Saturday, October 3, 2009
Overheard: 4:36am
Me: I think we've never planned so much for something we've been so unprepared for.
Friday, October 2, 2009
NOT a Mommy Blog
But I do admit that I should never read Dooce before trying to type my own blog. I think it has the same effect as listening to someone with a thick accent for a few hours: after a while you just start speaking mush.
Yes, if you've noticed, I'm posting this at 4am Montana time. I think it's God's way of getting me ready to ignore man's laws of time and schedule in order to respond to the demands of the chicken that's right now practicing judo-karate moves in my belly. And, yes, we've been calling it a chicken.
If you've been pregnant (or lived with someone who has been) you might identify with the following story. If not, I'm giving you a glimpse of the chemical imbalance partly to blame for me being awake and eating raspberry popsicles at 4am:
About 12 hours ago I was very hungry and knew I needed protein. So I propped myself up in the kitchen to make tuna salad (only the second time in 9 months I've eaten canned tuna). Into the bowl went the tuna. Into the fridge went my arm to pull out the mayonnaise. Just to be responsible about it, I checked the expiration date. 3/11/09. I called my dad, a man who believes in coasting to a stop 1/2 a mile away from a red light to save just that much more money on gas: "How expired does mayonnaise have to be to seriously be bad?" The answer depended on how badly I needed the mayonnaise. Very helpful. But 6 months expired was too much. And that did it. There were tears. The mayonnaise was expired. No mayonnaise. No tuna salad. How was I supposed to be take care of an entire human being if I couldn't even make tuna salad? What kind of parent keeps mayonnaise 6 months past its expiration date? How on earth was I going to cope?
In the process of banging my head against the refrigerator door in agony (yes, agony. it's my story) I remembered the sandwich Stephan brought home a week ago that came with little packets of mayonnaise. The tears dried up. The salad was made. All was right with the world.
Moral of the story: seems parenting might be more about teamwork than I first believed.
Real moral of the story: WOW- I should really stay out of the kitchen.
Yes, if you've noticed, I'm posting this at 4am Montana time. I think it's God's way of getting me ready to ignore man's laws of time and schedule in order to respond to the demands of the chicken that's right now practicing judo-karate moves in my belly. And, yes, we've been calling it a chicken.
If you've been pregnant (or lived with someone who has been) you might identify with the following story. If not, I'm giving you a glimpse of the chemical imbalance partly to blame for me being awake and eating raspberry popsicles at 4am:
About 12 hours ago I was very hungry and knew I needed protein. So I propped myself up in the kitchen to make tuna salad (only the second time in 9 months I've eaten canned tuna). Into the bowl went the tuna. Into the fridge went my arm to pull out the mayonnaise. Just to be responsible about it, I checked the expiration date. 3/11/09. I called my dad, a man who believes in coasting to a stop 1/2 a mile away from a red light to save just that much more money on gas: "How expired does mayonnaise have to be to seriously be bad?" The answer depended on how badly I needed the mayonnaise. Very helpful. But 6 months expired was too much. And that did it. There were tears. The mayonnaise was expired. No mayonnaise. No tuna salad. How was I supposed to be take care of an entire human being if I couldn't even make tuna salad? What kind of parent keeps mayonnaise 6 months past its expiration date? How on earth was I going to cope?
In the process of banging my head against the refrigerator door in agony (yes, agony. it's my story) I remembered the sandwich Stephan brought home a week ago that came with little packets of mayonnaise. The tears dried up. The salad was made. All was right with the world.
Moral of the story: seems parenting might be more about teamwork than I first believed.
Real moral of the story: WOW- I should really stay out of the kitchen.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
New Post
Hi.
I know it's been a while. I don't even have a good excuse, since I sit in front of the laptop about 12 hours a day now watching internet TV. But nothing's been going on, so I couldn't think of anything to write about. At the moment I'm on bed rest because I've been having contractions for 3+ weeks and it's too early for the baby to come yet. And, as Stephan has defined for me, bed rest doesn't include things like cleaning the kitchen, moving bookshelves to dust behind them, or baking mass quantities of breads and muffins to "get ready" for when the baby comes. Bed Rest involves mainly just sitting in bed, exploring all the things that Hulu, Netflix, and MTV.com have to offer. I've also crocheted 8 hats and 2 scarves, started learning French, and read two very good books.
So, I'm here, in bed. And I will be in bed until October 8th when both Stephan and the doctor feel it's safe to have the baby (that would be 4 weeks early since the due date isn't until November 4th), at which time I'll be taking long walks on the beach, hikes through the mountains, and swims in the ocean... or as close as I can get to doing those things in Plevna, Montana.
