Today's Beauty

We were surprised at this butterfly's unique colors. The others have been yellow and black.

Summer Cooking -- a month of salads, grill, and crockpot

Technically, it is not yet summer, but temps are already topping 100! Nobody wants to stand in front of the stove or open the oven door, so I brainstormed a month of meals using the grill or crockpot along with some fun salads. (This isn't a full 30 days of meals as a few days will call for leftovers or eating out/being out of town, or John cooking :-) .)

CROCKPOT
ribs with baked potato and (canned) baked beans
roast beef with potatoes and carrots
pork roast with root veggies
chicken and rice casserole
chicken lettuce wraps
lasagna
I'm excited to try out some new recipes in the crockpot. The ribs are cooking right now for tonight's dinner.

SALADS
chicken salad (I'm a sucker for Costco's chicken salad, so this will come from there and be used for a week's lunches, too.)
pasta salad (with leftover crockpot pork)
panzanella
deviled eggs and green salad
chinese chopped chicken salad
chicken caesar salad
spinach salad with bacon
cobb salad
hopefully, some of this will come from our garden

GRILL
ribeyes
beef filets
pork chops
chicken
sausage
burgers
hot dogs
salmon
catfish
fajitas
Grill meals served with baked potato, baked sweet potato, wild rice, or chips and a veggie foil-wrap cooked on the grill

Happy Birthday!

Thirty-three years ago today, my parents gave me the best birthday present ever (a few days early) -- my little sister, Mary Janette. I've always loved her, but I do think it has taken me a few years to appreciate her as much as I do now. I can not imagine my life without her, and I am so thankful my girls have each other because I know how great having a sister can be. And yeah, I admit here in print, I am older. She loves it when you ask that, though, so go ahead and ask next time you see us together which of us is older.

Love you, sis! Happy Birthday!!

I'm a mom, always and forever and foremost, but I'm not *just* a mom

Caroline: When I grow up, I want to be a daddy.
John: Why?
Caroline: Because I want to go to work.

Even writing it now, I feel a stab of pain in my chest and a little bile in my throat.

I am a proud stay-at-home mom. I feel very, very strongly about my decision to stay home. It is, without a doubt, the only way I will raise my kids.

But I am an adamant feminist. I want my daughters to know they have choices. I want my daughters to have it all. Hell, I want to have it all.

And I believe that I do have it all. I had a career. Even now, I put my degree to use and earn a little bit of income. For a short period, I'm at home raising my girls, but I will return to work someday. I hope then that Caroline can see that women, mommies even, have careers.

I think what bothers me most about her comment is that she sees what John does as better... more fun. That makes me worry that I do not seem, to her, at least, to love what I am doing every day. I think of all the times I must seem rushed and frustrated to her. I am going to imprint her words into my brain to remind myself to show her how much I love what I do.

Because I do. And I hope someday she gets to have a career. And be home with her babies. And then continue her career. It is a wonderful life!

How long 'til they kick us out of the HOA?

Bargain Shopping Updates

As you may have noticed, I'm not hitting the CVS/Walgreens freebies so often lately. First, I'm pretty well stocked from that past year. Second, the deals aren't so grand lately. Walgreens has even changed its program, so there is not so much free or almost-free stuff to be had. And third, I've joined a cooperative buying group of moms here in Austin (and a few others online) that is totally feeding my hunger for a good deal.

Our coop, using volume of numbers and sometimes a resale license of a member, buys at wholesale or special coop pricing from vendors. We've coop-ed bras, slings, shoes, fabric, toys...and more. Each month, we do a group buy of products like bath and household stuff, so I'm getting my deals there. Granted, this is natural/organic stuff, so it is pricier (therefore NOT free) but it is much cheaper than I'd get at a retailer.

There are two brands, though, that do not sell to coops that I must have for my girls and am always on the lookout for a good deal on. California Baby body wash/shampoo is the only soap I've found that keeps Caroline's eczema in check. It is all that has touched Elizabeth's skin and we've not had any problems with her yet (knock wood.) And Badger sunscreen is rated safest by the Cosmetics Database. Both are pricey! I've found that diapers.com has the best prices on California Baby, though, and just discovered that they price match. Since drugstore.com is running Badger on special right now, I emailed diapers.com about their sale, and they honored the sale price on Badger. Therefore, I was able to order California Baby soaps and some Badger sunscreen at sale prices and get free shipping. Remember, if you use my code, AMAN0432, at diapers.com, you can get $10 off your first purchase (and I get a bonus, too!)

Our Swallow Tail Butterfly

We brought in a tiny caterpillar and fed him dill from the garden. He spun himself a nice little cocoon, and today, he broke free and became a beautiful butterfly. Caroline's excitement was such a joy to watch! She was the one who discovered the butterfly was out of the cocoon. We have one more chrysalis waiting, probably a few more days.

Secrets of my Slingess

If you have seen me out and about on multiple occasions, you may ask yourself, "How many slings does this girl have?" My secret: not as many as it would appear. You see, I have discovered the art of buying, selling, and trading. And it is a hobby that leads to obsession.

Visit The Babywearer forums For Sale or Trade section, and you may become hooked, too!

I started with one sling. That black pouch sling, a Hotslings (still my favorite brand!) when Caroline was just a few weeks old. I tried many other types of carriers throughout her carrier-hood, so by the time I was shopping for Elizabeth, I knew just what I wanted. I traded and sold some of my Caroline carriers to create my "perfect" stash for Elizabeth. But then, I didn't love it so much. So I did some more trading. And I realized that I never had to get bored with a carrier or a print again. As soon as I was bored or saw something else that caught my fancy, I could trade!

