This morning I heard a story on NPR about women-only compartments on commuter trains in India, for the purpose of allowing women to avoid the apparently common verbal and physical harassment, which made me feel grateful for the simple fact that I was born a woman in the United States. I tend to forget how fortunate that makes me, which is really pretty unfair, but somehow feels even more a slight to my fellow women-kind in dissimilar situations when I take it for granted. Health is something else I tend to take for granted....
My boss and one-time town neighbor, Leah, has been courageously battling cancer since around September of 2012. Leah's blog, with links to funds you can contribute to through shopping at Amazon.com, can be found here. She is an inspiration, to say the least, handling life with her husband and two small children while staying focused on her treatments and healing.
Cancer strikes again, as my college friend and roommate, Lauren, writes this week that BOTH her mother and her young daughter have been diagnosed with cancer within three months of each other. It seems her mother has undergone successful treatment and may be out of the woods... but the diagnosis for the toddler is fresh, and they have a long series of treatments ahead of them as a family. I can't make heads or tails of this news. It fundamentally doesn't make sense in my brain, and I think I'm in shock over it. It's always hard to hear these things, and even more so as a fellow parent of a young child. My heart is just breaking for them. Patrick just last week hung an old picture I found when cleaning the basement. It's of Lauren and I and our other roommates and pals, dressed up for Halloween one year during college as the gang from Pooh Corner; Bradley loves to ask the girls' names and which character we are dressed as, and brainstorm fresh ideas for his future Halloween costumes. Life is pretty carefree when you don't yet know what's coming down the road....
Across the globe, my pal Jenny (whom I have known since before Bradley was born, when we met at a La Leche League meeting) had her house burglarized in the middle of the night. Just the simple notion of feeling safe in your own bed and home while you sleep... again, not something to be taken for granted.
We, in my little nuclear family, are all healthy and happy and doing well at the moment. Patrick and I are both employed and, so far as we know, not facing any of the federal government's impending furloughs. Bradley is doing well at preschool and at home, learning and growing right before our eyes (his teacher gave him a pack of erasers as a reward for "wearing good listening ears" at school this week; he's been packing food away at meals lately, and when I measured him with his tool box measuring tape yesterday he was standing 41" tall!). This baby-to-be in my belly is thriving and healthy so far as we know. We are about to spend a holiday with family. Life is good, life is safe, life is rich. I want to do better at remembering that on a daily basis and really feeling and celebrating that. Got to try to not sweat the small stuff.... At the moment, it's all I can think to do in my present state of shock.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Monday, March 25, 2013
30 Weeks
We are three quarters of the way through this pregnancy, folks, can you believe it?!? From my belly size and trouble sleeping, I can. Sleeping's been especially difficult... it seems like my restless leg symptoms are worse, when settling down I feel like my skin is itchy everywhere, rolling over in the middle of the night is starting to be necessary to ease the strain on my joints (hips, shoulders, knees, ankles) and at the same time is becoming increasingly difficult to orchestrate what with all the support pillows, and I continue to wake at the slightest noises. I'm up to use the bathroom sometimes three times per night at this point. Some day I'll sleep again... right?? The pregnancy really does seem like it's flown by so far, though. We are in the home stretch now. I keep thinking of things that are happening soon that will actually probably be AFTER this baby is born, which is sort of mind-blowing. I still have a LOT of diapers to rehab. Yikes, I'd better get faster at that soon.
The baby center post for this week says baby weighs about three pounds. The picture shows baby head-down, but I know that's not necessarily true. I think it is, in our case, because I frequently feel smallish baby parts up near my belly button (feet?). Baby seems eager to kick the soccer ball around with big brother, Bradley!
Here are some pictures from the week (check out the belly sticking out!!):
Lovely, Busy Weekend
It's hard to believe the weekend's over already, but it was pretty packed full so it did seem to fly by. Saturday was a bit more than the average girls night, as Jessie and Kim and I surprised our pal, Cara, with a little bachelorette party. We took a collective gazillion photos, but the only one I have includes a random stranger from a nearby table at our first post-dinner bar stop, Roland (heehee) so I'll hold off on posting that here. I do have to say, though, it was pretty amusing walking into places as a little gang; between Cara's obnoxiously pink Bride-to-Be sash and my ginormous pregnant belly, we earned quite a few double takes.
