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May 30 where art and engineering collideI've probably watched this video about 5-6 times over the past week or two. It totally trips me out. Who knew such as thing as "kinetic sculptor" existed? Since watching the video for the first time, I find myself thinking about these structures while driving, while walking, when I see bugs and insects in the yard, etc. Now that is what I call evocative art! These creations are simultaneously magical, beautiful, and haunting. I love that they are all wind powered and I'm captivated by how animalistic the structures are. They are these amazing, creepy, disturbing original art creations. They kind of remind me of the creatures from the movie, The Dark Crystal. Man, that movie rocks. I think I will watch it tonight while Rog is on a biz trip! May 28 firmly entrenched in mommydomThis was a week dedicated to evolving into my soon-to-be mommy role. I have just had baby on the brain. The baby has been active (I have felt movement for the past couple of weeks) but this week, in particular, the little one has kicked it into high gear.
We had the big ultrasound on Thursday, and for those of you who haven't heard yet, I've got a little boy in the womb. JB now stands for Just Boy. Ha! I knew it. I have always felt like it was a little boy in there. No reason in particular--mother's intuition I suppose, but I am pleased to discover that I was right and not full of shit:) The baby's little unit was very evident--no mistakes that this little one has the male member. Not only is it a boy, but it is a very active Big Boy in there. The baby didn't stop moving during the entire ultrasound. I certainly have a kung fu baby within--kicking, punching, stretching, etc. We even got an ultrasound picture with the baby in a good defensive, sparring guard position. We also discovered that the baby weighs approximately 1lb! This is apparently in the 99th percentile for fetuses in the 20th week. I read that this week babies are supposed to be more like 11-12 oz at this point in the pregnancy! Maybe I've got a little defensive lineman in there. I certainly hope not, I am really freaking out that the baby is going to be too big for me to deliver it naturally. Guess we'll see if the baby's growth slows down at all. Seeing the baby during the ultrasound is really amazing--it is very comforting and reassuring to see the child in the womb, moving around, doing his baby thing.
Of course, Thursday afternoon I was just itching to do some shopping for JB, now that it is confirmed we are having a boy. So I proceeded to Old Navy after work and bought some of the items I had been secretly coveting including a little pair of jeans, a polo shirt onesie, and of course, the little Mexican poncho I've been eyeing for weeks. I also bought a cutie book to read to JB. Every day I go into the baby's room and look at the little miniature articles of clothing hanging in the closet and giggle and giggle. Today I even put together a little outfit with the jeans, Method Man onesie I made, and poncho. I called Roger back to the room and showed him our little man's handsome outfit and we had a good laugh. My boy is going to be stylish. No dumpy clothes allowed. Rog and I already selected another 10 images to make up more hip hop and rock onesies for JB.
Saturday I took my first prenatal yoga class. My boss, who used to teach yoga said that although the exercises/stretches are quite therapeutic, probably the best thing about taking a prenatal Yoga class in my neighborhood is the ability to meet other preggo women who live in the 'hood. That made sense to me, so Saturday morning I went down to Columbia City and took my first prenatal yoga class. Most of the women were much further along than I am. Four women were 35-36 weeks. Four women were 25-26 weeks. There was me at 20 weeks, and one woman at 11 weeks who just found out she is having twins. The most eye opening part (and the part where I came to the realization "Holy Shit! I'm totally in the mommy realm from here on out") was when the women went around the room, introduced themselves and then talked a little bit about their current aches/pains issues they are dealing with so the instructor could help them out during the class. Here's some of what I have to look forward to in the coming months of pregnancy:
-waking up to leg cramps (warm water, streches, and magnesium and calcium were floated as potential aids)
-sciatica
-a very sore tailbone
-sharp pain going down my butt and hamstrings
-lower back pain
-achy/sore pelvic region
-inability to sleep
-inability to go for the walk around Seward Park with the dog without either taking lots of breaks or only walking half way.
Man, that was an eye opener. Guess we'll see how the rest of the pregnancy unfolds. Everyone raved about swimming. I hate swimming in public pools...maybe I'll have to get past that.
