Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Life = crazy woman.
So, there's been a lot going on recently. I'm going to use the short version to update everything before I toddle off and get back to work on packing stuff. At about the beginning of this month (May), we learned that I have gall stones. The doctors are strongly recommending that my gallbladder get taken out.
As it stands right now, it will not be until after the baby is born. The baby is in good health and we're all doing ok right now. I've no words for how thankful I am of that fact.
We're moving at the end of this week and I think we may be a little less then 1/3rd of the way packed. The new apartment is much larger then our current one and in a much better neighborhood by virtue of the fact that we're not going to be living next door to drug dealers. I'd rant about stuff or add more but I really need to get back to work packing.
As it stands right now, it will not be until after the baby is born. The baby is in good health and we're all doing ok right now. I've no words for how thankful I am of that fact.
We're moving at the end of this week and I think we may be a little less then 1/3rd of the way packed. The new apartment is much larger then our current one and in a much better neighborhood by virtue of the fact that we're not going to be living next door to drug dealers. I'd rant about stuff or add more but I really need to get back to work packing.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Working mother? What mother ISN'T a working mother?
I made the mistake of reading some of the goofy stuff published on the internet by the talking heads. At first, I was bored but then I couldn't help but get irritated, and then offended by the implication that there is a difference between working mothers and stay at home mothers. Last I checked, all mothers had an incredible amount of work on their plate from daybreak until they fall asleep at the end of the night. And if I recall it correctly, a lot of us have stuff that carries over from one day to the next.
I can appreciate that mothers who hold jobs outside of the home have a set of challenges and frustrations that are different from those of us who are at home with our kids, even those of us who are working out of our homes have unique challenges that come with that territory. What made me angry was the implication that some how motherhood is fundamentally different between the three different parenting situations. If we're going to sit down and make comparisons, what about single mothers or, gods forbid, what about all of those FATHERS out there?
Parenthood is a hard, hard thing. There is no competition except for that falsely created one out there and I think that we should all reject it. Because I don't know a single mother who doesn't work hard and I don't know a single father who isn't working just as hard as the mothers out there. Parenthood is the hardest job you'll ever love, or hate depending upon the moment.
That's my ranting for now.
I can appreciate that mothers who hold jobs outside of the home have a set of challenges and frustrations that are different from those of us who are at home with our kids, even those of us who are working out of our homes have unique challenges that come with that territory. What made me angry was the implication that some how motherhood is fundamentally different between the three different parenting situations. If we're going to sit down and make comparisons, what about single mothers or, gods forbid, what about all of those FATHERS out there?
Parenthood is a hard, hard thing. There is no competition except for that falsely created one out there and I think that we should all reject it. Because I don't know a single mother who doesn't work hard and I don't know a single father who isn't working just as hard as the mothers out there. Parenthood is the hardest job you'll ever love, or hate depending upon the moment.
That's my ranting for now.
Monday, April 06, 2009
Making lists & planning.
So, I'm making my lists of what we need for the new baby. First off, it's alot easier because of how much we've still got around from when the boy was a newborn. (I think I'm just going to use my nickname for him, because I can't think of a good one to use on the interwebz. Those who know me are going to be amused by this.) Cuddle-bear (AKA the boy) is not going to be very happy when his new brother shows up and starts playing with some of his old toys.
I think, however, if I finish up sorting the toys geared for little babies and put them aside now, Cuddle-bear won't notice that they're missing and assume they're new when they come out of where I've put them away. We don't need an army of new toys but a toy box is becoming a daily necessity. I'm thinking that a pair of toy boxes and a set of shelves will work well for what we need. Then I'll just need to locate a few more canvas sided bins to drop toys into.
We're either going to need a new changing table or another convertible crib for the new baby. I've talked to hubby and he's inclined to agree with the idea of another convertible crib. We're going to be doing that minor bit of repair upon Cuddle-bear's crib and putting it together in the toddler-bed configuration in the near to immediate future. I'd like to have it done by the middle of this week. I think the chance that both boys are going to be sharing the same room is fairly high right now.
