Friday, May 30, 2008

Still Waiting...

Well, today was D-day and I'm still here.
My ribs hurt like crazy right now after a long day at work. I'm tired as I woke up at 5 and couldn't get back to sleep. I also spent a long day trying very hard, and not always succeeding, to not be cranky with a co-worker.
I did, however, get a really cool gift from another coworker friend. The same coworker who made me my wedding shawl made a beautiful baby blanket for Boo. It's got hearts down the sides and our last name down the middle. She also made two pair of booties. They're very cute and I'm very glad she made them. She does wonderful work.
I'm going to wrap this up as my ribs hurt, I'm tired and I'm just waiting for Gak to finish closing...
And no, I have no clue when Boo will be here. Some days I think predicting the weather is easier and more accurate.
Peace to all and may you have something special in your life.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

False Alarm

Well, today was an interesting (?) day.
I slept in a little. That was nice.
We walked to my doctor's appointment at 10:00. My blood pressure was a bit higher than usual (150/90 as opposed to 120/80) and the doctor didn't like how much my feet and ankles were swollen. That and the scale was 4lb heavier. I was, however, dilated to about 2cm and 50% thinned. So, I guess things had been happening. (I'd thought they had been, but really couldn't be sure because I haven't felt any contractions...)
So, we got sent up to the hospital for monitoring.
Of course, this means that we made a couple of phone calls (including to our works...) We find out that Mom and Dad's business number isn't working and worry about that.
We get up there and I feel just fine. They're asking me about feeling dizzy or vision issues and things like that and I'm fine. I have to give them another urine sample. They hook up some monitors including a blood pressure cuff. They stick me with an IV (apparently, I'm a good bleeder...) and draw some blood for some tests.
One of the questions they ask me, yet again, is if I'm having contractions. I say no, and they look at each other funny because the monitor just showed one. Huh... I never woulda known.
I try and relax a bit or even nap. That's kinda hard with the blood pressure cuff going off every 10 minutes. Within about 10 or 20 minutes my blood pressure is reading just about normal for me, or a little lower than it has been. Boo's heart rate is doing just fine. The biggest problem is that I keep sliding slightly further down the bed and it's not all that comfortable on my back.
Apparently I keep having contractions. I can see them on the monitor tape, but really can't feel them. Or sometimes I think back and realize that maybe I could, but I just thought it was Boo. At one point they looked like they were about 10 minutes apart for a bit, but then slowed down again.
They checked me again at about 1:30 or 1:45. I still hadn't dilated any further and the contractions were looking pretty random. That and my blood pressure was down and all the blood work came back just fine. At 2:00 they removed my IV and told me I could go home, but to keep an eye on things. (Mind you, I'm half thinking to myself "but I haven't been feeling the contractions... how can I keep an eye on them?")
Of course, we had reached my mom and she was about 3/4 of the way to the hospital when we were released. We call her and tell her we were going home and she was going to meet us at the apartment.
I check my email and let everyone know I'm home and that unless things change over night, I'll be in in the morning. Everyone is glad to hear that things are fine. I finally get a meeting request from my one boss about "future training" for tomorrow. I respond with "If I'm not there, I'll be at the hospital."
Mom came over for about an hour or so and then decided she might as well go back to work. (They're open late tonight...)
Like I said, it's been a somewhat interesting day. It could have been worse I guess. Anyhow, we're still at "wait and see". My next appointment if Boo isn't born yet is Monday morning. We'll have a non-stress test (more monitoring) and be checked out again. Who knows? I don't. I'm just taking it bit by bit.
Peace to all and may your day not be quite as interesting.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Dragon!

Well, I finally got pictures of that surprise Mom and I started making waaaay back in February. First, a picture of the old and new "zig-zag plate" for my sewing machine. The one on the left is the old one. The one on the right is brand new. Can we say "ouch!"? It's amazing what one little pin can do isn't it?
Well, here's a picture of the dragon that Mom and I made. He's 100% one of a kind. There will never be another like him. (No, I have no idea what his name is, he won't tell me!) I know I posted a picture about a while back of a big ol' bear I made for a friend's son. Well, that was only the most recent of a series of pillow critters I'd made. It all started with an elephant I made for Zoe for Christmas when she was 3. The pattern pack was on sale for $1 and I just couldn't resist. (She had a big thing for elephants when she was little...) I then made Katie a kitty. (I'm never making one of those again, unless it's with a thinner fabric then what I used for Katie's raspberry colored one.) Then Brendon got a big black lab puppy for his 1st birthday and Derrick got the bear for his 1st.
So, of course I had to make one for my own baby. There was a "monster" pattern with horns on his head and nose, a few spikes down the back (but no tail?) and teeth with a generally a "Loch Ness" look to him. Well, I decided with a few modifications he'd make a perfect dragon. Mom and I took the muzzle, horns and ears from the cow pattern. We modified the tail from the puppy. We added more spikes and nostrils and kept the spots, feet and teeth from the "monster". (The nostrils were fun, ask Mom...) In general, we took a goofy looking monster and made him into a lovable dragon. He's made of some nice, easy to work with fleece and over 64 oz. of stuffing. The cat eyes we found were perfect!

