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Congrats go out to my sister, Sarah, who ran and finished her first 10K run last Saturday during the National Capital Race Weekend in Ottawa.
The official results have been posted but you can just hop on over to saedigh.com to see her finish time :-)
And as if that wasn't enough exercise, in 4 weeks she's heading over to Tanzania to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. I'm not kidding.
Go Sarah! I'm impressed and proud of you!
The painters were able to take advantage of the lovely weather last week, and got at least one coat on the exterior siding and trim and it looks awesome! I really like the colours we ended up choosing. (yeah yeah... white and white... but they are subtly different - the siding is more of a warm white, and the trim is bright white to match the doors and windows - and it really "pops" ). It looks really wonderful. I can't wait to see it in the sunlight (today was a little cloudy).
Other progress this week:
- Kitchen tile backsplash is installed! Just waiting to set, and then they'll grout it. The tile we selected is gorgeous - really ties together the fir cabinets and black silestone countertops.
- Master bathroom grout is completely done except for the shower floor
- Master bathroom fir paneling is almost done
- Stair railings look like they're getting prepped to get installed next week.
- they've started working on the relocation of the septic tanks
Oh! And we also saw a deer out by our orchard while we were visiting! Watched it grazing through the french doors in the kitchen. Sigh. I can't wait until that's our regular scene every morning ;-)
Exterior and Interior photos from today are here.
Today's temps were in the 90s. I was not prepared for this. I have no temperature-appropriate clothes that fit.
Solution: One of Tim's white t-shirts, and his "vintage" elasticized-waisted "Mt. Hood Festival of Jazz" cotton shorts.
Thank goodness we live in the pacific northwest... wearing my husband's clothing, I can still fit right in.
Baby Girl takes my breath away. Quite literally.
Around midnight last night I woke up with the sudden sensation that I wasn't getting enough air in my lungs. No matter how deeply I breathed, I couldn't breath in enough air - it just wasn't satisfying. I consistently felt short of breath.
I got up, walked around. Sat down at the computer and tried to distract myself. Tried watching tv. Tried yoga breathing. Tried sitting up in bed to sleep. Tried sitting up in the living room to sleep. Tried laying on my left side. Laying on my right side. No matter what I did I couldn't satisfy my desire to take in more air.
Baby girl continued her usual late night movements - nothing abnormal. Nothing that felt different. I was taking in oxygen - it wasn't like I couldn't breath at all. But I couldn't breath deeply, and it really didn't feel like I could take a deep enough breath to satisfy my lungs.
After about 3 hours of this it started getting to me. I was exhausted, and frustrated, and by now starting to become a little anxious. And all the attempts to breath deeply were causing me to start to feel a little dizzy and tingly.
So I called my OB's office 24 hour nurse line. By now Tim was awake and trying his best to help me, but there really wasn't anything to be done. I described my symptoms to the nurse. No allergies. No history of anxiety or panic attacks. No history of asthma. No medical conditions. No medications except for the prenatal vitamins. No extraordinary physical exhertion earlier that day. No unusual activity. No complications with the pregnancy to date. No pain or bleeding or cramping symptoms. No apparent cause for what I was experiencing. After going through her procedures and protocol list, she ended up referring me to 911.
So we called 911. Went through the same questions and procedures. Took a while to get through it all because I could only speak so fast due to my breathing attempts. And by now my back was starting to hurt as a result of being strained while I tried breathing deeply. The 911 operator said she would send an aid car out to take a look at me. When I hung up they were already at our front door, quite literally. No sirens, thank goodness! They came inside, and checked me out. The good news - my blood pressure was fine. My pulse was fine. My lungs and breath sounds sounded good. My oxygenation was measuring 100%. I had good colour, and I was holding complete conversations with them
(if a little strained and slow) as I answered their questions. But because I am 30 weeks pregnant and clearly short of breath they asked if they could take me in for further examination at the hospital.
So I walked with them out our front door to the aid car. They pulled out the gurney and lowered the side rail and raised the head so I could sit down and swing my feet on board and lean back. They loaded me into the back of the aid car. Tim followed behind in our car.
In the ambulance they hooked me up to 100% oxygen, and continued monitoring my oxygenation via that little clippy thing they put on your finger and continued to check my vitals, all of which were normal (blood pressure was a little low relatively, but my blood pressure has always been that way, and never low enough to be diagnosed as low blood pressure - it's always been considered quite healthy).
4 minutes later we arrived at Stevens. Tim was there there waiting for me when they lowered me out of the back of the aid car and wheeled me into the E.R. The triage person came out to meet us. I was still short of breath but able to walk into the check-in room and provide him with my information for registration. He took us back to the ER room. The EMTs finished checking me in with the registration desk.
They took my vitals again, and also listened to the baby's heart beat. I was still breathing rapidly and still short of breath. The doctor came out and listened to everything. My lips and nose and fingers were tingly and he explained it was because I needed to slow down my breathing - that the release of the carbon dioxide was what was causing the tingly feelings. He had me concentrate hard on my breathing and slowing it down. The oxygen they had given me had helped a little with that as well.
