Sore

Last night, I went for another 2 miler, and it was just as tough as the first one I did on Tuesday, maybe even more so since I was a bit sore to start.  I hadn't originally intended to run back-to-back days, but Jerry has bowling tonight and I knew I wouldn't get a chance to run today, so it was either the back-to-back days or wait until Friday.  I went with the former.

And today I am sore enough that you'd think I had run two 10 milers instead of two 2 milers!

But, in a strange way, it feels good to be a bit sore, and I know that in a week's time, my legs will adjust and the soreness will pass.  My plan for July is to start off by running about 3-4 days a week and slowly re-build my former fitness before I start to think about going longer or faster.  Starting over after having so long off is tough -- especially since I'm also carting around about 10 extra pounds -- but it also feels good to have the challenge.  (I'm not too worried about losing the weight; I know it will gradually come off, and I know that after Norah was born, I didn't fully lose all my pregnancy weight until after I stopped breastfeeding.  Still, it would be nice for my self-esteem if my pre-pregnancy jeans would fit!)

So, no running today.  Just lots of water.  And some Advil (how glorious is it to be able to take Advil again!).  And I'll probably be just as sore tomorrow, maybe more so, but then I'll be back at it again!

Finally, Some Running to Report!

First of all, Caleb had his 1 month check up this morning, and he checked in as a BEEFCAKE: 11 lbs, 6 oz, and he measured 23 and 1/4 inches in length.  He gained close to 4 lbs and grew 2 and 1/4 inches -- that's a lot of growin' for one month!  But, at this point in his development, that's his main job, so I guess he gets a gold star for that one.

I too had a dr. check up today: My post-partum exam, and everything is healing up just dandy so I got the green light to return to running.  So, tonight after Norah was in bed, I dusted off my running clothes, charged up the iPod, and pulled out my shiny new kicks that I got for my birthday back in April:

I only ran 2 miles, and it was a tough two miler (my last run was about 5 months ago, so it was kinda like starting from scratch), but it was glorious!  Here I am post-run: Sweaty and happy!

4th of July

We had an eventful holiday today.

We started by attending a parade in the morning.  It was a good parade, and Norah loved seeing the fire trucks and police cars, and getting candy and other trinkets.  And Caleb did what he does best: He slept through it.

The only downside to the parade was that it was about a bazillion degrees out, so we were all sweaty messes afterward.  Oh well.  It is July in South Florida, after all. 

Here's Jerry, Norah and Caleb along the parade route:

Then, in the afternoon, we went to a friend's house for a party: Grilling, pool, horse shoes, tons of food, and, of course, firecrackers.  Here's Norah and Miller doing some "day time" fireworks:

A neighbor of our friend's was also having a shindig and they had a bounce house and everything, so Norah went over there for a bit and rode the slide half a dozen times -- so combine that with plenty of pool time, firecrackers, and relentlessly chasing our friend's dog around the house, and she had a VERY full day. 

And, here's another attempt to capture a family photo of us: Norah's sticking her tongue out, Jerry's posing like he's on the red carpet, and part of the inside of my shirt is sticking out.  I think the search continues for a good family pic...

Here's Norah with her sparkler:

At the end of the day, I took the kids home before the "night time" fireworks: It was 8 o'clock, already past Norah's bedtime, and while she was fine, mood-wise, she was starting to stumble around like she'd been in the beer cooler, so I figured it was best to get home and get to bed before any meltdowns and before it was gonna get tough keeping her up late.  Neither she, nor Caleb, made it all the way home before falling asleep:

Jerry stayed to light the big fireworks -- to him, the 4th is like Christmas and his birthday combined, so I had to let him enjoy risking life and limb with his crate full of TNT -- and I'm at home right now with two sleeping kids and a neurotic dog, who is freaking out right now because of the sound of all the fireworks outside.  It kinda stinks that I'm missing all the pretty fireworks, but honestly, I'm beat and am about to turn in myself, and I'm sure there will be plenty of years ahead for us to all stay up late enough to enjoy the fireworks in the future.  For now, I'm hitting the hay!

Happy 4th everyone!

One Month

Hard to believe that Caleb is already a month old. 

In the past month, we've re-accustomed ourselves to 3 am wake-up calls and the explosive nature of baby poop.  We're also learned the differences between changing a boy's diaper versus a girl's -- essentially?  Duck and take cover!  Because he will pee on you, himself, the wall, and any other nearby objects or observers.

On the whole, he's a sweet baby, who's starting to give us a few genuine smiles.  He has his days where he's a demanding fussbucket, but let's face it: Who doesn't have days like that?

And like all kids -- no matter their age -- he's cutest when he's sleeping.

Sleeping like a Baby

A newborn sleeps a lot. 

Just not all at night.  And, Caleb has been typical for a breastfed baby, in that he generally wants to eat every two hours or so, whether that's 3 pm or 3 am, it does not make a difference to him.  So, for the past month, I've typically gotten no more than 2 consecutive hours of sleep. 

But in the past two nights, I've been blessed with, suddenly, a near full night's rest.

Monday night, he only woke up twice, and then last night -- miracle of miracles -- he only woke up once!  That's practically sleeping through the night in my book!

The extra sleep is nice, but having such a sudden change in routine is also weirdly disorienting.  For me and my boobs.  Last night, for instance, when he had a long stretch from 7:30 pm to 2 am, I was up at 12:30 am standing over his crib -- both because I wanted to make sure he was still breathing and because I was kinda hoping he'd wake up because my boobs were killing me!  I ended up pumping twice during that long sleep spell of his.

I don't know if this new business of sleeping so long is just a fluke or if he's trending toward being able to make it through the night, only time will tell, but despite waking up with boobs that feel like boulders, I'm appreciating the extra Zzzzzs!

Belated Blogoversary

With everything else going on, I completely forgot that it was my blog's b-day last week!  June 21st was the 6 year anniversary of my first post, and I didn't even remember to buy my blog a card or send it flowers!  Goodness gracious, I'll be in the doghouse for sure.

So without further ado, happy 6 years blog!

Well, at this point, techincally, it's 6 years and 7 days, but who's keeping track?  Clearly, not me.

Family Circus

Jerry's brother was in town yesterday to visit us, and since we didn't have any pics of the four of us yet, I asked him to take a few pictures of us -- as a family.  Yeah...these are a few of what we got:

Norah picking her nose:

 Norah showing her uncle her teeth:

 Her uncle told her to try to keep her hands off her face, so this is what she did:

And, then, ironically, Caleb had his eyes open for a brief moment and smiled, so we were all caught up in his moment:

And, yes, Caleb has a bit of "ink" on his left bicep.  Four weeks old and he's already getting tattoos.  His big sister may be a bad influence ;)

Lots of Things Thursday

Thanks for all the encouraging comments on my last post.  It seems that everyday with these two has both its joys and its challenges, and I'm doing my best to enjoy the former and survive the latter.  And, I've actually been very lucky to meet a lot of nice moms (and dads!) while we're out and about who have all offered help in either the form of advice or literal, physical help. 