On a work related note, I'm so ready to hurt my boss it isn't even funny. I'm so tempted to just leave the mess the way it is and let him deal with it. I need real, solid answers from him, and I get nothing but vague half thoughts. It's enough to drive a sane person crazy, let alone a hormonal 9-months pregnant woman over the edge. Like I've said before, what gets done gets done and he can dig himself out of the rest of it.
I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. I feel like there's been some changes going on, but nothing really major. Still no contraction or crampy like feelings or extra flow or anything like that. I do seem to have dropped a bit (mostly obvious because I can sit at the computer a little longer now...). Who knows? I mean, there are women who go from nothing to full dilation and delivery in a matter of hours and then there are women walking around for weeks at 3 or 4 cm and nothing happening. Again, what will be, will be. I'm half thinking of suggestion an induction date of the 7th if he doesn't come before then. That's a week after their due date and a week before what I've been thinking. And besides, if I'm going to have an induction and "schedule" my kiddo's birthday, I can at least try and choose a cool one. (It's also a Saturday, which would give me just that much more time home with Boo before I had to go back to work...)

Well, the ribs are beginning to hurt again, so it's time for me to end this post.
Peace to all and may you have fun projects that make you smile.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Still Here

Well, I'm still here. I probably will be for another week or so yet is my guess.
But I could be wrong.
Today really felt like a Monday. It didn't feel like I had a three day weekend at all. If I got any more leave time than I do, I would love to have taken this week off.
But, I've got enough to do to keep me busy through this week, and into next. Even longer if I get a chance to work on any service tickets instead of just training crapola.
All I know is that there are at least a couple of customers I want to bean upside the head. They really aren't making my life any easier at all. Of course, Bert isn't helping things. Grrr. Oh well, soon enough it'll fall squarely on his plate for a bit instead of mine.
I sent out an email at work today letting people know my leave was soon and that Bert and Rick were the ones to talk to about any and all training issues and that Bert is the one who has final say of who's available when. I know he won't like it, but it's the only option we've got right now.
Oh well. He'll live and get over it. It's not like he's having to take it over forever.
Can I tell you again exactly how little I want to go to work tomorrow? I've got too much to do, but just can't get into doing it. I'm ready for this next phase, but know very well from my travel days that there is no use stressing out about things like this that just aren't in your control at all. What will be will be. Most of the time it's not an issue.
By about 2pm it is though.
My ribs hurt. I was impressed that yesterday I spent a couple of hours total sitting in front of the computer. Today, by about noon I was ready to go home. Of course, it didn't help that I was on a conference call from about 11 until 1. I didn't have much to say until the end of the call, but needed to be there anyhow. At one point, near the end, I just stood up and was resting my head on the shelf above my desk.
I really can't wait until I get my ribs back. I mean, sure, I want to wear pants with zippers again and have my belly smaller than my boobs. I'd love to be able to wear my old shirts and my overalls too. But what I really want is for my ribs to stop hurting. I think that's been my biggest complaint this whole pregnancy.
Well, that and the heartburn. The heartburn goes away pretty quickly after a Tums or two. The ribs... well... they don't stop hurting unless I've been lying down for a few hours. It's not even like Boo is moving away from them then, I guess the space is just a little different so he's not so squished in there or something. (It's still a really weird sensation to feel him moving around... makes me think of Alien from time to time, except he's not going to be born through my chest... even if I end up with a C!)
Ok. I'm totally rambling now. I think I'm going to head back to my book and my bed and see if I can't get comfortable for a bit. It's really stinking warm today and the air conditioners aren't back in yet. The window fans will only do so much good with the rain... moving air is good. Moving hot, wet air is icky. And I can't even sleep on my belly...

Peace to all and may you be comfortable and content.

oh... and no... I still don't have a picture of the surprise object... maybe tomorrow... maybe not.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Weekend Relaxation

Well, today was a do-nothing kind of day. I think it was almost 11 by the time I put down my book and got out of bed this morning. And I took a nap this afternoon as well!
Yes, that's right... I stayed in bed until 11.
Me, the one who's up at first light and often crawling back into bed for a nap at 11. I just wanted the world to go away for a bit I guess. I was feeling lazy and just wanted to stay curled up with my book and make everything else disappear.
It's not that I was having a bad or cranky day or anything... I was just enjoying being lazy. I don't do it often and won't be able to again any time soon.
I did however get a few things done, but I guess I'd better back up to Friday for this story.
Friday after I got off work I went and picked up Gak. We had dinner at Red Robbin before the movie. It was great to be able to go out with everyone. The new Indiana Jones is worth seeing in the theater. It's a little odd for an Indy film, but still good. You can tell Harrison is getting older, but that's OK. The story line was good, if a little odd. It wasn't as strong as the first one or as full of puzzles as the third, but about 50 times better than the 2nd. (I'm still not sure if Raiders of the Lost Ark or the third one is my favorite, they're both strong for different reasons.)
Saturday was a full day as well. I got the laundry done and ran a few errands as well. I did manage to get a nap in. Then when I picked up Gak from work we decided to go down to the mall. We hadn't been there in a while. I was on a mission. I needed to try and find a nursing bra. I felt like I was on the search for the Holy Grail or something. (Yes, the Monty Python version at times...) I went to two department stores and Layne Briant and not a single nursing bra to be had. (I actually think the WalMart near us has a bigger lingerie section than the mall stores.) I end up at Motherhood Maternity or whatever it's called. They only have one style for us larger gals. It fits fairly well, but the biggest problem is the fact that it itches a bit and an underwire. I hate underwires. I've always had problems with things itching. Oh well. I'd found some all cotton ones online, but if you order only one, you all but double the price in shipping! Ugh. Oh well. I'll figure something out in a few weeks. I have one for now.
We also went to Best Buy. We were looking for a small portable docking station for my ipod. But, we don't want to spend a lot of money and we don't want it to run only on batteries. We're half hoping to take it to the hospital. All I know, is that I'm pretty sure I'm going to want to be able to listen to the second disc of Pink Floyd's The Wall. I've been using that disc for years to cure my insomnia. We ended up picking up the second season of Babalon 5. For some reason all five seasons have been marked down to $20 from the standard $50. We already have the first season. I wish we'd been able to spend the $80 to get the other 4. Oh well. Two seasons is better than one.
One of the errands I ran yesterday was to stop by JoAnn's. The plate for my sewing machine finally came in. You remember, back in February I hit a pin just right and nicked the plate something fierce. Well, I finally ordered a new one about a month ago and it finally came in this week. The only really productive thing I did today was finish that project from February. No, I don't have a picture yet. It's very cute and I hope to get a good picture tomorrow when the light is better.
So, for a holiday weekend, it's been a good one. I'm really glad I have off again tomorrow. I'll probably sleep in a bit (but not as late as today), hopefully get a little bit worked on for work and maybe try and get the living room back in some kind of order.
(I didn't tell you about that... we had the opportunity to acquire a 3-piece sectional from upstairs. I was really really hoping it would work out. Unfortunately, it's just a bit too big and a bit too ugly. So, the living room is in a bit of chaos and well... I'm not sure how to fix it just yet...)