Sunday, my friend Lanie came over and we enjoyed each other's company as we side-by-side chopped and prepped some awesome crockpot freezer meals. After smelling the homemade BBQ sauce and the curry powder in two different recipes, I was hungry! We snacked on some double chocolate zucchini muffins/cupcakes that I made, which I thought were super yummy but the boys don't like (yay, more for me!). It was a pretty spectacular feeling to put a full 10 meals into the freezer. I think we have between 15-20 meals prepared for when baby boy makes his appearance, which feels fabulous. I remember dinner being DIFFICULT last time and I can only imagine with a toddler around how much more of a logistical challenge it might pose. I'd really like to not have to rely on takeout or processed frozen foods because they're not very nutritious AND they're pricey. Granted we haven't eaten any of the recipes we made yet, but I had a lot of fun chatting and chopping with Lanie, and so far I'd definitely recommend preparing meals this way; in fact, I think I may even do another batch before D-Day. I don't use cookbooks by and large, and these days with the Internet it's so easy to find recipes to try without having to turn to cookbooks, but this one is starting to show its appeal: healthy, simple, veggie-laden meals that can be made in advance and cooked with minimal effort. What's not to love?
It was my wonderful mother-in-law's birthday yesterday. Happy Birthday, Mom! We three are looking forward to celebrating with her in person when she visits this Friday. Pat's aunt and uncle have been using their time share program to visit Newport in April for the past few years. We get some nice quality time with them when we go over to visit during the week. Bradley enjoys the outdoor pool, even if it's still chilly in April! It works out this year (as it did last) that their visit will commence on Easter weekend, so we're hosing a late-morning brunch. Yum!
Sunday, my friend Lanie came over and we enjoyed each other's company as we side-by-side chopped and prepped some awesome crockpot freezer meals. After smelling the homemade BBQ sauce and the curry powder in two different recipes, I was hungry! We snacked on some double chocolate zucchini muffins/cupcakes that I made, which I thought were super yummy but the boys don't like (yay, more for me!). It was a pretty spectacular feeling to put a full 10 meals into the freezer. I think we have between 15-20 meals prepared for when baby boy makes his appearance, which feels fabulous. I remember dinner being DIFFICULT last time and I can only imagine with a toddler around how much more of a logistical challenge it might pose. I'd really like to not have to rely on takeout or processed frozen foods because they're not very nutritious AND they're pricey. Granted we haven't eaten any of the recipes we made yet, but I had a lot of fun chatting and chopping with Lanie, and so far I'd definitely recommend preparing meals this way; in fact, I think I may even do another batch before D-Day. I don't use cookbooks by and large, and these days with the Internet it's so easy to find recipes to try without having to turn to cookbooks, but this one is starting to show its appeal: healthy, simple, veggie-laden meals that can be made in advance and cooked with minimal effort. What's not to love?
It was my wonderful mother-in-law's birthday yesterday. Happy Birthday, Mom! We three are looking forward to celebrating with her in person when she visits this Friday. Pat's aunt and uncle have been using their time share program to visit Newport in April for the past few years. We get some nice quality time with them when we go over to visit during the week. Bradley enjoys the outdoor pool, even if it's still chilly in April! It works out this year (as it did last) that their visit will commence on Easter weekend, so we're hosing a late-morning brunch. Yum!
Friday, March 22, 2013
Where is Spring?
The first day of spring was this Wednesday. It started out pretty darned cold! Bradley and I ventured outside early when we took Walter to the vet, and it was windy and chilly for sure; when I took Mr. W Dog out later in the afternoon it was sunnier but still pretty frosty in the air. The rest of the vernal equinox, we had a visit from midwife Andrea and then spent our time sort of low-key and hanging out around the house. Here's what his cars were up to:
So yes, it seemed to warm up a bit that afternoon and at least LOOK sunny and spring-y, fitting for the first calendar day of spring and all, but then this whole snow thing again?!? I'm over it. And I really love snow, honest. I'm officially ready to be done with winter.
I'm ready to be done with winter colds as well. Poor Bradley had a cold this past week. His only symptoms were a cough and some backed-up fluid in his sinuses (it's tough getting rid of colds when you don't reliably blow your nose yet, I guess), but he was very sensitive and weepy over tiny things. Pat and I tag teamed the effort and kept him home Monday-Wednesday of this week. He is not old enough to take advantage (yet, anyway) and when asked if he wanted to go to school, he would reply, "I will go to school when I am better, but today I am so sick." Pretty adorable. He was in a MUCH better mood going in to school yesterday, blowing me a kiss and waving goodbye cheerily.
Here are a few pictures of him and his various creative activities and helpful endeavors over the past few days of playing hookie. The first two are the day he came home from school sick last Friday (3/15, a photo I dubbed "angry, sick leprechaun" due to the face-painted shamrock courtesy of his preschool teacher) and a color-tinted bath during which he was clearly tired and ready for bed, ha. Later in the sick week, he "helped" organize the nursery and had fun checking out his old infant toys; he didn't seem to remember any of them, and it was fun to watch how quickly he sorted shapes, etc. On Wednesday he decided the remaining Florida citrus fruits were a family going on a car trip. The citrus would buckle up in their car (safety first!), and then they would drive to various destinations: Florida to visit their great grandparents; to California to race and work with Lightening McQueen; to Massachusetts to visit Auntie Lori, Auntie Riki, and Cousin Aydelin; and to both Vermont and New York to visit their grandparents. That's some well-traveled fruit!