The doctor explained possible causes of shortness of breath. In pregnant women especially, when this type of thing is experienced, they are concerned about the possibility of a blood clot causing the shortness of breath and inability to breath. He also explained though that if a clot was the cause, It usually would be accompanied by other indicators, none of which I had - eg lower oxygenation (mine was continued to be 100%); pain in my back or chest or legs (I had back pain but it was muscle strain due to my breathing attempts), lower or higher blood pressure (mine continued to be normal). But they wanted to do everything they could to rule out the possibility, so ordered a blood test that checks for a particular enzyme that can be a predictive indcator to a possible blood clot. If the test comes back negative, it is 98% indicative of no blood clot. However the test also has a 30-70% chance of coming back with a false positive. And under normal circumstances, if it came back elevated, further testing that would include radiation, would be required to eliminate a clot in my lungs as a possibility. However being pregnant those tests are not an option. However the first step was to have the blood taken and the test performed, and then we'd decide from there.
They took my blood - had to draw from my hand because my veins in my arms had been exhausted by my 3-hour glucose screening earlier that day (which had left me slightly bruised).
And then Tim and I settled into the ER to wait. It was around 4:50am when the nurse had drawn my blood and sent it to the lab for analysis. It wasn't until 7:30am that we got the results back. By then my breathing had improved, I was relaxed and my back muscles were no longer strained and causing pain.
The results did come back slightly elevated. Apparently anything less than .50 was the 98-100% predictive indicator of no clot. Anything higher was considered "elevated". My reading was 0.72. However the doctor had decided based on my presentation, vitals, and the fact that by 7:30 my breathing had improved, the tingling had subsided, and my back ache had eased due to my being able to relax, that anything less than a 1.5 he would treat as acceptable and not recommend further course of action that included radiation. However because it was elevated above a 0.50, and their hospital policy dictated that any pregnant woman over 20 weeks be seen by the on call OB after being discharged from the ER, I was sent upstairs for further monitoring, and for non-invasive testing via doppler to eliminate the possibility of any presence of a clot in my legs and tummy veins.
So Tim and I headed upstairs. The registration desk was waiting for us and we were placed in a screening room. I was put on a monitor that monitored our baby's heart beat, as well as my uterus for contractions. Interestingly enough they monitor did register contractions - my braxton hicks, which I've been experiencing pretty much daily now for several weeks.
The on-call OB arrived about 9am. she checked the monitor results. Because of the contractions that were showing she also did a physical exam to ensure I wasn't in early stages of labour. Which she confirmed I was not :-) She was able to tell that the baby had turned and is facing head down now. This explained the swift and direct kick to my ribs the other day, and she said could also explain an increased pressure on my diaphragm which could explain the shortness of breath symptoms. However she still wanted to have me undergo the doppler screening in my legs and tummy to eliminate the possibility of a clot at least there.
It was around 9:30am at this point. They gave Tim a coupon to go and get us some food and something to drink from the cafeteria while we waited. I was hungry. Tim was exhausted (he's actually been suffering a really bad cold the last couple of days himself, and not getting much sleep; plus he had to work today.
While we were waiting for the doppler tests, another couple arrived (I was in a semi-private room with the curtain drawn). We never saw them but we heard them. She was due last thursday and was in for a screening to check the baby's heartrate and for signs of contractions and early labour. She still had a week to go before they would consider inducing her labour. As it turned out, today was not "the day" for her - no signs of labour yet. She was scheduled to return next tuesday for more screening. It was interesting to overhear the conversations ;-)
Around 10:00am the ultrasound technician arrived to do the doppler screening. Everything checked out well. I was still breathing ok. Occasionally still needing to breath deeply and not able to fill my lungs, but nothing close to what I was experiencing when this all started. All we needed was the official clean bill of health from the doctor after examining the doppler results, and we could go home.
At 11:00am we were finally discharged.
The final diagnosis: Shortness of breath that was either being caused by the pressure on my diaphragm by Baby Girl possibly shifting, or possibly caused by anxiety/sudden panic attack (or a combination of both - not being able to breath as a result of Baby Girl's position relative to my diaphragm, which escalated into anxiety/panic attack). What I was experiencing was not uncommon and apparently something they see fairly regularly in the E.R. I was given instructions to take it easy the rest of the day, follow up with my primary care physician, and return if symptoms worsened.
And I've been following their advice. Taking it easy has consisted in staying home from work the rest of the day (although I did slog through work emails that had built up by 11:30am),and then napping soundly for about 4-5 hours to catch up on the sleep I lost as a result of this whole ordeal. I was exhausted. Poor Tim was moreso - battling a cold, not getting any sleep, and then getting in a 1 hour catnap when we got home before having to head in to work. He is my true hero.
So that was our adventure last night. Baby Girl - she's totally fine as she always has been. She's been squirming and kicking and doing her usual in-utero-gymnastics likely oblivious to her mommy's discomfort and overnight ordeal. As she should be :-) . They were quite impressed with her activity and responsiveness on the monitors in the hospital. We also got a very slight glimpse of her on the ultrasound when they were checking my veins around my tummy. And I am now fine, if a little tired and still feeling slightly challenged in my ability to fill my lungs to capacity, but nothing on the order of last night. And apparently shortness of breath is going to be the norm for me from hereon out so I'll have to get used to it.
I wonder what else is in store for me in these final 10 weeks!
Ok, when you mentioned not being able to sleep and then strained breathing/talking and THEN backpain, I thought for sure I'd get to the bottom of the entry and read that Baby Girl decided to show up already! Drat. Oh well. I guess we can wait a bit longer. :) Glad you guys are ok. Kick your feet up and relax...Baby Girl needs you more than work does, DESPITE what your co-workers might think. :) Oh yeah: did they run the siren in the ambulance???