I hope everyone is having a good weekend.
Peace to all and may you have good days and relaxing days in whichever combination you want.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Doomed!

Ok. We're doomed. I'm sending lambs to the slaughter. It's going to be a blood bath and there's nothing I can do about it.
I just got done "training the trainer" for the two guys I'm sending out over the next two weeks. It was more like teach them the information and hope they absorbed enough to pass it on. I was teaching them stuff about the software they should have known well over a year ago. (This just goes to prove my thought that the knowledge base in this department has gone through the floor!) I honestly don't know how much use it was. It wasn't a good thing. I should have spent an hour or so going over logistics and how to conduct the training session itself with maybe a quick tour of the topics they're to cover. Instead, It was a fast-paced training session.
I'm trying not to panic, but it isn't going to be pretty.
I'm also trying not to panic about everything that's not going to get done before I leave. I haven't touched a service request in over 2 weeks. I'm supposed to turn over one thing to one of the guys who is leaving next week to train for me. I hope that I've made enough notes in the calls for it to make sense. I've got at least one, if not more, training manual that needs a major overhaul before I leave. I was supposed to do that today but ended up in meetings of various types all day. I've got to coordinate a trip out here late next month by a customer that got dumped into my lap by a sales guy. I've got to quote and schedule 4 training sessions for the book that has to be re-written for the months of June and July. I have no one to spare in July. Especially since it is regulatory training that they're after.
Yep, I'm panicking.
No, there's not much I can do other than try and get the most urgent stuff done. I just hope that too many things don't fall through the cracks while I'm gone and leave me with an even bigger mess when I get back. Oh well. I'll deal with that then.
(Of course, it doesn't help that I'm my own worst critic... I'm sure everything I've done is acceptable or even good all things considered, but I just don't see it.)

Tonight should be good though. We've got tickets to the 7:30 showing of Indiana Jones with two other couples. I'm looking forward to that and the three day weekend. (Even though I plan on spending some time trying to get work done over the weekend... I really will this time!)

Well, I'm done panicking. I've got to try to get a few things done before I leave at 5. Wish me luck.
Peace to all and may you not be overwhelmed by lack of knowledge.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Mini Shower

Well, I got a very pleasant surprise this afternoon after getting back from taking the customers out to lunch. The service department threw me a little shower.
I'm very touched. I have always liked my coworkers. It's nice to know they like me too. They got us the swing I'd had on the registry, a handful of baby bath things and a gift card to WalMart. I really do work with good people. I'm glad they're friends.

Tonight I'm supposed to go out with a couple of the customers. It should be fun, I hope. Bill will be joining us. I'm tired, but it should be an interesting time. They're good people and it is a good "feel good" kind of thing. It is nice to see them in a non-stress kind of situation. Apparently the training is going very well. One of them actually called the sales guy to tell him how good it has been yesterday. That makes me feel good. I'm glad they like what we've been able to give them.

The doctor's appointment went well this morning. I've got another appointment for next Thursday. According to my doctor everything seems typical for a first pregnancy. Things are beginning to "soften" a bit. What this means in the long run, nobody knows. It just means that things are changing. How fast things will continue to change, only Boo knows (maybe) and he's not telling. He seems quite happy where he is. He'll be born in due time. The doctor isn't worried and neither am I.
I know Ron here at work is wanting Boo to wait an extra week. That's because he's going to be doing training for the first time the first week of June. He just wants to know I'll be in the office to call if he needs help with anything. I keep telling him he'll be fine.

Well, I'd best get back to my people. It's almost my turn again, I think. Yesterday I had several people all asking if they could have a bit of time with them, and it has been a juggling act.

Peace to all and may your friends pleasantly surprise you.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Halfway There