So yes, it seemed to warm up a bit that afternoon and at least LOOK sunny and spring-y, fitting for the first calendar day of spring and all, but then this whole snow thing again?!? I'm over it. And I really love snow, honest. I'm officially ready to be done with winter.
I'm ready to be done with winter colds as well. Poor Bradley had a cold this past week. His only symptoms were a cough and some backed-up fluid in his sinuses (it's tough getting rid of colds when you don't reliably blow your nose yet, I guess), but he was very sensitive and weepy over tiny things. Pat and I tag teamed the effort and kept him home Monday-Wednesday of this week. He is not old enough to take advantage (yet, anyway) and when asked if he wanted to go to school, he would reply, "I will go to school when I am better, but today I am so sick." Pretty adorable. He was in a MUCH better mood going in to school yesterday, blowing me a kiss and waving goodbye cheerily.
Here are a few pictures of him and his various creative activities and helpful endeavors over the past few days of playing hookie. The first two are the day he came home from school sick last Friday (3/15, a photo I dubbed "angry, sick leprechaun" due to the face-painted shamrock courtesy of his preschool teacher) and a color-tinted bath during which he was clearly tired and ready for bed, ha. Later in the sick week, he "helped" organize the nursery and had fun checking out his old infant toys; he didn't seem to remember any of them, and it was fun to watch how quickly he sorted shapes, etc. On Wednesday he decided the remaining Florida citrus fruits were a family going on a car trip. The citrus would buckle up in their car (safety first!), and then they would drive to various destinations: Florida to visit their great grandparents; to California to race and work with Lightening McQueen; to Massachusetts to visit Auntie Lori, Auntie Riki, and Cousin Aydelin; and to both Vermont and New York to visit their grandparents. That's some well-traveled fruit!
This weekend we'll keep things fairly low-key for him as Bradley continues to rest up and get better (and I catch up on my sleep, hopefully!). Today is work/school and the Be Green Sale (need a larger rash guard for him, as his old one was more like a belly shirt in Florida last month). Saturday is absolutely nothing all day, and then Mommy gets a night out with some of her lovely her girlfriends (yay! and also yum!). Sunday is a cooking fest to get some crock pot freezer meals prepped and ready with our Bristol pal, Lanie. At some point I'll sneak a run in, though I'm not sure which day. I ran two 5K distances this past week, w00t!
Thursday, March 21, 2013
29 Weeks
I am now 29 weeks pregnant. That's pretty close to 30, which is pretty close to no longer pregnant. Scary thought!! We are making progress at preparing for baby's arrival. Bradley and I did some organizing in the nursery this week, and Pat found the "repair kits" of new velcro and elastic to refresh the cloth diaper stash. Now I just need to get sewing, which intimidates me greatly... oh well, better get started as we're running out of time! We also need to get ready in a few other ways: adjust the crib (take the toddler front off, raise it up, etc.); I am putting some crock pot meals into the freezer with my friend, Lanie, this weekend; I have to wrap up some paperwork as far as insurance, disability payments, and college savings account go; we need to finalize the name; and we have some supplies to prepare for labor (we went to the hospital for an induction last time, but this time are planning on skipping the induction and therefore staying at home for some labor time and we know what we're in for and want to try as far as pain management, so want to prepare differently).
The baby center post for the week says baby's about the size of a butternut squash. Getting kind of hefty! It also describes him as being very active, which is true. Pat got to feel some of his crazy nighttime somersaulting over the weekend and couldn't believe how strong the movements are (and he doesn't even have to feel them from the inside!). Heartburn's definitely increasing again when I have certain foods (like hot tomato oil, darn it, that stuff is soooo good!). Sadly, chocolate is a big trigger. Boo! The hearburn and some increased left hip and lower back pain are pretty much my only symptoms truly worth complaining about at this point. I do feel a bit more tired than usual, but I'm also up a lot at night (some nights three times), and I'm just reminding myself that I do have to slow down a bit. One other symptom is a highlight in the baby center post:
Some women get something called "supine hypotensive syndrome" during pregnancy. This happens when lying flat on your back causes a change in heart rate and blood pressure that makes you feel dizzy until you change position. You might notice that you feel lightheaded if you stand up too quickly, too. To avoid "the spins," lie on your side rather than your back, and move slowly as you go from lying down to sitting and then standing.
I am experiencing that "supine hypotensive syndrome" whenever I settle in for bed at night. (I also experience it during yoga class each Monday when we do some work on our backs.) It's really uncomfortable and a bit unsettling. I am sleeping on two pillows right now, which helps a bit and also keeps the heartburn at bay. I use the solid perfume Cara made me and just take calm, deep breaths and things usually calm down after a minute or two, but sometimes it actually affects my heart rate in a way that I can feel, which I don't like experiencing. I don't remember it from last time around. It's interesting to me that the pregnancies are different in several ways. I wonder if the same will hold true for labor and delivery?