Posted by Debra on May 27, 2005 12:08 PM.
Baby girl is due exactly 10 weeks from today!
If we were to equate the remaining pregnancy weeks to the final countdown in a shuttle launch sequence, at "T minus 10" the "go for main engine start" command is being issued by the Ground Launch Sequencer, flares are being ignited under the main engines to burn away any residual gasous hydrogen that may have collected in the vicinity of the main engine nozzles, and in a half second (or 3.5 days in pregnancy weeks) the flight computers will order the opening of valves which allow the liquid hydrogen and oxygen to flow into the engine's turbopumps.
No "Go" command being issued here though, nor are there flares being ignited. And I will refrain from commenting on any residual gases that are collecting :-)
But I will say it is exciting to be in the "final weeks" ;-) Starting next week, we're in the single digits!
I've been feeling Baby Girl squirming and kicking and poking and prodding for quite a long time now, and her movements have been frequent and often times pretty intense. I can actually even watch her moving, which is kinda wacky and freaky, but highly entertaining at the same time. She's on the go pretty much all the time.
But today on the drive home from work, I experienced my very first direct and full blown kick to my ribs. Have you ever been kicked smack in your ribs from the inside? It's pretty rough - it actually hurt! She packs a real punch, our little angel does!
By about 10 days.
We learned today that the new projected "final inspection" date for our house is August 12th. 10 days after Baby Girl is due.
Now - in the grand scheme of things, that is actually pretty darn good - given the number of hiccups and delays encountered recently due to circumstances beyond all of our control (delay in flooring due to moisture content of house; delay in painting due to weather; delay in custom tile shipment, etc. etc.). However it is a bit of a disappointment as we were hoping to be in our new house before Baby Girl made her first appearance in the outside world. Our current house is really really cramped, and not exactly the most comfortable place to live in the middle of summer.
But - now that we know, we can at least make plans. It was always a possibility anyway - the previous projected move-in date was July 29th, 5 days before Baby Girl is due. And if Baby Girl came early then we'd be in the same predicament. It's just more certain now :-)
Of course it is not entirely outside the realm of possibility that they get finished a few days sooner, and Baby Girl decides to be two weeks late. But we're not planning on it ;-)
So just a heads up to our close friends & family out there - we may be a little frazzled in July and August, and likely calling for various sorts of help between now and then(eg moving furniture early to make room for Baby Girl, hiding out at your house on move-in day so that Baby Girl and I are not caught up in the actual moving-in chaos; potentially help unpacking ;-)) We will of course reward you well with ample nourishment and beverage (likely take-out given the state we'll be in but we also promise to have you back for the first big feast cooked in our new kitchen ;-))
Of course we've still got "a ways to go" (hehe - I am the only one who gets to use that phrase, btw, so don't get any ideas. The rule still applies to everyone else. Just one of the benefits of being the pregnant lady ;-)) but the time's going to fly by pretty quickly given the amount of work we have to do to get this place ready to be inhabited by a new little tiny person... I'm getting a little tired just thinking about it ;-)
Not to worry, whatever Baby Girls decision is we will go with the flow. And we all know it will be her DECISION.
Posted by Margaret on May 24, 2005 10:10 AM.I am staying informed with the two sites. Great job you two. May not be around much, but there in spirit.
I've come across a new favourite salad this weekend. I cannot take credit for the recipe - found it on the back of a bag of pre-washed organic greens. It's really yummy though and takes all of 5 minutes to prepare from beginning to end and is a nice change of pace from the standard dinner salad(and all the chopping that goes with it), so thought I'd share.
Baby Lettuce Salad with Caramelized Onions, Toasted Pine Nuts & Feta Cheese
- 1 bag (4.5) ounces Organic Mixed Baby Greens (the brand I bought was Fresh Express, which is where the recipe came from)
- 1/2 large red onion, cut into thin wedges
- 4 Tbsp. pine nuts - I found organic ones at our grocery store
- 3 Tbsp. Sherry vinegar (I actually used balsamic vinegar instead because it's what I had and I love the taste)
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 oz. Feta cheese, crumbled
- Salt & Pepper to taste (I actually use none)
Optional: 4 oz. dried currants (approx. 2 Tbsp.)
Coat bottom of large skillet with olive oil and put over medium heat. Add red onion and pine nuts, and stire gently for 5 minutes. Take pan off heat and mix in sherry (or balsamic) vinegar. Pour over baby greens in large boal and toss well. Top each salad with crumbled Feta cheese and serve immediately.
Serves 2-3.
Good progress was made this week on the fireplace
and stair bannisters are installed. The railing themselves have been shaped and looks like they might be ready to install those this week, perhaps.
Grout in the guest bathroom is all done - the finished product looks awesome.
And they've finished installing the clear-finish fir paneling in the master bathroom. I think the tile will get grouted this week, and then it too will have a wonderful finished look. I can't wait. But it already looks great!
:-)
you just might find what you're looking for:
Memories of Childhood - the art of John Newby
Today started off well enough - slept in until 7am and went to see "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" with our division. But it's just been downhill after that.
My new job has me going in about 24 different directions at once. Work is stressful right now.
