Only 100 days left in the Baby Schrades countdown. Everything is going well and the time seems to be flying by. Shanna reminds me whenever possible that this will be the last such and such without a baby, ie. last Christmas, last GT football game, last winter solstice, etc. I'm starting to get the picture. Also, we start the Bradley method class next week which should be interesting. I'm mentally preparing for some awkward moments, like when they show the birth video. I'm not sure how I'll handle the birth video, especially watching it with mostly strangers. Hopefully I won't faint.
On the attic front, the attic is nearly finished. All that remains is painting the walls and doors. Good ole Rod Oberlin turned out to be reliable and did some good work. Here are some pictures:
Well, 2005 has been a great year and I'm looking forward to good things in 2006. I hope everyone has fun celebrating my birthday tomorrow night (my yearly joke) and I wish you a Happy New Year.
Friday, December 30, 2005
Thursday, December 29, 2005
List of Names from Susan and Grandma Todd
When we returned from ATL we had two special cards waiting for us. The first was from Jeff's Aunt, Susan. She sent us a CD with Jeff's "family tree" dating back to his great, great, great, great grandparents. There are a few names in there that we've added to our list.
The second card was from Jeff's Grandma Todd. I was so touched to see that she had included a list of boy names that she said she'd taken note of while watching the credits on t.v. programs. Here are the names, in no particular order:
Pierce, Glen, Bill, Mike, Jack, Nelson, Stone, Phil, Boyd, Fred, Ray, Ken, Ted, Danny, Cody, Kyle, Myles, Shelton, Lesle, Sherman, Simon, Nick, Pat, Cory, Keith, Kane, Percy, Abner, Blaine, Wesley, Maurice, Stephen, Lucian, Stove, Benji, Percy, Rayland, Todd, Owen, Jed, Shane, Neal, Tom, Leo, Ben, Wade, Chet, Clide, Donald, Regg, Toby, Mitch, James, Tony, Hugh, Angus, Donny, History, Eaton, Eddie, Custer, Dublin, Cork, Ireland.
It's funny how you can eliminate a lot of names because you have a friend named that, a friend's kid named that, you knew someone in high school, etc. We have added some of the names to our list that we hadn't thought of before. Thanks Grandma and Susan.
The second card was from Jeff's Grandma Todd. I was so touched to see that she had included a list of boy names that she said she'd taken note of while watching the credits on t.v. programs. Here are the names, in no particular order:
Pierce, Glen, Bill, Mike, Jack, Nelson, Stone, Phil, Boyd, Fred, Ray, Ken, Ted, Danny, Cody, Kyle, Myles, Shelton, Lesle, Sherman, Simon, Nick, Pat, Cory, Keith, Kane, Percy, Abner, Blaine, Wesley, Maurice, Stephen, Lucian, Stove, Benji, Percy, Rayland, Todd, Owen, Jed, Shane, Neal, Tom, Leo, Ben, Wade, Chet, Clide, Donald, Regg, Toby, Mitch, James, Tony, Hugh, Angus, Donny, History, Eaton, Eddie, Custer, Dublin, Cork, Ireland.
It's funny how you can eliminate a lot of names because you have a friend named that, a friend's kid named that, you knew someone in high school, etc. We have added some of the names to our list that we hadn't thought of before. Thanks Grandma and Susan.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Belly Cousins
Neil and Jenn are expecting their little baby on June 9th - just 2 months after Baby Schrades. As you can see from the picture below, Jenn is all legs and torso, so even though she's 16wks along she is still tiny. They find out the gender in just a few weeks. It will be fun either way - a boy would yield 3 little boys running around next Christmas and a girl would be the first granddaughter for my parents.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Christmas Pics
We were lucky that we both got to see our parents and other family members this Christmas. We drove to Atlanta on Thursday and got home late last night, so we stayed just long enough to not wear out our welcome at Neil and Jenn's house. Their home, with the decorations, was so cozy to spend Christmas in. There was a full house, plus four dogs, so that made it even cozier.
Most of the Family
Wesley in Lulu's bed
Tyson was a bit clingy all wknd
2 Shih Tzus and 2 Cocka-poos
Friday, December 23, 2005
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Braxton Hicks Contractions
We had our first Braxton Hicks contraction this week. I usually do about 25 min of walking on the treadmill, but on Tuesday I did 10 minutes at 4 different cardio machines. As we were cooking dinner I told Jeff that my stomach felt like it had a bowling ball in it and it was really tight. I felt like I had to hold it up with my hands.
I didn't know that it was Braxton Hicks until the next day when a friend told me. I thought that it was a sign from my body that I had done to much at the gym that night, but 2 other friends that ran and did pilates throughout pregnancy told me that they would usually get them when they exercised. I'll still take it as a sign and slow down a little.
