If you haven't checked out a little blog called Hyperbole and a Half, you NEEEEED to. I particularly recommend The God of Cake and This Is Why I'll Never Be an Adult.
But another post caught my eye because of my current state of about-to-popness. I go to the doc once a week. We're meeting with the doula. We toured the hospital last week. And a lot of my thinking these days centers around one basic thought: I've grown the kid . . . now how the heck do we get him out?
Ow.
Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow.
And yet I'm attempting to do this thing naturally if at all possible (and by the way, I'm the one who gets to say whether or not it is at all possible). We'll do our best and see what happens.
One thing I know I DON'T want is some nurse asking me over and over again to rate my pain on a scale. It's labor. I'm pretty sure it hurts. I did plenty of pain ratings after my car accidents and it just makes me feel awkward. Choosing a number to describe my pain is an awful lot of pressure. If I say 3, I might as well not be at the docs. If I say 5, I'm indecisive. If I say 8 or 9, I'm a drama queen or a wimp. Besides, I'm a words person, not a math whiz.
Even the ones with faces are annoying.
Gross.
But this one, courtesy Hyperbole and a Half, I like. I've printed it out and may just use it at the hospital (we'll give it to the nurses along with our birth plan):
Yes. Now this is a pain scale I can get behind.
Seriously, check out the blog. I read it late at night when I can't sleep . . . and I keep on laughing so loud I'm afraid I'll wake up J. Fun stuff.
martes, 14 de diciembre de 2010
domingo, 5 de diciembre de 2010
26 days
We are 26 days out (ish) from meeting our son.
How insane is that?
I keep having dreams that he's here. He's bundled up in my arms and I am in love in a completely new way.
Then I wake up with heartburn and hip pain and an inner debate about whether it's worth it to get up yet a 5th time to pee (it always is). So, with all the grace of an on-land walrus and no small amount of huffing and puffing, I perform an impressive 6 part series of movements designed to get myself out of bed. I then limp to the bathroom thinking mildly bitter thoughts.
Patience has never been my strong suit, especially when uncomfortable-ness is involved. But we'll get there!
My belly is this ever-shifting array of joints and kicks these days, much to my amusement (Justin's still grossed out) . . . though it often seems that little man is trying to kick his way out of my side.
Baby is doing great and barring a packed bag, we're pretty much ready for him to arrive. Well, after I finish launching the 3 websites I'm due to launch in the next 10 days before I go on leave. (Things are going well, but wow am I logging some epic hours in front of the screen!)
I just found out my doc will be out of town on vacation the week of my due date (so much for asking her if she'd be around during the holidays at my first appointment). I'm trying to convince baby to join us a little early, but we'll see.
Soon. Either way, soon! Can't wait.
How insane is that?
I keep having dreams that he's here. He's bundled up in my arms and I am in love in a completely new way.
Then I wake up with heartburn and hip pain and an inner debate about whether it's worth it to get up yet a 5th time to pee (it always is). So, with all the grace of an on-land walrus and no small amount of huffing and puffing, I perform an impressive 6 part series of movements designed to get myself out of bed. I then limp to the bathroom thinking mildly bitter thoughts.
Patience has never been my strong suit, especially when uncomfortable-ness is involved. But we'll get there!
My belly is this ever-shifting array of joints and kicks these days, much to my amusement (Justin's still grossed out) . . . though it often seems that little man is trying to kick his way out of my side.
Baby is doing great and barring a packed bag, we're pretty much ready for him to arrive. Well, after I finish launching the 3 websites I'm due to launch in the next 10 days before I go on leave. (Things are going well, but wow am I logging some epic hours in front of the screen!)
I just found out my doc will be out of town on vacation the week of my due date (so much for asking her if she'd be around during the holidays at my first appointment). I'm trying to convince baby to join us a little early, but we'll see.
Soon. Either way, soon! Can't wait.
miércoles, 24 de noviembre de 2010
Week 35
Greetings from an Autumn wonderland! Washington is in the midst of a freak snow + deep freeze that has people skating around our freeways and roads. Like so (enjoy the bus around minute 3):
The snow hit late in the day and then temps dropped, so people were completely unprepared for how bad the ice was (also, we never get storms like this before Thanksgiving). My brother's poor girlfriend was on the road 7 hours to drive 20 miles home. It was crazy. Weather folks said it was going to be a bad La Nina winter, and most of us were not really believing it because we've had a bunch of sunshine lately and whenever they say it'll be bad, it's not... I think we're rethinking our position. And getting snow tires.
I've been sick all week with a bad cold, so the storm gave me a bonus yesterday: hubby at home who doesn't mind making his pregnant, oh-so-whiny wife chicken noodle soup. :)
According to the little notifier on my phone (yes, there's an app for that), we are 36 days out from my due date (or, 36 days out from New Year's Eve, for those of you who really look forward to it).
Justin and I are getting pretty antsy, of course, and the little guy is reminding me often that he is almost out of room. The kid is all elbows and knees, which, if any of you know my 6'5" husband, is really no surprise. Justin and I were both 8 lbs 7 oz. when we were born, but he was 2 inches longer. Here's hoping for a long, skinny baby (with a Lawlis-size head and not the Rich giganto-cranium my brother and I both have).
The last few months have been a massive blur of work and baby preparation — time's been moving quick, but I've been exhausted. We had 4-hour long birth classes every Saturday morning for a month, 2 baby showers, the requisite doctor visits, and our 4th anniversary — all over the top of the busiest season my little business has ever had. I had that crazy eye-twitch thing happening for a while, but things are starting to quiet down a bit as I get closer to maternity leave, and I'm grateful.
I'm grateful, and I'm laughing at myself for thinking I would work all the way to my due date. I'm wondering how many other first-timers do that. It's amazing how ridiculously tired you get (no one warns you that the sleepless nights start LONG before baby arrives).