At the moment, I have the perfect stash for me. (Interestingly, I have or am in the process of trading all of the above pictured slings but the Mei Tei)
One reversible Babyhawk Mei Tei
One camel Ergo
Two Hotslings (Solstice -- a black pattern and Pashmina Pink -- obviously pinks)
One WAHM pouch sling in Mocca
(this gives me three pouch slings that cover my wardrobe of colors--brown, black, and pink)

Now, that is the stash today. You never know what you'll see tomorrow!

The Girls' Blogs

I have restricted access to the girls' blogs to authors only (that would be me, but I added John to the list as well.) I set up Caroline's blog shortly after she was born to allow out-of-town family to watch her grow. It has evolved into her baby book, really, since I am not a scrapbooker. I love putting new pictures of the girls on the blog, and I really enjoy looking back over the past weeks, months, years remembering. It was meant to be fun and to bring joy. It is not meant to create more work for me. I'm mom to a new baby and am not taking on additional tasks right now. It is not meant to be a competition for who is featured in the most pictures. And it is not meant to hurt feelings.

I'll continue to update the blog, but it will be visible only to me and John and serve as a memory album for our family. I have enjoyed sharing pictures with you these past almost four years. If you want to see them, come visit us! Perhaps I'll be able to open them up again someday.

Twilight Series: Now I get it

I finally gave in and read the much-hyped Twilight series. I like to read, and so many people said these were good. What really prompted me to pick them up with interest, though, was how many conservative Christian friends raved about them. I'm talking friends who are of the mind that they would not read the Harry Potter series. And these folks LOVED Twilight. Which is about vampires. So, kid wizards--NO. teen vampires--Yes. I was baffled. I was curious.

I asked a friend why she thought that was, and she said SEX. I'm not giving anything big away by saying that Edward and Bella save it for marriage.

SPOILERS BELOW:







I finished the last book in the series last night, and I can see many levels of Christian imagery. Denial of sinful nature (these vampires don't suck human blood, though it is a constant struggle to abstain.) Self-sacrifice (though not in the Christ sense as it is all about saving their only child.) Good (and one is good because denying his sinful nature allows him to love others as he loves himself) versus evil (who is only looking out for his best interests.) There was also the mormon idea of being bound for eternity in marriage.

So much to discuss, really. This is great for bookclub fodder. Or for a literary analysis thesis.

The Beauty of Playdates

When Caroline was smaller, we had plenty of playdates. I enjoyed visiting with other moms while the kids played. Now that she is older, I have a whole new appreciation for playdates. Now, you see, it's a drop and go kind of thing. And either way (as host or guest) playdates are FABULOUS! If you're the one dropping your kid to play with someone else's for a few hours, the beauty is obvious. What is not as obvious is how great it is to be the host, too. Mom can get quite a bit done (or just relax with a few moments that don't involve Candyland) without constant interuptions from a lone preschooler. Two is better than one.

Reflections on a Night Out

John and I had our first night out since Elizabeth's birth last night. That means it was the the first time Elizabeth was in care of someone besides her momma or daddy. She was with her Uncle Tony and Aunt Mary, though, so she was in excellent care!

We had a nice time -- drinks, dinner, auction bidding, and adult conversation (even though the dinner conversation was about schools. The Bindels are one of maybe three families at St. Matts who won't be sending our kiddos to private school.)

On getting dressed up:
I wore lots of makeup, tried to go curly with the hair, and wore a jazzy top from White House/Black Market (outlet, of course!). I think I ended up looking more scary than what I was going for. Caroline, Megan, and Sophi all kept staring at me. I asked them if I looked scary, and they said "No. You look fancy." I don't believe them, though. By the time I was halfway through my Cosmo, I didn't care how I looked anyway.

On Elizabeth's first bottle:
She refused to take a bottle from Mary, so Tony had to give it to her. I imagine the internal monologue in Elizabeth's head went like this (in a Stewie from Family Guy voice):
"Get that blasted contraption of glass and rubber away from me, woman, and put those mammaries to some use!"

On mama's good luck:
I won the grand prize of the Shuttle Prizes (tickets bought to choose a shuttle, each with a prize) at La Noche, St. Matt's fundraiser last night. $500 worth of jewelry from Tracy Tenpenny. Gorgeous stuff. Just in time for Elizabeth's grabby stage. I wore on necklace to church this morning and felt really pretty. Elizabeth did grab it a few times, but I was able to break her free without breaking the necklace.

Lenten Table

We have our same activities set up on our Lenten table again this year. Caroline really enjoys retelling the stories of Jesus's ministry using the story board, and she has been really insightful in the blessings she has chosen to thank God for each night (the trees, our home, our church, her sister). The blessing tree started as a bare branch. Each day, we thank God for a blessing he has given us and add a ribbon to the tree. We'll have a beautiful ribbon-filled tree by Easter to remind us of God's blessings. I have the Lenten coloring book out for her, too. She's colored a few pages and we discuss those, but she doesn't color in it every day.

She's done some neat activities at church, too, in Sunday School and on Wednesday nights.

(the links to the coloring book and story board no longer work. Looks like they are out of print or unavailable now.)

Sleep Cycles

Newborn: you wake them every few hours to nurse to make sure they grow strong and healthy.
Infant and Toddler: you do whatever you can to keep them from waking so they can be rested and not cranky.
Preschooler: you want them not to sleep so deeply that they don't wake up when they have to pee or else you end up waking them up in the middle of the night to preserve a dry bed.