Well, we're halfway through the week. It's been a good, if long week.
The training has been going well. Much better than I'd hoped. I'm glad. I've got a good group of people and even though we're going through some pretty in-depth stuff, we've managed to keep the tone light and the pace good. I do like most of these people. I'm just glad that other person I'd held training for from this company before is no longer there. She was just mean and out for blood. I can really do without that.
Two of the people used to be field service people here. They're good guys and friendly. It is good to see them again. They seem to be doing well and enjoying "the dark side".
I wrap up with these guys tomorrow. Actually, if all goes well, I won't be doing much training at all. I've got a doctor's appointment in the morning, but that's OK because one of the other guys will be doing hardware type training all morning. It should be good. Then in the afternoon one of the engineer types will be doing some slightly different hardware training for a bit. Then I get to wrap it all up and send everyone home.
I'll be glad for that. As enjoyable as this is, I'm beat.
Like I said, one more doctor's appointment tomorrow. If there's still no progress we'll be talking about what to do if/when I go beyond 40 weeks. (eek! less than 10 days according to the ticker!) I'd like to not talk induction before the 10th, but I'm not sure really care. I don't really want to schedule a C if we don't have to. I mean, there's a good possibility I'll end up with one, but if I don't have to, I don't want to. (As much as the whole thought of labor/delivery scares me... more from the "what have I gotten myself into" sense than anything...) I don't know, there's just something about picking your baby's birthday that seems a little wrong. I mean, I'm still not sure how I feel about finding out about the baby's gender beforehand, even though we did. There is just something greedy or selfish or something about "planning" the day of birth. Oh well, we'll see what the doctor has to say tomorrow. For all I know, things have started to change and I may actually deliver at the end of next week without any help. Who knows? Not I.
Well, I'd better wrap up a few more training issues this evening before I head out to pick up Gak. Random thought: I just realized I didn't upload the picture of the shirts Jon sent me. I'll try and do that tonight.
Peace to all and may your weeks be good.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Monday Morning

Well, we made it through another weekend. And now I'm back at work.
Ugh.
I'm so glad there's a 3-day weekend coming up. I could use it!
I do have pictures to post, but I haven't downloaded them from the camera yet. Hopefully I'll get that done tonight so I can share them tomorrow.
Friday we were supposed to go to the movies after Gak got off work. Well, we didn't. There wasn't a good time for us to go see Prince Caspian up at the new theater, which is very nice, and when we drove past the one in town, it was so crowded that the time we wanted was probably sold out. We had dinner at the Broadway Cafe two doors over from the apartment instead. (Great little place. Good and simple food, cheep prices, neat decor and right under the dance studio and friendly owner.)
Saturday I sent Gak in to work by himself again. I really should try and do laundry on Saturday instead of Sunday, but I just wasn't having any of it this weekend. Besides, Saturday was the "Art's Alive" festival thing and the street was blocked off. I'd have had to carry the laundry a block or two, and neither of us wanted to do that...
I did wander around the artists on Saturday. I spent too much money though. I bought a few small things and then spent more than I planned on one thing in particular. It's a wooden jigsaw puzzle in the shape of a rampant baby dragon. It was too cute to pass up. It's not that big. It's something that Boo will grow into, but until then, I can enjoy.
After Gak got home from work we took a lap around the vendors and he got something to eat. He actually got a decent BBQ biscuit sandwich. I, however, splurged and got an ice cream. We were very lucky that the day turned out so nice. It was very windy, but the sun was out the whole day. After the weather Friday, I was worried it would be rained out.
After our little jaunt around the block, we decided to go see Prince Caspian. The theater wasn't too crowded this time. I now also remember why we try and see all the movies we can up at the other theater. The one in town is less than 10 years old, but it is really showing it's age. The totally digital projection and sound at the other theater and the much better seating really have spoiled us.
The movie was OK. If you haven't seen it, I'd suggest waiting for it on DVD. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't as good as the first one. They took some important set-up scenes from the book out of the movie and I think they made a couple of scenes up out of whole cloth. The acting was good, but it just didn't make me go "wow" like Iron Man did or the first Narnia movie.
Speaking of movies, we have a date with some of our friends to go see the new Indiana Jones movie on Friday. I can't wait for that one!
Yesterday was mostly good. Kat, Scott and Stu came over. We spent quite a bit of time waiting for Stu to finish up his RIFTS character. (I seriously think a cattle prod needs to be applied to his backside some days....) The game itself looks like it might be interesting. My character is a little more surly than I intended her to be, but I think that was my general mood seeping out again. All I know is it got the right reaction out of Scott... it annoyed the snot out of him. I enjoy doing that. He needs to be kept on his toes. Of course, I think I made Stu pretty mad at my character, but come on... the race I'm playing doesn't trust anyone and he was touching my stuff without even talking to me after he just appeared out of nowhere through a rift. Of course I'm gonna yell at him!
Of course, I wanted to yell at him for real about 7:00. Kat and Scott left around 6 to go pickup Zoe. Stu didn't get the idea that maybe Gak and I would want some time together or that I just wasn't up to having people over any longer that day. Gak finally got him to leave around 9. (Around 6:30, I excused myself to the bedroom to go read. Of course, by about 8 I was a bit bored and frustrated because Stu was on my computer because Gak was showing him EQII so therefore I couldn't do anything on it...)
Anyhow, it is Monday now. I've got to get my butt in gear and get the last minute things done for the training the rest of the week. I've also got to get some other training crap done and out of the way. I just don't feel like being yelled at by my boss, and I'm sure I will. I closed about 3 things in total last week and it wasn't my most productive of weeks. I did get a good bit of training stuff done, but not everything that needs to be done. He can just deal. There's only so much energy you're going to get out of me in a given day for the next few weeks and I'll do the best with it that I can.

Oh, random thought before I finish this. Saturday morning I got a call from BabiesRUs. The glider is in! I'm picking it up this evening! I can now breathe a sigh of relief. I'll admit I was worried. It wouldn't have been the end of the world if it didn't get here in time, but it is much nicer that it is here.

Peace to all and I hope everyone had a good weekend.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Random Friday

I had a post in my brain, but I got interrupted before I could write it. I know I had something to say, but it's gone.
So, I guess you'll just have to wade through some random thoughts from me today.
Random thought number 1. Mom checked her credit card and she's been billed for the glider, so that makes it look like it's been ordered. We should have some clue in a week or so if it came in or not.