As per the recommendation, Pat and I are both trying to get in some extra nights out and field trips with Bradley that may not be as easy post baby's arrival. We are excited for baseball season to begin mid-April and enjoy that time together as a family, and maybe even some nights out for the grown-ups at the ballpark.
I had a midwife appointment yesterday to check my non-fasting blood glucose levels as a screening for gestational diabetes. She commented that my number was "good... wow, very good, actually!" which made me very happy, as I don't want to lose my daily treats. I peeked and saw my number... a 68. Normally a 2 hour post-meal reading for a pregnant woman would be in the range of 89-109, so I guess it really was pretty low. Glad to know my body can handle sugar, cause I certainly am craving it (evidence: I made some candy this week)! :) Baby's slightly larger than typical at this point according to the fundal height measurement, and she commented he had had a growth spurt since she last saw me, but this happened with Bradley as well and it's nothing to worry about. My weight gain has slowed down a bit despite the little guy's growth spurt. I'm currently hovering at about 42 pounds gained. I gained 45 with Bradley. I'd really like to keep the overall gain under 48 lbs if I can (because that's when my BMI will jump to a new category, technically "obese," that does potentially carry increased risks), but I've stopped worrying about it and started tuning back into what my body wants, and I think that's why the gain has slowed, honestly. Feels good to not stress about it. My blood pressure's good (been in the neighborhood of 170/85), I'm still exercising plenty, there's no reason to fret.
We discussed the signs of pre-term labor, what to do if I experience my water breaking early, when to have everything ordered/set up/packed/ready to go (by 36 weeks is their recommendation), kegal exercises, and kick counts (they recommend I do them daily, and this will be KEY at the end to monitor baby's health if I go overdue). I'm cleared to travel to New York on April 13th for my grandmother's formal funeral service. I forgot to even ask, but Pat and I decided anyway that we won't attempt travel on May 4th for my cousin's wedding as it just feels too close to the due date and not worth the stress and hassle (plus, kind of rude to RSVP to a formal wedding with a "maybe").
Some pictures from this week (didn't get dressed after running a 5K on the treadmill and a well-deserved hot shower yesterday, no judging please!):
The baby center post for the week says baby's about the size of a butternut squash. Getting kind of hefty! It also describes him as being very active, which is true. Pat got to feel some of his crazy nighttime somersaulting over the weekend and couldn't believe how strong the movements are (and he doesn't even have to feel them from the inside!). Heartburn's definitely increasing again when I have certain foods (like hot tomato oil, darn it, that stuff is soooo good!). Sadly, chocolate is a big trigger. Boo! The hearburn and some increased left hip and lower back pain are pretty much my only symptoms truly worth complaining about at this point. I do feel a bit more tired than usual, but I'm also up a lot at night (some nights three times), and I'm just reminding myself that I do have to slow down a bit. One other symptom is a highlight in the baby center post:
Some women get something called "supine hypotensive syndrome" during pregnancy. This happens when lying flat on your back causes a change in heart rate and blood pressure that makes you feel dizzy until you change position. You might notice that you feel lightheaded if you stand up too quickly, too. To avoid "the spins," lie on your side rather than your back, and move slowly as you go from lying down to sitting and then standing.
I am experiencing that "supine hypotensive syndrome" whenever I settle in for bed at night. (I also experience it during yoga class each Monday when we do some work on our backs.) It's really uncomfortable and a bit unsettling. I am sleeping on two pillows right now, which helps a bit and also keeps the heartburn at bay. I use the solid perfume Cara made me and just take calm, deep breaths and things usually calm down after a minute or two, but sometimes it actually affects my heart rate in a way that I can feel, which I don't like experiencing. I don't remember it from last time around. It's interesting to me that the pregnancies are different in several ways. I wonder if the same will hold true for labor and delivery?
As per the recommendation, Pat and I are both trying to get in some extra nights out and field trips with Bradley that may not be as easy post baby's arrival. We are excited for baseball season to begin mid-April and enjoy that time together as a family, and maybe even some nights out for the grown-ups at the ballpark.
I had a midwife appointment yesterday to check my non-fasting blood glucose levels as a screening for gestational diabetes. She commented that my number was "good... wow, very good, actually!" which made me very happy, as I don't want to lose my daily treats. I peeked and saw my number... a 68. Normally a 2 hour post-meal reading for a pregnant woman would be in the range of 89-109, so I guess it really was pretty low. Glad to know my body can handle sugar, cause I certainly am craving it (evidence: I made some candy this week)! :) Baby's slightly larger than typical at this point according to the fundal height measurement, and she commented he had had a growth spurt since she last saw me, but this happened with Bradley as well and it's nothing to worry about. My weight gain has slowed down a bit despite the little guy's growth spurt. I'm currently hovering at about 42 pounds gained. I gained 45 with Bradley. I'd really like to keep the overall gain under 48 lbs if I can (because that's when my BMI will jump to a new category, technically "obese," that does potentially carry increased risks), but I've stopped worrying about it and started tuning back into what my body wants, and I think that's why the gain has slowed, honestly. Feels good to not stress about it. My blood pressure's good (been in the neighborhood of 170/85), I'm still exercising plenty, there's no reason to fret.
