Baby Update!

We had our monthly (17 week) appointment Monday and all is well. Weight gain is acceptable, though I first weighed with a full bladder and bulk sweater so a second weigh at the end showed more what our home scale was indicating. Then it occurred to me that I don't know how much I am supposed to be gaining, just what is not acceptable. I will look that up today. BP is great, everything else checked out, AND we had an ultrasound. Why? Because I like them. I know and understand why many women are vehemently opposed to them, but I like seeing the baby squirm and wiggle and I like to know everything is ok. Everything is ok! Also, now we know which name group to pick from. ;)

It is a little early to say 100% sure, but the tech said her bet is on girl! (There's no extra stuff.) Lil'Bug gets a sister! It's what she wanted for her birthday and every wish she's made since.

Now for the name game at Chez Podkayne. Same as what we did for Lil'Bug. We'll debate and look through our favorite fiction and botanical books and shout names at each other randomly over a period of months and then one day we will turn to each other and say at the same time, "How about ____?" and then, "Yes! That's it!" in a chorus. We just have to wait for that moment.

When I get my camera back, I'll try and post a belly photo. I'm getting big already! OH AND NEAT FACT: 17-19 weeks is one of the biggest growth spurts in the little one's life! (Could explain the migraines I've been getting......) Baby is kicking and dancing a lot this week. I started playing They Might Be Giants though the ipod tucked in my waistband. She seems to like it!

As the Week Winds Down....

Well, the camera is off to New York, dinner is in the oven, progress is being made in Lil'Bug's room (she's helping so 1/2 as fast....), and Thank You cards are started. Not bad for a Friday!

The picture is of the pork chops in the oven right now, only from the last time I made them. It is a Cook's Illustrated recipe and we are still pondering/debating if the amazing taste is worth the effort involved in making the crust. Now that I've done it twice, I might reconsider my vote. :)

New Year's Deep Cleaning

Spring cleaning is great BUT I am usually knee deep in grading papers in the Spring so this year I have decided to deep clean and organize right now for the new year. That way I can start the new year and the new semester our fresh and organized.

Here are the items on my list to tackle:

• Put away fake tree and better label ornament boxes.
• My office/craft room: need more baskets and hang some wall art (or baskets on the wall- neat idea I saw in Country Living, shhh.)
• Lil'Bug's room: need room for all her new loot. Need to change out 2T to 3T clothes, pack and label the 2T crate. Hang her wall art. (Thinking about framing her art and hanging it....)
• My bedroom: finish painting the trim, find (make?) better window treatments.
• Paint hallway (fine, this has been on the to-do list since 2004.....)
• Paint laundry room.
• Paint hall, bathroom, and laundry room trim. Hang wall art.
• .......(cue drums of doom) the north bedroom: right now a staging area for pre-packing and all other "stuff". Clean out, set up spare bed. Maybe paint the walls. Maybe. Hang wall art.
• Then paint middle parlor. Oh yeah, find good colour for that room. Gah.
• * edited to add * Stain and seal the hallway floor, wash curtains, and bedding.
  
• Clean out car
  
• Does it ever end? Gah.

(purple means done! Blue means in progress)

I'll post pictures as I tackle (um, if FIL will re-lend me his camera......). I have until January 7th (start of semester.....). Ok, that's sort of a fake goal since I teach online, but it helps to have a date in mind, eh?

Oh, my challenge to you? Post your to do list. Post updates when you get stuff done, pictures optional. You don't have to aim for Jan 7th, but if it helps......

Ok, broom, I'm off!

Things Take the Time They Take

Bread must rise..... The cake must bake..... Things take..... The time they take....

That little poem is in a Beauty and the Beast Disney early reader book. It is a fitting reminder for many of us right now. My camera will eventually be fixed or replaced, Lil'Bug will learn to read and recite numbers when people prompt her (or give a catty response in the stead), J. will eventually propose to my anxious sister, wounds will heal, hearts will mend......

Things take the time they take.

I often get impatient. I was anxious to conceive Lil'Bug and again this time. Then when it happened I shared right away. THEN 9 months is soooo very long to wait. Though I would not wish an early delivery. There are plenty of things we must do to prepare. My body must prepare, my family must get ready, ect. The new seed takes time to grow into a sapling, into a tree, and then into a grand old tribute.

When you bake a cake, you can't just turn up the heat and expect it to be ready to eat sooner and opening the door to check on it can ruin it too. When I wanted Dearest Husband to propose to me, he didn't. And I cried. Then I thought, for sure now, but he didn't. Every time I was upset- it actually seemed to delay the proposal more. What this really did accomplish was it made our days sad and miserable, irritated Dearest Husband, and in general decreased our quality of life and affected how much we enjoyed each other's company. However, the delay was really a very good thing. By the time he proposed, we owned our own home, I was steady in my studies at school, we could afford the wedding we wanted without burdening our families, and various other good things. It also came down to trust. I needed to trust my future husband to make the decision when he was ready to- I was ready at that first kiss, but that does not mean that WE were ready to make that commitment financially or emotionally. So often I forgot that there was more than just me in that equation.

Somethings just take time to learn. Somethings come with age or with experience. Patience is something we try to teach Lil'Bug, when something is difficult- go slower. I don't drill her on the ABC's or it could irritate her and she will become a reluctant learner. She knows her letters and numbers but has yet to understand the value in the performance aspect of recitation when homeschool doubters drill her to answer questions. She's 3. Do I intend to send her to preschool just so she can learn recitation and compliance? No. That will come to her in time. In the meantime I will continue to let her learn from life at her own pace and joy. Rushing things would ruin that.

Yesterday I really made life miserable for my family with my impatience. I want my camera to work now, not three weeks from now. I am very frustrated. Should that dampen my participation in family life, should not getting to photo document our day ruin the festivities? No, not one bit. I want my house to sell right now, but it's not ready. I want to live on a farm RIGHT NOW- never mind that moving and house hunting while pregnant is an additional stress that I do not need. I want all the laundry to be done but it will always be a lurking pile of a chore, eh? We are about to celebrate our 9 year wedding anniversary- sometimes it seems that the days just flew by. Indeed they did.

Mostly, I want happiness for all my friends and family. That will come easier to all if we all embrace some patience and enjoy each day as it arrives and passes. Just some thoughts for the day....