And then you get pregnant and never sleep well again in your life because pregnant women don't sleep well and once you give birth, you become a mother who hears every little sound that goes bump in the night. Which is a good thing because you have to wake up to feed the baby and potty the big sister!

Post Partum Lessons

This time around, I've learned:
-- second c-section recovery is much easier (and not because of forgoing labor, as many assume, since I did labor)
-- the value of meals from friends
-- the importance of the big sibling gift
-- that paid paternity leave is a wonderful benefit
-- that getting a bit of baby fever is common when you know this is your last (several friends have confirmed they felt that way, and my doctor said she did, too.)

My experience with Caroline taught me
-- how to maximize my sleep (nurse the baby in your own bed and sleep!)
-- not to fret over the state of the moment but rather to enjoy it. Each stage has its time and passes quickly
-- that it is easy to take a newborn with you anywhere and everywhere, so enjoy *that* while it lasts
-- the value of a sling (oh, who am I kiddin') many slings
-- not to bother with pumping regularly

But, of course, Elizabeth has already taught me that every baby is different. Unlike her sister, she is not a nurse-all-day kind of girl. Now, that may have been difficult to handle at first with Caroline, but I adjusted. I watched lots of shows. I read lots of internet boards. I was actually looking forward to that life of leisure again. Well, Little Miss Elizabeth is a much less intense and a much more efficient nurser.

She has taught me that I have been wrong in touting swaddling as THE sleep solution. She doesn't care to be swaddled at all. It seems to give her gas.

She has shown me that she is her own little person already. She has taught me that, contrary to Brown v. Board of Education's ruling, love for our kids can be different but equal.

Mommy of Two

Two nights ago, we were initiated into the two-child-needing-parenting-at-the-same-time realm. Around 10 p.m., I went in to check on sleeping Caroline. As I walked into her room, I was struck by the stench of cheese. As I was poking around, she woke up and asked for water. As she sat up, I noticed little bits of vomit on her nightgown, on her pillow, on her sheets. I got her up out of bed, and then she really threw up. So, I pulled her sheets off and tried to figure out sleeping arrangements. Elizabeth spends much of the night in bed with me nursing. Since Caroline was sick enough to throw up and not awaken, we were nervous about leaving her alone in bed lest she aspirate on vomit. So, John and Caroline slept in the guest bed, and Elizabeth and I took the master suite. I'm so lucky that John has this extended paternity leave to help with nights like that. And I realize this is the slow initiation into parenting two, as all Elizabeth does these early days is sleep, nurse, and poop, and sleep again!

On another note, I've discovered the really fun part of parenting two girls--MATCHING OUTFITS!! I used my Gymbucks last week to get them matching Valentine dresses, and I shopped a sale at my favorite smocked dress store online and got them matching Easter dresses, too. Expect to see lots of coordinating outfits pictured on their blogs. It's just too fun to resist! (I know some of you know just what I mean.)

Diapers -- save $10

Use this code, AMAN0432, to save $10 at diapers.com. They sell both cloth and disposable diapers and other baby products, too. You get free shipping with orders over $49, too -- no sales tax in Texas either, so a good deal. I just bought some California Baby shampoo / body wash, a Bum Genius diaper, and Triple Paste diaper cream there.

My Babymoon

I had not heard the term "babymoon" until after Caroline was born and I started running in the mommy circles. This time around, I am fully enjoying my babymoon, savoring every moment! If you aren't familiar with a babymoon, it is very similar to a honeymoon. Here's how to enjoy your moon--be it a baby or honey.

Spend lots of time in bed with your new love. Obviously on a honeymoon, no explanation needed. With a newborn, cuddle up in bed together for frequent naps and a much easier nighttime. I take at least one nap a day with Elizabeth, and we sleep the night away, getting up for a diaper change or two along with a dose of pain meds.

Don't worry with chores and food. On a honeymoon, eat out in nice restaurants. John and I saved the receipt from our "fancy" dinner out on our honeymoon. Like $63, which we thought was so expensive. Those were our lightweight drinking days. I'm sure he wishes I was still such a cheap date. On a babymoon, don't worry about housework. We have been so blessed to have some friends organize a food tree. We've had dinner brought to us nearly every night so far, and we'll have meals every other night for a couple more weeks. It is so wonderful not to have to worry with that detail.

Wear lingerie. Again, honeymoon obvious. That's what lingerie parties are for. For your babymoon, I recommend a few comfy pjs that you'd wear in front of company along with a nursing tank. I shower and put on a new set of pjs each day. It is comfy and makes those daily naps much easier.

Enjoy every minute of it! If it's a honeymoon, it will hopefully be your only one. If it's a babymoon, you may get more than one, but it won't be too often.

Now, doesn't the "moon" part indicate a full 28 days? I've got 20 days left to enjoy my babymoon!

Get your natural toys now!

I just discovered a fun imaginative toys blog and discovered the give-a-way linked above. Now (until early February) is the time to shop for natural toys made by small toymakers as these folks may be pushed out of business when the CPSIA goes into effect.

Story of Elizabeth's Birth

Even just four days later, I'm having trouble remembering details, so I want to get this written down now before I forget even more.

At my weekly doctor’s appointment Tuesday, my doctor asked about scheduling a c-section sometime after 40 weeks. She said she’d let me go as long as I wanted to 42 weeks but that we should get an OR scheduled as they book up quickly. I choose January 19 – I’d be 40 weeks 5 days then. But then I started praying. I prayed and asked others to pray for labor to begin soon.

