantage: the door is so close to my side of the bed that I can use the doorknob to grab onto and hoist myself out of bed to get up. And, I am so very grateful to have the bathroom only fifteen steps away.

Road trip to Sisters today. It's a cute little horse town about 20 minutes from Bend. Here's a snapshot of the backseat (Jeanne wasn't feeling well so stayed home.) How's this for C-U-T-E?!

We took an off-road adventure (well, it was paved - but off our intended road) and discovered a gorgeous drive just outside Sisters. We pulled over to try to capture some of the beauty. How's this for beauty?

April 17, 2004

Our friends Tamantha and Dave threw us a baby shower today. They invited the UU fellowship which we attend as well as a few friends. Norma, Tricia and Jeanne got to come, too. It was great we got to do some formal celebrating of the coming baby with them. We had a great time and got even further set up for this baby with more clothes, towels, sweet little stuffed animals, a fold-up baby bath, a sling, stroller newborn insert and rain cover... just lots of good stuff. We also got this amazing Zebra painting from Shirley, from UU, which came from Africa. It's full of beautiful, rich colors. I'm thinking, when we do have a room to hold all the baby stuff, we may use it as our "inspiration" piece around which to do the rest of the decorating. It even matches the fabulous quilt Maya made for the baby. Speaking of labors of love, ten women from the fellowship created a gorgeous blanket, for which each knitted a square. I was just overwhelmed to imagine all of these individual people in their homes thinking about and creating this blanket for our baby. Whew, this whole baby thing is just awesome so far. I can't imagine what it'll be like when he or she arrives!

Tamantha did such an awesome job putting together a really fun and comfortable party. Jim even won the "Famous TV Dad's" game for which he was prized with an electronic hand-held Poker game.

I had a dream last night that we were one and a half hours late for our baby shower. I was so upset - frustrated and crying throughout the whole dream. I also had really red hair and tiny eyes with red eye lashes in the dream.

Technical Note: I am having some annoying virus-related computer problem which is causing this program to make links out of random words. Please ignore all blue links you see in this preglog. I did not create those words as links. All of my intended links are purple. Sorry for the confusion.

April 16, 2004

Oh, speaking of adjusting to find a comfortable position - what about this whole pregnancy sleeping thing?! How come I haven't heard from all of my previously pregnant sisters, moms, and friends about the crazy maneuvering you have to do to sleep with this big belly? Who knew you need 5-7 pillows and a hoisting bar to turn yourself over from side to side in bed?! I remember when Jim and I used to cuddle at night - now I wouldn't know if he slept on the couch, I'm so insulated by wedged and shoved pillows.

I still smile, though, even when it's my fourth time waking up in the night, when I feel the baby tumble across my belly.

April 15, 2004

Thirty-three Weeks

Happy Birthday, Jeanne!

We ordered Chinese and had another Baskin Robbins ice-cream cake (feels almost like MY birthday getting to eat all this cake!) to celebrate Jeanne's birthday. Jim got her a six pack of the local Deschutes Brewery Mirror Pond Pale Ale and a t-shirt to match. I insisted we add a necklace to soften the overall gift. She seemed pleased with the whole bit.

Baby update: I'm pretty sure I distinctly felt an elbow move across the inside of my tummy last night. An elbow! Isn't that cool??

April 13, 2004

Met with the Department Chair today to strategize our "just in case I go into early labor" plan. I think we're in okay shape: if I go into early labor, they'll tape student speeches and I'll grade them from home. I know, I know - it's the last thing I'll want to do, but I guess that's the sacrifice you make when you are a member of those responsible for educating our precious youth (hee hee - how's that for sense of self-importance?!)

We need to work on our Wills. We're using a software generated template and it's asking hard questions about death and stuff so I keep putting it off. Why do we have to talk so much about death just to get a Will done, anyway?!!

Maya, Brian and Michelle (Brian's mom) came to dinner at Norma's house last night for which Tricia made an awesome roast and corn casserole (for those of you who know Chevy's, it tastes just like that little bit of corn masa type garnish they put on your plate which you always wish you could have a whole serving of) and almond cake with ice cream. (Do I talk about food a lot in here?) Since they can't make it to our shower on Saturday, they gave us baby gifts: a sweet little ducky outfit and Maya made us (yep - MADE!) a really cool quilt. It is in beautiful rusts and greens and even has excellent little monkeys on it. We were just blown away. Our baby is going to get wrapped in so much love!

April 12, 2004

We had lunch at Merenda (a "San Francisco hot spot style cool" restaurant and wine bar here in Bend) with Maya today so that Norma, Tricia and Jeanne could give her some baby gifts. It was yummy and fun. Dessert: beignets with chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, whipped cream and sliced strawberries. Can you say UNBELIEVABLE?! It's cool how if you call it a beignet, it totally jumps four levels from the donut category in which it probably really should fit and feels really quite sophisticated.

Then, we went maternity clothes shopping and they have now virtually set me up for the remainder of my pregnancy. Just spoiled at every turn.

April 11, 2004

Happy Easter!

After Easter Mass, we took a drive out east and looked at twenty miles of tumbleweeds and rock terrain. Doesn't sound all that exciting - but it was kinda peaceful and pretty. Then, we had dinner over maginficent views of Mirror Pond on the Deschutes River at The Pine Tavern to celebrate Easter. We ended with some pretty divine cheesecake.

I can't wait until a few years out when we get to watch our kid(s?!) do Easter Egg hunts on Easter.

Norma, Tricia and Jeanne felt the baby move today for the first time. Guess who cried.

April 9, 2004

Thirty-two weeks

Good, Good Friday!