This means that we should have a similar styled convertible crib to what we've got for Cuddle-bear. We have a dresser for Cuddle-bear that holds pretty much everything of his right now. The dresser has a drawer that needs fixed but aside from that it's in good condition. It's pretty awesome for something that was second hand and a free find. I'm hoping to have a similar find for the new baby because the dresser attachment to the style of crib that we're thinking of is not that spacious.
Something else that I've been thinking about is how to approach the way toys are going to be put away in the living room and how the books for the children are going to be put away. Right now, we don't have anything even remotely resembling organization for the toys down stairs. I'm thinking that a toy-box is a need but I don't know how we'd fit it in here. I've several cardboard boxes that we've been using to hold Cuddle-bear's toy trucks and his blocks. I don't think they're going to last very much longer, however. I was using a wicker basket at one point to hold all of his toys and that... that didn't work out very well.
So, I need to determine a few different things for the future. First off is what we need for the bedroom/nursery. I think we are going to find that we need to differentiate between the diapering supplies for Cuddle-bear and his new brother. I don't want to have to use a label maker and stick labels on everything. I also think that we are going to need some way to keep the different bedding required for each crib separated. I'm inclined to locate wicker baskets that are the right size for the sheets, pads, and blankets for each crib.
If we get another one like Cuddle-bear's crib, I think that will be the best solution to organizing it all. And then we have the matter of everything for feeding. We're going to need a way to separate which bib goes with which boy. This is also going to get into things like baby food and such. I may need a label maker after all. *sigh* I do think that a laundry bag dedicated just to bibs, burp cloths, and washcloths is a need. Thankfully, I have some fabric kicking around. I believe I'm going to make something that fits onto a hanger that I can just put up in the kitchen.
The more I think about that idea, the more I like it. If I look about, I may even be able to find some blue and white gingham to match what we have in the kitchen decor. I have a few other things that I'm debating if I should make. I've seen an interesting pattern for a crochet diaper bag. Cuddle-bear's diaper bag is beginning to have the lining tear out of it. I think instead of crocheting another bag, however, I'll be replacing the lining.
I had something else I was going to talk about but I can't remember it. I suppose this means it's time to end this blog entry and go do dishes or something.
I think, however, if I finish up sorting the toys geared for little babies and put them aside now, Cuddle-bear won't notice that they're missing and assume they're new when they come out of where I've put them away. We don't need an army of new toys but a toy box is becoming a daily necessity. I'm thinking that a pair of toy boxes and a set of shelves will work well for what we need. Then I'll just need to locate a few more canvas sided bins to drop toys into.
We're either going to need a new changing table or another convertible crib for the new baby. I've talked to hubby and he's inclined to agree with the idea of another convertible crib. We're going to be doing that minor bit of repair upon Cuddle-bear's crib and putting it together in the toddler-bed configuration in the near to immediate future. I'd like to have it done by the middle of this week. I think the chance that both boys are going to be sharing the same room is fairly high right now.
This means that we should have a similar styled convertible crib to what we've got for Cuddle-bear. We have a dresser for Cuddle-bear that holds pretty much everything of his right now. The dresser has a drawer that needs fixed but aside from that it's in good condition. It's pretty awesome for something that was second hand and a free find. I'm hoping to have a similar find for the new baby because the dresser attachment to the style of crib that we're thinking of is not that spacious.
Something else that I've been thinking about is how to approach the way toys are going to be put away in the living room and how the books for the children are going to be put away. Right now, we don't have anything even remotely resembling organization for the toys down stairs. I'm thinking that a toy-box is a need but I don't know how we'd fit it in here. I've several cardboard boxes that we've been using to hold Cuddle-bear's toy trucks and his blocks. I don't think they're going to last very much longer, however. I was using a wicker basket at one point to hold all of his toys and that... that didn't work out very well.
So, I need to determine a few different things for the future. First off is what we need for the bedroom/nursery. I think we are going to find that we need to differentiate between the diapering supplies for Cuddle-bear and his new brother. I don't want to have to use a label maker and stick labels on everything. I also think that we are going to need some way to keep the different bedding required for each crib separated. I'm inclined to locate wicker baskets that are the right size for the sheets, pads, and blankets for each crib.