We have, for instance, some "park friends" who we see frequently enough at the park that we've gotten to know them and they're always willing to lend a helping hand when, for instance, I'm nursing Caleb and Norah decides that it's time to climb something scary.  It's often thought that people in South Florida aren't very friendly, but I guess I'm just lucky because I generally find that people are friendly and helpful to us all of the time. 

Or, maybe I just reek of desperation -- I definitely reek of sweat and spit up -- and they pity me.

Anyhoo, we're getting by.  One day at a time.  So, to fulfill a request for pics, I'm including a few of the following.  We've actually been doing tons of fun things lately, but I have taken very few pics (hands are busy with other matters, I suppose, but I for sure need to start taking more pics of Caleb -- I have somewhere around 1 billion pics of Norah; I don't want his baby book to feel sparse).  Here's Norah during a finger painting session: This is the face she does when I tell her to "smile!"

And this is how she opens her finger paints: Thankfully, they're non-toxic.  Which is something I find myself saying a lot...about crayons, about Play Doh, batteries...

And here's one of Caleb in the bath, looking contemplatively at the kitchen sponge.  He's going through his "awkward baby phase" which means that, like Norah, he's got the baby acne.  If it's anything like Norah's, it'll pass in a few weeks' time, and sometimes it doesn't look so bad, but when he's crying, those little pimples look ANGRY!

I can tell this little bugger is already growing like a weed.  He seemingly grew out of the newborn stuff and some of the 0-3 month stuff overnight, and I can simply tell from carrying him around for most of the day that he's heavier.  I suppose this is what happens: You feed them and they grow!

It Gets Easier, Right?

Today, we were at the library for story time, and afterward, as we were leaving, Norah tried to nab some books off the shelf.  I told her we weren't gonna check out any books today and to put them back, so she unleashed the classic toddler tantrum move: Dramatically flinging herself to the floor and crying, "Book!Book!" 

I felt like the meanest mom in the world denying my daughter the opportunity to check out a library book, but I honestly just wanted to get home -- it was near lunch time for her and Caleb was gonna need to eat soon too and that's easier done at home if it's possible -- plus, I'm trying to stick to my guns, so when I say "no" it really means "no," not "okay, let's start the negotiations."

So, there I am, diaper bag over my shoulder, carrying Caleb in the infant carrier, and with my free hand wrestling the books out of Norah's little hands and trying to keep my cool.  I put the books back (sorry librarians, I just shoved them onto a random shelf!) and then, Norah being so tragically denied books, asked to be carried.

"You can walk, you're a big girl," I told her.

Her response?  "Carry!  Carry!"

"Fine," I said.  I'm sweating a bit and my sunglasses are askew.  So, I pick her up in one arm, still carrying the diaper bag over my shoulder and Caleb with my other arm (strength training be damned!  you just have to be a mom to carry 20+ lbs with each arm), and this woman with two kids of her own nearby says, "It gets easier."

"I hope so," I said.

"How far apart are they?" she asked.

"22 months."

"20 months," she said indicating her own perfectly well-behaved children who looked to be about 4 and 2.  "Trust me, it'll get easier.  Don't worry."

I thanked her and then carried them both out of the library.  Norah was calm by then and volunteered then to walk -- and after lunch, she blessed me with one of her longest naps ever: 2 hrs and 20 minutes!  It was glorious because Caleb slept for about 90 minutes of that: You know what I can do with 90 minutes kid-free?  I practically created a soluble economic recovery plan!

Anyway, that woman's words hung with me all afternoon: "It gets easier."  I was glad for her taking the moment to say something kind and sympathetic, and I clung to her promise.  I needed to hear that in that moment. 

Updates

My blogging -- both in writing posts and reading/commenting on others -- has been rather dismal as of late.  But I hope everyone understands that I have my hands full right now, and time on the interweb has just been the least of my priorities as of late.  To be honest, just getting a shower in is tough some days.

Anyhoo, this is what's been shakin' in Jess's world:

Ummmm, mostly poop.

Baby poop, for the most part -- which I would describe as a lot like my students' writing: A lot of noise, but not a lot of content -- but there's also some kid poop tossed in there once or twice a day as well.  Which means I change, by my estimate, somewhere around 18 diapers a day.  Not all of them shitty, but it sure feels like a lot of them are.

In fact, I had to interrrupt typing the above paragraph because someone had pooped himself.

Yes, there's been other stuff going on, but on the whole, it's a whole heap 'o shit around here : )

Happy Dad's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, but a special "Happy Father's Day" to the Jer-Bear!

Norah and Caleb are lucky kids to have such a loving, devoted dad!

What's Today? Wednesday?

As the week progresses, things at home with the kids have gotten easier.  Not easy.  Easier.  We've begun to establish a routine, and we have even been out and about for several "excursions."  Monday, we went to the play area at the mall; Tuesday, we went to the park; and today, we made the maiden voyage to my Mecca: Target.  Each little outing has had its own stresses (and simply getting them in and out of the car seems like a feat in and of itself), but I like being able to get out of the house at least once a day.  That's just me; I have a tough time being at home all the livelong day.

Also a part of our daily routine is a long morning walk.  Previously, I'd posted about the stroller dilemma, and the outcome of that was that we decided on just a regular double stroller.  We did a lot of thinking and looking in this contemplation, but in the end, it was really a cost issue more than anything else. After giftcards and coupons, the stroller we purchased only cost us $40.  Even used, the BOB dualie is often at least $400.  For now, I plan to hold onto my single BOB, and once I resume running, it looks as though I'll just be doing it without kids -- which, the more and more I think about it, I think that will actually be awesome.  Even if I have to run at 5 am.

So, anyway, I'm not running for now; thus, my primary daily exercise is still walking.  But now it's walking with the two kids and Scooter.  It feels a bit like a 3 ring circus, but we get it done, and right now, that's my definition of success.

Here's Norah, ready to ride up front.  She's loaded up with her usual snacks, drinks, and of course, Bo-Bo.

 And here's Caleb, riding behind his big sister.  And, we're not even out the door here, and he's snoozin.

So far, the double stroller has been working out well.  Granted, it's not as easy to manuever as the BOB, and Norah can partially MacGyver her way out of the harness, but overall, it seems worth the $40.  But, honestly, I can't wait to run.  By myself.  Without a dog pulling me, and a kid up front who's demanding more raisins.  I have my post-partum check up in 3 weeks; I think I'll be conservative and stick to the walking until then, but man, I've got the itch to lace up my running shoes!

As a last tidbit, here's a pic of Norah and Caleb during some floor time.  It's a rare moment when Caleb is awake -- look!  His eyes are open!

Flying Solo

So, how'd today go?

Well, despite bursting into tears when Jerry got home, I think it went well.