The books say that these start as early as 6wks, but you don't usually feel them until a little halfway into the pregnancy, which is exactly where we are. It's exciting to think that we are far enough along to feel these "practice contractions".
I didn't know that it was Braxton Hicks until the next day when a friend told me. I thought that it was a sign from my body that I had done to much at the gym that night, but 2 other friends that ran and did pilates throughout pregnancy told me that they would usually get them when they exercised. I'll still take it as a sign and slow down a little.
The books say that these start as early as 6wks, but you don't usually feel them until a little halfway into the pregnancy, which is exactly where we are. It's exciting to think that we are far enough along to feel these "practice contractions".
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
O+
It turns out that Jeff is in pretty good shape if he ever needs a blood transfusion. We found out yesterday that he is O+, along with about 37% of the human population. O+ is the most common blood type, so Jeff can give blood to 85% of the population (O+, A+, B+, and AB+) and receive blood from 43% of the population (O+ and O-).
The odds were that he'd be positive, so we weren't surprised. This means that at our appointment on January 7th I'll have blood drawn to see if I have any of the RH antibodies. If I don't, which I should not, then I'll get the Rhogam shot at wk28. This will ensure that my body's negative blood cells don't attack the baby's positive blood cells, if he's positive like his dad.
On a lighter note, Baby Schrades is getting bigger. We can now consistently feel where he's located in my belly. I hope he doesn't mind us poking him.
The odds were that he'd be positive, so we weren't surprised. This means that at our appointment on January 7th I'll have blood drawn to see if I have any of the RH antibodies. If I don't, which I should not, then I'll get the Rhogam shot at wk28. This will ensure that my body's negative blood cells don't attack the baby's positive blood cells, if he's positive like his dad.
On a lighter note, Baby Schrades is getting bigger. We can now consistently feel where he's located in my belly. I hope he doesn't mind us poking him.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Bath Night
Last night was bath night for Tyson. Our routine is that I get into the bath tub with him and bathe him. He just stands there and looks straight ahead while I massage the soap into his hair. Jeff comes in for the hand-off from the tub to the towel, and for the hair drying. We usually only get to dry him for a few min before we have to open the door for him to run around the house like a freak. I don't know why, but every time after his bath he does sprints around the whole house and attacks us while barking. It's good times.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Blog slacker
Sorry I slacked on my blogging duties last week. It's been pretty hectic around here with work, attic activities, and, my favorite pasttime, Christmas shopping. But I really can't use Christmas shopping as an excuse cause I haven't started. I usually like to wait until the 22nd or 23rd and then hit the malls hard with no specific idea what I'm looking for. Now that is fun. Actually, that was last year. I'm pretty much done this year.
We're going to a couple of Christmas parties this weekend, one of which has a beer and chilli theme. This is a great idea that ensures no one will (can) linger around more than a two or three hours. Also on tap for this weekend, more painting. Hopefully, it will be as fun as last weekend. Note to those concerned: Shanna won't be getting near the paint this time, and if Baby Schrades is born with serious malformations due to minor exposure to latex paint fumes, I'll take the blame. However, I really don't see that happening.
That's about all I have for now. We are heading down to the ATL on Thursday morning for the weekend. Just in case I slack off again next Friday, have a great Christmas. And finally, from an episode of the Daily Show that made me laugh out loud:
We're going to a couple of Christmas parties this weekend, one of which has a beer and chilli theme. This is a great idea that ensures no one will (can) linger around more than a two or three hours. Also on tap for this weekend, more painting. Hopefully, it will be as fun as last weekend. Note to those concerned: Shanna won't be getting near the paint this time, and if Baby Schrades is born with serious malformations due to minor exposure to latex paint fumes, I'll take the blame. However, I really don't see that happening.
That's about all I have for now. We are heading down to the ATL on Thursday morning for the weekend. Just in case I slack off again next Friday, have a great Christmas. And finally, from an episode of the Daily Show that made me laugh out loud:
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Pregnant Friends
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Hangin' Out
Baby Schrades has been hanging out on the left side of my belly. It's cool...the right side of my belly is soft and the left side is hard....full of baby. Here's my view:
on the left
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Bottom of Belly Button
My belly button has always resembled a little hole that I couldn't see very far into. Over that past couple of months it has transformed into a slightly bigger hole and now has a "floor". The baby's home, my uterus, has expanded from an inch below my belly button to about 2 inches above, so it makes sense that it would be pushing whatever makes an innie into an outie. I thought that I would not like this change, but it's fun to look at my bb everyday to see if it looks different.