It's pouring rain at the moment. I hate that. I got soaked walking to the cafeteria to get lunch and then had to scurry back to try and avoid getting my food wet. Because I'm eating in my office. Because my new job has me going in about 24 different directions at once.
For the 2nd day in a row I'm unable to move my neck and head. I can't move it up, down, back, or left to right. It's killing me.
If I hear one more person ask me when I'm due and then tell me "You've still got a ways" to go, I'm going to SCREAM. And maybe hit them. You know who you are. Yes - I heard it again today, in the cafeteria. While I was sopping wet. Because it's raining. And I hate that.
And finally.... I WANT CHOCOLATE and I can't have any. Sigh.
Hang in there! We're all rooting for you! And yes, apparently it is human nature for people to be really really dumb. Even people who you thought knew better. I stopped going to the cafeteria if I can at all avoid it, because I just don't need any commentary on my foot any more. None. Don't need it. I get enough from my coworkers who feel they have a right to continually taunt me and call me names. EVERY TIME THEY SEE ME.
It is nobody's business: what happened to my foot, how long it will be in a cast, when I get to walk on it again, whether or not I need physical therapy, no really, whether or not physical therapy would be the best thing for me, whether or not it hurts, which pain meds I was on, am I still on them, can they have the extras, whether my arms got stronger because of the crutches, is the roll-a-bout easier than crutches, is my right leg getting more muscles since I can't use my left foot, did I have to pay for the roll-a-bout, did I have to pay for the crutches, is the roll-a-bout fun, shouldn't I put a motor on it, can I drive my car, wouldn't it be better if the roll-a-bout had a steering wheel, hey, wouldn't it be fun if we decorated it, why it has brakes, look at the brakes, are the brakes useful, is the steering difficult, am I being lazy when I don't feel like going to the kitchen, a meeting, or the cafeteria, and MY FAVORITE ... Couldn't I have prevented the problem by wearing better shoes ... isn't it MY FAULT that I am like this. Hell yeah, that'll learn me.
Posted by eJuan on May 20, 2005 2:14 PM.Oops. I think one of "those people" may have been me. Sorry!!!! You are right - 29 weeks is nothing to sneeze at. I remember that time and wondered what other neat things were in store after that point. And how much I hated when people who had already been there would tell me "oh honey, you ain't seen nothin' yet!" People STILL do that and seem to take perverse pleasure in it. And I still have not learned not to be annoyed. If it is any consolation, you can do it to the next person (inadvertantly or not). :)
Posted by Debra on May 21, 2005 9:37 PM.At the risk of annoying you further, you might want to get the no-moving-your-head-and-neck thing checked out if you haven't already.
Posted by Sarah on May 23, 2005 6:13 PM.
That seems to be a common response to the question "How far along are you" or "when are you due". A ways to go? What about the ways I've come? 29 weeks is not insignificant. I'm not a rookie anymore. Yet here I am at week 29 finding myself in this strange in-between world of being obviously pregnant ("so... you're having twins") but clearly not pregnant enough to have earned any kind of merit badge for my accomplishments thus far("Oh... well.. you've still got a ways to go"). As if to say I'm not entitled to my big belly, or the braxton-hicks, or the difficulty in finding a comfortable position in which to sleep, or the 4am trips to the bathroom. And it's such a disappointing sounding response. Like they were hoping to hear me say I'm 39 weeks and my water could break at any time. Like they actually were actually hoping they'd have a front row seat to my first signs of early labour. Sorry to let you down folks. Show's not on today.
29 weeks. I'm 72.5% of the way there! That's not trivial! If I was running a marathon I'd be approaching mile 19. Have you run a marathon? I have. That's a pretty damn long way (and if you read my marathon post, you'll recall that mile 19 was when my feet started to hurt). In 2 more weeks I'll be in the single digit countdown. "Ways to go..." hmmph. What I should be hearing is "Way to go!"
I feel great physically and I still have a lot of energy, and I will for several more weeks before the late 3rd trimester fatigue sets in (not that it has to, but I suspect it will). But geez - don't trivialize how far baby girl and I have come! I remember when I was 11 weeks pregnant and had 29 weeks to go.
Way to go Baby Girl! You're doing GREAT! I'm so proud of you. And Happy 29 weeks :-)
Some say it goes without saying .... but I am going to say it - maybe even more than once!
I'm proud of you! We're having a frickin' baby!
Posted by The Hubby-Guy on May 19, 2005 4:19 PM.It's all down hill now. You and baby girl are doing great. I am very proud of you too.
Posted by Margaret on May 19, 2005 6:05 PM.
People who schedule me for meetings that conflict with other meetings I already have on my calendar. Either
a) They aren't bothering to use the features that show my free time/busy time and scheduling me accordingly or
b) they see I have a conflict but don't care and for some reason expect me to accept anyway.
There are some legitimate circumstances under which I think it is acceptable to schedule someone for a meeting when they clearly already have a conflict. For example:
- an all day meeting with a clear agenda
- meetings with execs or partners or customers that have constrained schedules where it is not unreasonable to ask people to be flexible and accomodate.
- meetings that have a tonne of required attendees where it would otherwise be impossible to find a time of day that was free for everyone.
- meetings with folks in different time zones where it is difficult to find a time that is going to work for everyone
But that's pretty much it.