It has been a while since I've taken yoga. The class was good, not as much of a 'workout' as I might like, but I wasn't really expecting something rigorous. The stretches felt good and the instructor really seemed to understand the pregnant woman's body. She offered lots of modifications for the women who expressed particular aches and pains during their pregnancy. I'm sure the class will be really awesome when I get much larger. Either way, I'll keep going. I felt pretty good after the class.
Other than that, I've been pretty focused on the changes to my body. The baby is super active. I don't know when this kid rests. Roger felt the baby kick for the first time Friday night. That was cool. I have discovered shaving my legs, painting my toes, and grooming my pubes is getting increasingly challenging and results in a lot of huffing and puffing on my part. I just gotta laugh at myself in those moments, otherwise I get frustrated and sad at the growing number of things I can no longer do.
May 22 anothher fine trip to RenoWe went to Reno last weekend to visit the fam. In returning we realized that we had not been to Reno in a year! Last May (Mother's Day) was the last time we had been back to visit. That just ain't right. Reno is a good place to visit. I would feel super guilty not visiting LA in a year...but Roger's parents don't guilt us about not visiting frequently, they just thank us profusely for coming to visit (which of course can be perceived as guilt--I didn't take it as such, they just seemed really grateful and thankful to see us). And of course, they come to Seattle once or twice a year so we seem to see them often enough.
Having ventured to both Vegas and Reno in less than a month, I've confirmed that Vegas sucks wang compared to Reno. At least in my opinion. I guess it is all about what you want out of your Nevada gambling experience. Vegas is a total rip off. Everything is set up to cheat you and take advantage of you. Everything is expensive. Yah, Vegas has some crazy architecture and is the place to go to party, but I really can't handle how fake everything is...and the excess and largess. It makes me feel a little ill. Reno, however, feels very down to earth and homey...it certainly isn't as grand as Vegas, but it is accessible to the general masses and I like that it still feels slightly backwater and edgy. Reno changes every time we go down--always a lot of new construction, but it feels just right.
In any event, our weekend trip was filled with the requisite Reno attractions and happenings about town. We tend to do a lot of the same things when we go to Reno...all the things we really like to do. For example, we:
We didn't make it to JimBoys, which is really a shame, but that is how it goes. We will be back in July for Bobbie's 90th Birthday Party, which Roger's mom is hosting and which I am sure will be a grand event. We'll hit up JimBoys then, I am sure.
On a final note, I spent some time thinking about the ambiance of the Reno casinos (since the architecture and design are not all that dramatically different like in Vegas). The distinction in Reno is the interior design. The Peppermill is still my favorite. I love the garish neon lights and planetary carpeting. I might cry when they change the carpets. I never fail to giggle when we walk in the door and I see the hallway of neon. I just feel energized and ready to gamble when I am in the Peppermill. Maybe that is because we always go there first, so I am ready to get my gamble on. Sunday we went to the Atlantis and that place was so crowded. I told Roger "The gambling intensity is palpable!" It was so true. Tons of people milling about all over the place. I love the casino sounds--the machines talking and making noises, the fake money clinking noises emitting from the slot machines, etc. Sunday night we went to the Siena, which I might add, is a very depressing feeling casino. The play area is small, and it is mostly a place for locals...very down on your luck kind of locals. At least that is how it felt when we went...but the good thing is they have $0.50 roulette/minimum $2 bet there. So you can play Roulette for a really long time and feel like a big spender throwing your chips around the table. May 14 comparing your fetus to foodRight now JB is approximately yam sized. So says this website which sends me weekly updates on what is going on with the baby. It is pretty cool. There is an interactive feature where you can click on the various parts of the baby to see what is happening inside your womb. This makes me giggle to think of a fruit/vegetable equivalently sized JB growing inside me. My Dad (and Beth) seem to enjoy hearing what sized food JB is each week. Rog and I are tickled by it too. Here is the week by week list of fetus to food equivalent measures so far: 18 weeks: Large Sweet Potato 17 weeks: Large Onion 16 weeks: Avocado 15 weeks: No Food Equivalent provided 14 weeks: Lemon 13 weeks: Jumbo Shrimp 12 weeks: Lime 11 weeks: Fig 10 weeks: Kumquat 9 weeks: Grape 8 weeks: Kidney Bean 7 weeks: Raspberry 6 weeks: Lentil Bean 5 weeks: Sesame Seed It is remarkable to consider the baby's progress when at 5 weeks the baby was a sesame seed sized little thing and is now growing from a yam to a small zucchini this week! Guess that is why I'm tired all the time...and hungry. Lots of growth occurs over the next few weeks. May 11 Jack in the Box, you are no longer my friendI have always been a fan of Jack in the Box. There used to be one close to my house growing up, so I often stopped by there on my way home from school. When I exclaimed "yum" and people made a frown (harkening back to the old e coli days of yore), I laughed off their ignorance. It is tasty! Their breakfasts are good. I never got sick off their food. They make really good onion rings, with whole onions. I extolled Jack in the Box's fast food virtues...until this week. Wednesday, while running errands around Issaquah I decided I needed to eat something pronto cause I was quickly deteriorating due to hunger. So I stopped at Jack in the Box. BAD CALL.