If we get another one like Cuddle-bear's crib, I think that will be the best solution to organizing it all. And then we have the matter of everything for feeding. We're going to need a way to separate which bib goes with which boy. This is also going to get into things like baby food and such. I may need a label maker after all. *sigh* I do think that a laundry bag dedicated just to bibs, burp cloths, and washcloths is a need. Thankfully, I have some fabric kicking around. I believe I'm going to make something that fits onto a hanger that I can just put up in the kitchen.
The more I think about that idea, the more I like it. If I look about, I may even be able to find some blue and white gingham to match what we have in the kitchen decor. I have a few other things that I'm debating if I should make. I've seen an interesting pattern for a crochet diaper bag. Cuddle-bear's diaper bag is beginning to have the lining tear out of it. I think instead of crocheting another bag, however, I'll be replacing the lining.
I had something else I was going to talk about but I can't remember it. I suppose this means it's time to end this blog entry and go do dishes or something.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Cesarian section = Questions.
I'm sitting here reading the pre-admission paperwork for the hospital where I'm going to be delivering this new baby. I have to admit, I am a little confused about a few things. When I delivered the boy, (I'm going to need to come up with a new nickname for him) it was two days before my due date. Well, I suppose technically one.
I sit here and I'm trying to figure out when would be a good date to schedule the c-section delivery. I'm due on the second Sunday of August and according to the hospital's website, I can expect my stay to be roughly three days. As I looked at the calender from when my first child was born, it shows that my stay was almost a week. At the time, however, I had preeclampsia. That created some complications and makes planing based on past events rather difficult.
In talking with my doctor, it's been a learning experience. They don't know if I'll develop preeclampsia with this pregnancy or not. None of the studies show anything conclusive except that preeclampsia is bad and if left untreated can be lethal. I still find myself concerned that I'm going to have to deal with it this pregnancy. I've been attempting to learn if I'm more at risk to develop it because I had it the first pregnancy but nothing is really being shown conclusively. It's more then a little alarming to discover how poorly understood this disorder is.
I've been reading stuff and trying to make the best decision. It's not proving easy. I think I need to talk to the doctor and have her help me plan when to deliver. I also think I need to ask her again to explain preeclampsia to me. I've been having more headaches and dizzy spells over the last few months. The headaches have been more intense and the nausea has been a relatively constant companion the whole time.
As I've been reading and trying to make sense of my symptoms (and maybe even find some decent remedies to help cope) I'm stumbling on to finding out that I might be showing some of the early symptoms of preeclampsia. It rather scares the hell out of me. I'm not looking forward to that doctor appointment next week.
I sit here and I'm trying to figure out when would be a good date to schedule the c-section delivery. I'm due on the second Sunday of August and according to the hospital's website, I can expect my stay to be roughly three days. As I looked at the calender from when my first child was born, it shows that my stay was almost a week. At the time, however, I had preeclampsia. That created some complications and makes planing based on past events rather difficult.
In talking with my doctor, it's been a learning experience. They don't know if I'll develop preeclampsia with this pregnancy or not. None of the studies show anything conclusive except that preeclampsia is bad and if left untreated can be lethal. I still find myself concerned that I'm going to have to deal with it this pregnancy. I've been attempting to learn if I'm more at risk to develop it because I had it the first pregnancy but nothing is really being shown conclusively. It's more then a little alarming to discover how poorly understood this disorder is.
I've been reading stuff and trying to make the best decision. It's not proving easy. I think I need to talk to the doctor and have her help me plan when to deliver. I also think I need to ask her again to explain preeclampsia to me. I've been having more headaches and dizzy spells over the last few months. The headaches have been more intense and the nausea has been a relatively constant companion the whole time.
As I've been reading and trying to make sense of my symptoms (and maybe even find some decent remedies to help cope) I'm stumbling on to finding out that I might be showing some of the early symptoms of preeclampsia. It rather scares the hell out of me. I'm not looking forward to that doctor appointment next week.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Been feeling exhausted.