You people who do this to me over and over again - especially the ones who are scheduling me for 1:1 meetings - Do you really think you are so much more important than whatever else I could possibly have going on at that same time, that you expect me to rearrange my schedule (and in part my life) to accomodate you? Or, is it that you're lazy and apathetic and can't be bothered to take the extra few seconds to locate a time that works for both of us? Or are you just rude? Or... gasp... is it that you don't know how to use the free/busy view in the scheduling software (which is NOT an acceptable excuse where I work, btw.)
I used to use the "propose new time" feature when I'd get these conflicts, and would take the time to locate a better time when I and the meeting requester are both free. But lately my attitude has been to just decline them. If you can't be bothered to find a mutually acceptable time to meet then neither can I. After all - you're the one requesting my time, not vice versa. And if you can't be bothered to reschedule, then I know you clearly didn't really need/want to meet with me in the first place.
This morning I interviewed a candidate for a job opening on my team. The interview overall went well. Upon conclusion of the interview I stood up to escort him to the lounge area to wait for his next interviewer. As we were walking he glanced at me and said "Oh! I didn't notice you are pregnant when we met last time!"
We had met a couple of months ago so I could give him an overview of hte job and assess whether or not we'd want to bring him through formal interviews. This question didn't bother me at all. It's the question that followed that I thought a little odd...
"Yes - I am! I'm due August 3rd", was my reply.
"Oh! So you're having twins?" he promptly asked.
Ummm... no.
Sigh.
He's not very tactful, and not particularly observant. Nor does he demonstrate the concept of empathy. And he obviously doesn't know what questions to ask, or of whom he should ask them. I am not sure what job you're hoping to place him in, but I'd say he failed on the behavioural competencies. Don't hire him.
Posted by Sarah on May 16, 2005 5:42 PM.I know he's a dork and it was impolite, but that's a great one liner for your book. There is a book coming, right?
Posted by gracie on May 16, 2005 6:00 PM.If you were interveiwing him for a job I must assume that he is an intellectual type. That does not mean that he knows how to use his intellect.
Posted by Bob on May 16, 2005 6:08 PM.Bet he was related to Mr. Grocery Store Cashier...
Posted by Patti on May 17, 2005 4:24 AM.
I don't know what it is about being pregnant that makes people feel like they can infringe on your personal space and your personal life in a manner that otherwise wouldn't occur to them.
I was in a little grocery store outside of our neighbourhood today. I am not a frequent flyer there, the way I am at our local QFC. In fact, I haven't been to this particular grocery store in well over a year. I certainly do not know or recognize anyone, nor is there any way they know or recognize me. At our local QFC everyone knows Tim and I both by face and in many cases by name, and they chit chat with us while ringing up our groceries. They all know I'm pregnant because we joyously spread the news at every opportunity we could when we first found out. So when the local QFC cashier asks me "how are you feeling these days?" or "did you find out if it was a boy or a girl yet?" or "do you have any names" or any of the other usual questions one gets, we happily respond. I'm pregnant! And we're excited! We're pretty much happy to chat with anyone who will listen or opens the door on the subject ;-).
But there is still a line. And most folks, even co-workers, casual aquantances, and the QFC cashiers at our local grocery store, know where it is.
So I was somewhat dumbfounded today when I was standing in the checkout line of this other store where I don't know anyone and, as I stepped up with my basket of groceries and set them on the counter, the cashier immediately followed his required "did you find everything ok today?" with a "So... how far along are you anyway?"
Yes, I am at the point where I look pregnant now. But most respectful people who weren't actually told I was pregnant, would normally be a little hesitant and unwilling to outright ask just in case they were wrong and I'm just getting fat or suffering some illness or something. I mean - you never really know, unless you've been told :-). But, as I said - I am at the point where I look pregnant now, so I actually thought the question wasn't a big deal. Slightly outside of "polite" boundaries, and a little surprising, but no biggie. Hell - I'm not trying to hide it... I'm proud of it! So I smiled and said "just over 28 weeks".
"Ah." was his reply. And then I could see (and I swear I could hear) him calculating out my due date (why he just didn't ask "When are you due" in the first place - I mean since he was bent on going there anyway, that would have been the most useful and direct question to ask for him to get the information he was seeking). "So that means you're due in... uh... um..."
"August", I finished for him.
"August what? My wife is due in August. August 15th. Or 13th. Or 10th. Or something like that" (Wow... what a keeper this guy is. His wife must feel so lucky).
"August 3rd", I reply.
"Do you know the gender?" he asks.
"It's a girl. And yours?" I ask, being polite.
"A boy. But I didn't want to find out. But we had to. If you know what I mean. You know... the tests and stuff".
"Ah" I say. I'm thinking he's about to give me more information than I really need and am hoping he finishes ringing my groceries soon.
And then... "How old are you?" he asks.
Excuse me? Huh? What? Uh... well hell, now I just want to see how far this is gonna go.
"34".
"Ah. My wife is 35. So they wanted her to have all the tests, you know, for Down's Syndrome, and stuff. I didn't want her to. But she wanted to do it. The amnio and everything. I mean - what are you going to do if you know? It's not like you're going to get an abortion. I mean - that's it, you know? What's knowing going to give you except 6 months of stress?"
"well, it depends on the person I think", I reply. "For some people, not knowing for 6 months might be more stressful. Maybe this way she feels like she'll be more prepared if she knows in advance" (geez dude, she's your wife... don't you know why she wanted the tests?).