The thing is, I'm just ready to quiet things down and wrap my head around all this change that's coming to our little family, to me. I'm ready to organize neglected closets and drawers. Ready to finish the baby shopping. Ready to curl up close to Justin and enjoy the calm before the storm together.
I'm also ready to get this whole labor & delivery thing over with. I'm not real nervous (yet?) — just dreadfully curious as to how it all will go. I've prepared as best I can to do this thing without meds, but I've seen people who were far more hard-core than I am get the epidural, so I'm committed to doing the best I can and feeling good about the outcome... our son.
Here's a pic from our 4th anniversary — Justin took me and my huge belly out for a nice dinner in the city.
The snow hit late in the day and then temps dropped, so people were completely unprepared for how bad the ice was (also, we never get storms like this before Thanksgiving). My brother's poor girlfriend was on the road 7 hours to drive 20 miles home. It was crazy. Weather folks said it was going to be a bad La Nina winter, and most of us were not really believing it because we've had a bunch of sunshine lately and whenever they say it'll be bad, it's not... I think we're rethinking our position. And getting snow tires.
I've been sick all week with a bad cold, so the storm gave me a bonus yesterday: hubby at home who doesn't mind making his pregnant, oh-so-whiny wife chicken noodle soup. :)
According to the little notifier on my phone (yes, there's an app for that), we are 36 days out from my due date (or, 36 days out from New Year's Eve, for those of you who really look forward to it).
Justin and I are getting pretty antsy, of course, and the little guy is reminding me often that he is almost out of room. The kid is all elbows and knees, which, if any of you know my 6'5" husband, is really no surprise. Justin and I were both 8 lbs 7 oz. when we were born, but he was 2 inches longer. Here's hoping for a long, skinny baby (with a Lawlis-size head and not the Rich giganto-cranium my brother and I both have).
The last few months have been a massive blur of work and baby preparation — time's been moving quick, but I've been exhausted. We had 4-hour long birth classes every Saturday morning for a month, 2 baby showers, the requisite doctor visits, and our 4th anniversary — all over the top of the busiest season my little business has ever had. I had that crazy eye-twitch thing happening for a while, but things are starting to quiet down a bit as I get closer to maternity leave, and I'm grateful.
I'm grateful, and I'm laughing at myself for thinking I would work all the way to my due date. I'm wondering how many other first-timers do that. It's amazing how ridiculously tired you get (no one warns you that the sleepless nights start LONG before baby arrives).
The thing is, I'm just ready to quiet things down and wrap my head around all this change that's coming to our little family, to me. I'm ready to organize neglected closets and drawers. Ready to finish the baby shopping. Ready to curl up close to Justin and enjoy the calm before the storm together.
I'm also ready to get this whole labor & delivery thing over with. I'm not real nervous (yet?) — just dreadfully curious as to how it all will go. I've prepared as best I can to do this thing without meds, but I've seen people who were far more hard-core than I am get the epidural, so I'm committed to doing the best I can and feeling good about the outcome... our son.
Here's a pic from our 4th anniversary — Justin took me and my huge belly out for a nice dinner in the city.
viernes, 1 de octubre de 2010
Mompetitors — a video series
This may be one of the most wonderful things I've ever seen. There's a whole series of episodes for the non-mompetitor, a nice dose of sanity in a hyped-up-on-motherhood-weirdness world.
jueves, 30 de septiembre de 2010
Book — God Laughs and Plays
A few days ago, Justin and I found ourselves in Portland, on the way back from a wedding in Bend. We're not in Oregon often, but fellow bibliophile friends told us: "If you're ever within 50 miles of Portland, you HAVE to go to Powell's Bookstore. It's like Mecca."
We liked Mecca, a.k.a. Powell's City of Books. It's literally a city block of books. More than a million of them.
I'd like to return to Mecca again sometime when I'm not almost 7 months pregnant and grouchy due to poor sleep. We almost didn't stop. But I can tell you, the 2 hours we spent there were well worth it.
I spent all my time in The Blue Room (Literature and Poetry), and as I was perusing, a curious title jumped out at me from the shelf. God Laughs & Plays by David James Duncan.
Huh.
Enough friends have recommended David James Duncan's work to me, especially The Brothers K, that I know of him and respect him (I really gave it a good shot with Brothers, but I couldn't see past the baseball. I may have to give it another try).
I flipped it over, and here's what I read on the back:
"In this multiple award-winning and bestselling diagnosis of the contemporary American spirit, David James Duncan suggests that the de facto political party embodied by the so-called Christian Right has turned worship into a self-righteous betrayal of the words and example of the very Jesus it claims to praise. In a bracing and often hilarious response to this trend, God Laughs & Plays offers churchless sermons, stories, memoir, conversations, and cosmological reflections that scorn riches and embrace the poor; bless peacemakers, not war-makers; celebrate creation, diversity, empathy, playfulness and beauty; and insist that Divine Mystery is indeed mysterious and compassion is literally compassionate. The spiritual kingdom described by Jesus, this unusual book reminds us, is located not "in the Sky" or beyond a disastrous future, but within us, to be sought and embodied in the here and now."
Churchless sermons? I'm in. It's how I've felt about all of what I call my kindred-spirit authors... Anne Lamott, Fred Buechner, Annie Dillard, Thomas Merton, Robin Meyers, Philip Yancey.
The prologue, entitled "Bush Administration Sacks Narnia," didn't disappoint. While reading this together a couple nights ago, Justin stopped after this section and just said, "Wow. Beautiful." I happen to agree with him.