Tears aside, nothing caught on fire, no one had to be rushed to the emergency room, and we were all clothed and fed.  My sanity may have been hanging by a shred at the end of the day (I can't wait until I can return to running -- I'm gonna need it!), but I think things will get easier as we all get used to it.

Caleb by himself would be easy right now.  He just eats, sleeps, and poops. 

Norah, on the other hand, is a challenge right now, and she'd be work enough by herself.  But, throw in the necessary time spent nursing Caleb and changing those poopy diapers, and she gets to be more than a handful -- although, to be literal, today I discovered a wide array of tasks I'm capabale of one-handed.  I feel like if someone recorded me today, this would be the transcript:

"Norah, no!"

"I said NO!"

"Stop it!"

"Did you hear me?  I said NO!"

That could have just run on a loop all throughout the day.  And that gets wearisome.

I don't necessarily think she's being difficult because of Caleb; I think she's just being a typical near-two-year-old, and it's just her stage in which she has to challenge us on everything.  Still, I'm sure having the new baby does play some role in her being a pickle.  She'll adjust, and so will I.  And in a few weeks, I'll be cleared to run again, and that should help. 

In the meantime, I may have to start drinking in the afternoon.

Let the Chaos Commence!

Tomorrow, Jerry returns to work, and then it's just me and the kids. 

All.  day.  long.

Actually, I'm ready for it, and he's probably never been so happy to be headed off to work.  It's been a month of irregularities: First, Jerry's mom here, then my mom, then Caleb's birth and Jerry at home for 2 weeks.  I think we're all ready to resume life -- albeit now altered -- with our regular routines.

I'll let you know how the full-time-momming-with-two goes.  And if you hear nothing, assume Child Protection Services stepped in.

One Week

This afternoon, I took Norah to the park for an hour -- just us girls -- and as we were playing there, it struck me as funny that exactly a week ago, I was at the same park with her in the afternoon and I was still very much preggo with Caleb.  Little did I know that before the day was over, he'd be born!

So, a week's time has passed since his birth, and on the whole, I think things are going pretty smoothly.  Of course, it helps that Jerry is home until next week, so with the two of us, we can play a man-to-man defense, and it's much easier handling the demands of a toddler and a newborn when you can play D like this.  Next week, when he returns to work, and I have to do zone coverage, I may be in deep doo-doo, but I'm sure we'll not set the house on fire. 

Well, I'm like 90% sure we won't set the house on fire.

Anyway, as I said, it's going pretty smoothly.  He eats about every 2 hours, so I don't get much continuous sleep at night, but that's to be expected.  But, aside from the lack of sleep, I'm reminded of how easy a newborn is: He eats, he falls asleep, he wakes up, eats again, poops -- wash, rinse, repeat.  It's Norah who's the bigger handful.  But, I have to say, she's been pretty dang good with all the changes and adjustments.  She's had her tantrum-y moments and metldowns, but as a big sister, she's really loving with him, and she's even been trying to be a little helper, so I think in a week or two, we'll start to really settle in to this new life.

Here are a few pics from Caleb's first week: 

Getting his pic taken for his birth announcements.

 He and his big sister Norah, again pics we took for his birth announcement.  But, she really does give him lots of little hugs and kisses.  She's also fascinated by pointing out his hands, feet, nose, etc, and that means she sometimes pokes him in the eye.  He doesn't seem to have been blinded yet, though.

 Snoozin' dudes: Jerry, Caleb, and Scooter

 Me, Caleb, and Norah: Already hard to believe that a week ago that bundle was inside me!

Doubling Up

So, with two kids, I always figured I'd buy a BOB dualie.  With two kids under 2 years old, I NEED a double stroller -- for walks, for trips to the mall, the zoo, etc -- and my thinking was that if I need a double stroller anyway, I may as well make it a double running stroller.  Did I do any research on this in the past 9 months? 

Nah. 

I just figured I'd go and buy the BOB dualie, buy the car seat adapter to accomodate Caleb, and...viola!  Easy-peasy.

Turns out, not so easy-peasy.

The BOB dualie does have a car seat adapter, but not for the brand of car seat that we have for Caleb (the Chicco Key Fit).  BOB has an adapter for this kind of car seat for the single stroller, but just not the dualie.  The dualie is expensive enough as it is; plus, we already have this car seat (leftover from Norah's infant days), so I can't justify buying a whole new car seat just to fit the dualie.  Additionally, Jerry's argument is that Norah will probably only tolerate a stroller for, maybe, another full year.  So, is the dualie worth it in the end anyway?

If we don't buy a BOB dualie, we'll probably just a buy a regular ol' double stroller that's about $400 cheaper (which is certainly an advantage) that can be used for the basic above listed needs for a double stroller.  I'm just out a double running stroller.  Which means no running with two kids.  Maybe that's a good thing, not running and pushing two kids in a stroller?  But, it would mean no convienent running times -- like running very early in the morning or late in the evening.

So, as I was sitting at the computer, browsing every stroller combination online and growing increasingly frustrated that I couldn't make my ideal work, Jerry suggested I blog about it and see if any of you have ideas, suggestions, or experiences that might help me make the best decision here.

Keep in mind, I want to make the best fiscal decision, but we also have very limited storage, so I can't buy both a regular double stroller and 6 months down the road (when Caleb would, conceivably, be big enough to go in the dualie without a car seat) a BOB dualie.  Suggestions?

Caleb's Birth Story

This is the closest I get to a race report right now, so brace yourselves, I may be long-winded.

So, as many of you read on Tuesday, May 31, after my doctor check-up, I'd resigned myself to being induced on Wednesday, and I'd made my peace with that.  Then, a few hours after posting, and sending out emails to friends and family, I began to have some irregular contractions.  Jerry got home from work at 4:30 and the contractions were still irregular, but I was beginning to believe that this might be it.  At 5:30, I told him we needed to head to the hospital.

Thankfully, my mom was still here, so we left Norah in her care and jetted off.

By the time I got checked into the hospital and to a room in labor and delivery, it was nearly 6:30 pm, and my contractions were about 2-4 minutes apart, but I was only 3 cm dilated.  The nurse I had who was admitting me and getting everything initially prepped in L&D was S-L-O-W as molasses, and I kept asking for an epidural -- stat!  The contractions were motherfuckers, and spaced so closely together that I felt like I didn't get a break in between.  I wanted the drugs, dammit!

Finally, after more than 2 hours, I got the sweet, blessed relief of the epidural, and I went quickly from 4 cm to 8 cm.  There was a nurse shift change in that time, and my 2nd nurse was WAY better.  So, after I had the epidural (I can't thank modern medicine enough -- bless those who are strong enough to do it sans spinal tap, but natural child birth is NOT for me), both Jerry and the nurse had a short break in my cursing and crying, and I felt relaxed and ready.  At a little after 10 pm, the nurse midwife came to check me and she took one look and said, "You're gonna need to start pushing; he's RIGHT there."

