Saturday, August 30, 2008

Prayers please

As some may know we suffered some damage and a flooded basement as a result of the torrential rains we experienced as the remnants of Fay hit us over a three day period. This has resulted in the loss of our hot water and this loss may extend well into next week. This has us anxiously watching the two new storms gathering off of the coast. Do we call a private contractor to inspect the tank and furnace or wait to see if the basement is flooded again. Would hate to have to do this twice and pay twice the fees.

Heating water to wash the pots and pans is one thing - showers and baths for eleven people - quite another. Makes one really appreciate the pioneers, no?

Just another little trial to offer up!


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On the near occaision of

...the 88th anniversary of women getting the vote - the Republican's candidate for President chooses a woman to his running mate as VP.

Here is her family in separate photos. The Palin's oldest son is currently in the army and preparing to leave for Iraq this September 11th. A separate photo of Governor Palin and her husband with their newest addition to the family, born in April 08, is also below.






Here are a few articles about Governor Palin and her husband's reaction to the news when Sarah was four months pregnant with Trig and they learned he was possibly a downs syndrome baby.



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Wednesday, August 27, 2008

As if I could forget...

Elsa called to me from her car seat behind me:

"Mummy, did you remember you have a baby in your tummy?"

"What!" I feigned ignorance. "I have a baby in my tummy, are you sure?"

This was met with oodles of giggles.

"Yes, you do silly!"

Yes - I certainly do and these days - my little one is making sure I do not miss her presence as she is a very busy 21 week old baby to be. Read more!

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

My first pedicure...

I am only fourty six and just had my first pedicure - complete with a french manicure - on my toes that is. I did not bother with my finger nails. There is no way the polish would survive more than a day or two.

Elsa's reaction to my pretty toes (she is 3 1/2) was typical fairly typical. She is all girl and simply drooled over my nail polish and is dreaming of the day she will be old enough to have it done. Now the sixty million dollar question is will she too be 46 before she experiences her first pedicure and will she share her experience with her pregnant daughter, while also pregnant herself? Read more!

21 weeks - According to the baby calendar

Even though this is my thirteenth baby - I still love following my baby's development online so I have signed up for a weekly email of how where my baby is week by week. Here is this week's progress report. I will post them weekly along with a note as to how accurate it seems to be in relation to how I am feeling.


Hello, Christi!
Your baby now href="http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-21-weeks_1110.bc?scid=mbtw_preg21:110&pe=2UvDvIz">weighs about 3/4 of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.

How your life's changing:

You're probably feeling pretty comfortable these days. You're not too big yet, and the usual discomforts associated with early pregnancy are, for the most part, gone. If you're feeling good, relax and enjoy it while you can — the third trimester may bring with it a new crop of complaints.That's not to say you won't have some minor glitches to deal with now. (From here on they talked about varicose veins so I didn't bother to add it. Who wants to read about that anyway - I don't!)

So - as to the baby's movements - I am not seeing any routines to them but they are stronger and I love this time of the pregancy. Not too uncompfortable and loving the baby's movements.




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Monday, August 25, 2008

21 weeks for me...

Fourty one weeks for my daughter and counting the minutes until her daughter is born. Poor Jenny - she is so uncompfortable. How well I remember those days, and how much am I dreading revisiting them in about eighteen weeks. I only just realized that Jenny and I are exactly 20 weeks apart in our pregnancies.

When she called today to tell me her symptoms (that sounded to me like early warnings of transition) I encouraged her to go in and be checked because she has a very high threshold for pain tolerance and it was entirely possible for her to be having contractions and not be feeling them. As it is her first and there is no history - how was she to have any idea of how her labour was to proceed - fast and furious, fast and almost painless (my aunt always described her two labours as bad mentrusal cramps that last a couple of hours.... feel free to hate her! :-) or will her labour be slow and incredibly painful? My first labour lasted almost 36 hours - if I remember correctly and I vomited my way through it until they gave me a shot of gravol. This was eventually followed by a shot of demerol and I went from panicked shrieks of "I'm going to throw up! I am going to throw up!!!" to a chilled "Uh... I think.. I might throw up... now - could I have the bowl please... "

I am, for the most part, always polite through out my labour. Must be my Canadian upbringing - we are a very polite people. Just joking. I am not sure why I do not lose it like I hear so many woman complain of themselves. But ask my poor husband who is never allowed to leave the room for more than a nano second once I hit about 5 centimeters, but to whom I am still very civil and polite with. With the first baby, we did the whole lamaze course thing but when push came to shove (excuse the pun) he not only was not allowed to leave the room, but he had to sit on the stool and it had to be placed near my head. Nor was he allowed to touch me. I could not bear being touched except for a cool cloth on my forehead. Still he was not allowed to sit on the compfy recliner - it had to be the stool - by my head - where I could easily see him.

Hey - I said I was polite - not reasonable.

So anyone who happens to read this... today August 25th 2008 .... say a prayer for my daughter, and her little daughter in waiting, for a safe labour and delivery. Say a prayer for husband and Daddy, John, too. Labours are tough on Dads too - and he is especially compassionate and cannot stand to see Jenny suffer.

Prayer to Saint Gerard
Prayer for a Safe DeliveryO great Saint Gerard, beloved servant of Jesus Christ, perfect imitator of your meek and humble Savior, and devoted child of Mother of God, enkindle within my heart one spark of that heavenly fire of charity which glowed in your heart and made you an angel of love. O glorious Saint Gerard, because when falsely accused of crime, you did bear, like your Divine Master, without murmur or complaint, the calumnies of wicked men, you have been raised up by God as the patron and protector of expectant mothers. Preserve me from danger and from the excessive pains accompanying childbirth, and shield the child which I now carry, that it may see the light of day and receive the purifying and life-giving waters of baptism through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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Wednesday, August 20, 2008

What makes being pregnant real for me...

Even more than the positive pregnancy test or even the ultrasound - it is the first flutters that makes the fact that I am carrying another life around inside me - so real.

But as much as I love those little flutters that eventually become little kicks and elbow nudges, hiccuping drives me crazy and at five months this little one to be - is HICCUPPING!!!!

Oh, I hope she is not a big hiccuper!


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Tuesday, August 19, 2008

The half way mark....

So we are at the halfway mark - 21 weeks and a few days into the pregnancy. Today we had the ultrasound and ... it looks like we are having a little girl - number 8. So the girls lead by three now, 8 to 5!

Nathaniel (8) was hoping for a baby brother, but now is really looking forward to meeting his baby sister in January.

Everything looks good, but of course - no one knows for sure until the day we finally meet baby to be. I am excited about looking for some new pink things! I'm just glad to know, but I was kind of hoping for a little boy too. However - once you know - it is just wonderful! And she will have several sisters and a niece who will only be 5 months older than her. I think that is the most fun part - imagining the niece and aunt growing up together. What will it be like to have an aunt younger than YOU???

Baby to be is moving around lots and it was so easy to see it on the ultrasound. Emma, who is five, and Aimee who is her oldest sister (25yo) were both there to see the ultrasound. It was really fun to have them there with their Daddy too. He is also really looking forward to a baby girl - although he thought another little boy would be fun. But there's the rub, eh - they are ALL wonderful fun - boys or girls! We are so blessed to have experienced the raising of both sons and daughters.

Until later
Christi


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