Monday, December 12, 2005
Where's Jeff?
Jeff is sorry for not posting on Friday. When he wasn't working this weekend he was working on the attic. We told the contractor that we wanted to do the painting ourselves, but we didn't know that "painting" meant the primer coat as well. I used to be a hard worker when it came to painting our house, but I was kind of a sissy this weekend. I took a lot of breaks from my easy trim work. Poor Jeff had to pretty much paint the whole thing himself. To put it in perspective, we usually use a gallon of paint when we paint a room, but the attic took 3 gallons. Anyway, it looks good and they are coming to wrap things up this week.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Boys, Boys, Boys
Baby Schrades is so lucky because it seems that all of our friends are having little boys. He'll have lots of little dudes to wrestle and play with in the mud. My brother has little Wesley and we'll find out what my sister is having in early January. I think she's having a boy. Johnny and Erin found out yesterday that they are having a boy, and my friend Kim just called with the same news. Then he'll have his older cousins, Max and Ben, and Carter Dixon to show him the ropes.
In case you were wondering, this is in line with the US Census 2000 results:
"The nation's male population grew at a slightly faster rate (13.9 percent) than the female population (12.5 percent) over the last decade of the 20th century, resulting in a lessening of the gap between the number of men and women."
In case you were wondering, this is in line with the US Census 2000 results:
"The nation's male population grew at a slightly faster rate (13.9 percent) than the female population (12.5 percent) over the last decade of the 20th century, resulting in a lessening of the gap between the number of men and women."
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Five Month Appointment
We had our 5 month appoinment with our midwife this morning. Aside from waiting for 45 min to be seen for a 5 min appointment, it went well.
The little guy is measuring at 23 wks, which is just a few days ahead of where we think I am. He continues to measure a little bigger than we expect, so that means we should expect him early, but I still feel like he'll be a few days late. The "due date" is April 9th, which is Master's Sunday, so at least we'll have something interesting to watch if he's not here. (Someone suggested naming him after the winner of the Master's, but Tiger or Vijay don't go well with Schroeder). His little heartbeat is down to 144, which Mary Charles said was normal. I guess he's not growing as fast as he did in the 1st trimester, so the rate slows down.
They gave me the "juice" to drink before our next appointment so that they can test for gestational diabetes. Jeff also got his blood drawn to see if it is positive or negative. If it's negative then I won't have to get a Rhogam shot next time, but only 15 % of the population is negative, so chances are he's positive.
I've put on 14 lbs since our first appointment. Even though I know I will gain 25-35 lbs, it is still weird to see those #s on the scale keep going up!
The little guy is measuring at 23 wks, which is just a few days ahead of where we think I am. He continues to measure a little bigger than we expect, so that means we should expect him early, but I still feel like he'll be a few days late. The "due date" is April 9th, which is Master's Sunday, so at least we'll have something interesting to watch if he's not here. (Someone suggested naming him after the winner of the Master's, but Tiger or Vijay don't go well with Schroeder). His little heartbeat is down to 144, which Mary Charles said was normal. I guess he's not growing as fast as he did in the 1st trimester, so the rate slows down.
They gave me the "juice" to drink before our next appointment so that they can test for gestational diabetes. Jeff also got his blood drawn to see if it is positive or negative. If it's negative then I won't have to get a Rhogam shot next time, but only 15 % of the population is negative, so chances are he's positive.
I've put on 14 lbs since our first appointment. Even though I know I will gain 25-35 lbs, it is still weird to see those #s on the scale keep going up!
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Cool Invention
I went to ATL for my sister's wedding shower this weekend. It was an amazing shower with more food than most families have at Thanksgiving dinner. Jenn also turned 25 on Saturday!
There was a set of twins at the shower. Check out this cool baby bottle invention. I guess when you have twins you have to take advantage of whatever you can.
There was a set of twins at the shower. Check out this cool baby bottle invention. I guess when you have twins you have to take advantage of whatever you can.
My grandmother (Mom) and Jenn at the shower
Monday, December 05, 2005
Friday, December 02, 2005
Shallow Thoughts
I've been pretty busy (honing my web surfing skills) today and haven't had a chance to think about what to blog. So here are some random thoughts for a Friday afternoon:
I'd like to give a shout out to the Virginia Department of Transportation for blocking a stretch of the left lane on 95S with orange barrels the Sunday after Thanksgiving for no apparent reason.
I think they are running out of things to write about on the OC. The story lines are getting pretty ridiculous. And by pretty ridiculous I mean really bad.
I've been working out for about 10 years now and I'm still about the same size and strength as I was 10 years ago - sweet.
Canned mushrooms are disgusting.