I’ve been researching VBAC since after Caroline’s birth and knew that my priority was going in to labor on my own. I had come to peace with the possibility of another c-section, but I really wanted to go into labor on my own to ensure the baby was ready and to give baby the benefit of as many labor hormones as possible.

I’d been having Braxton Hicks contractions for months, but they had been coming, at times in the last weeks, in regular intervals with a bit more discomfort. While I wanted baby to be born soon, I had a few dates in mind that I preferred not to have as baby’s birthday. I didn’t want the baby to be born on Epiphany, January 6, because we like to do a final Christmas gift on that day in observance of the Kings bringing gifts to the Christ Child. That would take away from a kid’s birthday and vice-versa. Our wedding anniversary is Jan. 7, and though, that would not be as much of a problem, I’d rather everyone have her own special day. Then, the 10 and 11th of January were the days we found out about and delivered the pregnancy I lost. I would have dealt with that had I given birth those days, but I just didn’t really want to. So, that left January 8 and 9 if I wanted to get the baby out sooner rather than later.

The morning of our anniversary, I was home alone. John dropped Caroline at school, and I set to taking down Christmas decorations. I noticed some cramping and would sit down often. I also had some bloody show but not a lot. I knew that could mean labor was coming or it could still be a week, so I tried not to get excited. The contractions continued, so I took a walk around the block to get the mail and see if that would change them at all. Contractions continued, so I called and asked John to pick Caroline up at 1:00 and work from home the rest of the afternoon. I didn’t want him to get all excited yet because I wasn’t positive, but he did come home and work / occupy her for me for a few hours. I rested on our bed through contractions, taking breaks to get things together for the hospital and a few days away from home. I called my dad and sister and alerted them but told them not to get on the road yet. I wanted to wait until the hospital admitted me or my water broke. I called my friend Stancey to see if she was free to watch Caroline for a couple of hours until my sister could get here. She didn’t have her son with her but was getting a pedicure down the street. We dropped Caroline off at the nail salon. John walked in and just sat Caroline down on Stancey’s lap as she sat in the massage chair.

At the hospital, I was encouraged to hear that my nurse had a VBAC herself. We got through a few questions in the triage room and headed to Labor and Delivery. I got settled in the bed there but could not get comfortable with the monitors and being on the bed. I tried to stand and sway through a few contractions but we’d loose the monitoring then. I knew that was a possibility but was not going to refuse continuous fetal monitoring. I got into bed, asked for the epidural and some Stadol to hold me over until then. We did get a shift change of nurses during this time, and I liked my new nurse, too. My contractions were coming regularly, but the baby was still really high. I had a different doctor since it was the middle of the night – Dr. Scheiffer. She broke my water and put a contraction monitor internally. The external fetal monitor was working fine so we didn’t need to place that internally. When I was around five centimeters dilated, I got really uncomfortable – almost like I was having a panic attack. I was freezing, shaking. I was uncomfortable. I just wanted it to all be over. I wondered if that could be transition, but I was only five centimeters dilated. The baby’s heartrate was not responsive during contractions at that point, either, so they recommended a c-section. I immediately said yes. I just wanted it to be over.

In retrospect, I think that panicking my body did was a sign. In the operating room, I could hear the doctor and nurses whispering and talking. I had specified in my c-section birth plan that I wanted to be talked through the operation, so I asked what was going on. The nurse came to my head and said that they got me in just in time as I was near rupture. When the doctor broke my water (it had been broken during labor but the baby’s head sometimes put pressure in areas so that it doesn’t all break), there was blood in the water. She said that indicated either a small placental abruption or the beginning of uterine rupture. Baby is absolutely fine, though, as am I! It seemed like it took hours for them to get to the baby and get HER out. John called it when he saw her! “We have another daughter!” he said. The pediatric nurse came over and introduced herself to me and said she had read my birth requests for after delivery and they would honor all of those. John went with Elizabeth and the nurse to the nursery, and I stayed behind to get sewn up. I was FREEZING! The anesthesiologist was great. I kept asking him to bring me more warm blankets and eventually he brought me a blanket that they hooked up to a sort-of hair dryer and just continuously blew it full of hot air. At some point, someone came in and informed us the baby’s weight was nine pounds two ounces.

I did get warmer in the recovery room. I chatted with my nurse and waited for my baby. I had a slight fever, I think due to being under that blanket, for a little bit, but it didn’t last long. They brought my baby girl, Mary Elizabeth, to me, and she latched on and nursed right away. John called my dad and sister and daddy got there shortly after.

It was such a busy night in Labor and Delivery that there were no Postpartum rooms available. They cleaned up my labor room and put us back in there for the night. It was a nice big room, so it was good to be there for a while. In the early afternoon, they removed my IV and catheter. I was able to walk around a bit then. I had a few visitors in my labor room before we were moved to the postpartum wing (and smaller room) just before 7 p.m. shift change. My recovery went well, and we came home on Saturday.

We are doing great! We are so much more confident and relaxed with this second baby, and I think our state of mind makes it easier.

Pregnancy Journal

May 9, 2008
You know you’re pregnant when you buy three Costco items not on your list just because you liked the samples.