We discussed the signs of pre-term labor, what to do if I experience my water breaking early, when to have everything ordered/set up/packed/ready to go (by 36 weeks is their recommendation), kegal exercises, and kick counts (they recommend I do them daily, and this will be KEY at the end to monitor baby's health if I go overdue). I'm cleared to travel to New York on April 13th for my grandmother's formal funeral service. I forgot to even ask, but Pat and I decided anyway that we won't attempt travel on May 4th for my cousin's wedding as it just feels too close to the due date and not worth the stress and hassle (plus, kind of rude to RSVP to a formal wedding with a "maybe").
Some pictures from this week (didn't get dressed after running a 5K on the treadmill and a well-deserved hot shower yesterday, no judging please!):
Friday, March 15, 2013
28 Weeks
I am now 28 weeks pregnant. I have the feeling that when 30 weeks hits, I'll spring into action and get the "to do" list done! It is hard to believe how fast this pregnancy is going compared to the first one.
The baby center post for this week mentions restless leg syndrome increasing or starting. I do have those symptoms (always, not just when pregnant) when I am very tired, and I actually have noticed them being a little worse than normal this week, along with calf cramps that sometimes wake me. It is, in general, getting pretty uncomfortable to settle down at night to sleep. I have to be propped up on pillows so heartburn doesn't bother me, which folds my neck in to my chest and makes it even harder than it already is to breathe, and sometimes does funky things to my heart rate. I've stolen all of the decorative pillows from Pat's side of the bed to prop up my belly and use between my knees so my hips, knees, and ankles are comfortable. Switching sides in the middle of the night means relocating four different pillows. Not fun, and sometimes disruptive to Pat's sleep too. Oh well, it is sort of like getting him back for his snoring ;) And there's really not much to do about it all anyway, as it'll probably just be this way till the bitter end. I definitely blocked out how early the sleep deprivation starts from the last go-round!
Though I very much enjoy feeling my son-to-be moving around in my belly lately (he does both crazy fierce kicks that remind me of those boxing punch balloons we had as kids AND these wave-like somersault motions), and connecting and talking to him when I feel those movements, he is very strong (stronger than I remember Bradley being, especially this early) and sometimes he's even making my belly a bit sore. Baby boy has been whaling away on one particular part of my belly for a few days straight now. In yoga this week, his head (or rump?) was clearly visible on one side of my upper belly, the spot he's been favoring, making my yoga instructor laugh. He seems to be hanging out on a diagonal from my right shoulder to my left hip. I wonder if he's contributing to the pain I've been having off and on in my left hip? Hmm...
We are getting pretty close with the name... down to a few options we're considering and we're just sort of letting them sit for now.
Here are some pictures:
The baby center post for this week mentions restless leg syndrome increasing or starting. I do have those symptoms (always, not just when pregnant) when I am very tired, and I actually have noticed them being a little worse than normal this week, along with calf cramps that sometimes wake me. It is, in general, getting pretty uncomfortable to settle down at night to sleep. I have to be propped up on pillows so heartburn doesn't bother me, which folds my neck in to my chest and makes it even harder than it already is to breathe, and sometimes does funky things to my heart rate. I've stolen all of the decorative pillows from Pat's side of the bed to prop up my belly and use between my knees so my hips, knees, and ankles are comfortable. Switching sides in the middle of the night means relocating four different pillows. Not fun, and sometimes disruptive to Pat's sleep too. Oh well, it is sort of like getting him back for his snoring ;) And there's really not much to do about it all anyway, as it'll probably just be this way till the bitter end. I definitely blocked out how early the sleep deprivation starts from the last go-round!
Though I very much enjoy feeling my son-to-be moving around in my belly lately (he does both crazy fierce kicks that remind me of those boxing punch balloons we had as kids AND these wave-like somersault motions), and connecting and talking to him when I feel those movements, he is very strong (stronger than I remember Bradley being, especially this early) and sometimes he's even making my belly a bit sore. Baby boy has been whaling away on one particular part of my belly for a few days straight now. In yoga this week, his head (or rump?) was clearly visible on one side of my upper belly, the spot he's been favoring, making my yoga instructor laugh. He seems to be hanging out on a diagonal from my right shoulder to my left hip. I wonder if he's contributing to the pain I've been having off and on in my left hip? Hmm...
We are getting pretty close with the name... down to a few options we're considering and we're just sort of letting them sit for now.