"Did you have any of the tests?"
Wow... he's going for it. What the hell.
"Well... my husband and I discussed it, and we decided to do only the non-invasive tests that didn't pose any risk to the baby".
"Well it's not even about the risk to the baby... I mean - what are you going to do if you know? I just don't get it." he said shaking his head.
Clearly.
Thankfully the conversation was ended at this point by the cash register spitting out my grocery receipt. I promptly grabbed it and stuffed it in my wallet and said thank you. "Good luck to you" I think he said as I was walking out the door.
Wacky.
So then on a completely separate topic, I was perusing the news and came across the following article. I remember hearing about it on the radio on my drive home from work during the week. But the parallels between the incident in this article and my little story above (albeit, forced parallels from my twisted brain) caused me to giggle.
Actual article: 2 men arrested after plane scare at White House, Capitol (CBC News)
Ok - so read that article, and then read my version below as it relates to my grocery store encounter:
Man arrested after Peppering Pregnant Woman with Personal Questions in Grocery Store
LYNNWOOD - The cashier at a small grocery chain is in custody after straying into restricted personal space with a pregnant customer, causing the evacuation of the store and surroundng parking lot around 5pm on Saturday.
TV reports show a man dressed in a T-shirt and slacks in handcuffs being put into a police car after the pregnant woman was forced to beat him off with the baguette she was there to purchase.
At a press briefing later, officials said the cashier had been pestering the pregnant woman with questions about her due date, her baby's gender, her own age, and whether or not she had an Amniocentesis done to test for Down's Syndrome.
Two store security offers were dispatched to intercept the cashier as soon as they had been alerted to the line of questioning. They fired four warning shots.
The cashier did not respond to efforts to communicate with him.
"This appeared to be a socially inept cashier" said the Lynnwood Police Chief.
One report has identified the cashier as a nervous father-to-be himself.
"We have to remember we are a nation of clueless Americans and there are people who will take offense to a direct line of questioning like this and see it as none of anyone's business", said the Chief. "Incidentally, the pregnant woman was Canadian. And we know Canadians are generally more polite than us Americans. It's no wonder she reacted the way she did".
CNN reports that after the shots were fired, and the pregnant woman let loose on the cashier with her baguette, that security officers had yelled at grocery store staff and reporters to "run, this is no joke, leave the grounds."
Staff were allowed to return to their cash registers 15 minutes later.
What can I say... I just couldn't resist ;-)
So when exactly was the date of conception? Where were you? What worked best for you? Why do you want a baby? What's your political affiliation? What kind of car do you drive? What kind of mileage does it get? Where do you live?
Posted by gracie on May 15, 2005 9:04 AM.It would be hard, but next time you should just say "No." right off the bat. No, you're not pregnant. I'd be curious to hear what kind of back pedalling, if any, would ensue. I really don't get why it's okay to ask someone personal details about their pregnancy, and not about, say, their goiter.*
Not that I have any direct experience with this, obviously, but apparently, your pregnancy gives everyone else licence to have an opinion about raising children, overpopulation, birth control, medication during delivery, teratogens, birth defects, circumcision (male or female), body image, prenatal diabetes, the Atkins diet, stirrup pants (okay, maybe opinions about stirrup pants are entitled), and breastfeeding. It seems to be assumed that upon conception the pregnant woman is no longer entitled to an opinion of her own, and dare she utter one, it must be construed as wrong, ill-advised, an uneducated.
Mr Grocery Cashier is probably Mr Grocery Cashier for a reason. With any luck, his baby momma will recognise this fact as well, and raise a perfectly happy, well adjusted, adored baby regardless of any test results. I have every confidence that you will, too. :)
xox
*Auntie Sarah is not equating baby girl with an iodine deficiency, she is merely illustrating the point that some people can be very insensitive. And that it's important to have a well-balanced diet.
This week's visible changes were mostly related to tile. They finished setting the tile in the guest bath shower, guest bath vanity (although I think they may still have a little tiny bit left to do there), master bathroom shower, and the fireplace surround and hearth. They still have some tile left to set at the master bathroom vanity and master bathroom tub deck and the kitchen backsplash hasn't been started yet. Once the tile is in, then they'll do the grouting. It's all going to look great when it's all done - especially after the walls are painted and you'll see the whole colour scheme come together (hopefully... I think we knew what we were doing ;-))
Other noticeable difference this week is the laundry cabinet doors have been installed.
Oh - and our stair rails have arrived and they're in the process of shaping them and getting them ready to install!
Here are a few more photos from today.
I think I answered honestly...! Still - not what I was expecting. But I'll take it ;-)
I was going through our pile of receipts for the week (I'm old fashioned and having tried it several times unsuccessfully and then worked in the industry, I don't trust the "online downloading and auto-balancing" features of most financial software programs - they just don't do it right for me) and was updating our finances on the computer when I came across the following receipt from QFC:
3 Musketeer - 3.49
Tot Piz Roll - 4.19
Hst Cupckes - 1.19
Plntr Peanut - 3.39
3Musktr Cndy - 0.65
3Musktr Cndy - 0.65
3Musktr Cndy - 0.65
Host Zingers - 1.19
Milk - 2.50
Although it's the only healthy thing on the receipt, I am guessing the sole purpose of the milk is to wash down the Totino's Pizza rolls, the three 3 Musketeer chocolate bars, the bag of 3 Musketeer candy, and the packages of Hostess Cupcakes and Zingers. Peanuts and milk don't really go together so I'm betting he already had beer at home to go with those.