I'd rather spend a day in the hole at a Mexican prison than show up at Wal-Mart on the Friday morning after Thanksgiving. Seriously.
George Bush has the oratorical skills of an eighth grader.
I just heard that Mr. Miyagi died. Then I learned that Ralph Macchio was 44 years old. Daniel-san is 4 years over the hill! How is that possible?
I hope Shanna doesn't start wearing mom jeans after Baby Schrades is born.
I'd like to give a shout out to the Virginia Department of Transportation for blocking a stretch of the left lane on 95S with orange barrels the Sunday after Thanksgiving for no apparent reason.
I think they are running out of things to write about on the OC. The story lines are getting pretty ridiculous. And by pretty ridiculous I mean really bad.
I've been working out for about 10 years now and I'm still about the same size and strength as I was 10 years ago - sweet.
Canned mushrooms are disgusting.
I'd rather spend a day in the hole at a Mexican prison than show up at Wal-Mart on the Friday morning after Thanksgiving. Seriously.
George Bush has the oratorical skills of an eighth grader.
I just heard that Mr. Miyagi died. Then I learned that Ralph Macchio was 44 years old. Daniel-san is 4 years over the hill! How is that possible?
I hope Shanna doesn't start wearing mom jeans after Baby Schrades is born.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Belly Movement
The little guy is getting stronger every week. This week we have been able to see him move through my belly. It is funny when he has the hiccups and my belly jumps every few seconds. It is still hard to believe that there is something in there that is alive and moving.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Ho Ho Ho
We decorated for Chrismas last night. I was tempted to do it before Thanksgiving so that we could enjoy it for longer, but lucky for Jeff there was no time.
Our baby tree - this thing needs some presents under it!
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Hiccups
The little dude has had the hiccups a lot this week. I was surprised at first that his kicks had such rhythm, but was happy that he was inheriting that from his dad and not me. Then I realized, however, that the pulses were my belly moving each time he hiccuped. The experts don't know why the baby hiccups, but say the movement may result from changes in pressure in the baby's trachea caused by swallowing. Others think that this reflex may be related to babies sucking their thumbs or drinking the amniotic fluid. Who knows, but it's neat when he has the hiccups because you can be sure that you'll feel movement for a minute or so...
Monday, November 28, 2005
Max and Ben
Jeff, Tyson and I enjoyed ourselves in Maryland. We stayed at Jeff's aunt and uncle's house (Bart and Ellie). As you could see from Jeff's post on Friday, they have a view of the Potomac River from their house, so it was very cool. Sandy and Denny flew in from Memphis and Jeff's cousins, Becky and Mike, with his wife Jill, also came up for the weekend with their two boys - Max and Ben. In addition to all of the Thanksgiving festivities and family bonding, it was a great weekend for Jeff and I because of the boys.
Max is a little over 2 years old and Ben is 5 months. I know that having kids is hard work, but I understand now that you don't really know what this means until you actually have the kids. For example, everyone tells us that the sleep deprivation takes it's toll, but I think somewhere in the back of our minds we think that our kid will sleep through the night from day one and only other people have to deal with this. Mike and Jill probably thought this too, but they didn't know that Little Ben is going to be CEO of a major corporation one day and requires very little sleep. Unfortunately they still need the minimal 5-6 hours a night. Thank goodness for the Baby Bjorn because they spend many night hours pacing the halls with Ben strapped to their belly. Ben loves this and is all smiles and baby coos...as long as they are walking around. He lets you know that he's bored if you stop to take a break.
Little Max is a sweetie...all boy and very active. He runs around constantly, so he requires a monitor at all times. He seems smart for a 2 year old, so I can only imagine how much time Mike and Jill spend teaching him his ABC's, 123's, manners, etc. It's non-stop teaching.
So the weekend was great because we got to see first hand the energy that having kids requires, but I also got lessons in bathing, changing diapers, putting on clothes, etc. Maybe I can blame it on the pregnancy, but it seems that taking care of kids is exhausting.
Max is a little over 2 years old and Ben is 5 months. I know that having kids is hard work, but I understand now that you don't really know what this means until you actually have the kids. For example, everyone tells us that the sleep deprivation takes it's toll, but I think somewhere in the back of our minds we think that our kid will sleep through the night from day one and only other people have to deal with this. Mike and Jill probably thought this too, but they didn't know that Little Ben is going to be CEO of a major corporation one day and requires very little sleep. Unfortunately they still need the minimal 5-6 hours a night. Thank goodness for the Baby Bjorn because they spend many night hours pacing the halls with Ben strapped to their belly. Ben loves this and is all smiles and baby coos...as long as they are walking around. He lets you know that he's bored if you stop to take a break.