"Intense spiritual feelings were frequent during my boyhood, but they did not come from churchgoing or from bargaining with God through prayer. The connection I felt to the Creator came, unmediated, from Creation itself. The spontaneous gratitude I felt for birds and birdsong, tree-covered or snowcapped mountains, rivers and their trout, moon and starlight, summer winds on wilderness lakes, the same lakes silenced by winter snows, spring resurrections after autumn's mass deaths — these became the spiritual instructors of my boyhood. In even the smallest suburban wilds I felt linked to powers and mysteries I could sincerely imagine calling the Presence of God.
In 15 years of churchgoing I did not once feel this same sense of Presence. What I felt instead was a lot of heavily agenda-ed, fear-based information being shoved at me by men on the church payroll. Though these men claimed to speak for God, I was never convinced. So on the day I was granted the option of what our preachers called "leaving the faith," I did leave — and increased my faith by so doing. Following intuition and love with all the sincerity and attentiveness I could muster, I consciously chose a life spent in the company of rivers, wilderness, Wisdom literature, like-minded friends, and quiet contemplation. And as it's turned out, this life — though dirt-poor in church pews — has enriched me with a sense of the holy, and left me far more grateful than I'll ever be able to say."
Anyway. I know these kind of kindreds can be few and far between, so if you're interested, pick up a copy. Just be forewarned — if the marriage of fundamentalism and political conservatism bothers you even one iota, this book will also get you dangerously fired up between lovely nature passages . . . I think I accidentally started a flame war on Facebook within hours (outlined my reasons for thinking Glenn Beck is destructive, had an acquaintance from my hometown church call me an angry offensive liberal, among other things).
More on Bush sacks Narnia in a future post. Duncan's exploration of Narnia and our current nationalist + religion blend was brilliant.
We liked Mecca, a.k.a. Powell's City of Books. It's literally a city block of books. More than a million of them.
I'd like to return to Mecca again sometime when I'm not almost 7 months pregnant and grouchy due to poor sleep. We almost didn't stop. But I can tell you, the 2 hours we spent there were well worth it.
I spent all my time in The Blue Room (Literature and Poetry), and as I was perusing, a curious title jumped out at me from the shelf. God Laughs & Plays by David James Duncan.
Huh.
Enough friends have recommended David James Duncan's work to me, especially The Brothers K, that I know of him and respect him (I really gave it a good shot with Brothers, but I couldn't see past the baseball. I may have to give it another try).
I flipped it over, and here's what I read on the back:
"In this multiple award-winning and bestselling diagnosis of the contemporary American spirit, David James Duncan suggests that the de facto political party embodied by the so-called Christian Right has turned worship into a self-righteous betrayal of the words and example of the very Jesus it claims to praise. In a bracing and often hilarious response to this trend, God Laughs & Plays offers churchless sermons, stories, memoir, conversations, and cosmological reflections that scorn riches and embrace the poor; bless peacemakers, not war-makers; celebrate creation, diversity, empathy, playfulness and beauty; and insist that Divine Mystery is indeed mysterious and compassion is literally compassionate. The spiritual kingdom described by Jesus, this unusual book reminds us, is located not "in the Sky" or beyond a disastrous future, but within us, to be sought and embodied in the here and now."
Churchless sermons? I'm in. It's how I've felt about all of what I call my kindred-spirit authors... Anne Lamott, Fred Buechner, Annie Dillard, Thomas Merton, Robin Meyers, Philip Yancey.
The prologue, entitled "Bush Administration Sacks Narnia," didn't disappoint. While reading this together a couple nights ago, Justin stopped after this section and just said, "Wow. Beautiful." I happen to agree with him.
"Intense spiritual feelings were frequent during my boyhood, but they did not come from churchgoing or from bargaining with God through prayer. The connection I felt to the Creator came, unmediated, from Creation itself. The spontaneous gratitude I felt for birds and birdsong, tree-covered or snowcapped mountains, rivers and their trout, moon and starlight, summer winds on wilderness lakes, the same lakes silenced by winter snows, spring resurrections after autumn's mass deaths — these became the spiritual instructors of my boyhood. In even the smallest suburban wilds I felt linked to powers and mysteries I could sincerely imagine calling the Presence of God.
In 15 years of churchgoing I did not once feel this same sense of Presence. What I felt instead was a lot of heavily agenda-ed, fear-based information being shoved at me by men on the church payroll. Though these men claimed to speak for God, I was never convinced. So on the day I was granted the option of what our preachers called "leaving the faith," I did leave — and increased my faith by so doing. Following intuition and love with all the sincerity and attentiveness I could muster, I consciously chose a life spent in the company of rivers, wilderness, Wisdom literature, like-minded friends, and quiet contemplation. And as it's turned out, this life — though dirt-poor in church pews — has enriched me with a sense of the holy, and left me far more grateful than I'll ever be able to say."
Anyway. I know these kind of kindreds can be few and far between, so if you're interested, pick up a copy. Just be forewarned — if the marriage of fundamentalism and political conservatism bothers you even one iota, this book will also get you dangerously fired up between lovely nature passages . . . I think I accidentally started a flame war on Facebook within hours (outlined my reasons for thinking Glenn Beck is destructive, had an acquaintance from my hometown church call me an angry offensive liberal, among other things).
More on Bush sacks Narnia in a future post. Duncan's exploration of Narnia and our current nationalist + religion blend was brilliant.
miércoles, 29 de septiembre de 2010
27 weeks
Too early to say I'm in the homestretch?
Nah.
Hey! We're in the homestretch!
One last trimester, three quick months and we'll be meeting our little man.
Nah.
Hey! We're in the homestretch!
One last trimester, three quick months and we'll be meeting our little man.
viernes, 24 de septiembre de 2010
The least of these
It almost doesn't surprise me anymore that I feel like I get more truth out of comedians than I do out of the people who most claim to be truth-tellers.