I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening puking my brains out and dry heaving. I used to think there wasn't much worse than food poisoning...until I discovered food poisoning while pregnant. Man alive, I was a wreck. Wretching just saps all of your energy. Your entire body is achy. I couldn't hold down even a few sips of water. Rog was all set to take me to the emergency room because I was unable to hold any liquids. Then we found some prescription drugs in the bathroom from the last time I had food poisoning. Roger wakes up my doctor at like midnight with an inquiry of what to do. She confirmed the prescription pills were ok for pregnant ladies to take, and if I didn't stop puking by 3 a.m. he needed to take me to the hospital. So I downed one pill and fell fast asleep. It did the trick. I stopped wretching. Thursday morning I awoke feeling like my body had been run over by a Mac truck. Zero energy, entire body a wreck. I just slept all day and sipped water and gatorade. Ate a few crackers, apple slices, and yogurt, but mostly laid around and occassionally pet the Roostie when she came by to check on me. Phew. Two days later I still feel like ass. I lost several pounds. My admin took one look at me this morning and said "what happened to the baby, you are skinny again!". That didn't make me feel good because I was already filled with anxiety that I did something to mess up the baby, though I know lots of ladies puke while preggers and so it should be ok. I did not have a fever. It should be ok. I just gotta keep eating today. I would still be at home in bed if I didn't have to conduct a public meeting this afternoon. Sucky.
Looks like I am banning Jack in the Box for a while. And next time I see one of Jack's commercials, I am changing the channel. Blech. May 04 first harvest of the seasonAs a gardener, there is nothing more satisfying to me than the first veggie harvest. I plant seeds or seedlings and watch them grow with anxious anticipation. When they are little seedlings I crouch low and inspect them daily/weekly (depending on how obsessive I am that week) to check for bugs, to ensure the seedlings are getting adequate water, and of course, to repair any damage done by curious sniffing/digging Roosties. When the veggies are particularly small, I do find myself cooing and exclaiming at their cuteness, maybe petting the leaves a little bit, encouraging them to grow big and healthy. I can't help it, veggie seedlings really are quite adorable.
The vegetable garden is my favorite part of gardening. It is totally dorky and corny, but I love seeing the 'fruits' of my labor, and knowing that I am doing something that provides sustenance for my family. It is definitely a 'back to the roots' kind of thing--I just feel like we are so disconnected as a society from the food cycle, that I really like knowing where my vegetables come from. It isn't possible with all vegetables, but during the spring and fall, I for sure know that my vegetables are insectide free, organic, and all due to my loving hands and attentions. Plus they taste so much better homegrown.
This is a roundabout way of sharing that we had our first salad from the garden last night. Yummies. I harvested some red leaf lettuce and some romaine. I added some dried cranberries and almonds and had a fabulous salad with dinner last night. Yeah!
I've got 4 different varieties of lettuce, one kind of spinach, and two types of peas growing in the back yard right now. The peas are starting to get tall and I look forward to eating their sweet pods in June. Gotta get my zucchini, tomatoes, and green beans started this month....then the summer harvest is ON. |
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