Here are some pictures:
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
New York
After a fairly wretched drive out to Syracuse, NY (here was my view for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes while a tow truck vs. car accident, blocking both lanes of the highway, waiting to be cleared on 146N and the rest of the Worcester, MA snowstorm dumped down on the roads around me), I made it and had a great visit. The sunsets while driving were pretty spectacular (even in my foul mood after about 7 hours in the car and counting I could admit it, and snapped a few photos, seen below).
My brother, Steve, and I enjoyed his current hometown city and each other's company as we had good eats (Dinosaur's pulled pork did not disappoint, Pastabilities has this amazing secret recipe hot tomato oil for dipping or as a pasta sauce that gave me awful pregnancy-exacerbated heartburn but was still worth the taste), got some good exercise (went for a treadmill run in Steve's apartment complex gym, and then we took advantage of the sunny and warm weather with a long walk along beautiful Onondaga Lake), and had some good talks and quality time.
I was a little floored by how excited the citizens of Syracuse get about Saint Patrick's Day. When we pulled into the city for dinner on Saturday night, we immediately noticed folks dressed in green. It took us a few minutes to realize it was almost St. Patty's Day and this must be the reason. Then Steve realized it was the Saturday before the holiday and said, "Oh yeah, this is usually a week-long celebration that starts when people wait outside the bars for the green beer delivery." Seriously? Yep, seriously. And it's even longer than one week, apparently. So things had fairly reached a fever pitch by 3/9/13, and on our 1/2 block walk to the restaurant from our parking spot, we saw a live bagpipe and drum band in full kilt regalia, uniformed police officers in teams of two outside several bars, and even some folks already falling-down-drunk at 5:30 PM (oof, must be a roughnight week month for some!). Here's a shot of the band, at their destination outside Kitty Hoynes, one of the many packed Irish bars in Armory Square:
One final interesting (?) tidbit... while at the lake I noticed the Salt Museum and asked Steve if there was a lot of salt production in the area. He noted Syracuse is known as "The Salt City," and that might either be because of the salt production or because of how much salt they use on the roads each winter (heehee)... and as it happens, apparently it's the more serious reason.
My brother, Steve, and I enjoyed his current hometown city and each other's company as we had good eats (Dinosaur's pulled pork did not disappoint, Pastabilities has this amazing secret recipe hot tomato oil for dipping or as a pasta sauce that gave me awful pregnancy-exacerbated heartburn but was still worth the taste), got some good exercise (went for a treadmill run in Steve's apartment complex gym, and then we took advantage of the sunny and warm weather with a long walk along beautiful Onondaga Lake), and had some good talks and quality time.
I was a little floored by how excited the citizens of Syracuse get about Saint Patrick's Day. When we pulled into the city for dinner on Saturday night, we immediately noticed folks dressed in green. It took us a few minutes to realize it was almost St. Patty's Day and this must be the reason. Then Steve realized it was the Saturday before the holiday and said, "Oh yeah, this is usually a week-long celebration that starts when people wait outside the bars for the green beer delivery." Seriously? Yep, seriously. And it's even longer than one week, apparently. So things had fairly reached a fever pitch by 3/9/13, and on our 1/2 block walk to the restaurant from our parking spot, we saw a live bagpipe and drum band in full kilt regalia, uniformed police officers in teams of two outside several bars, and even some folks already falling-down-drunk at 5:30 PM (oof, must be a rough
One final interesting (?) tidbit... while at the lake I noticed the Salt Museum and asked Steve if there was a lot of salt production in the area. He noted Syracuse is known as "The Salt City," and that might either be because of the salt production or because of how much salt they use on the roads each winter (heehee)... and as it happens, apparently it's the more serious reason.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Off to New York
Weather permitting, I'm off to see my little brother, Steve, in Syracuse, NY today. I figured I'd get one more trip in before the baby arrives and it seems too far away again. Last year I traveled out for the Boilermaker, and I'm a bit sad to be missing it, honestly. Oh well, pity for me.
I am very excited about going to Syracuse to see Stever! We will probably watch a movie or two, we'll definitely hit the gym at least once because I specifically requested it (gotta stay in shape for my upcoming 5k with my coworkers!), and we're going to eat at some super yummy places. Steve knows that I (Pat and I both, actually) love Dinosaur's, and then he also suggested Pastabilities which looks amazing. I'm going to miss Bradley and Pat of course, but I'm looking forward to the chance to drive by myself (meaning I can stop whenever and have as many beverages as I want without worrying my need for a bathroom every few miles is irritating anyone else, and sing loudly and poorly to some music, naturally) and to spend some quality time with my brother.
Here's a picture of us from a while back... we've both lost weight since then I think, go us!