I took a pregnancy test yesterday morning and began my plan for telling John (who happened to be working from home all day.) It was fun to carry my secret around those few hours. Caroline and I played in the morning. Then we ran some errands. When we got home, we baked brownies, and I went and took a digital pregnancy test. I used a cookie cutter to cut a brownie into a positive sign, handed it and the digital test with PREGNANT on it to Caroline, and asked her to take them to her daddy. He took them. Caroline said, “Look, it’s a cross.” I added that it is also a plus sign or a positive sign. John agreed. He ate the brownie. Caroline handed him the test, and he said, “That’s mommy’s.”

And then he turned back to his computer.

I left the room not knowing what was going on. Was he upset? I gave myself a moment to calm down, and then I just went in the bedroom and asked him, “What’s up with you?” He was puzzled. I had to explain everything to him, and then he got it! He didn’t even look at the pregnancy test. He thought Caroline was playing store and bringing him something to check out.

I called my doctor to make sure continuing to workout is fine. It is, but I need to keep my heartrate below 140. I’ll still walk on the treadmill for 30-45 minutes, I’ll just slow down my pace and use no incline. I made a doctor’s appointment for seven weeks. My estimated due date is January 15.

I feel a bit silly now with how down I got over not being pregnant “already” after three months. I was being such a fatalist. I’m so happy to be cutting out the wine and cutting down on the diet cokes!

And I just read that Michelle Duggar is due to birth her 18th child the same month I will. It does seem odd to me that she announced her pregnancy to the whole world (via The Today Show) at just six weeks.

May 16, 2008
Brush teeth. Chat on phone with friend. I feel it coming…gotta get off the phone. Uh, uh, gag, uh…And so the “morning sickness” begins again.

June 16, 2008
Actually, the morning sickness hasn’t been that bad at all, at least not compared to my past two pregnancies. I’ve thrown up four times, I think. I’ll get a wave of nausea every now and then, but I’m not throwing up. I’m tired, but I am resting. We went on a family cruise last week, which was just great timing. I booked it right before I found out I was pregnant, knowing there was a possibility I’d be pregnant on the cruise. I figured – a vacation where I can nap every day, be waited on for every meal, and have no housework would be a great first trimester treat. It was! We had a great time. I did tell our tablemates a few days in to the cruise that I was pregnant. A mom was cruising with her teenaged daughters, one of whom ordered a virgin strawberry daiquiri two separate times – to be served a regular alcoholic daiquiri both times. I confessed that I’d sure like to order a virgin drink for myself but that I just couldn’t take the risk of having the order messed up.

I’ve been going to the doctor every week or so for ultrasound checks – for reassurance. The baby is measuring a bit behind my original due date per my cycle (January 15). We’ve seen a strong heartbeat, though, so my doctor isn’t concerned. She said she’ll give me a firm due date at my next appointment.

June 20, 2008
Doctor’s Appointment today
Weight: holding steady – even after that cruise! 
B/P: 102/68
Dating per ultrasound: 9 weeks 5 days (EDD Jan 19)
I am really, really tired all the time. Caroline is in a sometimes-napping stage. When she doesn’t nap, I let her watch TV while I snooze for an hour or so. It helps. I find I can get more done in the mornings if I take it slowly, so my plan for the next couple of weeks is to stay home in the mornings – slowly doing whatever chores I have to do and doing some activities with Caroline. Then I have her signed up for an afternoon camp from 1:30 to 4:30 every day next week. (I’m just going to sign her up one week at a time.) That will give me the chance to nap without parking her in front of the TV and will keep her awake and active so that she’ll go to bed at a decent hour. Naps are nice, but staying up until 9:30 or 10 p.m. is not.

July 9, 2008
I shared our news with my family last week, though the announcement did not go according to my plan. I had ordered a shirt that says “Bun in the Oven” and planned to wear it and see how long it took them to figure it out. Instead, I told daddy and Mary both in tears as I was afraid Sophi had Fifth’s Disease. She did not, and I had my immunity checked and am already immune. That’s something we won’t have to worry about so much now. I told Carlye, too, because I’m announcing to the Bindels this weekend and had a feeling that we may need to coordinate our announcements. We do!  I’m making shirts for Caroline and Georgia to wear to a party at Granda’s house Saturday night.

My friend Caroline brought me her Baby Beats doppler just a few days before I found out I was pregnant. John and I have been listening to the heartbeat every night now for a couple of weeks. I am so glad to have that! Dr. McNelis had her baby last week, so I’ll see one of her partners at my appointment tomorrow.

I’m still wearing my regular clothes, but I sure look fat in them. I think anyone who is paying attention probably has this pregnancy pegged already. They’re being kind and not saying anything, though.

July 10, 2008
Since Dr. McNelis is on maternity leave, I saw on of her partners. It really makes me appreciate my doctor. This other lady was nice, sure, and did her job fine, but I just like Dr. McNelis better. And Dr. McNelis gives me ultrasounds every visit. This lady just used the doppler to check the heartbeat. We do that at home. She did give a count, though, of 156 bpm. Right in the middle of the gender predictions, but she said it’s early for that anyway.

July 15, 2008
Feeling quite a bit better. Still gag occasionally. Still very tired. But it is all bearable.

We told the Bindels this weekend at a family gathering. It took a few minutes for anyone to notice their shirts, but once they did, everyone was excited for us. Looks like Bindel babies are coming every month from October to March (except February.)

August 1, 2008
John and I went to have an ultrasound last week. I chose that for reassurance instead of having the NT scan done (a test for Downs Syndrome that is pretty inconclusive anyway.) Baby was moving a lot. Heartbeat was 156 bpm. I’m thinking girl. My belly is growing, for sure, so keeping my secret is not working so well. I had lunch with some friends from an old playgroup. One of them asked right away. I told some other friends this week, too. I suppose news will slowly spread as my tummy does.