Bless you, Stephen Colbert.
His in-character testimony before Congress got a lot of headlines, but a lot of people missed what he had to say afterward (when not in character). Check it out...
httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=cu9SSxe5bz0
Bless you, Stephen Colbert.
His in-character testimony before Congress got a lot of headlines, but a lot of people missed what he had to say afterward (when not in character). Check it out...
httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=cu9SSxe5bz0
miércoles, 15 de septiembre de 2010
Almost to 3rd trimester — heck yes!
It is 6 a.m. and I am blogging to (at?) you from the most comfortable chair in the whole wide world. Check out the majesty.
I like our couch, but knew we'd need something to rock Little Man in when he gets here... that, and in the meantime, I need something to relax in (and sleep in, when the heartburn gets too bad). It is heaven. And it arrived 2 weeks early, much to my delight... our couch took the full 8 weeks, so I didn't have high hopes. I am a far happier preggo woman than I was a week ago!
Ok. Enough with the excessive chair praise.
At 25 weeks, I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, though that light is still 3 1/2 months away. It really helps, though. A few notes from the pregnant front:
I'm sporting a very round, unmistakeable belly, but other than that I don't look very different (which is good for that itsy bitsy COMPLETELY VAIN part of me that hoped my face wouldn't double in size 5 seconds into my pregnancy). 6 months in, I've gained 9 pounds, which seems like it's on track for what my doc and I planned for (I was overweight to start, so we're trying not to go crazy... with how sick I've been, this hasn't been hard — but baby is gaining just fine).
Baby L is kicking away, and I love it... when I can, I stop and talk to him as he's kicking. (I also stop and watch my belly... it's SO weird to see him move from the outside!). I feel such a cool bond with this little guy, and it's such a nice daily assurance that he's growing and healthy. He's inching his way ever closer to my ribs, however, so we'll see how we feel about it in a few weeks!
Still puking. The pills help, but "morning" sickness has shifted again. Originally I could take the pill late morning and it would work through dinnertime... lately I've been sick as soon as I'm awake, and the pill won't last long enough to keep me from being sick at night. I'll see if I can get a slightly larger prescription. (They dole these meds out like they're gold... 12 pills at a time. They charge enough for them, they might as well be gold... thank goodness for good insurance and a $5 copay!)
I should've bought stock in Tums. I keep on looking at the bottle, going, it can't possibly be empty already. The upside is that EVERYTHING gives me heartburn, so there's no point in avoiding my favorite spicy foods!
Justin, as always, is a total champ. Never complains about last-minute changes in what we're going to eat because all of a sudden something is unpalatable to me, cheers me on, gives appropriate amounts of pity, helps keep the laundry going... he's such a rad husband. And with how busy my work has been lately (fall is my very busy season), it's been a huge help to know I can rely on him.
Justin keeps stopping to look at me, saying, "Whoa, Buddy. You are PREGnant!" His grin makes it a compliment, however.
Most of the big stuff is done. Stroller/car seat: check. Crib: check. Pack n' Play: check. Registering: check. Doula hired: check. Birth classes signup: check.
We have a chest of drawers that we need to assemble out in the garage, but that's really the last thing on our to-do list for a while. It feels good to have these things done. My little business will keep me quite busy for the next few months (my clients are allowing me to write ahead on projects that will come due while I'm on maternity leave)... so it'll be nice to feel like I can relax once work is over for the day.
We still have some things yet to add, but here's the nursery preview... I'm kind of in love with it! The wall hanging, Pooh Bear and blanket were all purchased on Ebay for super cheap, so I'm feeling good. (Click on pic for a larger view). I've since added a smaller Tigger and Eeyore plush, also from Ebay.
Now just imagine our computers and desks in the "office" half of the room, and you'll get a good idea of its interesting ambiance. :)
Til next time the heartburn wakes me early, friends!
I like our couch, but knew we'd need something to rock Little Man in when he gets here... that, and in the meantime, I need something to relax in (and sleep in, when the heartburn gets too bad). It is heaven. And it arrived 2 weeks early, much to my delight... our couch took the full 8 weeks, so I didn't have high hopes. I am a far happier preggo woman than I was a week ago!
Ok. Enough with the excessive chair praise.
At 25 weeks, I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, though that light is still 3 1/2 months away. It really helps, though. A few notes from the pregnant front:
I'm sporting a very round, unmistakeable belly, but other than that I don't look very different (which is good for that itsy bitsy COMPLETELY VAIN part of me that hoped my face wouldn't double in size 5 seconds into my pregnancy). 6 months in, I've gained 9 pounds, which seems like it's on track for what my doc and I planned for (I was overweight to start, so we're trying not to go crazy... with how sick I've been, this hasn't been hard — but baby is gaining just fine).
Baby L is kicking away, and I love it... when I can, I stop and talk to him as he's kicking. (I also stop and watch my belly... it's SO weird to see him move from the outside!). I feel such a cool bond with this little guy, and it's such a nice daily assurance that he's growing and healthy. He's inching his way ever closer to my ribs, however, so we'll see how we feel about it in a few weeks!
Still puking. The pills help, but "morning" sickness has shifted again. Originally I could take the pill late morning and it would work through dinnertime... lately I've been sick as soon as I'm awake, and the pill won't last long enough to keep me from being sick at night. I'll see if I can get a slightly larger prescription. (They dole these meds out like they're gold... 12 pills at a time. They charge enough for them, they might as well be gold... thank goodness for good insurance and a $5 copay!)
I should've bought stock in Tums. I keep on looking at the bottle, going, it can't possibly be empty already. The upside is that EVERYTHING gives me heartburn, so there's no point in avoiding my favorite spicy foods!