She broke my water, and 6 pushes later, he was born.  10:30 pm on the dot.  An hour and a half still left in May -- guess he didn't want to wait until June after all. 

Despite the fact that he was bigger than Norah (he was 8 lbs 3 oz and she was 7 lbs 10 oz), the pushing was so much easier this time around than with Norah (when I pushed for nearly a solid 2 hours), and both the attending nurse and the midwife said I "made it look easy," but I think that's just the nature of 2nd children -- the path has been traveled before and the body knows what to do the 2nd time around.

Unlike Norah, who came out screaming bloody murder, Caleb was eerily quiet at first, and he was kinda gray.  But, they suctioned his mouth and nose, and then he started peeping, but it really wasn't until they started cleaning him up that he made much noise, and even then, he was quiet for the 30 minutes or so.  Thankfully, he pinked up quick, and he has certainly demonstrated in the last 72 hours that he knows plenty well how to use his lungs!

Since then, I've been recovering well, and as I mentioned in my post from yesterday, we returned home yesterday afternoon, and for me, it's such a relief to get checked out of the hospital.  We had a private room this time around, but still, hospitals are just not the place for me.

 Like being in a car accident, or after running a marathon, my entire body feels stiff and sore, but that should pass in another few days.

Caleb too is doing well.  He checked out as a perfectly healthy baby by the hospital pediatrician and he sees our regular pediatric office tomorrow morning for his first check up there.  He's getting the hang of nursing pretty easily (again, it helps that I did this before because I feel much more confident about BFing and what to do/expect, etc).  He has the typical newborn night vs day mixed up, but again, that should correct itself in a few weeks' time.

For now, we're all a bit exhausted by all the change, but overall, we're doing well, and I'm of course, riding a whole wave of emotions, including the best one of all: Feeling like I get to fall in love all over again -- with Jerry, with Norah, and of course, with Caleb himself.  I even have extra love for Scooter right now, and I can't always claim that! ;)

Thanks again for all the comments and congrats.  I appreciate so many people thinking of us and keeping up with us.  Sorry that I am currently MIA from reading and commenting on your own blogs, but I assume it'll be a bit before I'm able to catch up with your lives.  Hope you too are doing well!

Caleb Pics

Thanks for all the congrats on Jerry's previous post about Caleb's arrival.  I will type up his birth story soon, but for now, we're home, and both Caleb and Norah are in bed, so I just want to quick post a few pics and then go sleep some myself.

Besides, I know it's pics you really want anyway.  So, here ya go:  Caleb soon after being born, on the warming table and getting cleaned up in the delivery room.

 Jerry, Big Sister Norah and Caleb:

 Norah and Caleb:

Norah has been pretty excited, but is also going through the transition of all the changes, so she alternates between lots of feelings and reactions.  Here, she's pretty stoked to hold him:

 And lastly, one more of just Caleb:

Looks like Jess Spoke to Soon.

Jerry's 2nd Post (lets beat my record for most comments)

Apparently Caleb did want to be a May baby. Caleb was born on May 31st at 10:30 pm. He was 8lbs 3oz, and 21 inches in length at birth. So he's a good size baby, especially when you take into account the size of Jess, whose only three apples tall.

Caleb was a pretty easy birth from the Fathers point of view (Mom may disagree, probable will). But we got to the hospital about 6pm when Jess had her contractions ever 5 to 10 min apart. From there it was just waiting for the little man to be ready. Somewhere around 10 pm they said Caleb was good to go, Jess only had to push throught six contractions and she was done. So a fairly quick labor.

I'll let Jess give you guys the messy details later on. And she'll post some photos tomarrow.

Looks Like Caleb Wants to be a June Baby

Not a May baby.

I had a doctor appointment this morning, accompanied by an ultrasound, and while I am now 2 cm, instead of just a measly 1 cm, dilated, there's still not much progress, so while it is still possible for me to go into labor on my own in the next day or so, it is unlikely.  Thus, induction.  Once again.

So, the plan is that I'll go check into the hospital tomorrow evening, and they'll start me on the first stage of the induction, which is Cervidil, and then Thursday morning begins the Pitocin.  Most likely, then, he'll be born on Thursday, June 2nd.

I pretty much feel as I did when we confirmed that I'd be induced with Norah: Disappointed and frustrated that I'm not going into natural labor, but relieved that there is an end in sight.  And the one advantage of induction is knowing when I'll be headed to the hospital, which is especially nice since we have to arrange for care for Norah since my mom flies home tomorrow. 

Plus, I'll know to really savor my sleep tonight!

In other miscellaneous news: Caleb barely passed his biophysical ultrasound.  They needed him to kick or punch a certain number of times within a 30 minute timeframe, and he really didn't wanna.  I had to move around and poke my belly a ton to get him to do the bare minimum (he was either sleeping or is just an extremely lazy boy).  However, morning is not usually when he's bumping around in there -- he tends to be a "night mover" so my guess is we were disrupting his morning womb nap.  But, this just confirmed that he's too dang comfy in there!

But, his HR is great and he doesn't seem to be under any stress, so that's good for a post-date baby.  And, the u/s estimated him to be 8 lbs 5 oz (again, could be off one way or another, but the dr. said she'd estimate him right around the 8 lbs mark -- we'll see come Thursday, I guess).  As for me, my BP, pulse, weight, etc all remain steady too, so despite my mental frustration, my body is totally chill with having him go post-term.

So, that's about all I can report: Most likely headed to the hospital tomorrow night, and we're expecting a Thursday baby!

Due Date: Still Nada

Unless Caleb decides to make a dramatic 11th hour arrival today, it looks as though he's gonna let his due date come and go.

All weekend, so far, I've been barely able to contain my frustration.  I'm doing my best to be as patient and accepting as possible, but it's not easy.  I don't want to just sit around and wait, so we've been trying to keep busy with small activities relatively close to home, but while it's nice to keep busy, everywhere I go, I get asked questions and statements like, "When are you due?  How do you feel?  Wow, a full 40 weeks!  You must be really uncomfortable right now!  Oh, that baby is gonna be at least an 8 pounder!"  This is from everyone: Neighbors, the grounds/maintenance guy of our community, strangers at the pool, a waitress at a restaurant, etc. 

It makes me want to stay inside, in communicado.

Oh well, I know there is an end in sight: Even if he doesn't come on his own, by the end of the week, he's getting an eviction notice, and he'll have to move on out.  This time next weekend, I know he'll be here.  Patience, grasshopper Jess, patience.

Massage Summary

The doula center I went to for my massage was pure stereotype: Plinky-plunky music, beads in the doorways, and the faint scent of "essential oils," the massage therapist was like a real life version of Phoebe Buffay.  As much as I had to smirk and the hippie-ness of it all, it really was a great experience. 