August 13, 2008
We’re pretty open with our news now, as if it isn’t obvious by looking at me. I wore maternity pants this week at 18 weeks. I called and told Nanny yesterday, and she has a quilt she started for my last pregnancy that she will finish for this baby. I was touched by that. My blood pressure was high at this appointment, too. 130/80 last month and this month. Dr. McNelis said they don’t get concerned / medicate until 150s over 100s. She thinks that I have hypertensive tendencies already, and that I am stressed and worried at this point in my pregnancy due to the loss at this time last pregnancy. She said my bp will probably go down once I get past 20 weeks. I stopped and took it at the HEB pharmacy this week and the first time was 112/72. Second time was 107/70. Much better! I believe I’m feeling some flutters, too!

August 28, 2008
We had our 20-week anatomy ultrasound today. I had listened to the heartbeat before we left so that I wouldn’t be terrified, but of course, I was still nervous. Baby was moving around lots. Caroline was fascinated that the baby was kicking me so much. The tech did comment that I have a low-lying placenta. It is at 1.7 cm, and she said they like to see it at 4 cm. My internet research tells me 2-3 cm is acceptable, though, and that it will most likely move in these next weeks. If it doesn’t, I’d have to have a c-section. I’m OK if it comes to that.

Baby weighs 11 ounces. Heartrate was 153 bpm.

September 4, 2008
Last night, John felt the baby move for the first time, and he and I both SAW it move from the outside. Very exciting!!

September 7, 2008
Doctor's appointment
weight -- up six pounds
bp -- 114/70 -- much better! My doc was right, I guess.
I forgot to ask what the baby's heart rate was, but we listened and doc said it sounded good.
She said not to give that low-lying placenta a second though. It will fix itself in the coming months as my uterus grows. It was at 1.7 cm she said, and it just needs to be at 2 cm.
And it has nowhere to grow by up. :-)

October 6, 2008
Doctor's appointment
weight -- up 12 pounds (similar to my weight-gain pattern with Caroline)
bp -- 114/70 (again)
fundal height: 27 cm (I'm only 26 weeks but doc says it's give or take a couple of cm)
blood sugar level per the one-hour GTT: 151 -- winning me an 8-hour-fast and chance to take the three-hour glucose tolerance test

October 8, 2008
I passed the three-hour-glucose tolerance test.

November 3, 2008
Doctor's appointment
weight -- up 18 pounds
bp -- 120/72
fundal height -- 31 1/2 cm
I'll start seeing the doctor every other week now. I made my next appointment for a Tuesday and plan to take Caroline along.

I have been feeling lots of pressure on my bladder. For example, I can't walk the block without feeling like I have to pee urgently. It is very tempting to stop at one of those Johnny-on-the-Spots the construction crews have all over the place in our neighborhood. Once I stop walking, though, the urge isn't there so much. I'm also having some shortness of breath. I think that's a combination of a lingering cold and baby decreasing my lung capacity.

Once I get Christmas and fall/winter birthday wrapping completed (I've done my Christmas shopping and bought for the upcoming birthdays through January already), I'll start sorting baby clothes and diapers and getting that stuff set up. I'd like to have that all ready by Christmas and just spend the last weeks of pregnancy resting.

November 13, 2008
Headache last night like I've never had in my life. Got out of breath really easily this morning, like when just talking on the phone to my sister. Really thirsty. Mary convinced me to call my doctor. When the nurse called me back, she had me come in for some monitoring. I sat in a nice cushy recliner hooked up to a monitor for a few minutes. Everything sounded perfect. Blood pressure was 110/68, and urine looked fine. Nurse felt around on my tummy and just said I was probably out of breath because the baby is taking up my lung space. Dr. McNelis checked in on my and verified being out of breath is just part of being pregnant.


November 25, 2008
Biweekly appointment today. I had Caroline with me and had an important wine-drinking-question on my mind (she always asks if I have any questions and I rarely do), so I forgot to ask what my belly measurement was. Weight is so bad I'm embarrassed to record it (up 26 pounds). BP was 112 / 66.

Sleeping is not going well. I can't get comfortable. Rolling over hurts (round ligament pain.) I think the ideal would be sleeping in two-hour increments throughout the day...Hmmm...sort of how a newborn sleeps!

December 16, 2008
Less than a month to go! Today was the first of my weekly appointments (though due to Christmas, it will be a bit more than a week until my next appointment.)

36 weeks
fundal height: 37 cm
weight: up 28 pounds
bp: 120/80
baby is head down but still high

I don't really sleep anymore. I doze. I feel OK, though. I am having lots of braxton hicks contractions, but that means nothing as far as when labor might begin.

December 27, 2008
I noticed today that those nice smiles and nods acknowledging the beautiful life growing inside of me are now more looks of pity. As I waddled into the bathroom at Costco, one woman even said the words, "Awwww...Better you than me."

I'm not going to estimate weight, but I do think this baby is going to be two feet long.

December 29, 2008
37 weeks, 5 days
Doctor says "I'll see you next week." Bah!
Baby is still high; one centimeter dilated; 50 percent effaced
BP was 120 / 82 (nurse said that is fine, though)
Didn't pay attention to the rest.
I will have antibiotics during labor because I tested positive for Group B Strep.
Everything on my birth plan looked fine to my doctor.
John, Caroline, and I toured the new Labor and Delivery wing of the hospital yesterday. Huge, nice, new L&D rooms.