Not exactly sure how this receipt ended up in our possession since it's nothing we'd buy, and the debit card # doesn't match one of ours, but I'm getting a very clear mental image of the real purchaser of all this "food" ;-) And yes - I said "he", because in my many many years of observing the contents of men's grocery carts vs women's grocery carts in the checkout line at the grocery store, time and time again I see my theory that women are healthier food buyers than men proven true. That's not to say that women actually EAT healthier than men, or that women don't just go home and closet binge on the junk food that their male housemates have purchased... I'm just saying the stuff the women actually BUY tends to be more wholesome ;-)
Hmm... I could really go for something sweet right about now. Wonder why that is...
Unfortunately Tim's decided to be a positive influence on me, his pregnant wife, and has eliminated all the "bad-for-us" stuff from our cupboards (or he's just really good at hiding it. Either way, it's effective ;-)). I guess I'll settle for a glass of water. ;-)
It almost looks "move-in-able", doesn't it, now that the hardwood floors and countertops are all installed? There's still work to do on the floors - sanding, finishing, coating, etc. But ALL of the flooring is now installed including the stairs!
It was a gorgeous day out at the house today, and I was able to see how each room will be filled with warm light streaming through the windows on sunny days. Even on cloudy days the house is light and bright!
Prior to arriving at the house, we spent the morning visiting lighting showrooms to see our final lighting fixture selections in person. I love what we've picked out. Then we headed back to the house to measure and be sure everything would fit. I think it will! So we're pretty much done our surface lighting selection.
The heating guys were at the house as well when we arrived and by the time we left we had REAL HEAT flowing through our heating ducts! We also saw evidence that the hot water heater is functional too.
We're getting very very close! It looks awesome. I still have a hard time believing that in less than 3 months, we'll be calling this home. Amazing.
Here are more photos from today.
I bought a frame today for my little Nursery Watercolour Masterpiece. Definitely livened it up a bit, and if I may say so myself, it's not too shabby for a first attempt! I think it will do just fine :-)
So cute! Very nice work.
Posted by David Adam Edelstein on May 5, 2005 8:52 PM.Yet another incredible artist locked sacrificed to the corporate sector... We should really talk about this baby room art business...
Posted by grace on May 6, 2005 12:04 AM.I like it. I like it a lot. Actually, I had meant to comment back on the original entry about your painting. It is a well known fact that my sister is incredibly modest. I think it's because we were raised Catholic. ;-) But seriously, Heath, you always had a brilliant artistic side. I think you get it from Dad. I definitely remember you being a constant doodler (I do recall an episode involving India ink and new sheets from Sears). Anyway, if time allows, I think you should do a whole series. A SCUBA diving one would be cool. Or a little girl hockey goalie, as a nod to her Canadian heritage. Yeah, that's a good one. :-)
Posted by Auntie-to-be Sarah on May 6, 2005 3:32 PM.It's beautiful and she'll love it just like I treasure the castle you did for me.
Posted by Dad on May 7, 2005 8:10 AM.
I had thought it had been obvious now to everyone, but found in fact there were a couple of people at work who were still in the dark as to my pregnant state of being. Until today. And it wasn't as a result of witnessing my office door rebounding off my protruding tummy that they became enlightened. One coworker remarked "are you pregnant? I just noticed! I can really see you are" as I walked past her in the hallway. And at lunch the cafeteria lady, who has seen me every day like clockwork for the past year (and knows exactly what I order and how much it will cost, so her powers of observation and memory are quite trustworthy), exclaimed in happy surprise "Oh! You're having a baby!" as she rang up my soup and odwalla bar ($4.20 USD).
All of which just confirms my suspicions that I grew several inches over the course of last night, thus also explaining my sudden inability to find any comfortable sleeping position and my subsequent middle-of-the-night pillow-throwing tantrum. One pillow landed in the cat water dish. Of course I didn't realize that until after I had gotten up, grabbed it off the floor, and flung it back onto the bed (catching Tim in the face with a stream of cat water in the process).
Have I mentioned how completely stoic and supportive and comforting and uncomplaining Tim has been throughout the last 27 weeks? He is truly my hero, and the love of my life.
So... speaking of 27 weeks - depending on who you talk to or what you read, the 3rd trimester starts either week 25, week 26, week 27, week 28, or week 29. I've seen all variations in my pregnancy books and online sources.
Given that it seems to be somewhat up in the air, I've decided arbitrarily that this day, the start of week 28 for me, is also officially the start of my 3rd trimester, since I really need to feel like I've passed some kind of milestone at this point :-)
So - welcome to my third trimester!
What does this mean? What can I expect in the remaining 12 weeks?
According to babycenter.com, "Your baby's growing steadily as she prepares for her grand entrance. This week she weighs almost 2 pounds and measures about 14.4 inches from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet. She's acting more like a newborn now, opening and closing her eyes, sleeping and waking at regular intervals, and maybe sucking a finger. She may also be hiccupping, which you'll notice as little rhythmic sensations in your belly. You may start to get leg cramps, especially when you're lying in bed at night. Stretching your calf and flexing your foot should bring some relief."