Little Max is a sweetie...all boy and very active. He runs around constantly, so he requires a monitor at all times. He seems smart for a 2 year old, so I can only imagine how much time Mike and Jill spend teaching him his ABC's, 123's, manners, etc. It's non-stop teaching.
So the weekend was great because we got to see first hand the energy that having kids requires, but I also got lessons in bathing, changing diapers, putting on clothes, etc. Maybe I can blame it on the pregnancy, but it seems that taking care of kids is exhausting.
Friday, November 25, 2005
Where is Baby Schrades?
Shanna and I and Baby Schrades are at my aunt and uncle's place in southern Maryland. To see the exact location, click here. It's a link to Google Maps, which, if you haven't used, is pretty sweet. They live on the Potomac River, about an hour drive south of DC.
This morning I played golf with my dad, uncle, and cousin. To say that my dad and uncle are avid golfers would be an understatement. When we teed off at 8:30 AM it was 28 degrees. And that's Fahrenheit. Needless to say, it is difficult to play well when you can't feel your fingers. But it was still fun.
Not sure what's on tap for the rest of the weekend. Looking forward to watching the GT - Georgia game tomorrow night. Go Jackets!
Until next time...
This morning I played golf with my dad, uncle, and cousin. To say that my dad and uncle are avid golfers would be an understatement. When we teed off at 8:30 AM it was 28 degrees. And that's Fahrenheit. Needless to say, it is difficult to play well when you can't feel your fingers. But it was still fun.
Not sure what's on tap for the rest of the weekend. Looking forward to watching the GT - Georgia game tomorrow night. Go Jackets!
Until next time...
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Happy Thanksgiving
We have been lazy this morning, but are now packing and about to head to Maryland. Jeff's cousins and aunt and uncle live there. Sandy and Denny are flying in from Memphis. I've been looking forward to turkey and mashed potatoes all week. We're taking Tyson with us and are just hoping that he displays his best behavior during dinner. His table manners have room for improvement. Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Baby's Little Friend
Jeff and I have some great friends here in Raleigh that are pregnant too. Mark and Wendy are due on 3/23, which is just 17 days before Baby Schrades. This picture is fun because we are carrying our babies differently and you can really see it here. Wendy's belly starts curving out a few inches higher than mine. My mom said she carried her girls high, like Wendy, and my brother really low, like me. Mark and Wendy aren't finding out the gender, so we can only guess what she's having....I'm guessing girl!
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Jeff meets Baby Schrades
Last night the baby kicked his dad for the first time. We were laying on the couch and I told Jeff to try and feel the movement. He put his hand on my belly and felt a little thump a moment later. I'm so glad that the little guy is big enough for Jeff to feel him now. He has been moving more the past few days, but we think he may be laid back like his dad. He just chills most of the time.
Monday, November 21, 2005
Friday, November 18, 2005
The Attic
With Baby Schrades slated to take over our current guestroom in the next few months, we decided it was time to finish our attic. We've wanted to do this since we moved in three years ago, but have been delaying it for various reasons. And so, while the long, symmetrical shape and mancave-like feel of the attic would be prefect for a home theater, it's going to have to serve as our new guestroom.
I originally wanted to subcontract all of the work myself. Since our unorganized builder accidentally did all of the HVAC, electrical, and insulation work before we moved in, the room just needs sheetrock, phone and cable, trim work, and carpet. I tried calling some electricians to give me an estimate on adding some new lights. Of the 5 that I called, zero called me back. Same thing with cable and phone installation. Either these guys are doing such good business that they don't have time for my small attic job, or they are just completely unreliable. Probably a little of both. In any case, I just decided to save the the time and the trouble and hire a licensed general contractor to do the work. Hopefully, good ole Rod Oberlin over at Oberlin Construction will do things right.
When the attic is complete, probably in the next month, we'll be able to move the guestroom furniture up there and start on Baby Schradeses's nursery. I think Shanna might have a couple of ideas on that considering she's been talking about it nonstop for the last couple of weeks. And, I know one thing for sure... I will be the lone subcontractor on that job.
Until next time...
I originally wanted to subcontract all of the work myself. Since our unorganized builder accidentally did all of the HVAC, electrical, and insulation work before we moved in, the room just needs sheetrock, phone and cable, trim work, and carpet. I tried calling some electricians to give me an estimate on adding some new lights. Of the 5 that I called, zero called me back. Same thing with cable and phone installation. Either these guys are doing such good business that they don't have time for my small attic job, or they are just completely unreliable. Probably a little of both. In any case, I just decided to save the the time and the trouble and hire a licensed general contractor to do the work. Hopefully, good ole Rod Oberlin over at Oberlin Construction will do things right.