I am very excited about going to Syracuse to see Stever! We will probably watch a movie or two, we'll definitely hit the gym at least once because I specifically requested it (gotta stay in shape for my upcoming 5k with my coworkers!), and we're going to eat at some super yummy places. Steve knows that I (Pat and I both, actually) love Dinosaur's, and then he also suggested Pastabilities which looks amazing. I'm going to miss Bradley and Pat of course, but I'm looking forward to the chance to drive by myself (meaning I can stop whenever and have as many beverages as I want without worrying my need for a bathroom every few miles is irritating anyone else, and sing loudly and poorly to some music, naturally) and to spend some quality time with my brother.
Here's a picture of us from a while back... we've both lost weight since then I think, go us!
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
27 Weeks
I am now 27 weeks pregnant, and well into the third trimester. When did that happen?? Baby is compared to a cauliflower this week. I would say he's been more like an alien, to be honest. The movements are now BIG and STRONG; they have me squirming while Bradley and Daddy both grin when they catch one.
Bradley had been pretending he felt kicks for the past week or so, and then on Sunday something really cool happened. He wanted to feel the baby kick so he put his hand on my belly and said he felt kicks (none were happening) and pushed for a minute, and then baby responded by kicking that very spot! Pat said it was their first game together. Pretty sweet.
I haven't felt baby hiccups yet, but I do remember that sensation with Bradley. Maybe it will start soon. The post also mentions leg cramps; I've had that feeling lately in my calf muscles as if they're ABOUT to cramp but no actual cramps just yet. Bring on the bananas!
Here are some pictures from this week. Big difference, no?
Bradley had been pretending he felt kicks for the past week or so, and then on Sunday something really cool happened. He wanted to feel the baby kick so he put his hand on my belly and said he felt kicks (none were happening) and pushed for a minute, and then baby responded by kicking that very spot! Pat said it was their first game together. Pretty sweet.
I haven't felt baby hiccups yet, but I do remember that sensation with Bradley. Maybe it will start soon. The post also mentions leg cramps; I've had that feeling lately in my calf muscles as if they're ABOUT to cramp but no actual cramps just yet. Bring on the bananas!
Here are some pictures from this week. Big difference, no?
Monday, March 4, 2013
Great Weekend
We had a wonderful weekend, and it was little overdue, what with the storm, Grandma's passing, and traveling to Florida - lately we've been quite busy! (More on Florida later... the trip was a great success and loads of fun, but we're still figuring out where all of our pictures are, because our camera died mid-trip and we had to use our cell phones, so we're feeling a bit scattered.)
Friday, Bradley had a fun day at school. They were celebrating studying the ocean and watched part of Finding Nemo. He hasn't yet made it through the film at home, stating it's too scary. When you re-watch that movie as the parent of a small child, you realize that those poor fish are in near-constant fear for their lives! At any rate, he sat with one of his teachers and did seem to enjoy the day. They had a special snack and were allowed to wear pajamas and slippers, plus bring in an ocean-themed stuffed animal. Fun times! We tried watching the movie together once we all got home, but the peer-pressure induced bravado he must've been feeling at school had worn off and he asked us to turn the movie off in favor of his current favorite, Cars 2 (ugh).
Saturday involved a leisurely family breakfast, and then Pat was off helping a friend with an important chore. I whipped up a batch of Food Babe's Forever Cookies (with my assistant Bradley of course!), and then B and I braved the non-Florida weather (40s and sunny but windy!) to walk over to the Farmer's Market in search of yummy foodstuffs. We bought local apples (for eating and to make sauce), grass-fed cheese (Bradley sampled some asiago and we had to bring some home for our lunch), some gorgeous fresh fish (a half-dozen fresh oysters for Pat, which he bought a knife for and learned how to shuck himself that same day; some Nantucket bay scallops that made a delicious scampi; and a few fillets of my favorite, yellowtail flounder), and a small bottle of cider which we split while we lingered in the barn by the crackling fireplace for a bit. Bradley alternatively tapped his foot in time with the folk music being performed ten feet or so in front of us, and snuggled up with me. At one point he made my morning as he leaned over and said, "This is nice, sharing a snack and music and a fire." Well said, little man.
After we came home from the market and had our apple and cheese lunch (yum!), B was off to napland while I took a run on the treadmill. Later that night we had a babysitter come by and Pat and I went out for dinner together at one of our favorite local spots, Persimmon. Every bite was scrumptious, and we enjoyed the date night very much.
Sunday we got stuff done around the house big time! It felt like a spring cleaning day to be sure. We gathered up about five contractor bags worth of trash from the basement (stuff we'd been hanging onto but don't really need); organized the basement; cleaned house a bit; pulled some baby-related stuff out of storage and got it up into the nursery; cut Bradley's hair; and got outside to clean up the branches and sticks fallen from the storm plus weed the garden beds and get rid of the dead fall flowers and shrubbery so that the new, green, spring plants look a whole lot better. I also took the time to make a black bean chocolate cake, inspired by my friend Kim when she asked about that combo last week, that I'd seen in the pages or Runner's World some months back and wanted to try (can you tell I'm craving chocolate lately?!?). It is delicious, and I think cupcakes with some pretty Easter-tinted frosting will be what we serve for Easter dinner this year (thanks for the natural dye, Steve!).