Random thought number 2. I still have the coolest brother on the planet. Gak called me from work this morning. Jon sent two things for Boo. One is a onsie that declares him as "human level 1" and gives his D&D stats. I nearly fell out of my chair laughing at this one. He also sent a T-shirt for when he's bigger. It was also really cool, but it has escaped my brain for the moment. I'll take pictures and post this weekend.

Oh, now I remember something I was going to post on... Al stopped by today. You remember the guy who retired back in January? Yeah. It was good to see him. It was really weird, but really nice, to hear him talking with people while working. I really do miss having him around. He's a good guy.

Ugh, the heartburn is back with a vengeance. It was OK for a few weeks there, but the last few days have been rough. Oh well. That's what they make Tums for.

Tonight Gak and I are going to go see Prince Caspian. I hope it's as good as it looks. I also hope I can stay awake. Today has been one of those just can't wake up days. I slept last night, but not the best. I'm just really tired and really glad tomorrow is a Saturday. I'm making Gak drive himself to work again. Partially because I'm beat now and partially because tomorrow is "Art's Alive" downtown, which means no parking in front of the apartment and I'm not hauling the laundry a block or two to the car.

Ok. I've got to get back to pretending to work. This really hasn't been one of my better weeks. Hopefully next Monday and Friday I'll be able to pull my weight a bit more. I've got people coming in for training Tuesday through Thursday. I hope to be able to pull that off as well. (Actually, I've got other people doing the work Wednesday afternoon and most of Thursday. That's good because I have another doctor appointment on Thursday morning...)

Peace to all and may your thoughts not feel like a broken mosaic.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Babies and Knees

Well, today was doctor appointment day.
My appointment this morning went well. Boo's head is down, but otherwise no progress on that front. (No contractions of any kind, some pelvic pressure now and again, no spotting or leaking or anything like that either... basically no nothing.) I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he's not here until the end of the first week of June. (Besides, if I use the dates as I honestly think they should be, I'm not really due until around the 10th anyhow...) If things are still like this next week, we'll discuss options with the doctor. I tell you what, unless there's a very good medical reason, I don't plan on letting them induce me before the 10th. That's less than 2 weeks past-date using the current math. Anyhow, we'll burn that bridge when we get there.
Gak's appointment went well too. It was very brief. I think I like the doctor, but I'm not sure. He's the one who has patched up all of Kat's broken bones over the years, so I know he's good. A little brisk, but a good doctor. According to him, what the issue is, is that Gak's kneecap isn't tracking right. Basically it's become a little off center. Gak's been given a couple of exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee that he will do for five minutes each time, three times a day. (Yes honey, I'm glaring at you....) He's also supposed to take two Alive at breakfast and bedtime and has been given a new brace to wear all day to try and push the kneecap back into proper alignment.
I hope this works. We don't need his knee getting any worse any time soon. That and he just shouldn't have to live with a constant low level of pain every day. It just makes him cranky after a while.
Well, I guess I should actually get some work done since this morning was taken up by doctors.
Peace to all and may you have good results.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Room Tour

Well, I finally got the pictures of Boo's room last night and got them uploaded this morning. Yes, I know, I'm being very productive and it's not even 7:00 yet. Don't worry, I'll crash at about 8:30 and drag my butt through the rest of the day.

This picture of the dragon with his teddy bear is mostly the inspiration for the room. Gak and I picked it up at Faire a couple of years ago now. We just thought it was really cute and very "us". Especially since at times our lives seem to be run by our teddy bears... yes Scout, that's you. The "torches" are from Ikea. They have two settings, on and flicker. This picture doesn't do them justice. The "flames" are actually a reddish-orange color and are too cool for words.


This is where the glider will eventually go. I'm still not 100% confident about the order we placed on Sunday, but we'll see. Just to the left in this picture is the door into the living room. This bedroom has two doors, very convenient access, but horrible for furniture layout. As you can see, the chair will be right under the dragon and the torches. This will be a great little nook to nurse and rock Boo back to sleep at night, with just enough light for Momma or Poppa. This also shows the wardrobe Michelle helped put together. (Actually, in all fairness, I barely helped with that one...) No, there is no magical forest hiding in this one, at least not for boring "grownups" who are more worried about storing the baby's clothes at the moment...
This is the view from said door into the living room. The finicky mobile is there leaning against the radiator. There is a cover for it, but it's currently being painted at my landlady's house. The hanging dragon with pockets is another Ikea find. I've got a few toys stashed in there at the moment, and will probably put a blanket or other odds and ends I want handy at the crib in there. Mostly I thought it was cool and I'll never turn down extra storage space. The baby vibro-chair is there in the corner as well. It won't stay there. It'll be wherever we need it, but it was a convenient place to set it for now. Yes, that's the blanket I made back in January on the crib. The bumper is this really cool "mesh" that's actually fairly padded, but breathable. If Boo is anything like me, once he's squirming around in bed, he'll find the most inconvenient corner to wedge himself in. I don't need arms or legs getting tangled in the slats.


This is the view from the door between the bedrooms. The color is the most off in this one. I just couldn't get a good picture with or without the flash. As you can see, we've got this wonderful built in wall cabinet. It provides tons of storage, but again makes furniture layout a pain. You can also see the blue dragon rug from Ikea. It's really soft on the toes. Yes, the wall unit still looks like a bit of a mess, but it's an almost organized mess. Onsies and sleepers are in the cabinet to the left, some of my stuffed animals I still have are in the cabinet to the right. I guess they're Boo's now. (Well, he can't "have" Snowball, that was my last birthday present from Josi, my closest friend before moving from Kansas.)