When the attic is complete, probably in the next month, we'll be able to move the guestroom furniture up there and start on Baby Schradeses's nursery. I think Shanna might have a couple of ideas on that considering she's been talking about it nonstop for the last couple of weeks. And, I know one thing for sure... I will be the lone subcontractor on that job.
Until next time...
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Miscellaneous Stuff
Movement
I can feel Baby Schrades moving around a lot. It's not really predictable, so I'm always nicely surprised when I feel a little tickle or thump. Sometimes it feels like he's doing flips, or swimming laps from side to side . Well, he's 8.5 inches long, so maybe that wouldn't be possible. It's hard to believe he's that long and we don't see his movement from the outside of my belly, but I think that comes in the next few weeks. Jeff has tried to feel him a few times, but he never performs on cue.
Bella Band
The Bella Band is still going strong. I wear it nearly everyday and think it's some of the best money I've ever spent (only $25). For the 2 pairs of pants that I can still button, I still wear the band because my belly pokes out and my shirts don't cover it completely.
Leg Cramps
Got another one last night, but wasn't as bad as the first.
Exercise
I'm doing pilates on Wed nights and love it. There are a few poses that I can't do, but not much. They say that it will tone my stomach and lower back muscles to make labor and post labor recovery easier. I hope so. I want to do more yoga for relaxation techniques, but every morning and evening I put it off by another 12 hours ("Oh, it's too cold and I'm still tired so I'll do it after work" or "I just ate dinner and should really start the day off right tomorrow by doing yoga..I'll start then"...etc)
Doula
We're still on the fence on whether or not to get a doula. If Jeff and I could get through it on our own without getting too stressed out then I'd rather it just be the two of us. I'm just afraid that the pain will be a surprise and will scare us. We start a 12wk class in Jan, so I think we'll be able to make a better decision then.
Nursery
This has been all consuming for me this week. I started thinking about colors last Saturday and can hardly go one hour without searching for pattern or style ideas online. I change my mind every other day on what the colors should be, but it's fun to think about. Poor Jeff is being a good sport by listening and acting interested when I tell him of my new ideas every night.
I can feel Baby Schrades moving around a lot. It's not really predictable, so I'm always nicely surprised when I feel a little tickle or thump. Sometimes it feels like he's doing flips, or swimming laps from side to side . Well, he's 8.5 inches long, so maybe that wouldn't be possible. It's hard to believe he's that long and we don't see his movement from the outside of my belly, but I think that comes in the next few weeks. Jeff has tried to feel him a few times, but he never performs on cue.
Bella Band
The Bella Band is still going strong. I wear it nearly everyday and think it's some of the best money I've ever spent (only $25). For the 2 pairs of pants that I can still button, I still wear the band because my belly pokes out and my shirts don't cover it completely.
Leg Cramps
Got another one last night, but wasn't as bad as the first.
Exercise
I'm doing pilates on Wed nights and love it. There are a few poses that I can't do, but not much. They say that it will tone my stomach and lower back muscles to make labor and post labor recovery easier. I hope so. I want to do more yoga for relaxation techniques, but every morning and evening I put it off by another 12 hours ("Oh, it's too cold and I'm still tired so I'll do it after work" or "I just ate dinner and should really start the day off right tomorrow by doing yoga..I'll start then"...etc)
Doula
We're still on the fence on whether or not to get a doula. If Jeff and I could get through it on our own without getting too stressed out then I'd rather it just be the two of us. I'm just afraid that the pain will be a surprise and will scare us. We start a 12wk class in Jan, so I think we'll be able to make a better decision then.
Nursery
This has been all consuming for me this week. I started thinking about colors last Saturday and can hardly go one hour without searching for pattern or style ideas online. I change my mind every other day on what the colors should be, but it's fun to think about. Poor Jeff is being a good sport by listening and acting interested when I tell him of my new ideas every night.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Tyson Blogs Again
This is Tyson Schroeder. I'm still pissed. I've gotten used to my mom and dad talking about my "little brother", and I even kind of like my mom's body pillow that takes up the whole darn bed, but on Friday something happened that was ridiculous. I really look forward to Fridays because my mom and dad usually get home from work early and we all three hang out, play, and go for walks. I was excited about this day, as usual, until the doorbell rang and in stepped our friends Holly and Adam with their new baby Katie. Nobody had informed me that my mom had volunteered to watch Katie for a few hours that night. I was willing to go with the flow, but then my mom paid no attention to me the rest of the night. All she did was try to make Katie laugh, hold Katie, and take pictures of Katie. I thought I'd get some attention by getting into Katie's carseat, but every time I stepped into it it rocked back and threw me off into the floor. I barked as loud as I could at it until my dad hid it in the closet. This is where I draw the line. Let the battle for attention begin.