Justin, as always, is a total champ. Never complains about last-minute changes in what we're going to eat because all of a sudden something is unpalatable to me, cheers me on, gives appropriate amounts of pity, helps keep the laundry going... he's such a rad husband. And with how busy my work has been lately (fall is my very busy season), it's been a huge help to know I can rely on him.
Justin keeps stopping to look at me, saying, "Whoa, Buddy. You are PREGnant!" His grin makes it a compliment, however.
Most of the big stuff is done. Stroller/car seat: check. Crib: check. Pack n' Play: check. Registering: check. Doula hired: check. Birth classes signup: check.
We have a chest of drawers that we need to assemble out in the garage, but that's really the last thing on our to-do list for a while. It feels good to have these things done. My little business will keep me quite busy for the next few months (my clients are allowing me to write ahead on projects that will come due while I'm on maternity leave)... so it'll be nice to feel like I can relax once work is over for the day.
We still have some things yet to add, but here's the nursery preview... I'm kind of in love with it! The wall hanging, Pooh Bear and blanket were all purchased on Ebay for super cheap, so I'm feeling good. (Click on pic for a larger view). I've since added a smaller Tigger and Eeyore plush, also from Ebay.
Now just imagine our computers and desks in the "office" half of the room, and you'll get a good idea of its interesting ambiance. :)
Til next time the heartburn wakes me early, friends!
sábado, 28 de agosto de 2010
22 weeks and counting
Time is flying. Though my body is becoming less and less my own (and as a result, more and more uncomfortable) and individual days seem long, it feels like I'll wake up tomorrow with a baby in my arms. We're 4 months out!
Which is a good thing. The puking that I've written far too much about here has not subsided, and in fact it got worse this past month and a half. We went to our friends the Oxford's house a few weeks ago, and Justin had to stop the car for an emergency evac on the way there, and again on the way home. Not fun.
I've been trying my best to avoid medication, but finally asked my doc what the side effects of anti-nausea medication would be. She thought for a moment, then said, "Well, you'll feel better."
"Write the prescription, please."
Since then I'm not totally puke-free, but I am having far more good days than bad days. This I can handle. Still glad I toughed it out rather than using meds when baby was still in its early stages of developing.
Justin, I should mention, has been a total champ through all of this . . . super helpful, very understanding, and the dude never complains . . . even when he asks what we're having for dinner and I respond by sticking out my tongue and turning green. He's been such a kick-ass husband so far that I should have known to expect it, but he's just surprised me in so many ways during what has been a slightly challenging pregnancy. He's going to be an amazing daddy.
Oh . . . and I should mention . . . Baby L is no longer an "it." :) We found out we're having a little boy, and he looked wonderfully healthy and on-track growthwise at the ultrasound — apparently he is an effective little parasite. I couldn't have been more shocked — though I had always wanted a boy, as soon as I was pregnant, I figured I would have a girl, because nearly all my friends have had boys. I was SURE IT WAS A GIRL. Ha. Shows you how much I know.
(It all works out wonderfully. I like blue and despise pink. And, we have a few boy names that we're agreed on. Girl names were hopeless.)
We have the crib up in the nursery, a put-together stroller out in the garage, and this is all getting more real by the day. And, in case my big belly and achy joints aren't reminding me, Baby's kicks are getting stronger every day. Justin got to feel a couple of kicks the other day, which was awesome.
Here's Baby:
Here's his mama:
Can't wait til he gets here!
Which is a good thing. The puking that I've written far too much about here has not subsided, and in fact it got worse this past month and a half. We went to our friends the Oxford's house a few weeks ago, and Justin had to stop the car for an emergency evac on the way there, and again on the way home. Not fun.
I've been trying my best to avoid medication, but finally asked my doc what the side effects of anti-nausea medication would be. She thought for a moment, then said, "Well, you'll feel better."
"Write the prescription, please."
Since then I'm not totally puke-free, but I am having far more good days than bad days. This I can handle. Still glad I toughed it out rather than using meds when baby was still in its early stages of developing.
Justin, I should mention, has been a total champ through all of this . . . super helpful, very understanding, and the dude never complains . . . even when he asks what we're having for dinner and I respond by sticking out my tongue and turning green. He's been such a kick-ass husband so far that I should have known to expect it, but he's just surprised me in so many ways during what has been a slightly challenging pregnancy. He's going to be an amazing daddy.
Oh . . . and I should mention . . . Baby L is no longer an "it." :) We found out we're having a little boy, and he looked wonderfully healthy and on-track growthwise at the ultrasound — apparently he is an effective little parasite. I couldn't have been more shocked — though I had always wanted a boy, as soon as I was pregnant, I figured I would have a girl, because nearly all my friends have had boys. I was SURE IT WAS A GIRL. Ha. Shows you how much I know.
(It all works out wonderfully. I like blue and despise pink. And, we have a few boy names that we're agreed on. Girl names were hopeless.)
We have the crib up in the nursery, a put-together stroller out in the garage, and this is all getting more real by the day. And, in case my big belly and achy joints aren't reminding me, Baby's kicks are getting stronger every day. Justin got to feel a couple of kicks the other day, which was awesome.
Here's Baby:
Here's his mama:
Can't wait til he gets here!
miércoles, 28 de julio de 2010
81-year-old sweethearts reunited
So, a lot of folks know our story... how we found love over emails and phone calls from across the state and how we were already an item when Justin flew out to see me for our first date. It was the first time we had seen each other in 6 years. By the end of that first weekend, we'd be trying to figure out a good time to get married.
This is the story of Jack and Betty, high school sweethearts who haven't seen each other in 62 years. I watched it and was a teary mess, as you'd expect a hopeless romantic like me to be.