I'll close with this picture. This rocking horse is one of the things we picked up from Mom's customer. I still have my rocking horse from when Jon was born. It needs a front leg repair and a new dowel, but is still in very good condition. (Amazing when you think about how much I loved to ride the thing...) Scout has decided that she loves this little horse. Trying to get her off it some evenings is tough. I'm sure Boo won't mind sharing on occasion, but it is his horse. At least until he gets big enough to ride mine.
Well, I hope you enjoyed the little tour of Boo's room. It took long enough to get everything together. I think it looks pretty good, even with the apparent chaos that is the cabinets. (I'm just glad it's deep enough for the changing pad. That was very convenient!)
Peace to all and may your projects come together and you have a nice place to call home.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Movin' Right Along

Well, this was a good weekend.
Saturday I had a very lazy day. And I enjoyed it. I ended up sleeping a good portion of the day. I read a lot too. Mind you, I had several things that I wanted to get done, but they can wait. I just didn't have the energy. I use up so much of my reserves these days just getting through the work day, that by Saturday, I'm exhausted. We did pick up a few things Saturday, including a nifty diaper pail for Boo's room. Hopefully it'll help keep the smell down and keep everything neat... or at least neater.
We also picked up a new USB memory drive for me and a copy of Never Ending Story. I'd made a comment about it a few weeks back about not having seen it in ages and it's been sitting there in the back of my head for a while. We found a cheep copy while we were out, so of course we had to pick it up.
Yesterday was a very good day. Mom came up around 1:00 and we got a lot done.
Mom and I got all the clothes put away. I still say Boo has way more clothes than I do. I think I have more onsies than days in the month. (I'm sure at some point I'll be glad that I have that many....) Most of them are in the 0-3 or 3-6 month sizes. I've noticed that what the tag says doesn't mean a thing when it comes to infant wear. The only thing that's ever the same is possibly within the same brand, but that's pushing it some days too.
We also ended up going to BabiesRUs and picking up a hamper, a few other odds and ends and ordering a glider. Yes, we had to order it. That was an adventure and a half. Actually, I should say I hope we ordered the glider. We had to order it from another store and that was a major exercise in patience and waiting on hold. Unfortunately, it'll be about two weeks until we know if it came in or not. Here's hoping Boo actually waits until his due date. (I'm also hoping that because next week I've got some customers coming up for custom training and I really don't want to see what happens if I'm out... that and Indiana Jones comes out that weekend and that's truly a see in the theater movie...)
We managed to get everything hung and set up, except for the glider of course. No, I don't have pictures, but that's because we got done around 9pm and I just didn't get moving this morning. I hope to take some tonight. The room looks great. The only things missing are the glider and Boo!

This should prove to be an interesting week at work. And by interesting, I mean rough. We've got two people out on vacation. This is the week of EPRI, so our boss is out at least through tomorrow or Wednesday. (I haven't checked the calendar.) Bill's got a ton of work for both of his jobs and is so busy trying to keep everything from hitting him in the head, I'm surprised he has time to breathe. I have to get a lot of training stuff finished off from last week to prepare for next week, which means I just don't have the time to focus on service work.
I just hope I can keep my head down and out of the firing range.

Well, speaking of work, I'd better get some of this training stuff wrapped up so maybe I can get some service work done this afternoon.

Peace to all and I hope every one remembered their mother yesterday...

Friday, May 09, 2008

37 Weeks and Counting!

Well, today marks 37 weeks into this pregnancy! (Where has the time gone?!?!) Only 3 weeks to go to reach the traditional 40-week full term status. (Although, most in the medical community consider 38-40 as being term, 41+ weeks as being post-term.)
I had my 37 week appointment today. All is well in the world. The heartbeat is good, even if it took the doctor a bit to find it. (For some reason, this one of the two I've seen the most doesn't always believe me that he'll do better on the right than the middle...) No change in anything else. So, it was "see you next week" and all is well.

Can I tell you I have the best brother on the planet? Or at least I think so. It may sound strange to those who didn't know us growing up, but Jon and I just don't fight. At least nothing serious. Sure, we don't always agree and pick on each other some days more than others, but we don't fight. (I do remember an entire car ride from the house to our parents' shop where we did nothing but come up with creative insults for each other... it's about a 25 minute ride...)
Yesterday when I went to get Gak at work, I had mail from my brother. He sent me this really neat Mother's Day card. Yep, that's right... my brother sent me a Mother's Day card. How many other people have brothers who would do that? (I, on the other hand, am lucky if I remember to send birthday cards out...)
Speaking of Mother's Day, Sunday mom is coming up to our place in the afternoon and we're going to finish getting Boo's room together. We've still got some stuff to hang and some things to figure out where to put and it could stand a really good dusting and floor cleaning after the painting. Hopefully we'll even get a rocker by then, who knows? This means late Sunday, or more likely Monday I'll have pictures to post! We'll be having dinner at our place.
Dad may or may not wander up for dinner. You see, he spent most of their "Stimulus Check" on a new camera he's been drooling over. Ritz was running an awesome deal on the Nikon SLR digital he has been drooling over, including two lenses in the package for about what the body was normally going for. So, his plan for Sunday is to disappear with the camera. I don't blame him. It sounds like a fabulous Sunday to me. I miss the times Dad and I, and Mom and Jon too, would go out on a weekend day and go for a walk or whatever with cameras in hand. It was an enjoyable way to spend a day with the family. And we were outside to boot! We did a lot of cool things like that as a family while growing up. Hopefully Gak and I will have as many good outings with Boo.

Well, I guess I'd better get back to work now. I've got a whole list of training things that I need to get to. (I didn't get any training work done yesterday, I spent the day putting out service fires...)