I have been incredibly tired. I'm pretty sure it's because of the pregnancy. Nausea is easing up but I'm starting to have some difficulty sleeping again. This time it's because of leg spasms, the baby kicking my bladder, and cravings. Last night, I woke up at about 2 AM craving tomatoes, bananas, and Corn Pops. Thankfully it wasn't all together in one bowl but rather first the tomatoes, then the bananas, and finally the cereal. While I didn't have bananas or the Corn Pops, I at least had some tomatoes and a bowl of cereal.
I really hope that I don't have that storied craving for ice cream and pickles. The concept has always revolted me.
I really hope that I don't have that storied craving for ice cream and pickles. The concept has always revolted me.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Blogs, blogs, and yet more blogs.
So, I sat down and thought about it. I realized that I've got multiple blogs for different purposes. I do a crappy job of updating them and it's just far too disorganized to really be enjoyable. So, I'm going to make a schedule for when I update each blog and I'm going to plan out what each blog is going to be for and note it.
As cheezy as it may sound, I actually think that organizing like this is going to do me some good with my writing.
In other news, I'm in the midst of putting together three book proposal/submission packages. One is for my fantasy novel. One is for a dream interpretation book that I've been working on for literally 9 years now. (A lot of research and writing at sporadic intervals has dragged this project out.) And the third is for a book on witchcraft that is still in the initial draft phase and not even a completed manuscript. I'm approximately four chapters in and sifting my way through a mountain of research and still organizing.
I'm terrified to send out these things. I think it's why I'm being waaaaaaay too critical of the proposal/submission package that I'm putting together. So, I've decided that I'm just going to bite the bullet and write the things up. I'm going to have them done by the 26th and mailing them out on the 27th. And to make sure that I get this done, I'm going to enlist the aid of a few people to kick my butt into working on this.
I know that I can write a novel in a month. I know that I can write several novels in a year. I'm pretty sure that if I stopped being obsessed with making sure that the manuscript was perfect, I could edit a novel in two months. So, I'm going to probably need beta readers and people to help me edit.
I still can't believe I'm going to do this. On one hand I'm terrified but on the other I'm actually pretty excited and relieved. I suppose making a conscious effort to put some of the insanity of my side of the family behind me is doing some good. And I can use the blogs and journaling to help me write my way out of the intermittant depression that has been making my life hell for months.
Who knows, perhaps it will do some good and get me something that resembles a little peace within my heart. It'd be nice to not be quite so anxious all the time.
As cheezy as it may sound, I actually think that organizing like this is going to do me some good with my writing.
In other news, I'm in the midst of putting together three book proposal/submission packages. One is for my fantasy novel. One is for a dream interpretation book that I've been working on for literally 9 years now. (A lot of research and writing at sporadic intervals has dragged this project out.) And the third is for a book on witchcraft that is still in the initial draft phase and not even a completed manuscript. I'm approximately four chapters in and sifting my way through a mountain of research and still organizing.
I'm terrified to send out these things. I think it's why I'm being waaaaaaay too critical of the proposal/submission package that I'm putting together. So, I've decided that I'm just going to bite the bullet and write the things up. I'm going to have them done by the 26th and mailing them out on the 27th. And to make sure that I get this done, I'm going to enlist the aid of a few people to kick my butt into working on this.
I know that I can write a novel in a month. I know that I can write several novels in a year. I'm pretty sure that if I stopped being obsessed with making sure that the manuscript was perfect, I could edit a novel in two months. So, I'm going to probably need beta readers and people to help me edit.
I still can't believe I'm going to do this. On one hand I'm terrified but on the other I'm actually pretty excited and relieved. I suppose making a conscious effort to put some of the insanity of my side of the family behind me is doing some good. And I can use the blogs and journaling to help me write my way out of the intermittant depression that has been making my life hell for months.
Who knows, perhaps it will do some good and get me something that resembles a little peace within my heart. It'd be nice to not be quite so anxious all the time.
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