- Hiccupping - check
- leg cramps - check
Babyzone.com offers me this insight: "Are you terrified? At some point during pregnancy, virtually all pregnant women are. Your fears�of delivery, failure as a parent, changing lives and relationships, finances, pain, and more�are all common."
- fear of failure as a parent - check
- fear of changing lives and relationships - check
- fear of finances - check
plus lets throw in a few more fears for good measure that weren't mentioned, shall we?
- fear that my emotional ups and downs, and my pillow-throwing fits of frustration, and bouts of crankiness will somehow result in a constantly cranky, crying, upset baby that never smiles and is impossible to comfort and that our friends will shun, and never volunteer to babysit, and quietly acknowledge to themselves "I wish she was more like babyX who is so calm and good-natured and always laughing" after we've left their homes for the evening. Check.
- fear of the laws of karma that say "what comes around, goes around", meaning that given how horrible a child and teenager I was for my parents, it is going to come back to me 100-fold over the course of the next 18 years, and I will have deserved every moment of it. Check.
There's plenty more where those came from, but I don't want to completely overwhelm you :-)
Americanbaby.com says "Your frisky fetus is on another growth spurt, shooting up half an inch this week to measure about 14 inches from head to toe. She weighs roughly 2 1/2 pounds, and will gain approximately half a pound each week for the next 10 weeks. The average full-term baby weighs about 7 1/2 pounds and measures from 18 to 20 1/2 inches, but many normal, healthy babies fall outside this range. Unless your practitioner has told you of a potential problem, it's safe to assume that your little one is right on track. Speaking of weight gain, you're probably up 15 to 20 pounds by now, with your uterus banging against the bottom of your rib cage."
- Weight gain: Check. Definitely. No mention of inward swinging doors, which is also a check.
So there you have it folks. The start of the rest of my pregnancy :-)
The hard one for us was watching our language. Better start practicing now. :-)
Posted by Derek on May 6, 2005 12:30 PM.I'm not planning to shun either you or your baby, so that's a little less worry for ya. I'm way more tolerant of noisy kids than I was 5 years ago; I used to have to leave the room, but now it doesn't seem like such a big deal...
Posted by UncleVinny on May 10, 2005 2:00 PM.
Although my body definitely feels the increase in girth, and my mind is very much aware of it as well due to the constant sensation of my stomach feeling like it's been stretched over a bowling ball (a bowling ball the size of a basketball, I should clarify), it seems that my mind and body have not yet made the logical leap that increased girth = decreased space between me and whatever object lies directly in front of me.
This week's challenge? Doors that swing inwards.
The most common inward swinging doors I encounter are the ones in the bathroom stalls at work.
Fortunately (??) there are so few women on our floor that I am usually in the bathroom alone when I'm attempting to exit my stall after taking care of business, only to pull the door inwards and have it rebound off my belly and slam shut again.
Go ahead - laugh. I do. I'm just grateful that there is usually not a witness to this pathetic little display of lack of coordination and spacial awareness.
The other inward swinging door I encounter frequently is my own office door. That one, unfortunately, is a little more noticeable when I slip up and manage to bonk myself in the belly on my way out of the office for the day. There are usually people in the offices around me and passing in the hallways.
what can I say - I'm pregnant. I just laugh and shrug. And I admit, it is rather amusing :-)
Had a couple of inquiries about marmoleum after some recent posts, so thought i'd post some additional information sources.
We learned about Marmoleum from our architect, Rob Harrison, who specializes in what he calls "Lyrical Sustainable Design" - the building high-quality green architecture, applying the base principles of energy and resource conservation, the use of healthier materials and finishes, reduction of long-term costs, and "making poetic places". It's all certainly been true of the house he designed for us :-)
Rob's web site is http://www.harrisonarchitects.com and it has links to other resources and information about "building green", as well as suggestions for materials, finishes, fixtures, and energy efficiency and conservation. During the design phase, he had directed us to the Environmental Home Center (EHC) in Seattle to learn more about Marmoleum and other materials.
We fell in love with the texture and colours of Marmoleum immediately - they're so bright, fun, and colourful and they just inspire creativity :-). It is also affordable, and we also really liked the environmentally friendly properties, as well as its durability and flexibility, so we went with it for our counter top as well as our flooring in our laundry room after talking with the folks at the EHC and seeing examples of its use.
The Environmental Home Center web site is http://www.environmentalhomecenter.com and they have a great deal of information about Marmoleum. You can also see the variety of colours that it comes in there as well.
The manufacturer of the marmoleum they carry, Forbo Flooring, also has a web site which contains more information about the environmentally friendly aspects of Marmoleum, its maintenance and care, and also where you can buy their product.
It's only the 2nd of May, but I had to know - how are people discovering our illustrious site these days?
Apparently they're finding us by searching the Internet on "baby burrito", "elephant ear fryer", and "stinker", to name a few.
It's got the makings of a fine cookbook, doesn't it?
"Schiksa" is still the No. 1 way to find saedigh.com. A new entry this month was "crying in my car". I guess the person looking up "farm whores" became depressed?
With pretty poppies, dwarf irises, and Spanish bluebells all in a row!
Thank you. :-) I think "attempting to climb" Mt Kilimanjaro is a better way of describing what I will be doing. I am taking it slowly to improve my chances of success, but if I don't make it all the way to the top, it will just give me a reason to go back again some day. :-)
Posted by Sarah on June 2, 2005 5:54 AM.