January 2, 2009
False alarm! After timing contractions five minutes apart for an hour in the middle of the night, I called Mary to head to Austin. John got up and put the car seat in and loaded my bags and laid down with Caroline. I laid down, too, and continued timing those five minute apart contractions. They weren’t awful, but they were coming every five minutes. We headed to the hospital a bit after the Satoros arrived, and Daddy and Karen were on their way, too. Once we were in the car, the contractions stopped. We should have just turned around and come home, but we continued on the hospital. Once they got me hooked up on all the monitors and I still wasn’t having contractions, I asked to go home. They had to keep me on the monitors for a certain period of time but then let me go. Very embarrassing and inconvenient for my family. They were very nice about it all, though.

January 6, 2008
I am getting so many phone calls, emails, and facebook messages that I feel really loved. :-) I'll be 39 weeks tomorrow. Please pray that I go into labor on my own SOON as I do not want a repeat c-section, but I also do not want to go much past my due date.
BP: 120/80
Dilation: 2 cm
Weight: up 36 pounds
Fundal Height: 37 cm -- I thought that seemed small but doc said it doesn't mean much. I asked if that meant I wouldn't have a nine-pounder. She felt my tummy and says it is definitely in the eight pound range right now. I know I feel movement really high and really low. Lots of baby in there!

Two Weeks Four Days and Counting

I noticed today that those nice smiles and nods acknowledging the beautiful life growing inside of me are now more looks of pity. As I waddled into the bathroom at Costco, one woman even said the words, "Awwww...Better you than me."

I'm not going to estimate weight, but I do think this baby is going to be two feet long.

CAVEAT EMPTOR -- amazon shoppers

I am a huge amazon fan. I've bought books there for years, and now I search for anything and everything there. I've bought groceries, gifts, clothing, and cosmetics. They have it all, and it's a really cool business plan. I've blogged before about my love for their Wish List feature, and I use it extensively.

I noticed something yesterday, though, that disturbed me, and I must warn others to be on the lookout when shopping on amazon, especially when shopping wish lists. I have on Caroline's Wish List a Fisher Price toy airplane -- when I added it, it was in the $12 price range, I believe. Normally, a great feature of amazon's wish lists is that it will automatically show you the best deal. I noticed last weekend that the plane was on sale at Target for 3.99. I didn't buy it, though, as shipping for the one item would have added more than $6. I peeked at her list again yesterday, wondering if the item was still on sale, to find it was now shown at $55.00. I couldn't believe it. I clicked around and found that there were still plenty of the same plane for sale on amazon for $12.99, but one of amazon's third party merchants (Black Sheep Deals -- I'd agree this one's a black sheep!) pays to be a featured seller on amazon so that puts his items at the top of the searches. His stuff is outrageously overpriced -- most things I saw were marked up four or five times what one could find them at elsewhere.

So, amazon makes money off of these "featured sellers" but has no control in how they rip off customers. I was not pleased with the emailed response I got from customer service. Basically, it's out of their hands. BUYER BEWARE!!



When shopping at amazon, follow these tips:

1. Do not automatically buy the first product that comes up in the search or on the wishlist. Always click the "X new and used available from Y" link to see what other vendors are selling the product for.

2. Pay attention to shipping. Some of the third party vendors will really rip you off on shipping/handling charges.

3. Read the vendor reviews. This Black Sheep guy has several reviews stating his rip-offs, slow shipping, lost products, and bad customer service.

4. Be sure you're getting the best deal possible for doing a google search for the item. You may find a great deal at a different retailer. (Don't forget number two.)

5. After you've narrowed down to a couple of the best retailer deals, check Retail Me Not and Ebates for coupon codes.

Happy Shopping! (Though I hope you have finished your Christmas shopping and aren't battling crowds or nervously hoping packages arrive in time.)

Newborn Diaper Stash

For a second baby, especially one whose gender will be a surprise, there isn't much shopping fun . . . unless you use cloth diapers and need to stock up on newborn diapers! Here's my stash! I am pretty excited and can't wait for baby to be here with it's cute little fluffy-covered bum.

(From top left to top right, working left to right)
-- Loveybums wool cover (was a large of Caroline's that mama accidentally dryed in the dryer. Now it's sized for a newborn) :-)
-- 3 small Fuzzi Bunz
-- newborn recycled wool longies
-- stack of prefolds (10), Kissaluvs doublers, microfiber towels for doublers, hemp and Mother-of-Eden pocket inserts
-- Berry Plush AIOs (brown earth and yellow embroidered with monkey)
-- WAHM pocket dipe embroidererd with turtle
-- 5 Tinkle Traps prefitteds
-- Muttaqin newborn sheep print
-- Muttaqin newborn monkey print
-- Pee Well small monkey print
-- 10 Kissaluvs size 0 (yellow, green, blue, white) -- pictured bottom right
-- 3 Thirsties xsmall covers
-- Pee Well small tangerine color

I have *more* than enough fluff for the newborn stage. I didn't realize I had so many prefolds left from Caroline until I pulled stuff out of storage. Honestly, the prefolds will mostly be for stuffers and emergency use. I plan to use the fitteds with covers mostly, saving the Fuzzi Bunz for the periods of longer sleep stretches.