The therapist was super friendly and took the time to talk with me for a few moments before the massage to discuss my pregnancy, and her massage was a great, relaxing experience.  I didn't even find the accupressure to be all that uncomfortable.  Granted, it was a bit tender getting squeezed on those pressure points, but I didn't think it was painful.

Afterward, she told me that I "just need to relax," so that's what I'm trying to do -- deep breaths, relax my shoulders, be patient --- ommmmmmm...We'll see what comes.

Doula-Doula

I booked a "natural labor encouragement massage" with a doula tomorrow. 

For those who don't know, doulas are like a hippie's helper before, during, and after pregnancy.  They are not nurses or midwives; they just provide a host of services for the preggo and post-preggo population.  And I joke that they're for hippies because, well, it's mostly granola types who trend toward doula services.  I don't really think of myself as such a granola type (since as a college friend of mine once said, "I'm not a hippie!  I shower everyday and I hate the smell of patchouli!" -- and that's always been my definitive definition); however, I suppose I border on hippie.  Hippie-adjacent, I guess you could say.

Anyhoo, one service they offer is a "39 week special" which is a massage that combines certain essential oils with specific pressure point focus that is supposed to naturally encourage labor to start on its own.  They boast an 85% success rate that after your massage, you'll naturally go into labor within 2-5 days.  A student initially told me about the service a few months back -- she too is a mother and she'd taken advantage of such a massage with her second pregnancy and she swore she went into labor exactly 48 hours after receiving the massage.

I was, and still am, a bit skeptical because, well, when you're at least 39 weeks pregnant, you could go into labor at any point, so the 2-5 day promise seems a bit like a given anyway.  But, I figure: Why not?  It can't hurt to try and, as Jerry argued, if nothing else, a massage would be a nice, relaxing activity which is maybe something I should take advantage of and enjoy right now anyway.  So, I booked it.  It's not cheap, but it's really no more expensive than a regular 60 minute massage, and I figure if it does work, it's worth it.

My mom arrives this afternoon, so she can stay home tomorrow morning with Norah, and I guess I'm gonna go get my doula on, yo!

Dr. Update: The Due Date Looms

I must have a really awesome uterus.

Because my kids seem to just wanna hang out in there.

I had my regular weekly dr. check up this morning (I'm 39 weeks and 2 days), and...still nothing doing.  Caleb seems to be in there like, "Hey, it's warm, I'm cozy.  I think I'll just continue to chillax and kick my mom in the ribs in here." 

I've been trying to be as patient as possible, knowing that babies come when they come (or come when modern medicine intervenes), but I'm also just plain tired of being pregnant.  So, to virtually have the same last few weeks as I did with Norah (dilated 1 cm for about a month with little/no sign of progressing), feels a bit frustrating. 

I know that my due date isn't until Sunday, so it's not as though he's officially late.  Yet.

So, after the exam, the dr. and I chatted and determined the following course of action: Wait another week, hoping that I'll naturally go into labor in that timeframe, and if I don't, then I'm scheduled to go in Wed, June 1st for an induction.  The induction would follow the same pattern of steps as it did when I was induced with Norah -- going in the evening of the 1st and beginning with the Cervidil and then following up the next morning with a cocktail of Pitocin.

Again, I hope to go into labor on my own, but again, I'm thankful to also have a back-up course of action.  Knowing that there's an end in sight is helpful; logically, I know I can't be pregnant for forever, but at this point, it kinda feels as though I will be.

Of course, if I do get induced late next week, it will mean that Caleb will entirely miss both of his Grandmas' planned visits.  Jerry's mom is planning on leaving tomorrow, and my mom arrives on Thursday, but is scheduled to fly home on Wed, the 1st, so he could miss her too.  I know that they were both very well aware that scheduling their trips as they did meant that they could miss his birth, but it still disappoints me that both their trips could be in vain.

Ah well, we'll see what happens in the next week or so.

I'm just crossing my fingers that his chill attitude in the womb (which is the same as Norah's) means that he'll have her same easy-going, laid-back personality as a newborn.  Norah was pretty much the world's easiest newborn, and if I get even a smidgen of that with Caleb, I have no reason to complain about going to or past my due date.

Still Hanging in There

That's about all I can say right now.  Every morning, Jerry asks me: "So.  You gonna go into labor today?"  And about all I can respond with is: "I don't know...I don't think so."  I'm trying to be patient, but at 39 weeks, let's face it, most pregnant women are D-O-N-E.  I'm big, I'm uncomfortable, I'm tired.  I'm ready to have this bugger.  But, the wait continues...

In the meantime, we've been keeping busy.  Today, we took Norah to the park to ride the train and the ponies again.  She felt so-so about the train, but luh-ved the horses.  Her horse this time was named Charlie, and after her ride, she kept saying, "Horses.  Riding.  Charlie."  But you have to picture how she says "Charlie"; it's so cute, it's like "CHAR-lee."  All afternoon, she kept telling us about CHAR-lee.

The park time was fun, but by 11:15, we were spent.  It was 94 degrees out there, and for me, I felt like my fingers and toes were sausages, and I had sweat through my undies -- lovely image, right?  So, we went out to lunch in lovely A/C and then we all had a gloriously long afternoon siesta.  And after our nap, we had some pool time before dinner.

As a last thought/image, I caught this cute picture of Jerry and Norah walking.  It's a good daddy-daughter pic, isn't it?

And ever notice how Norah's clothes change, but Jerry always wear the same thing?  Maybe I should just quit washing that t-shirt so I can get some variety in our pictures!

Not Amuse-ing

With my MIL here, Jerry and I got out to enjoy a date night last night.  We figured we may as well take advantage of a free babysitter and what may be our last remaining days before Caleb arrives to enjoy a night together.  So, Jerry went to all this effort to seek out a restaurant he thought would be great and secure us reservations.  It was in downtown Miami, overlooking Biscayne Bay, the menu online looked fabulous, yet affordable, and we figured a splurge on a fancier place was worthwhile since we don't often do it.  It was called Amuse.

We get there for our 8:15 pm reservation and we are the ONLY people in the place.  Uh-oh...  Granted, it was a small, intimate place with only 7 tables, so we thought, "Well, it's Miami, maybe the place won't start filling until 9."  It never filled.  We were the ONLY table the entire time!  That was our first sign.

Secondly, the moment we stepped in there, I thought the whole atmosphere was just trying too hard -- everything about the decor and the music, etc were just a strange combination of pretention and tacky-trendiness.  I mean, techno background music in a place that's billed as "the perfect place for couples"?  No.  Wrong.  And the "view of Biscayne Bay"?  Yes, the bay was out there, but you were gazing across the road at it.

The server was friendly and greeted us promptly (really, what else did she have to do?) and gave us a serving of fried plantains with salsa and guacamole, but...I quickly determined that the salsa had to be Pace Picante.  I don't eat that shit at home, why would a restaurant of supposedly high caliber serve it?  Another warning sign.  We ordered our meals, and after the server left, we made light of the Pace Picante and did our best to enjoy ourselves and chat over the annoying techno music in the background.