Wesley Gallery
I've been wanting to show off my little nephew, Wesley, for a while. He is almost 19 months old. We had so much fun with him when Bryan, Angela and he were in town for the wedding.
Monday, November 14, 2005
Strollers from "The List"
This weekend was the first weekend that we've had free since we've finished the 1st trimester and felt it was safe to buy big items for Baby Schrades. Our neighborhood was having a yard sale, so I went to check it out, thinking I'd turn right around and come home. I've only been to a few yard sales because I'm too impatient to look over a bunch of misc items to find something good. I don't do well in TJ Maxx either. Lucky for us the baby things are usually bigger or brighter, so there wasn't much rummaging. I was so pumped from finding such good deals at the yard sale that I came home and got on www.craigslist.com. I think I found the best deal there - Travel System, which includes a car seat and 2 bases, for a fraction of the price. All future mommies should consider buying used. The girl that sold me the travel system said that her baby was only in it for 6 months, so it looks brand new.
We'll never have an excuse not to take Baby Schrades for a walk....
We'll never have an excuse not to take Baby Schrades for a walk....
Travel System
Jogging Stroller
Umbrella Stroller
And Tyson's new favorite toy, the Travel Swing
Friday, November 11, 2005
At least you're not in Kansas
Earlier this week the Kansas State Board of Education voted 6-4 to require their public school science teachers to spell out specific objections to Darwin's theory of evolution as part of their curriculum. If you have been following this story, you know that this is a win for 'intelligent design' proponents and a big loss for science, at least in Kansas. Intelligent design has absolutely no place in a science classroom, and should be taught in a philosophy class, if anywhere. But I'll leave that topic alone for now.
What I can't get over is this: In addition, 'the Board rewrote the definition of science, so that it is no longer limited to the search for natural explanations of phenomena.' In case you didn't catch that, the Board rewrote the definition of science. The Kansas State Board of Education. Now, if you are bold enough to rewrite the definition of science, then you probably have some impressive credentials in a field of science, right? A Nobel Prize maybe or at least a PhD from a prestigious school? After all, you are rewriting the definition of science.
Well, apparently not. The six people that decided to rewrite the definition of science are: a former teacher who now runs a farming operation, a district manager for an insurance company (he also drives a Dodge Stratus for any SNL fans out there), an accountant who went to Mid- America Nazarene University (where?), a farmer with a degree from Kentucky Mountain Bible College (Iris Van Meter, pictured below), a former teacher who now owns a plumbing business, and a veterinarian. And I'm not making this up. You can read their biographies here:
http://www.ksde.org/commiss/bdaddr.html
As a future father with a kid in the public schools, I'm wandering what the parents in Kansas who opposed this are thinking now. The nationwide attention that this has already received is not exactly helping the reputation of Kansas or the kids that are graduating from their public schools. No doubt they are pretty bummed, as I would be too. According to the board's new definition, science can be anything you want it to be. A teacher can basically teach whatever they want and call it science. As American children are falling behind the rest of the world in science and math skills, is this really what we need?
What I can't get over is this: In addition, 'the Board rewrote the definition of science, so that it is no longer limited to the search for natural explanations of phenomena.' In case you didn't catch that, the Board rewrote the definition of science. The Kansas State Board of Education. Now, if you are bold enough to rewrite the definition of science, then you probably have some impressive credentials in a field of science, right? A Nobel Prize maybe or at least a PhD from a prestigious school? After all, you are rewriting the definition of science.
Well, apparently not. The six people that decided to rewrite the definition of science are: a former teacher who now runs a farming operation, a district manager for an insurance company (he also drives a Dodge Stratus for any SNL fans out there), an accountant who went to Mid- America Nazarene University (where?), a farmer with a degree from Kentucky Mountain Bible College (Iris Van Meter, pictured below), a former teacher who now owns a plumbing business, and a veterinarian. And I'm not making this up. You can read their biographies here:
http://www.ksde.org/commiss/bdaddr.html
As a future father with a kid in the public schools, I'm wandering what the parents in Kansas who opposed this are thinking now. The nationwide attention that this has already received is not exactly helping the reputation of Kansas or the kids that are graduating from their public schools. No doubt they are pretty bummed, as I would be too. According to the board's new definition, science can be anything you want it to be. A teacher can basically teach whatever they want and call it science. As American children are falling behind the rest of the world in science and math skills, is this really what we need?
Thursday, November 10, 2005
OUCH!