Friday, Bradley had a fun day at school. They were celebrating studying the ocean and watched part of Finding Nemo. He hasn't yet made it through the film at home, stating it's too scary. When you re-watch that movie as the parent of a small child, you realize that those poor fish are in near-constant fear for their lives! At any rate, he sat with one of his teachers and did seem to enjoy the day. They had a special snack and were allowed to wear pajamas and slippers, plus bring in an ocean-themed stuffed animal. Fun times! We tried watching the movie together once we all got home, but the peer-pressure induced bravado he must've been feeling at school had worn off and he asked us to turn the movie off in favor of his current favorite, Cars 2 (ugh).
Saturday involved a leisurely family breakfast, and then Pat was off helping a friend with an important chore. I whipped up a batch of Food Babe's Forever Cookies (with my assistant Bradley of course!), and then B and I braved the non-Florida weather (40s and sunny but windy!) to walk over to the Farmer's Market in search of yummy foodstuffs. We bought local apples (for eating and to make sauce), grass-fed cheese (Bradley sampled some asiago and we had to bring some home for our lunch), some gorgeous fresh fish (a half-dozen fresh oysters for Pat, which he bought a knife for and learned how to shuck himself that same day; some Nantucket bay scallops that made a delicious scampi; and a few fillets of my favorite, yellowtail flounder), and a small bottle of cider which we split while we lingered in the barn by the crackling fireplace for a bit. Bradley alternatively tapped his foot in time with the folk music being performed ten feet or so in front of us, and snuggled up with me. At one point he made my morning as he leaned over and said, "This is nice, sharing a snack and music and a fire." Well said, little man.
After we came home from the market and had our apple and cheese lunch (yum!), B was off to napland while I took a run on the treadmill. Later that night we had a babysitter come by and Pat and I went out for dinner together at one of our favorite local spots, Persimmon. Every bite was scrumptious, and we enjoyed the date night very much.
Sunday we got stuff done around the house big time! It felt like a spring cleaning day to be sure. We gathered up about five contractor bags worth of trash from the basement (stuff we'd been hanging onto but don't really need); organized the basement; cleaned house a bit; pulled some baby-related stuff out of storage and got it up into the nursery; cut Bradley's hair; and got outside to clean up the branches and sticks fallen from the storm plus weed the garden beds and get rid of the dead fall flowers and shrubbery so that the new, green, spring plants look a whole lot better. I also took the time to make a black bean chocolate cake, inspired by my friend Kim when she asked about that combo last week, that I'd seen in the pages or Runner's World some months back and wanted to try (can you tell I'm craving chocolate lately?!?). It is delicious, and I think cupcakes with some pretty Easter-tinted frosting will be what we serve for Easter dinner this year (thanks for the natural dye, Steve!).
25 & 26 Weeks
With the storm and going away for a bit, the belly photos have gotten off track! Too bad, photos from the hotel balcony overlooking the beach would've been neat. Here's a combined update for 25 and 26 weeks, during which time we have no posed belly shots. Back to those for the 27 week update, promise.
During week 25 (2/15/13), baby was the size of an infamous rutabaga, you know how big that is right? Ha. The baby center post discusses not being able to move around as easily, which I'm definitely finding to be true. Just normal stuff is starting to feel taxing, and I'm reminding myself to take breaks, sit down more often, etc. I need to run with a belly band for added support these days. The post recommends taking it easy when exercising and not working out if you're not feeling up to it; I'm still running 2-3 times per week but I'm definitely not feeling too guilty if I skip a run these days. Sometimes I'm already feeling tired and/or tight in my back, so it doesn't make sense to add to it. The chiropractor's still helping out quite a bit. I see him about every two weeks now. The pain on my left side has been corrected, and now it's just basic lower back pain that I'm sure is pretty standard for third trimester pregnancy.
During week 26 (2/22/13), baby shot up to nearly 2 lbs in weight and in height is rivaling an English cucumber. Grow, baby, grow! The baby center post mentions back pain (check), rushing around getting ready for baby (uh, there's still time for that later, right?), childbirth class (we're pros so we don't need that this time around, ha!), and creating a birth plan (not so much, but we ARE planning on laboring at home in a tub which is new this time around, and will require some advanced planning and equipment purchasing and set-up). This is the week when we had a magical sibling milestone: Bradley felt his little brother kicking inside my belly for the first time. His face positively lit up, and now he enjoys feeling for the baby frequently (and even pretending he feels kicks when there are none, heehee).
Our next prenatal appointment is scheduled for 3/20/13. I will have a gestational diabetes screening done, so cross your fingers for me! I don't want to give up sweets at this point, they're WAY too important to me.
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