Our appetizers were awesome -- I had this "inside out BLT" that was truly one of the most innovative and tasty things I've ever had -- so it seemed to be looking up.  But then that was the highlight of the meal; from there, it was downhill.  Our entrees were disappointing, at best (I had a risotto that I could have made better), and I actually would have preferred to bypass the dessert entirely rather than struggle through the few bites of it that I did ingest.

So, in short, the place sucked.  And it was not cheap.

But, as we drove home laughing and criticizing the place, we reasoned that at least it made for a good story.

Ah well, you never know what a place is really like until you try it, but friends, if you travel to Miami, I do NOT recommend Amuse!

As for today, Jerry took the day off work, and he and his mom took Norah to the beach, so I have most of the day in front of me without child, husband or MIL.  Whatever shall I do with myself?  Is it weird that I think I'm gonna clean the bathrooms?

38 Weeks, 2 Days

At this point in pregnancy, it seems that all I do is go to the doctor.  The reality is that I go once a week; still, it seems like I'm there all the time.

So, yeah, today I had another doctor check up, and there's not much progress to report.  She said I'm still 1 cm dilated, but maybe a "smidgen more."  She wrote down "1+ cm" -- I think she likes me to feel good about myself ;)  There is progress in terms of my cervix's softening and shortening, but it looks as though this guy is gonna be like Norah: In NO hurry to move along a little early; he'll probably go a full 40 weeks.  That's not a bad thing, by any means, but I'm really hoping to go into labor naturally this time around, so I hope there's more progress next week so we don't have to plan another induction.  Of course, I was induced with Norah and that turned out just fine, so if that's the case, I know things will work out.

In other check-up news, I'm not sure if she gave me a pelvic exam this morning or was checking on my molars via the "long route" -- wowza!  I know that she's just trying to "help things along" by reaching up through my vagina and trying to tickle the back of my throat, but man alive, I could do without this part of preggo exams!  She said she could feel the top of Caleb's head if that gives you any indication of her reach during the exam this morning.  I wanted to ask if she could also count his toes, which are up in my ribs, but I'm never entirely sure if she gets my humor so I play it pretty straight.  Besides, there's little room for humor when you're counting ceiling tiles and sucking air through your teeth.

A few last details that I know you can't live without:

• The nurse called me "tiny" today.  Which seemed generous considering that I feel like a baby Beluga.
• Speaking of whale-ness, this was the first check up in this entire pregnancy where I didn't gain any weight.  Overall, I've gained a total of 25 lbs.  Not bad.  I think with Norah I gained about 30 lbs, but towards the end, I just stopped paying attention, so it might've been a little more or a little less, but somewhere around 30.
• My BP is still good -- 100/60 -- which is pretty much a constant number for me. 
• The dr. remarked, for about the 100th time, "You're just all baby, aren't you?"  She must forget that she keeps making the same comment, and I think she means it as a compliment since I haven't really gained weight except in my giant belly, but I wanna say, "No, there's probably about 8 lbs of baby; the rest is all me!"
• I feel very luck that: I again haven't gotten any stretch marks (*knock on wood*), my belly button did not do the gross turkey baster thingy, and I don't suffer from any swelling.

There.  Now you are COMPLETELY up-to-date on the Jess preggo status.  You can return to your normal existence and resume your interweb browsing.  And, can you believe The Terminator?  Another actor/politician with an extra-marital affair?!  Shocking, right?

Last Mommy-Daughter Day

Today was the last full day of just Norah and I -- for awhile.

Tomorrow, my MIL arrives and then in a week and a half, my own mother arrives, and hopefully, somewhere in the next two weeks, Caleb arrives.  So, today was the last day that Norah and I had just to ourselves.

We didn't do anything particularly significant -- went to the park for two hours this morning.  The park we went to has both playground equipment and a water park, and with the water, Norah could stay all day.  She wore herself out running around, and I was both proud and freaked out by some of the "big kid" playground equipment she was managing.  It seems parenthood is a constant tug and pull of emotions like that, and with a toddler, it seems that I am almost always precariously balanced between being impressed that she can do the things she can while simultaneously being scared that she's gonna hurt herself.  It takes a lot of restraint to stand back at the right times and intervene at the right times: Part of me would like to duct tape bubble wrap around her at all times, but the more rational part of me knows it's best to stand back and her let her be most of the time.

Anyway, needless to say, after so much morning activity, she took an awesome afternoon nap (as did I!), and we had a relaxing late afternoon/early evening before Jerry got home.

I'm grateful for the help that both my MIL and my mom have offered by coming to stay with us before, during, and after Caleb's due date, and I am looking forward to Caleb's arrival, but knowing that days like this, with just Norah and I, will be more rare in the upcoming future makes me a bit sad.

Ah, like I said, so many mixed emotions with motherhood!

How I'm Being Undermined

When I showed this to Jerry on Friday evening, he said: "Next time you go to the vet, you have to bring this."

Walkcident

Here's Norah before our walk this morning:

She travels light, doesn't she?  Notice fatty-fatterson down in the corner eyeballing her snack -- his eyes say FEED ME!

I've been walking with both Norah and Scooter for a week now, and Scooter hasn't gotten any more used to it, and I spend roughly the first half of the walk pulling him reluctantly behind me.  Once we get to our turn-around point, it's better walking home because he knows we're headed home and he walks better then.

Today, his neuroses were not helped by the fact that we came upon some landscapers who were trimming trees and blocking the sidewalk.  For Scooter, this is a 3-fold fear-inducer: 1. landscapers (!), 2. ladders and other equipment (!!), and 3. loud machinery (!!!).

So, needless to say, as we approached this segment of the sidewalk, he started flipping out on me, trying to get away and I had to tighten my grip on his leash and reign him in.  Meanwhile, I had to try and navigate around this mess, which meant briefly departing from the sidewalk, over the curb, into the street.  Which wouldn't be so hard without a crazy dog who thinks that passing this mess is the equivalent of waterboarding.  As I'm easing Norah and the stroller off the curb and trying to maintain my handle on Scooter, I nearly tip Norah and the stroller over (she was on one wheel for a moment there), but I was able to right the stroller without even a dropped Goldfish cracker.  Meanwhile, one of the landscaper guys was just staring at me and this circus with an expression that read both concern and befuddlement.  Ummm, a little help here, dude?  It might've been nice to have a hand over that curb.

Thankfully, the landscapers had cleared the sidewalk of tree debris by the time we returned along the same route sometime later, and while Scooter was still wary of the situation, he wasn't trying to pull my arm off to get away, so it was an easier passage the second time around.

In other exciting news, we saw not one, but TWO school buses and a firetruck!  It was pretty much the most thrilling walk we've had all week.