In pregnancy calculations, we are (okay, let's be honest here - I am) eight months pregnant yesterday! Can you believe that? Well, I suppose I can, actually. It's starting to feel like I've been pregnant a long time now. Actually, sometimes it feels like forever and other times I feel nervous that it's going to end soon and I'll miss being pregnant very much. Isn't that funny?

We had veggie pizza (Lent, you know) and played Scrabble. Norma and I tied for winning, which is the closest I have or will ever come to winning at Scrabble in my lifetime.

April 7, 2004

Happy Birthday to Jim!

Fun celebrations today. Jim spent the morning taking pictures and hiking along the Deschutes river with Scout. He says it was a great birthday morning. Then we came back to a beautiful lunch spread with Norma, Tricia and Jeanne (do you know how awesome it is to have all of your food prepared, spread and cleaned up for you at every turn?! It's just impossible to overrate this!) We had dinner at Guisseppe's (Jim's favorite local restaurant) then Baskin Robbins mint chocolate chip ice-cream cake.

One of the coolest things about today (aside from the fact that it is the anniversary of my amazing husband's birth) was that every time we came home the answering machine was blinking with a birthday song and wish from family or friends. Jim just loved it!

We had our midwife appointment today. Since Norma is here, she got to hear the baby's heartbeat and feel the baby's head (which is still in breech position) through my tummy. She appeared as astonished at feeling the head as I remember being when I felt it last time. Somehow just knowing that you are actually touching our baby's body so specifically is just really awe-inspiring. Another one of those levels of realization.

All else is good in baby news: the diabetes test results came back fine and my iron is good. Apparently those are the two important potential problem indicators at this point. Mickie remains unconcerned about the breech position of the baby, though I am getting a bit nervous. She says if it's still breech at our next appointment (now every two weeks), she'll give me some exercises to try to get her or him to turn.

Norma, Jeanne and Tricia bought a couch, table and chairs, and coffee table chest already. These are women of action!

April 6, 2004

Norma, Jeanne and Tricia arrived safely from Ohio today! Norma seems thrilled with her house next door - the new carpet and paint have really brightened the place up. Tricia already has her measuring tape out and has begun creating long lists of furniture and other household items for them to purchase to furnish the house. It's fun to have them here.

We had Bradley birthing class tonight. We watched a very cool Guatamalan birth video where this woman just danced around her house in sustained eye-contact with her husband while she was in labor (though her eyes were kind of rolling around in her head.) Then they got into this gorgeous blue mexican-style-tiled large bath tub where she gave birth and caught the baby herself. Maybe if we move to Guatemala and get one of those tubs we can have a cool, calm, earthy birth like that. It was her fourth baby and she was a midwife, though, and I suppose that may have something to do with it. Still, Guatamala is sounding really exotic and birth-oriented to me right now.

April 3, 2004

In spite of learning last night that I am SIX inches bigger around (I'm 41.5 inches now) than our friend Maya who is only eight days behind us in pregnancy, today was a fun pregnancy day. First, at a garage sale, the woman selling things said, "You are just so cute pregnant!" (She doesn't even know what I look like not pregnant so I'm not sure how she's making the comparison - who cares?!) Then, at the market getting dinner tonight, another woman said something about me looking cute, too! It's funny, because "cute" hasn't been an adjective I've heard a lot of people use for me before... I wonder if it's just sort of a nice way of starting a pregnancy conversation. The comments always follow with, "How far along are you?" or "When are you due?" So, as I think about it, it makes sense as a kind of conversation opener... ah well, I still like it!

In baby news: Babycenter says our baby is about 3.25 pounds and over 16 inches long. The alien effect has definitely kicked into high gear. I could spend hours just staring at my belly and watching the baby's contortions create waves across it. Of course, every time I say urgently to Jim, "Look! There!" and point to the place in my belly where big waves were just rolling, all activity stops. We'll both sit there, staring intently at my belly, waiting for something to happen - to no avail. Then, Jim looks away, and a tidal wave will hit. This is one fiesty little kid! (That makes me a bit, irrationally, proud)

My friend, Jennifer, says that she just absolutely KNEW she was having a boy with her baby and that if I listen carefully I'll know what we're having, too. I keep trying, but the kid's got a tight lip on the subject. I did have one dream that it was a boy, but I'm not sure it counts because it was while we were visiting Miles and he might have just put the boy baby picture in my psyche. Very honestly, I can't seem to find a preference in my heart/mind anyway. The curiosity is really something, though, isn't it?

Jim has been working his fanny off lately. We're really excited, though, because the Ohio Bunch (his mom and two aunts) will be here in about three days and he'll work much less while they're here. Plus, as many of you know, we'll be cracking up laughing for the next two weeks with them around. Let the good times commence!

April 1, 2004

Forty weeks (April Fools!! - hee hee)

Thirty-one weeks

Meet Chou Chou, our newest "member" of our family.

In an all-out attempt to get Scout acquainted with the idea of having a new baby in the house, we have "adopted" a baby doll, intriguingly named Chou Chou. In taped human baby voice, she cries, laughs, sucks her pacifier, makes sucking noises when you insert a bottle, and coos and baahs (?) Scout is handling Chou Chou's presence... well, quite well. Mostly, she's curious. She either comes up and noses at her, cocks her head to one side in that very cute "huh?" way she has, or she goes and lays down a few feet away and just watches us.

We, on the other hand, are processing yet another level of realization about actually having a baby. For example, see Jim with our new Baby Bjorn on?? Yowza! He sure looks cute!

Speaking of cute, check out this movie star family picture of Miles and Aaron and Jenn at the beach in Pacifica. I think it's Jenn that sets the movie-star looking tone but it's Miles and his very cool hat that bring down the house. That was a fun day in CA.

Closer-up of Miles and his fabulous hat. Could you just die?!