Peace to all and may life be good to you.

Thursday, May 08, 2008

So Tired

Well, we're getting there. If I could sleep, all would be even better. It's been a loosing battle the last few nights. Predictable though, just about every night from 3:30 to 4:30, give or take a half hour on either end. Just because I know it'll happen, doesn't make me a happier person in the morning when I have to drag my butt out of bed and into work. Oh well, this phase will all too soon be over.
Last night while waiting for Gak to finish up at work, I got a call from Abi. She's doing well. We've both been so busy we haven't had a chance to talk. She says she figures when there's a several day pause in blog entries, she'll know Boo's been born. (She's actually on the list of people to call that day....) I may create a generic announcement post in a word doc so that all Gak will have to do is put in the specifics, copy and paste into blogger and post. Don't hold me to it though, I'll probably forget I thought of this idea in about 10 minutes. My brain is about as sharp as a steel sieve these days. That'll hopefully get better at some point too.
Gak and I spent a good bit of time last night after dinner getting Boo's room together. I still have about half of his clothes to put away and organize and the baby vibro-chair to put together. We've also got to clean the floor again before putting down the rug. And then there's the stuff to hang on the walls. We're almost there though. I do have to make some decisions about the mesh bumper I bought. I love the idea of it and it looks good, but I had to rig it a little to fit right. I don't think it's a safety hazard, but I'm just not sure. I also have to decide about the mobile that Mom and I got from her customer. It's pretty cool and everything, but I'm a little worried about the stability. It's very firmly attached to the crib, but the pole and the mobile head itself are pretty wobbly in my view. That and it comes down pretty close to the mattress since we have it in the "all the way up" position. And it just doesn't match. I love the brightness of the colors, but they just don't go with anything else in the room. I'll have to think about it for a few. (I also really want to break down and buy some green sheets even though I have about 6 sheets already, mostly in off white... It's just a little too bland....)
Anyhow, just thought I'd drop a line while I was still thinking about it and let everyone know life is still good. My next doctor's appointment is tomorrow morning, which means I actually get to sleep in a few. Oh, and Gak has an appointment on the 15th about his knee. So far the answer is, yes, it's a knee. It doesn't appear to be a torn meniscus, so they're really not sure what's going on. We'll see next week.
Peace to all and may you get some sleep and be productive.

Monday, May 05, 2008

Paint and Pondering

Well, the room is painted. The landlady's husband will be up again tomorrow evening to do some final cleanup, then I can spend the evening putting things away! It looks great! I promise to get pictures and post them as soon as everything is put together.
I guess what really prompted this is I was perusing some of the local headlines. There are some days that I really don't like living in this commonwealth. Apparently there's a bill in the PA senate to amend the commonwealth's constitution to ban homosexual marriage. Here's a link to the headline.
I've known several gays and lesbians in my life. I worked closely with several lesbians when I was a camp councilor. I went to school with and was friends with several gay men and lesbians in college. I was so happy that my cousin found the woman of her dreams and was glad to be able to make it to their wedding. Who cares who you love? I've found my soul-mate. He's a wonderful man and I couldn't ask for better. So my cousin loves another woman. So what? Rae and Kami are two of the happiest people I've met for a while. It is so obvious that they love each other with every fiber of their being. Just because they're two women does that mean their love is any less real than my love for Gak? Does it mean that somehow they're not "capable" of devoting themselves totally to each other and creating a life together? I doubt it.
Proponents of the PA bill say that it'll "protect" marriage between men and women but won't take away any rights of homosexuals. What part of pure and simple hosehockey aren't they understanding?! There are real advantages of being legally married. I mean, you get a break on your taxes for one thing. It also makes it that much easier for me to cover Gak with my health insurance. And since when has "traditional" marriage been in danger? What does that mean anyhow?
Bah. All this does is make me cranky. And since when have I had so much to say about the state of the world around me and "sensitive" ideas?
And I was in a good mood because the room is finally painted and almost ready for Boo.
I think I'm going to go curl up with my book now and pretend the rest of the world doesn't exist.
Peace to all and may you find someone to share your heart and soul with, no matter who they are.

Sunday, May 04, 2008

Lions and Religion

Chelsea asked an interesting question in the comments of my last post. I was just going to answer it there like I usually do, but figured I might as well turn this one into a full post of it's own.
She asked about The Chronicles of Narnia, stating that once she found out The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was all an allegory for the Christ story, it ruined it for her.
Well, I've got lots of thoughts on this. As a matter of fact, I actually used some of them back in December on an off-topic post on the crochet board I visit when some people there were up in arms about The Golden Compass.
I only ever read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as a kid. I think I might have picked up Prince Caspian at one point, but it didn't hold the magic that the other did. (Sorry, I'm not typing that title yet again, it's long!) To me, reading the battered hard-bound copy that was my Mom's was magic. It was a wonderful story about four siblings and this amazing lion. I was never told it was allegory until I was in late high school or early college. I actually almost physically fought against this idea. I mean, it made me vaguely ill to hear it. I couldn't, wouldn't see it as possible.
You see, I grew up in a "mixed" household. Religion was never very strong. Sure, we celebrated Christmas and nodded to Easter. We also celebrated Hanukkah. I would go off and on to church with my mom when she found one she liked. I never learned a whole lot though. Most of the time I was just bored. I kept going in high school because I liked some of the other kids in the youth group and it gave me something to do. Most of the preaching really didn't affect me. I already knew to be a good, kind, caring person and that there is a right way and a wrong way to treat people.
Therefore, when reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, I never even thought to apply the Christ story to it. It was a strange and amazing tale set in a wonderful place where the animals could talk. The kids were doing what was right, helping get rid of somebody big, mean and nasty that was making life miserable for all the "good" people. This was only what was right and just in the world. I strongly believe that people, not just children, will apply what they want to their world and in cases like this, unless they're told at the beginning it's the Christ story, the won't necessarily read it that way for themselves.
Recently I've "read", well... listened more like thanks to Audible, a few of the others. They're all good stories. Some are more "Christian" than others. (The thought of them being the Christ story or other Bible tales still makes me vaguely uncomfortable...) Personally, I think you should take away what you want from these stories. Yes, C.S. Lewis was a devout Christian and has written many Christian works. Yes, he probably intended these stories as a way to teach those ideals to children.
But aren't they good ideals that everyone should have? Shouldn't everyone try and right the wrongs, treat others in kindness and fairness and respect all life?
I guess I haven't really answered Chelsea's question yet, which was if the first movie was good.
I think it was a well done adaptation of the book. It followed it closely. The casting and acting was great and the effects, while stunning, were not over done. It is still a wonderful story of hope, courage, love and "doing the right thing" ... and family.
I hope Caspian lives up to the standard the first movie set. I've read the book and enjoyed it. It's still a good story about strong kids trying to do right.
Anyhow, I guess that's about all I've got to say on it. I've got to get the laundry together and write up the grocery list. I didn't do my chores yesterday, so I'd best get them done today.
Peace to all and may you all have stories you enjoy in your lives.

