If it were up to me...

my child would be born today.  As a fan of numbers, I think 2/10/2010 would be a cool birthday.  But alas, I think the little bugger is quite comfortable and has no plans for moving from under my ribs anytime soon. 

The Prego Report

It was another 3-appointment week. 

The word from our nurse practitioner, OB/GYN, and perinatalogist...he's a plump baby (Thursday he was estimated to be 7lb 8oz, Friday's estimation was 8lb 3oz-obviously it's not an exact science) who seems quite content to hang out in his little cocoon. 

The calls from the medical experts that he might make an early appearance (based on some contractions I had) have faded.  Now we are having conversations that go something like this:  "Everything looks fine - he'll let you know when he's ready - we won't start thinking about induction until a week after his due date." 

So, am I nervous about labor and delivery? Yep, especially if the predictions of his size hold true. However, here is some advice from some wise women (or at least my interpretation of their advice) that has helped keep me in the right frame of mind. 

• Many, many women across many continents and many generations have gone through this process.  My own mother gave birth in an underprivileged nation 3 1/2 decades ago.  My grandma gave birth to six children ranging from 8 1/2 - 10 1/2 pounds over a 22 year period.  They both survived, and I will too.   
• There are so many things one can worry about while pregnant, so why worry until you have to?  I'm trying to take this approach with labor and delivery. 
• Everyone has their own ways of coping, so be free to utilize whatever is needed to get through the process. Screaming, silence, hanging on to my husband's hand for dear life?  All fine. 

So, to our plump little baby, take your time.  We're excited to meet you, but in reality, there's no rush.  In fact, if you would like pictures on your walls to look at or perhaps some curtains on your nursery window, one more week before you make your grand entrance in this world would be fabulous.   

They Got Me

T and I recently dined with my brother and his family at Red Robin.  This meal occurred a few weeks after our doctor suggested I become more conscious of my diet in the hopes of keeping Baby Bean's weight down.  I should have ordered a salad, but they just didn't seem interesting that night.  Instead, I ordered the Whiskey River BBQ Chicken Wrap.  I thought the Spinach tortilla sounded healthier than a bun and when isn't chicken good for you if it's grilled? 

I was horrified tonight to read an article on Yahoo! that listed this sandwich as one of the 10 unhealthiest around.  As quoted from the article, "Chicken sandwiches have an undeserved healthy reputation—that's because, while they're built with the leanest meat, they're often stuffed and flavored with enough high-calorie sauces and fillings to sink a ship."  Full article here. 

Um, yep, I was definitely fooled.  As it turns out, eating this sandwich had about as many fat grams as a Big Mac.  Guess I still have a few things to learn about nutrition. 

Calling All Cooks

I need some help.  Recently I made some OK-tasting enchiladas.  I think they have the possibility of being great, but they are lacking some flavor.  The meat filling called for garlic, onion, cummin, chilli powder, and a little bit of all-spice.  But it was still a little bland.  What would you add to the mix?

I was nominated...

YAY!! Thanks to Two Pretzels for the nomination! You are fantastic, funny, and insightful, as is your blog.   Here we go...it's like a big circle game and I LOVE it! 


The Rules:
1. Thank the person who nominated me for this award: Again, thank you, Two Pretzels. 
2. Copy the award & place it on my blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated me for this award.
4. Share 7 interesting things about myself. (See below).
5. Nominate 7 bloggers. (See below).

My 7 things:
1. I have an extra bone/knob in the inside of my ankle. Thanks, Dad!
2. I would, at some point in my life, like to become scuba certified.  Fishes, watch out!
3. Lucerne, Switzerland and Brugge, Belgium are two of my favorite cities outside the United States.
4. I will NEVER cook without a recipe, and really admire the people who can just "throw" things together.
5. Currently my husband and I are watching Twin Peaks - from the early 1990s.  It weirds me out and yet fascinates me at the same time.
6. I HATE flying with a passion, although I will do it when necessary.
7. I love assembling pieces of furniture. 

Nominations:  Almost all of the blogs listed below have been nominated already, but I wanted them to know that I love their blogs and love hearing their updates. In alphabetical order...
1.  Aimless Oasis
2. Chewlies
3. Musings on Motherhood
4. Snappy Tulip
5. Trophy Life
6. Two Pretzels
7. Written Permission

As a breakfast food fan...

I have found a new love: The Bagel BELT from Tim Horton's.  They describe it as a scrumptious layering of bacon, egg, lettuce, tomato, and processed cheese (by far my favorite part of the description) on a delicious bagel of your fancy.  I have honestly talked myself into thinking this thing is healthy - I mean, look at the veggies involved, you don't get that at McD's - and I can't be convinced otherwise. 

I AM SO SMART, S-M-R-T

I think this is a Homer Simpson quote, but really, it reminds me of my cousins, Megan and B-Rent. 

And because I was giddy with glee, it's what I repeated to myself today after I finished my four hour graduation exam for my master's.  I have a few loose ends to tie up, but essential in my mind, I'm done.  Pressure's off.  I have to tell you, despite this extra large baby I am carrying around, I feel 20 pounds lighter this afternoon than I did this morning.  It's a fabulous feeling. 

