Banana Bread by Hand (um, elbow?)

Who needs a mixer when you have a willing tot?

Quick update and forthcoming

Remember the last post where my online classes were not working properly? Now all three are affected BUT tech support knows why and gave ME instructions on how to fix it. Gah. It involves re-grading about 190 freshman composition papers. I have back up records, but I give detailed breakdowns of lost points and those are wiped out. I have 65 left to do.

Forthcoming are 3 posts:
Card Craft day with friends
Banana bread made "by hand"
and...the fairy superhero princess Lil'Bug saves the day for a ladybug

As soon as I get burned out from grading I intend to download the pictures from the week and get typing. I also have Christmas presents to finish and get in the mail, cards to do the same with, and the never ending quest for a drawer (instead of a laundry basket) full of clean and matched up socks........

Couple of Random Things All This Week

Monday we met Wheelchair Mama and her boys at the Urbandale Library Chapters Cafe. They gave us free cookies, which was cool. What I didn't know was that they were clearing out edible inventory. It closed that night and has not re-opened. Still. Good time, good friends, yummy free cookies.

I felt the baby flutter today. I'd felt it before, but today it was really strong and repetitive. So very cool.

"I'm queen of the bumper mat!"

This week I had a major problem with my online classes, tried very hard to fix it myself, but ended up going in to see the tech support at home campus in person.....with tot in tow. She chanted that she hates the town that it is located all the way there. Once we got there there were no parking spaces and the building was surrounded by emergency vehicles, CNN trucks, satellite vehicles, and construction vehicles. No tape, so we went on in. So.....why the fuss? Hillary Clinton. Speaking to the students in the gym. Most of the students were not terribly interested and Hillary was 2 hours late, but still the place was packed with excited political participants, business people, and reporters with big bulk equipment. It took 32 minutes to walk through the building to tech support. Since we had to park so far away I had Lil'Bug in the emergency stroller that she is really too big for. 3 hours later, we repeated the same task escaping the chaos. Computer program problem unresolved, tot cranky, and then asleep.

"I hate your work Mama. Can we go home and have ice cream now?"

"What? Why are taking my picture? Go bother that cat."


Oh no. Maybe I am turning into one of those bloggers who takes lots of pictures of their cat.....

:)

12 Weeks, 2nd Trimester

Time for a baby update!

I am finally feeling less nauseous. That's good. Less tired too. When I really need to pee sometimes I can feel the baby squirm. That's uncomfortable but reassuring.

I inventoried what baby stuff we still have (re: didn't sell at garage sale in June or give away) and realized that we have all we need. We kept what we used, but for clothes. I might need to get another pack and play......maybe. I'd like a new sling and I have my eye on a website that does custom silk and Solarveil, a local mama at that. Those things will wait until May. My sister suggested that I just register for loads of diapers. That's funny because that's all Dearest Husband wanted to register for with Lil'Bug: diapers. It is funny how experience can dampen the effect of Pottery Barn ads, eh?

Lil'Bug is excited. She sometimes says she is worried about being a helper or a big sister/brother and now and then expresses anxiety about sharing. She also says she has a baby in her belly too. Cute. This does get varied reactions from people.....

I'm a bit nervous as to how our dynamic will change too. I know there is more of a difference between one and two children than any more after that. I am a little tired of hearing that Lil'Bug NEEDS a sibling. We are welcoming a baby, but she doesn't need one just as she doesn't not need one. I'm also tired of hearing people say snottily about moms of one, "Yes, BUT she only has one......" What does that mean? The best moms I know have one child, some of the other best moms have 2-3-4-+. I know the dynamic is different, but I fail to see how it makes one a better mom.

That's it. I had the monthly check up with my midwife today. All stats are fine, baby eluded the heartbeat Doppler for a bit, but we found the beat eventually: good and steady and fast! So far so good. :)

Confirmation that zero fibroids is such a wonderful thing. That means that so far, nothing stands in my way for having a healthy VBAC. We had quite a chat about the missing fibroids too, my research and theories- her research and theories. It really is quite an amazing thing that has happened.

I have decided to use doulas again. Since I won't have my choice of the doctor who attends the birth (of the 7 in the office I visit and that's my choice if I want to be under the care of this Midwife who I trust and feel comfortable with....) and my extended family are mostly far away- I am building our birth team. I plan on having Dearest Husband, 2 doulas, and maybe a mama friend. Lil'Bug if she wants to, but Nana and Grampa will be close by to help with her if she gets overwhelmed or scared. I have decided to have a note made in my chart to not offer me narcotics. I didn't do that last time and I tend to be a weenie in the hospital, if they'd offered to shave my head I would have nodded and said, "whatever you think is best..." Weenie. I have a selection of music for my Nano and I ma searching for a good book to read. Reading is the one and only thing that relaxes me.

What other things am I missing? I have plenty of time to think about it. If you don't mind sharing, what kinds of things did you do? Any other VBAC'ers read here?