I had only heard about the infamous leg cramps until I got attacked in the wee hours of this morning. Poor Jeff and Tyson must have thought there was a real emergency from the way that I screamed out. It's amazing how on target all of the books are about these kind of things: "It's most likely because your leg muscles are tired from carrying around extra weight. Leg cramps may start to plague you during your second trimester and get worse as your pregnancy progresses and your belly gets bigger. They may be aggravated by the pressure your expanding uterus puts on the blood vessels that return blood from your legs to your heart and the nerves leading from your trunk to your legs. While these cramps can occur during the day, you'll probably notice them most at night." Bingo. That's me. Holly warned me about these and now I know. All other pregnant women get ready.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Shot or No Shot?
Jeff and I have almost decided to not get the flu shot this year. We actually never get it, but this year we have to reconsider because of the baby. Some people say that you should get it because it's recommended and protects the baby, and some say that it contains thimerosal (a mercury-containing compound) and could be harmful to the baby.
The CDC says that "because pregnant women are at an increased risk for flu related complications and because a substantial safety margin has been incorporated into the health guidance values for mercury exposure, the benefit of the flu vaccine outweighs the potential risk for thimerosal". So basically they are saying that it's less risky to take the shot because you might get sick. But I say that if you take the shot then you have definitely assumed the risk of any side effect from thimerosal (not that I know of any documented side effects). So you're gambling either way...one in that they won't discover some adverse side effect to thimerosal in 20 years by taking it, or that you'll get very sick by not taking it.
The reason it's a tough decision for us is because we are going to try for an unmedicated delivery, so why would we inject medicine now if we're going to avoid it later? I thought that my midwife of all people would be supportive of a decision not to get it, so I was surprised yesterday at our visit. We told her that we weren't getting the shot and she was surprised. She said that it is recommended by some academy of physicians and the CDC, but then she smiled and said she wasn't one to get the flu shot when she was pregnant either. I think she has to tell me what's recommended, so she was vague. IBM is getting more shipments of the shot in a few weeks, so we have some time to weigh our options...
The CDC says that "because pregnant women are at an increased risk for flu related complications and because a substantial safety margin has been incorporated into the health guidance values for mercury exposure, the benefit of the flu vaccine outweighs the potential risk for thimerosal". So basically they are saying that it's less risky to take the shot because you might get sick. But I say that if you take the shot then you have definitely assumed the risk of any side effect from thimerosal (not that I know of any documented side effects). So you're gambling either way...one in that they won't discover some adverse side effect to thimerosal in 20 years by taking it, or that you'll get very sick by not taking it.
The reason it's a tough decision for us is because we are going to try for an unmedicated delivery, so why would we inject medicine now if we're going to avoid it later? I thought that my midwife of all people would be supportive of a decision not to get it, so I was surprised yesterday at our visit. We told her that we weren't getting the shot and she was surprised. She said that it is recommended by some academy of physicians and the CDC, but then she smiled and said she wasn't one to get the flu shot when she was pregnant either. I think she has to tell me what's recommended, so she was vague. IBM is getting more shipments of the shot in a few weeks, so we have some time to weigh our options...
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
First Ultrasound with Midwife
It's still a boy! We were a little anxious that they would tell us it was a girl since we've already bonded with a little boy. We have some cute pictures to post, but I've got to scan them in first. They said that everything measured the way it should and that they are showing him at 18wks and 3 days. I show 18wks and 2 days, so the date of April 9th is just about right. His h/b was at 164, which was the highest it's been, so he must have been excited for us to see him. This morning the little dude was upside down. The u/s tech said that this makes sense because his head is heavier than his feet and gravity pulls him down. I was surprised because I thought he had been kicking me, but they must have been little punches....but Mary Charles said that he's still swimming and flipping all around so it is probably kicks and punches. At the beginning of the u/s he was sitting on his little calves and feet and his arms were above his head. He put his hand by his face a lot, but we couldn't tell if he was sucking his thumb. I've gained 8 lbs total, with 4 of that being in the last month, so I think we're right on schedule. It was neat to see him again and be able to see his little profile more clearly. Although I need a massage now from keeping my head turned to the right looking at the screen for 1/2 an hour....Dad's get the best view at the ultrasounds!
(several hours later)
It's really lame, but I had to take pictures of the pictures with my digital camera. I went to Target and Wolf Camera and they were no help in getting them on a disk. The midwife gave us a disk but it was not formatted correctly, so we can't see the images. Anyway, these came out okay....
It's really lame, but I had to take pictures of the pictures with my digital camera. I went to Target and Wolf Camera and they were no help in getting them on a disk. The midwife gave us a disk but it was not formatted correctly, so we can't see the images. Anyway, these came out okay....
Profile Shot
Profile shot with leg and foot. The "bubbles" is the umbilical cord.
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