I really did enjoy my experience as a grad student.  I have absolutely no regrets about the path I took to get this degree; however, I am definitely ready for a break from reading research articles and writing papers.

The Prego Report

I've been to the doctor's office three times this week; here's a little synopsis of the three appointments. 

Monday was the LONGEST appointment I have had.  Little Bean was hyper and wanted to move during the non-stress test.  This is both good and bad.  Good because the doctor wants to see him move -  bad because the monitor lost his heartbeat everytime he shifted.  So I sat reclined in the chair for 1 1/2 hours.  Not surprisingly, since breathing in a reclined chair is not an easy feat these days, my blood pressure was through the roof at the end of this visit. 

Thursday, fortunately, was the quickest non-stress test we've had.  Little Bean was still moving around, but the technology was cooperating this time.  Halleluia!  Doc said things looked great.

Friday we went to see the specialist that is in charge of monitoring my extra thick, sticky blood.  During the ultrasound we got to see Bean's little face complete with a large bottom lip that I am convinced he inherited from his father and some little cheeks that I can't wait to kiss.  At almost 35 weeks he's measuring 6lb 14oz.  Here's where the mixed emotions come into play.  My first thought: thank goodness he's growing despite the abnormalities in my blood.  My second thought:  I would REALLY prefer NOT to deliver a 9lb baby.  The specialist is also a little concerned about his size.  He told me to lay off concentrated sugars like candy, juice, and white grains.  So, of course, what do I now crave?  Orange juice, rice, sugary cereal, and one of my absolute favorites, frostys.  I will have to dig really, really deep for some will power over the next few weeks.

Intel Advertising

Have you noticed Intel's new marketing campaign? Click here and here for two examples. I applaud their efforts in trying to redefine the sciences as the face of "cool".


My only complaint? The lack of diversity in their science "rock stars". All of the advertisements I have seen have depicted white males as the scientists/inventors.

Intel, I give you two thumbs up in your efforts to make math and science more glamorous to the public. Two thumbs down, however, for not challenging (and perhaps promoting) the stereotypical image of scientist/inventor.

 

A Gift

My first delay of the year!


I was secretly hoping for it last night, but I quickly learned earlier in my teaching career that you NEVER make a prediction of delay or closure the night before or it's sure not to materialize.

So when T's phone buzzed at 5:15 with the news of a delay, I was overjoyed. Two more hours of break!

So what did I do with my extra 2 hours? Did I get some extra sleep? Did I grade the papers that didn't get finished over the past two weeks? Or perhaps work on my grad school action research paper? Or fold the laundry that I left in the dryer over night? Or get into school early, so I can check out my new room still covered in boxes?

Nope...here I sit on my couch, mesmerized by all the other school delays, reading blogs, and drinking coffee. It's a perfect morning, and I'm going to enjoy my last few hours of calm before I go back to trying to convince high schoolers that math REALLY IS important to them and their future.

The Prego Report

I have already decided that I do NOT like NSTs (non-stress tests). I understand they give important information about the baby to the doctor, and for that, I am grateful. But I still don't like 'em.


There is one main reason for my lack of enthusiasm - the chair I have to sit in. It is not comfortable. It looks inviting - if I were not preggers, it probably would be the perfect chair. But it sits low enough to the ground that I can not gracefully lower myself into it - instead I have to do more of a backward flop and hope I align correctly.

Second, I can not breathe very well once I am in the chair. I would have never thought that I would ever hate reclining (naps are my favorite pastime), but sure enough, I do. And if the baby is not moving or the monitor is not printing correctly - both of which occurred for a while today - then I have to sit in the chair for upwards of an hour like a beached fish trying to catch my breath.

But enough complaining. I'm sure when I'm actually in labor, I'll be wishing for the relative comfort of the currently dreaded chair.

On to other things...

Baby Bean:
We got to see him last week in an ultrasound. They said he looks great. This was a huge relief because there was initial concern about blood clots - apparently I have extra thick blood despite the amount of water I guzzle - and nutrients getting to him. Bean seems completely unaware of this problem, however, and he's growing like a weed. The doc estimated him at 4 pounds 13 oz. Just for your reference, most books are telling me he should weigh around 3 to 3 1/2 pounds.

Today after the NST the nurse and doc told us his heartbeat was beautiful. As his parents, we totally concur.

Me:
Overall feeling great. Recently this week I have been experiencing some sore muscles and more fatigue than normal, but I am blaming it on the Wii. I think I might have gotten a little zealous with the new technology. This will not, however, keep me from playing our new game, Mario Brothers, sometime today.

T:
He declined an invitation for a guest appearance today, but I think I'm safe in saying he's very excited. (Today at lunch I called Bean 'Gavin' and T's eyes lit up and he quickly noted that it was the first time I refered to the little one by his potential name in normal conversation.)  He's been working hard to clean out unnecessary clutter from the house and set up the nursery.

That's all to report for now. We are hoping for a calm remaining seven weeks.

Happy Birthday

-to my husband.