It's a sweet story. But I remain oh-so-thankful it took 6 years — rather than 62 — for us to meet at Baggage Claim 10.
This is the story of Jack and Betty, high school sweethearts who haven't seen each other in 62 years. I watched it and was a teary mess, as you'd expect a hopeless romantic like me to be.
It's a sweet story. But I remain oh-so-thankful it took 6 years — rather than 62 — for us to meet at Baggage Claim 10.
sábado, 3 de julio de 2010
Best. Movie. Evar.
We went to see How to Train Your Dragon at the cheaps theater ($3!). It was sweet and funny and heartbreaking and all the things a movie should be.
Favorite movie I've seen this year... if you haven't yet seen it, GO. Or get it on DVD as soon as its out. Well worth it.
I hope I'll dream about flying a dragon tonight.
Favorite movie I've seen this year... if you haven't yet seen it, GO. Or get it on DVD as soon as its out. Well worth it.
I hope I'll dream about flying a dragon tonight.
jueves, 1 de julio de 2010
14 weeks in
I'm 1/3 done. And while I'm not sure I just love being pregnant, I can say that I'm starting to hate it a lot less.
Hey, might as well get used to celebrating baby steps.
I remember a mother I highly respect offhandedly mentioning that she hated being pregnant, and I was inwardly shocked, as if she'd told me she likes to kick puppies or something. Somehow it feels like you're supposed to be this serene, glowing pillar of maternal joy when you're pregnant. Years later and in my own body, I feel something very different from serenity most days, and I'm particularly grateful for that little side comment.
Don't get me wrong. I'm terribly excited for the end result. Pregnancy is just so... physical.
And I don't like the physical. After my car accidents, I lived solely in the physical realm for what seemed like ages. Describe your symptoms. Rate your pain on a scale from 1-10. Pop this pill. Show up here. And here. And here.
My life stopped, and in its place was a very long recovery process. It was messy. And I felt messy. Limited. Stuck.
I'll admit: it's been almost seven years, and yet returning to that physical world brought on some panic, even for such a happy reason. Eat the right stuff. Make sure you don't eat any of the wrong stuff! Drop dead at 2pm everyday. Pop these pills. Show up here. Pee now. And now. And now. I don't CARE if it's a gas station, it has a place to pee. If it's one of those ones without a bathroom, I'm going to have a short cry and then squat outside on the pavement.
Also: where the hell are the Tums?!?
Justin jokingly called me The Host, and for a while, that's pretty much what I felt like.
Then, mercifully, the nausea and puking lessened, and I began sleeping more or less through the night (except for all those requisite trips to the bathroom).
I have enough energy to get my work done, and I'm excited about my projects.
A little tummy bump showed up... and now I can't keep my hands from drawing little circles on it.
I wear comfy maternity jeans with the stretchy belly now and am considering making them a permanent addition to my wardrobe.
And, perhaps most importantly, I'm reading. A ton. I haven't read this much in forever. It helps me feel like there are other things rolling around in my head than how much calcium I've gotten today or whether or not I remembered to take my prenatals. To tell you the truth, I'm actually looking forward to all the time I'll have to read over the next six months. It may be the thing that's helped me quit wishing I could hit fast-forward.
The Harry Potter series doesn't know what hit it. Any suggestions on what to read next? At my current rate, I'll be done with HP by next Thursday. :)
Hey, might as well get used to celebrating baby steps.
I remember a mother I highly respect offhandedly mentioning that she hated being pregnant, and I was inwardly shocked, as if she'd told me she likes to kick puppies or something. Somehow it feels like you're supposed to be this serene, glowing pillar of maternal joy when you're pregnant. Years later and in my own body, I feel something very different from serenity most days, and I'm particularly grateful for that little side comment.
Don't get me wrong. I'm terribly excited for the end result. Pregnancy is just so... physical.
And I don't like the physical. After my car accidents, I lived solely in the physical realm for what seemed like ages. Describe your symptoms. Rate your pain on a scale from 1-10. Pop this pill. Show up here. And here. And here.
My life stopped, and in its place was a very long recovery process. It was messy. And I felt messy. Limited. Stuck.
I'll admit: it's been almost seven years, and yet returning to that physical world brought on some panic, even for such a happy reason. Eat the right stuff. Make sure you don't eat any of the wrong stuff! Drop dead at 2pm everyday. Pop these pills. Show up here. Pee now. And now. And now. I don't CARE if it's a gas station, it has a place to pee. If it's one of those ones without a bathroom, I'm going to have a short cry and then squat outside on the pavement.
Also: where the hell are the Tums?!?
Justin jokingly called me The Host, and for a while, that's pretty much what I felt like.
Then, mercifully, the nausea and puking lessened, and I began sleeping more or less through the night (except for all those requisite trips to the bathroom).
I have enough energy to get my work done, and I'm excited about my projects.
A little tummy bump showed up... and now I can't keep my hands from drawing little circles on it.
I wear comfy maternity jeans with the stretchy belly now and am considering making them a permanent addition to my wardrobe.
And, perhaps most importantly, I'm reading. A ton. I haven't read this much in forever. It helps me feel like there are other things rolling around in my head than how much calcium I've gotten today or whether or not I remembered to take my prenatals. To tell you the truth, I'm actually looking forward to all the time I'll have to read over the next six months. It may be the thing that's helped me quit wishing I could hit fast-forward.
The Harry Potter series doesn't know what hit it. Any suggestions on what to read next? At my current rate, I'll be done with HP by next Thursday. :)
viernes, 18 de junio de 2010
Thank you, Trader Joes...
...for making Candied Ginger. It is a pregnant lady's best friend.
I wish I'd have found this stuff a month ago — it has done more than anything else to help me keep nausea at bay.