Saturday, May 03, 2008

Stuck

It's official. We're stuck.
We still need to get a rocker/glider for the baby's room, but we have no where to put it. I've got just about all of Boo's new clothes and sheets and things washed, but can't put them away. I can't hang the wall lights or the artwork or anything else yet either. I've got a crib full of things waiting to be put away or set up but can't.
The room isn't finished being painted yet.
Monday. Monday is when it's supposed to happen.
I hope it does.
The upstairs neighbors are out and the lock on the bottom door has been changed. Now the landlady and her husband can focus on finishing up the painting. Once that's done, I can finally move stuff around and put everything away.
My doctor's appointment Thursday went well. It seems that Boo is in the head down position and now it really is just a matter of "wait and see".
Four weeks.
I saw that the other day and I started to panic.
Yes, mostly because we're "stuck". Also, for some reason, "It's the End of the World" by R.E.M. has a tendency to go through my head. Oh well. This is an adventure I willingly signed up for and am looking forward to, even if both Gak and I are a bit terrified now and again. We'll be fine. Many, many generations before us have all faced this.
Yesterday we went and had our "pre check-in" at the hospital. It is a nice, small hospital. It was a slow evening so the nurse showed us around a bit. The L&D rooms are HUGE and each have their own warming bed for the baby. If the ward is slow, they'll just keep you in L&D after you deliver and not bother to move you down the hall to a recovery room.
We also went and saw Iron Man last night with Scott, Kat and Zoe. It was probably just a little loud for Zoe, but she's handled other movies in the genre well and you never know until you get there. Gak and Scott were very happy with it. Apparently they stuck very closely to the original and modernized it quite well. I wouldn't know, since I've never really read Iron Man much. They did a great job with it in my opinion. The summer movie season is upon us.
Hopefully we'll be able to go see Prince Caspian together when it comes out and the new Indiana Jones movie as well. That one is a maybe, since it comes out on the 22nd and Boo's due date is the 30th. I hope we do get to see it in the theater. That's definitely one of those that are made for the really big screen.
Anyhow, today was a very slow day for me. It was gray. We got in late last night and I sent Gak to work by himself today. I slept a good bit. I read a bit. We went out to the diner for dinner (hopefully I got that right...). Now I have no idea what I'm going to do next. I should work on mom's afghan. I originally wanted to get it done for her birthday. I missed that. My next goal was Mother's Day. Unless I seriously get off my butt this week, I'm going to miss that too. Oh well, it'll get done.
Well, I'm off to go find something to keep me out of trouble for a while.
Peace to all and may you not be stuck.

Friday, May 02, 2008

We Survived!

Well, I survived reporting month. It's been the first time in three years that I've had to be on the front line for this. Yes, it is like a war some days during reporting month. But, everyone survived, we managed to only make a few people cranky about not getting things done and we've got 2 more months before we have to do it all over again.
And I won't be here this time.
Yep, that's right, in just about 4 weeks (give or take) Boo will be born and I'll be home learning how to be a momma. I get the feeling it'll be a pretty steep learning curve at first. But that's OK. It'll be a new challenge and one I'm looking forward to. Gak and I will tackle this whole parenting thing together and hope we get more right than wrong. (I'm sure we will, we're both pretty smart people with big hearts and, hopefully, realistic expectations of ourselves and each other....)
Now I've just got to quickly get the rest of the stuff for the training "department" fixed up so it can run on autopilot while I'm out. In the weekly meeting this morning one of the guys (Mr. Lazy) asked if I'd be working from home. I told him I'd be checking my email once or twice a week and no other promises. The only reason I'm planning on doing that is the fact that I don't want to spend an entire week when I get back weeding through emails.
We've decided to go with the daycare on 8th street. It's only a block or so total extra walking for Gak on his way to work. We'll be able to leave the stroller there so he won't have to walk it all the way to the office.
The upstairs neighbors are supposed to be out today, I'll keep you posted.
Tonight we've got a pre-checkin visit at the hospital to get most of the paperwork done so we don't have to when the time comes. We're also hopefully getting together with Kat and Scott and possibly seeing Iron Man. I'll let ya know if we do and if it is worth seeing.
Peace to all and may you survive the stress and have your successes.