Tidbit Tuesday

Full-time-momming commenced on Monday, and having Norah all day is not really much harder than my school year schedule; in fact, in some ways, it's easier.  During the school year, I really feel as though I do the "leg work" of the day by having her all morning: When she goes to daycare in the afternoon, she's mostly eating lunch and taking her afternoon nap, so being at home all day with her just includes those activities.  And when she gets up from her nap, typically, we only have about an hour or hour and a half before Jerry gets home (he's home by 4:30).  So, it's not too shabby.  Of course, I realize that once Caleb is born, it will be more work, but for now, I'm enjoying nap time myself in the afternoon!

And speaking of Caleb, I had another dr. check-up this morning.  I'm currently 1 cm dilated.  Which doesn't really mean much of anything right now, but as the dr. said, "1 cm is better than 'no cm'!"  True dat.  Otherwise, there's not much to report about the dr.

Lastly, a cute thing today was that we've been talking to Norah a lot about babies lately, and since we got some newborn diapers (holy bejesus, SO tiny!  I can't fathom how small they seem when compared to Norah's current sized diapers!), we've been doing things like diapering her baby dolls and, tonight, Jerry was showing Norah his swaddling skillz.  Here are a few of her babies, swaddled up, as well as a swaddled Piglet:

Norah thought this "swaddling" business was so fun that she wanted Jerry to swaddle her, so he got out a blanket and wrapped her as well, which she quickly broke free of.

She thought it was so fun, she kept asking for "more!"  I think Jerry ended up going through about 4 rounds of swaddlement.

All this baby business has had me sentimental about Norah being a newborn, and I couldn't help but go back and swoon over her newborn pics, those few days when she too was swaddled:

She never really liked it then, and she always managed to break her arms free and then kick her legs out, so after a week or two, we abandoned trying to wrap her like a burrito.  Still, it was cute while it lasted.

Hard to believe that 21 months ago, she was just a tiny little nugget, and today, when she gets "swaddled," she not only breaks her arms and legs free, but she gets up and runs around!

Mother's Day: The Good, The Bad, The Poopy

My Mother's Day, like motherhood in general, reflected the highs, the lows and the shit that comes with being a mother.  So, the rundown:

The Good
I told Jerry, I didn't want balloons or flowers or cards or jewelry.  I just wanted to sleep in, to have an hour or two to myself at some point in the day, and I wanted to take a shower by myself.  I got all those things: balloons, flowers, cards, jewelry, sleeping in, time to myself and a glorious, lone shower.  In that regards, the day was everything I wanted it to be.

The Bad
We also decided to do a family activity, so we went to Butterfly World.  While there, I had a tour guide say: "Wow, are you due today?"  Me: "No, I'm due 3 weeks from today."  "Oh, well, you're BIG!"  Thanks, lady. 

After Butterfly World, which is all outside and it was a hot morning, we spent some time letting Norah run wild on the nearby playground, and by this time it was REALLY hot out.  The playground is partially covered, but it was still just plain ole hot out, and after 30 minutes, I was swelling a bit and I could tell that Jerry was fading fast.  See, there's 2 things you should know about Jerry:

1. He can't handle gin martinis.  If he has two, he WILL throw up, and then undress and go to bed.  Even if you have people over.  Doesn't matter.  Game is over after two drinks.
2. He can't handle the sun.  He got heat exhaustion once the first summer we lived in FL, and ever since then, he wilts quickly under the sun's glare.

So, on the way home, despite water and full-blast A/C, I could tell that Jerry wasn't feeling well and his mood was quickly dissolving.  After listening to 5 rounds of the ABC song, he was especially unpleasant when we pulled into the parking lot of our condo.  He was clearly getting frustrated with Norah's refusal to eat her lunch, so I made the executive decision to send him to bed.  I was a little peeved that he was going to nap while I re-fixed Norah a different lunch and got her ready for her nap because, well, Mother's Day is supposed to be MY day, but better to do those things myself than deal with Grumpilstilskin.

Without much protestation, he retired to bed to nap off the heat.

Later, after Norah got up from her nap, he was refreshed himself and he made it up to me by taking her out for some Daddy-Daughter time while I got to lounge around the house by myself, so it paid off in the end.

The Poopy
What's parenthood without some kind of poop story, right?  Except this wasn't kid poop, it was bird poop.

While at Butterfly World, we were in the lorikeet exhibit -- lorikeets, if you don't know, are really loud, annoying parrot-like birds that are super friendly with people, and you can pay $1 and feed them and they stand on your head and stuff.  It's cute the first time, but after being in the lorikeet exhibit a dozen times, I am pretty much immune to the charms of these birds.  Still, Norah thinks they're the bomb-diggity so we always go, pay a $1, and Jerry lets them stand on his head and Norah thinks it's awesome.

So, I'm standing off to the side, watching Norah giggle her head off at the birds' antics when an F-14 disguised as a lorikeet dive bombs me, and as it swoops over my head, it drops a deuce right. on. my. face.  Damn bird!  I had bird poo on my cheek and my neck and on the collar of my shirt.

Jerry thought it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen -- which maybe I should have kept in mind when he was later groaning about his "heat headache" -- and he said, "If you blog about anything from today, you HAVE to tell people that a bird pooped on your face!"

Free!

Last night, I had to attend my final obligation for the school year: commencement.

I was NOT excited to attend.

Typically, commencement is held in the mid-morning in the auditorium of our campus.  You still have to suffer through the long process of pomp and circumstance, but at least it's done early in the day and is conveniently located.  But this year, the college is celebrating its 50 year anniversary and the president has wanted to make a big deal of that anniversary by holding commencement in downtown Ft Lauderdale at the Convention Center -- at night.  It's what everyone wants to spend their Friday night doing, right?

I seriously thought of skipping out, and I probably would have but I was being specially recognized since I was Professor of the Year and my absence would be noted.  So, I went.  Reluctantly.

There were a lot of things about the ceremony that kinda sucked: confusion about where I was supposed to be in the processional and receiving little direction from commencement officials, sitting for 2 hours, standing on stage to receive my award and feeling absolutely Butterball-ish (in my regalia, it's indistinguishable that I am 9 months pregnant -- I just appear to be round and fat).  But, on the plus side, being recognized meant that I was in the front row, which means...yes, I was one of the first ones out!

To beat nearly 5,000 others out of the auditorium had a distinct advantage: I made a beeline for the bathroom and then for the parking garage, and I was outta there faster than I had anticipated.  So, I got home much earlier than I thought I would -- time enough to come home and still enjoy something of a Friday night with the Jer-Bear.

And now, I'm all done for the term and the year!  What a relief to have the next 14 weeks off.  There are definitley some things I'd like to get prepared around the house before Caleb's arrival, but if they didn't get done, it wouldn't matter.  Now that I'm done with work, I feel a huge weight off me: He can come anytime now and it'd be okay.  Phew!