Thank goodness a client recommended it. I'd tried ginger tea, and found it to be helpful, but ginger flavor on its own is pretty gross and drinking a whole mug not-so-enticing. That ginger is burny on the way down your throat!
This, I can bite into tiny pieces and just swallow with some water. Grossness minimized, and it knocks out the nausea like nothing else.
I'm a happy girl, for sure.
Not much to report, other than that I'm feeling pretty decent and was really able to get a lot done this week work-wise. It's nice to feel a little accomplished for once.
Also, we have our next Dr. appointment Monday, so I hope to have some new, somewhat human-looking pictures to post!
Til then. :)
I wish I'd have found this stuff a month ago — it has done more than anything else to help me keep nausea at bay.
Thank goodness a client recommended it. I'd tried ginger tea, and found it to be helpful, but ginger flavor on its own is pretty gross and drinking a whole mug not-so-enticing. That ginger is burny on the way down your throat!
This, I can bite into tiny pieces and just swallow with some water. Grossness minimized, and it knocks out the nausea like nothing else.
I'm a happy girl, for sure.
Not much to report, other than that I'm feeling pretty decent and was really able to get a lot done this week work-wise. It's nice to feel a little accomplished for once.
Also, we have our next Dr. appointment Monday, so I hope to have some new, somewhat human-looking pictures to post!
Til then. :)
viernes, 11 de junio de 2010
Go Uncle Kevo!
Our first baby outfit came from an unlikely source — and it's AWESOME!
The hat is SO tiny and sweet... I just melted at the sight of it.
I had been looking for some baby Hawks gear ever since we found out, so it was a total win (Kevin even thought to buy an appropriate size for baby's first full football season). Thanks Uncle Kev!
The hat is SO tiny and sweet... I just melted at the sight of it.
I had been looking for some baby Hawks gear ever since we found out, so it was a total win (Kevin even thought to buy an appropriate size for baby's first full football season). Thanks Uncle Kev!
jueves, 10 de junio de 2010
Two Blue Lines
Somehow I had a feeling I'd be back to blogging again, if and when we ever undertook this adventure. Right now I'm reading Anne Lamott's wonderful book, Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year, and I find myself not wanting to forget anything.
Except for the puking. Happy to forget the puking.
We received our big news on a Thursday late in April, the day after flying home from Maui. We finally bought the shiny TV we'd been saving for, and were relaxing in our camping chairs, testing it out.
Did I mention we sat in camping chairs in our living room our first 8 weeks here until our couch arrived? We did. It was about as amazing as you could imagine.
On our vacation, I felt dizzy for most of the trip but didn't think anything of it. Being obnoxiously prone to motion sickness, I assumed it was because we were snorkeling and body surfing in the waves every day — even as I tried to fall asleep, I felt like I was bobbing around in the ocean.
I still felt wonky as we sat watching TV, so I nonchalantly murmured, "Need to pee right quick," (which was TRUE) and headed for the bathroom...where my fate awaited me.
When the first line turned blue, I thought, "Ah, no big deal, that's the one that tells you if the test is working."
Imagine my complete confusion when both lines turned blue. Apparently the first line is the "Hey, honey, guess what? You're knocked up!" line.
Picturing the moment beforehand, I always thought I'd cry a few graceful, sparkling tears. Instead, I went for the shaking, hyperventilating approach. It's quite possible I said a four-letter word or two under my breath (hint: it wasn't "baby"). I'm sure I looked a little crazy and am glad I had a moment to compose myself.
Apparently it doesn't matter if you're hoping to be pregnant or not (we were) — it always comes as a shock when you finally do come up with those two blue lines. In a moment, they change everything.
A few minutes later, I marched out into the living room, pee stick in one hand, box with instructions in the other. J's eyes grew big and he said, "Are you kidding?"
"Nope."
As I'd predicted, he grabbed the box, and it became a tennis match: box, pee stick. Box, pee stick.
Then he grabbed me.
Pretty awesome moment for us, as moments go.
Then, like most new fathers-to-be, J congratulated himself. "See, I told you I'd impregnate you. BOOM! Done!"
Then, almost in the same breath: "Think it's too late to take the TV back?"
I half-expected that, too. I reminded him that baby wouldn't arrive tomorrow, and that we might need a cheap form of in-home entertainment in the days and months ahead.
Six weeks later, Baby L is about the size of a large lime (according the the pregnancy book we bought the night we found out) and I am so in love with this little being already that it's a bit overwhelming.
Even with the puking. I haven't had it half as bad as some people, but still . . . the puking. My sources tell me this should subside in a week or two, and I can hardly wait. I don't mean to complain, but it's hard to appreciate my so-called "pregnancy glow" in the reflection of the toilet bowl. ;)
Except for the puking. Happy to forget the puking.
We received our big news on a Thursday late in April, the day after flying home from Maui. We finally bought the shiny TV we'd been saving for, and were relaxing in our camping chairs, testing it out.
Did I mention we sat in camping chairs in our living room our first 8 weeks here until our couch arrived? We did. It was about as amazing as you could imagine.
On our vacation, I felt dizzy for most of the trip but didn't think anything of it. Being obnoxiously prone to motion sickness, I assumed it was because we were snorkeling and body surfing in the waves every day — even as I tried to fall asleep, I felt like I was bobbing around in the ocean.
I still felt wonky as we sat watching TV, so I nonchalantly murmured, "Need to pee right quick," (which was TRUE) and headed for the bathroom...where my fate awaited me.
When the first line turned blue, I thought, "Ah, no big deal, that's the one that tells you if the test is working."
Imagine my complete confusion when both lines turned blue. Apparently the first line is the "Hey, honey, guess what? You're knocked up!" line.