There are so many things I have learned from him (keep in mind, dear friends, that I am still working on some of these lessons):

To lighten up
Prompt responses and communication are important
A good Sean Connery imitation takes years of practice
That life is stressful at times, but can normally be managed in a calm way
The value of having projects
The intrinsic reward that comes from helping others
Closing kitchen cabinet doors

Thanks, T, for these lessons and the many others that went unmentioned.

I hope it's a fabulous year! Happy Birthday!

A plethora of technology

Atleast that is how it felt to me as I opened presents from my parents and siblings this Christmas.

I didn't ask for a Wii or an iPod shuffle, but I got them both. And they are amazing. I completely understand that neither represent new technology, but regardless, I can't help feeling like I am on the cutting edge.

On a slightly depressing note, I did my Wii Sports training age...50 years old. My balance is impeccable, but my strength and stamina need work. I feel completely justified blaming this on the pregnancy. The current plan is to work on improving this score during the later part of my maternity leave.

Christmas

Five days ago I was proclaiming the beauty of my state. Now I sit here on Christmas morning listening to the rain tap on my windows - so much for a white Christmas. But no matter. Already I have been blessed to have some fabulous time with friends and family, and I look forward to seeing more loved ones in the next few days.

I wish you a Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!

Magical in the Midwest

The heartland of the United States is not a place people usually travel to unless they a) already live in the midwest and are taking a weekend trip or b) have family or friends residing there. It does not carry the attraction of the ocean of the east or west coast, and it does not have the mountains like Colorado or Tennessee. And although we have our good days, nobody typically raves about the weather that can literally drop 20 degrees in a day without anyone blinking an eye.

But I wish everyone could have seen my midwestern state yesterday morning in all its glory. It was gorgeous. An inch of snow had fallen and every tree branch, pine cone, fence line, and rooftop was outlined in pure white, and a soft snow continued to fall through out most of the day. Waking up to this scene on a Saturday morning was fabulous, and it seems impossible not to be cheery every time I look outside.

The end of an era

I attended my last grad school class on campus last night. I haven't allowed myself to think about it yet. So I decided to give myself a little time to reflect.

Will I be sad that it is over? A little. I fully enjoyed being a part of a large, research institution. There is energy on campus, and the feeling that exciting things are happening or about to happen is always present.

I also enjoyed the learning aspect. It made me think and question things about my philosophy, my classroom, and how I approach mathematics education. Even if the learning I did wasn't always immediately useful, isn't it the goal of education to make us think about new things or old things in new ways? And that, I certainly did.

But mostly I am relieved to be wrapping up grad school. While it was fun and engaging, it was also stressful. Like any other student, I, at various points of my education, had to sacrifice time with family and friends, set aside my work responsibilities, and sit in front of the computer or pour over books and articles for hours at a time. I will not miss that part AT ALL.

But before I get ahead of myself, I still have one action research project to complete and a four hour written test to take. I have five weeks to get this done. Let the count down begin.

Clutter

Clutter!
It's everywhere.

A 12 by 15 foot room that formerly acted as an office seemed like it would be a snap to clean out and transform into a nursery. But it's deceiving. The clutter grows and multiplies exponentially every day. And things that I wish would have disappeared and taken care of themselves have not. That beautiful SLR camera that I dropped in the beaches of Aruba several years ago...still hidden in the corner of the closet. The outdated, and therefore useless, printer that served me well for many years still lays idle on the bottom shelf of the bookcase. And the random pictures that date from babyhood to current day still remain in a neat stack waiting for me to decide where their permanent home will be. It's clutter, and yet, I have memories and stories for it all. Thank goodness for Fly Lady (never heard of her? Click here if you're a pack rat). Fly Lady brought the 27 fling boogie into my life. If it weren't for her I'd be frozen with indecision and the newest addition to our family would be sleeping inbetween my boxes of memorabilia and office supplies.

Chipot-Yummy

Excitement came today in the form of a "buy one burrito, get one free" Chipotle coupon.

YUM!

We decided to use it right away.

The burrito was so pakced full with goodness that it took me 45 minutes to eat it. That's heaven.

Observations of a Lunch Monitor

After a month and a half of lunch duty, I have come to a realization. It is IMPOSSIBLE for people to walk up to a trashcan with out literally "throwing" items into it. People either practice their free throw shoot from 4-5 feet away or their underhand pitch from 2-3 feet away. NOBODY (I'm including teenagers and adults alike) walks all the way to the trashcan.

I've also come to the realization that there are typical reactions when a person MISSES their trashcan shot. People either 1) Follow through and pick it up right away, 2) Look around first to see if anyone noticed they missed it before deciding their next move, or 3) Pretend they never threw anything to begin with.

I have heard horror stories about lunch duty. But really, it's not as bad as I thought. So far it's an interesting place to observe human behavior - again, I'm including adults and teenagers. However, having said this, I reserve my right to change my opinion and decide it stinks at any time during the year.

Saturday Circle Game

It's been a year since T and I bought our new TV and decided to join the world of cable. DVR is amazing. So I want to know:

If you had to narrow your TV viewing to TWO shows, which two would you pick?