Walkin' the Dog

Seeing as Scooter was recently declared a tubby-tubberson, I decided that for my normal walk today, I'd take him along.

Blargh.

See, normally, I take Scooter out for a short walk, return him to the house, and then Norah and I go for our long walk.  Why not take Scooter for the normal long walk?  In short, he's a pain and a half to walk.

He wants to stop and sniff, and pee on, every. single. blade. of. grass.  Not to mention, Scooter has become increasingly neurotic* over the past few years, so each time something unexpected crosses our path -- a stray leaf, for example -- he abouts jumps out of his skin and immediately wants to head home.  He was so scared of a high school kid who waits for the school bus, that one day, Scooter seriously pulled himself OUT of his collar to avoid passing this teen.

So, if I take Scooter for a long walk, I feel like I am either dragging him along the entire time or being dragged along.  Most of the time, I don't want to hassle with him, so that's why I leave him at home.  But, in light of his recent obesity diagnosis, I decided that I should begin hauling him along.  It was a pain, but he did alright, especially once we got a few blocks in and he kinda settled into the idea that he was going the distance.  Plus, it's been an overcast day, and this morning's weather was downright cool and pleasant, so I enjoyed the walk.

And, it was a successful day in terms of simply removing him from Norah while she was eating.  In fact, despite having to listen to him whine at our bedroom door while we're eating, I think it makes mealtime less stressful for me.  Before, it was beginning to feel like meals were a 3 ring circus where I felt I was either constantly reprimanding Norah for giving Scooter food or I was constantly threatening to BBQ Scooter if he wouldn't quit leaping in the air to try and take her food.

In time, I'm sure he'll just get used to having to be put away during meal and snack time and I won't have to listen to him crying in there.  But really, after listening to a child cry, I'm pretty immune to the whimpers of a dog.

*I asked the vet if Scooter's increased anxiety in the past few years could be medicated.  Actually, I specifically asked the vet if there was a "shot for Annoying."  The vet just laughed at me (he thought I was joking?) and said that he could give Scooter doggie Valium but that the effects were that it would make him lethargic.  Now, a lethargic Scooter doesn't sound entirely bad to me, but ultimately, I guess I'd rather not have him feel dopey, so I opted against the Valium prescription.

Beefcake Scooter

Tubby here weighed in at 39 lbs at the vet's today!

In the past two years, he's gained 8 lbs, which isn't much by human standards, but for his relatively small size, it's like the human equivilant of gaining about 20 lbs a year (the vet told me).  Ideally, Scooter should weigh about 30 lbs.

We feed him measured proportions of kibble and he gets regular exercise.

The big culprit is, of course, his consumption of human food via Norah.  She drops a lot of food, hands him a lot of food, and Scooter will out-right steal a lot of food from her -- he will literally snatch things right out of her hands if she's not vigilant.  The vet said that cutting back on his regular kibble or switching to diet kibble won't make much of a difference; he has to eat less (preferrably, no) human food.  So, I guess when Norah's snacking or having a meal, Scooter is gonna have to get shut away in the bedroom. 

That's my best thought -- any other suggestions?  Maybe doggie lipo?

Small Toddler; Big Baby

This week has been, and is, chock full of dr. appointments: Even Scooter has his yearly wellness exam tomorrow!  Jerry happens to be the only one in this family who somehow avoided a check up this week.  Hmmmmm....

Assuming you're not riveted by the results of Scooter fecal test, here's the low-down on Norah and I's appointments:

Norah:
Had her 21 month check up yesterday, and she is healthy and developmentally on track in every aspect.  The one interesting anecdote from the visit is that her height measurement revealed that her growth has slowed, and she only grew half an inch in the past 3 months.  No big deal, but the doctor approached the subject of her height as if he were hedging around bad news:

"She probably won't be very tall," he said.  "She's now in the 40th percentile for height and she's only estimated to be a 5'4" adult."

Me: "5'4" sounds pretty good to me!"

He kinda let out a chuckle of semi-relief (do parents really care that much how tall their kid is that they might get riled up over such a thing?) and said:  "That's good that you're realistic about it."

Me: "I don't understand genetics that well [how, for instance, has she ended up with blond hair and blue eyes?], but I do get that my genetics play a 50% role here, and not only am I short, but my whole family is short.  So, even though my husband is of average height, I never expected her to be tall."

Short of strapping her to a medeival stretching machine, height is not something we can control, so why would I concern myself with that?  I have other things on my plate, like getting her to not pinch the dog.

Now, on the other end of the spectrum, I had my 36 week check up this morning, with an accompanying ultrasound so that the dr. could get a guesstimate on Caleb's potential size.

Me:
The lowdown is that the u/s estimated Caleb's current weight to be at least 7lbs, which means if he goes to 40 weeks, they estimate his birth weight at close to 9 lbs.

Emphasis here on "estimate."  Both the dr. and the u/s tech called it more of an educated guess, and the dr. isn't concerned about him being too big for me to naturally deliver.  I'm glad she's relaxed; I thought I was gonna have to defend a recommended induction or planned c-section, but she didn't bring either subject up.  Good.

The u/s over-estimated Norah's birth weight by more than a pound, so I don't really trust it to be accurate.  I bet he's healthy and hearty in size at birth, but no more than I can handle.

The other fun u/s stuff was that we got a good look at hs face, and even in utero, he looks like a cutie!  Maybe he will even have the same chubby cheeks as Norah.  We also got re-confirmation of his boy parts -- he must like showing 'em off, cuz they were easy to spot once again.  And, she showed me the left foot of his that keeps jamming me in the rib cage.  I don't know why I was delighted by that; by feel, I can tell it's his foot, but for some reason, seeing his foot kicking me in the ribs on the u/s just seemed funny.

Anyhoo, that's all the dr. news for now.  I'm sure the vet is gonna tell me that Scooter is a fatty-fatty-two-by-four at his check up tomorrow (that chunk-la-funk is constantly stealing food from Norah -- what dog eats carrots?  Scooter.  but, only because Norah is eating them).

It's a Good Thing

I only have two days left of "real" work, meaning I just have two days of classes left to meet with this week.  Then, I just finish up my term grades, and I should be all finished by Wednesday, at the latest.  Anyway, it's good I just have a few work days left because, frankly, I'm out of clothes to wear.  I went to the mall dressed like so today:

Dignity be damned!  Comfort is my only concern right now.  Which is why having just a few remaining days left of work is such a blessing.  Starting Wednesday, the above can become my everyday uniform until Caleb is born.  Suh-weet!

As a preggo-picture aside, the above is one of my fav preggo tees.  As is demonstrated by its appearance in several photos.  A good comparison of both my growing size and the tee's stretchability can be compared with the pic below.  This was taken exactly 60 days ago:

 

That, directly above, is a good example of "cute" preggo belly.  My current state is an example of "behemoth" belly, and I don't think that tee is gonna stretch much further!