I know it's been a while. I don't even have a good excuse, since I sit in front of the laptop about 12 hours a day now watching internet TV. But nothing's been going on, so I couldn't think of anything to write about. At the moment I'm on bed rest because I've been having contractions for 3+ weeks and it's too early for the baby to come yet. And, as Stephan has defined for me, bed rest doesn't include things like cleaning the kitchen, moving bookshelves to dust behind them, or baking mass quantities of breads and muffins to "get ready" for when the baby comes. Bed Rest involves mainly just sitting in bed, exploring all the things that Hulu, Netflix, and MTV.com have to offer. I've also crocheted 8 hats and 2 scarves, started learning French, and read two very good books.
So, I'm here, in bed. And I will be in bed until October 8th when both Stephan and the doctor feel it's safe to have the baby (that would be 4 weeks early since the due date isn't until November 4th), at which time I'll be taking long walks on the beach, hikes through the mountains, and swims in the ocean... or as close as I can get to doing those things in Plevna, Montana.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Overheard: On the Phone
Him: Hey Dad! Yeah, Anna's still on bed rest.
Father-in-Law (mine, not his): Well, tell her to lay down and put her feet up.
Him: I did.
Father-in-Law: But that's what caused the problem in the first place!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
So, yeah. I'm still on bed rest, although I can take a 10 minute walk every day. Against medical advice we travelled to Red Lodge, Montana so Stephan could attend a Rural Trauma Hospital Conference. I've stayed very still in the hotel room for the last 2 days and successfully avoided most of the regular contractions. Fortunately there's an amazing view outside the hotel window. The sad part is that I can't go out and walk around this adorable little town nestled in the Bear Tooth Mountains. I only have one more week of strict bed rest- I need to get to 34 weeks pregnant before the baby will be healthy enough to be born.
But I'm also convinced that I WILL NOT be birthing this baby in Red Lodge, Montana (like my doctor predicted if I dared go against her advice). So, I sit. It's great to have TV with channels to change and commercials to scoff at, but it's hard to not be able to distract myself with little chores like re-filing pay stubs, wiping down the kitchen cabinets, and folding laundry. Good for body and baby, bad for my overactive brain.
Oh, and why would it be a problem to deliver a baby in Red Lodge? Well, for one, we are a 4 hour drive away from the hospital and our house, plus, we are about 2 hours away from the regional NICU. Yeah... we have regional NICU's, they're not in every hospital.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
On the Dock of the Bay
Last Monday I started having contractions. It wasn't too big of a deal, except that they were coming pretty regularly. I went home and laid in bed for a few hours and they slowed down. Tuesday we drove to Billings for a doctor's appointment, but on the way home the contractions got more frequent (not stronger though). When I called my doctor in Glendive she wanted to see me immediately. Which we did. She checked me out and gave me the ok to stay in bed for another 24 hours.
I called her after those 24 hours and she "let" me stay in bed for another day. Today is Sunday. I've been in bed for about 6 days. I've watched more movies in a week than I have the rest of the year. I have some great recommendations for both TV and movies. Thank goodness for Netflix and Hulu.
FAQ: How do you feel?
Answer: Fine. Except, I'm getting tired of the intermittent tightness in my belly.
What's next? I go back to the doctor at some point to see if anything has changed. Worst case scenario would be for the doctor to "sit on me" for the next week and a half until Week 34 (Sept. 24th) when they'd send me to the big hospital in Billings to have the baby. Otherwise, I just hang out and wait for the real deal.
That's what I'm doing! Just sittin'...
I called her after those 24 hours and she "let" me stay in bed for another day. Today is Sunday. I've been in bed for about 6 days. I've watched more movies in a week than I have the rest of the year. I have some great recommendations for both TV and movies. Thank goodness for Netflix and Hulu.
FAQ: How do you feel?
Answer: Fine. Except, I'm getting tired of the intermittent tightness in my belly.
What's next? I go back to the doctor at some point to see if anything has changed. Worst case scenario would be for the doctor to "sit on me" for the next week and a half until Week 34 (Sept. 24th) when they'd send me to the big hospital in Billings to have the baby. Otherwise, I just hang out and wait for the real deal.
That's what I'm doing! Just sittin'...
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Warning
Obviously written for men: Even if using this infant restraint seems easy to figure out on your own, it is very important to FOLLOW THE OWNER'S MANUAL.
Overheard: On the Couch
Me: So I'm going to place this trial order for the cloth diapers.
Him: Ok.
Me: I just don't want to be at home one day, especially in Plevna, and run out of diapers.
Him: What do you mean? There are diapers all over this place! Cloth diapers are just t-shirts that have been cut into pieces. Look! You're wearing one now!!!
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