Repurposing

You know the phrase, "recycle, reduce, reuse, repurpose." Pictured here are repurposed bookshelves that John and I have had for about ten years. They are half-height shelves we bought at an unfinished furniture store and stained ourselves. They moved with us from the townhouse to many locations at this house over the years. We've talked many times about wanting full-height shelves in our front room--better use of space, the visual appeal, needing more book storage. And we've wondered about stacking them. When my dad visited last, I mentioned it to him, and he thought it would work. That was the inspiration my wonderful hubby needed. I don't know all the mechanics, but he drilled and screwed and bolted and secured, and these shelves are now safely and beautifully secured in our front living room. I love them! And I like that my husband is nesting along with me (or is at least willing to be the muscle for my nesting). :-)

Belly Comparisons

Above -- 34 weeks 2 days with Baby Bindel 2009. Below -- somewhere in that range, though possibly a week or two later, with Caroline. I'm definitely bloated. Seems my inside ankle (is there a name for that body part?) disappeared the same day stretch marks appeared. I do feel good, though I could certainly nap a few times a day if given the chance. Feel free to speculate on baby's gender if you feel you have an opinion based on how I'm carrying. Looks about the same to me.

Amazon's Cool New Wish List Feature

Have you, in your Christmas Wish List making, discovered Amazon's new Universal Wish List? You can add items from any vendor on the internet to your Amazon list. I don't need many baby items and this is my second child, so I wasn't planning on registering. I did go ahead and add a few baby things to my wish list since I can just add things from any site to my list with a click of a button to serve as an ideas list for me. Very convenient!

What was I doing?

This is a fun little meme that Erica tagged me with.

• 1 minute ago: tossing a salad made with goodies from my garden
  
• 1 day ago: spending the day with John and Caroline
  
• 1 week ago: watching election returns
  
• 1 month ago: getting fatter by the second, I think. :-)
  
• 3 years ago: adjusting to being mom to Sweet Caroline, learning to overcome the intense loneliness being a stay-at-home mom
  
• 5 years ago: working on my things-to-do-before-we-have-kids list and therefore planning a vacation to Paris
  
• 7 years ago: teaching 8th grade English and going to graduate school
  
• 10 years ago: working as a high tech recruiter in the hay-day of the dotcom boom

I tag Rita!

Bargains are back

I haven't been diligent at all about posting my weekly bargains. I still enjoy my time on Sundays, sitting with Caroline at the table while we both clip coupons. (Well, I clip coupons; she cuts paper. She is developing some mean cutting skills according to her preschool teacher.) I haven't found any great brag-worthy items lately, though. Today was a pretty good day, though!

Money Makers at CVS
- St. Ives body wash, $3.99 -- get $3 ECB. Use the printable coupon and make yourself $1.01.

- Garnier Nutriesse shampoo or conditioner -- $2.99 -- get $2 ECB. Use one of the many $1 off coupons to make yourself a pretty penny.

I suggest you use the money you made to put toward $20 worth of chocolate that will earn you $10 of ECB.

Fun Finds at Walgreens
- I've written here before how much I enjoy shaving with Schick Inutition razors -- they have the shaving cream built onto them. They are pricey, but there are always coupons and sales on them. I have been holding a buy one, get one free manufacturer's coupon for them. This month, Walgreens has a $3 coupon on them in the Easy Saver. And this week, they are on sale for $6.99. So, I had the razor on my list, thinking I'd get two packs for $6.99, making them $3.99 for both after both coupons -- nice deal. I get in the store and pick up the first pack and find, hiding behind it, a bonus pack with extra blades!! Score!

- I also found on an endcap, 16-month art calendars for $5 each. I bought one of Monet paintings and one of Van Gogh paintings. These will be great to hang in Caroline's art areas to use in building art appreciation.

Our family tradition -- the Halloween Fairy

An idea I borrowed from some other blogs I read is the Halloween Fairy (could also be called the Tooth Fairy, the Candy Witch, whatever works for you). After trick-or-treating, we let Caroline pick out two pieces of candy. She chose a Reese's Cup and a bag of M&Ms -- took one bite of the Reese's and ate about half the little bag of M&Ms. Then we set the full pumpkin out in her room for the Halloween Fairy. She awoke Saturday morning to a new tutu, a box of face paint sticks, a stamp pad, and a magnifying glass. She LOVES her new stuff and has excitedly told many people about the fairy. As for the candy, John and are munching on Runts and Whoppers as I type.

The Miracle of Birth

John and I watched THE BUSINESS OF BEING BORN last night, checking off one of the movies for my third trimester countdown. I haven't seen Monty Python's THE MEANING OF LIFE since becoming a parent myself, so I really enjoyed the clip included in the documentary. It is frighteningly real, isn't it?

Crafty Mama and Sweet Kitties

Today I made Caroline a fancy tutu that she just loves! These suckas cost big bucks, and I'll end up making her two for about $16 (not necessarily frugal, I know, but trust me, much cheaper than the store-bought versions.)

I also Rit-dyed my favorite maternity pants from my Caroline-pregnancy days. A Mimi Maternity splurge on black capris that I wore probably three times a week with her. Thanks to the dye-job, these will make it through 36 more wears if I continue to wear them three times a week.

And here's a site folks other than John and me don't see -- Missy and Mindy cuddling. They live under our bed -- pretty much full-time -- coming out when the house is empty except for John and/or me, which doesn't happen often since the now-three-year-old moved in a few years ago. Poor cats! Caroline went to run an errand with John this afternoon, and the kitties had to rest outside of their under-bed abode as the bed is up against the wall while John installs the flooring in our bedroom. I snapped this picture a second before we heard the sound of the garage door opening, the cats' cue to skiddadle.