Picturing the moment beforehand, I always thought I'd cry a few graceful, sparkling tears. Instead, I went for the shaking, hyperventilating approach. It's quite possible I said a four-letter word or two under my breath (hint: it wasn't "baby"). I'm sure I looked a little crazy and am glad I had a moment to compose myself.
Apparently it doesn't matter if you're hoping to be pregnant or not (we were) — it always comes as a shock when you finally do come up with those two blue lines. In a moment, they change everything.
A few minutes later, I marched out into the living room, pee stick in one hand, box with instructions in the other. J's eyes grew big and he said, "Are you kidding?"
"Nope."
As I'd predicted, he grabbed the box, and it became a tennis match: box, pee stick. Box, pee stick.
Then he grabbed me.
Pretty awesome moment for us, as moments go.
Then, like most new fathers-to-be, J congratulated himself. "See, I told you I'd impregnate you. BOOM! Done!"
Then, almost in the same breath: "Think it's too late to take the TV back?"
I half-expected that, too. I reminded him that baby wouldn't arrive tomorrow, and that we might need a cheap form of in-home entertainment in the days and months ahead.
Six weeks later, Baby L is about the size of a large lime (according the the pregnancy book we bought the night we found out) and I am so in love with this little being already that it's a bit overwhelming.
Even with the puking. I haven't had it half as bad as some people, but still . . . the puking. My sources tell me this should subside in a week or two, and I can hardly wait. I don't mean to complain, but it's hard to appreciate my so-called "pregnancy glow" in the reflection of the toilet bowl. ;)
martes, 8 de junio de 2010
News!
Well, we arrived home from our vacation to Maui to find some rather life-changing news:
This was our first view of Baby L in May @ 9 weeks. I'm still amazed that something that tiny has a heartbeat already. What a moment.
Justin and I are both thrilled and terrified and all the things we probably should be. My estimated due date is December 31 (Justin: "Go, tax deduction!"), so it's sure to be an exciting year for us.
More soon!
This was our first view of Baby L in May @ 9 weeks. I'm still amazed that something that tiny has a heartbeat already. What a moment.
Justin and I are both thrilled and terrified and all the things we probably should be. My estimated due date is December 31 (Justin: "Go, tax deduction!"), so it's sure to be an exciting year for us.
More soon!
viernes, 7 de mayo de 2010
Greetings from (near) Seattle!
It is May.
This is my first post of the year.
This is worse than the year I got married, I think. :)
It's been a busy few months in the Lawlis household, and I'm just now starting to catch my breath. In February, after months of waiting on a somewhat sluggish hiring process, we found out that Justin got a promotion/transfer down to Bellevue. We hoped to get closer to friends and family, so this was a major win for us. Two of our closest friends live roughly five minutes away, and we get to do impromptu dinners and movies with friends again. It's a blessing.
We moved mid-March into a condo that I fell in love with the moment we stepped inside (actually, I told Justin I loved it while we were waiting outside to see it). There are several features here at the new place (granite counters, deep tub, a GARAGE) I would have been thrilled with just on their own — but you put them all together and I am smitten and grateful every morning when I wake up here.
Also, I love my new home office:
We've discovered I'm also significantly less crazy when I have a place to store stuff like camping gear and Christmas decorations and bikes.
Since I quit my job at the chiro office to work Lawlis Creative full-time in January, there wasn't a big transition for me work-wise. Many of my clients are scattered all over the place anyway, so they don't care if I'm in Seattle or on Mars as long as cell reception and internet are good.
We went on vacation (pictures in next post, perhaps) with my family to Maui a month after moving, and now that we're home life is starting to take on a semi-normal rhythm again.
Whatever normal is. :)
"Normal" for us lately has been sitting on camping chairs in the living room while we wait for our couch to arrive (I ordered a 7 foot couch so Justin could actually stretch out on it rather than being all crumpled up and pathetic). It arrives Tuesday and I can't wait. Oddly enough, these things aren't designed for daily use, and they've become these low, far-back-leaning monstrosities that you can't get out of once you sit down.
Anyway, that's the update these days on Team Lawlis. Hope you are all well!
SL
This is my first post of the year.
This is worse than the year I got married, I think. :)
It's been a busy few months in the Lawlis household, and I'm just now starting to catch my breath. In February, after months of waiting on a somewhat sluggish hiring process, we found out that Justin got a promotion/transfer down to Bellevue. We hoped to get closer to friends and family, so this was a major win for us. Two of our closest friends live roughly five minutes away, and we get to do impromptu dinners and movies with friends again. It's a blessing.
We moved mid-March into a condo that I fell in love with the moment we stepped inside (actually, I told Justin I loved it while we were waiting outside to see it). There are several features here at the new place (granite counters, deep tub, a GARAGE) I would have been thrilled with just on their own — but you put them all together and I am smitten and grateful every morning when I wake up here.
Also, I love my new home office:
We've discovered I'm also significantly less crazy when I have a place to store stuff like camping gear and Christmas decorations and bikes.
Since I quit my job at the chiro office to work Lawlis Creative full-time in January, there wasn't a big transition for me work-wise. Many of my clients are scattered all over the place anyway, so they don't care if I'm in Seattle or on Mars as long as cell reception and internet are good.
We went on vacation (pictures in next post, perhaps) with my family to Maui a month after moving, and now that we're home life is starting to take on a semi-normal rhythm again.
Whatever normal is. :)
"Normal" for us lately has been sitting on camping chairs in the living room while we wait for our couch to arrive (I ordered a 7 foot couch so Justin could actually stretch out on it rather than being all crumpled up and pathetic). It arrives Tuesday and I can't wait. Oddly enough, these things aren't designed for daily use, and they've become these low, far-back-leaning monstrosities that you can't get out of once you sit down.
Anyway, that's the update these days on Team Lawlis. Hope you are all well!
SL
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