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!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
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!
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.
Please ignore the Read more!
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.
Please ignore the Read more!
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.
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.
Read more!
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!
Please ignore
Read more!
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!
Please ignore
Read more!
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
Please ignore Read more!
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
Please ignore Read more!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Teen tantrums VS the terrible twos
As the miles slipped by bringing us closer to our destination, Hanceville Alabama, I listened to the mostly cheerful noises from behind me in our fifteen passenger van. Occasionally the noise was punctuated by the growls of the soon to be three year old who does not enjoy being strapped into her car seat for prolonged periods of time. Lucky us, we only had another five hours to go. As her 17 year old sister tried to entertain her, I began to muse about the difference between dealing with the temper tantrums of the “terrible twos” stage and the emotional difficulties of the teen years. It struck me that the challenges facing the two year old and the teenager were largely the same – that of the struggle to find one’s independence while also dealing with the fear and the unknowns that this very goal brings with it.
I think most parents when asked which they would prefer to deal with – the terrible twos or the rebellious teen years – would resoundingly answer the terrible twos. Perhaps that is mostly because the memories of the teen years are closer in proximity. Yet, I would venture to say that in many cases it is because those rebellious and troubled filled years brought the most tears and gray hairs than did the terrible twos.
However, as I close in on facing my seventh teenager about to join the frays of those change filled years, I am also still dealing with the throes of the ‘terrible twos’ of my youngest. And so I can honestly say I find the teen years with all of its hormones, searching questions and even tears, infinitely easier to live through than the terrible twos. No doubt, upon hearing this, many parents would look at me as if I had two heads or wonder how many milligrams of Prozac I am on.
None the less it is true and I believe the reason for this is that my teens and I have a foundation that supported us through these difficult years.
It was a common foundation and it was, and is, our relationship with God. I am not saying that it was all cozy, warm and fuzzy with all of us simply turning to God in prayer when faced with a confrontation. Rather it was more a matter of my children having an authority even higher than mine to answer to. And this I believe is the true key to not only coming through the teen years, but all the stronger for having gone through them. That, and continued communication. These are what is missing during the phase of the terrible twos.
At that stage not only is the child’s relationship with God just emerging, it is almost impossible to effectively communicate with the frustrated child why he must or must not do something. The child simply can not comprehend why. Nor can she communicate the frustrations she is experiencing beyond screaming and tossing items about. However, teenagers, if communication lines are kept open, can voice concerns, frustrations and even temptations they are experiencing. When at logger heads over an issue most of my children have had spiritual directors to turn to, who in turn directed them back to the Authority over us all. God. What better resource can one have than that?
But this did not emerge over night. My husband and I did not pull God out of a magic top hat on a child’s thirteenth birthday. My husband and I began building this foundation at an early age, with attendance of Sunday Mass, and catechism taught at home. Efforts were made to pray the Rosary on a daily basis as well an attempt to communicate why it was important to pray. We attempted to make it an enjoyable experience. We also made many books of the saints available as examples to strive for. A personal relationship with Jesus and the community of Saints was what we strove for as a family through the frequent reception of the sacraments. It was a continuous, even if sometimes imperfect, effort. Thankfully we did not fall for the secular idea of not introducing our children to God as this was a personal experience, and was not to be inflected on a child. This idea was supported by the professionals who claimed it was better to leave a child to discover a god, or a higher power, of their liking.
I now truly believe it was this faith foundation that helped pull our teens and will continue to pull our current teens through those difficult years when one feels the need to challenge all authority around them, to seek independence and the why for everything. Why listen, why obey, why be different from ones peers. Why dress modestly when all around us don’t? Why be chaste when the message all about us is be hot and sexy? What better answer to these challenges, these whys, than God. What better than to be able to ask; ‘What do you think God wants you to do?’
Because we introduced our children to God at a very early age, we were able to work with Him to guide our teens through these difficult years. With God on our side when we have been faced with these challenging questions of why, my husband and I do not need to be the bad guy. At least, not for long. When we have had to enforce a decision that was not popular, typically it was not long before the teenager saw the sense of it. The teenager was able to see the reasoning because he was able to take it to God, through the sacrament of Confession, through direction from their Spiritual Director, or through his own private prayer life.
My husband and I know we are not perfect parents. I know that as a mother there have been many times when I over corrected, under corrected and just not been as attentive as I needed to be from time to time. However, I am putting my trust in God, that in His infinite mercy, He has blessed my children and us with enough graces to fill in those cracks in my parenting, and it is my continued prayer that He will continue to do so. I pray that He will continue to assist my husband, and I, in building the foundation that will sustain our children though their teens and on into their adult years – the foundation of a personal relationship with Christ. A foundation built through the sacraments offered by our Church.
Read more!
I think most parents when asked which they would prefer to deal with – the terrible twos or the rebellious teen years – would resoundingly answer the terrible twos. Perhaps that is mostly because the memories of the teen years are closer in proximity. Yet, I would venture to say that in many cases it is because those rebellious and troubled filled years brought the most tears and gray hairs than did the terrible twos.
However, as I close in on facing my seventh teenager about to join the frays of those change filled years, I am also still dealing with the throes of the ‘terrible twos’ of my youngest. And so I can honestly say I find the teen years with all of its hormones, searching questions and even tears, infinitely easier to live through than the terrible twos. No doubt, upon hearing this, many parents would look at me as if I had two heads or wonder how many milligrams of Prozac I am on.
None the less it is true and I believe the reason for this is that my teens and I have a foundation that supported us through these difficult years.
It was a common foundation and it was, and is, our relationship with God. I am not saying that it was all cozy, warm and fuzzy with all of us simply turning to God in prayer when faced with a confrontation. Rather it was more a matter of my children having an authority even higher than mine to answer to. And this I believe is the true key to not only coming through the teen years, but all the stronger for having gone through them. That, and continued communication. These are what is missing during the phase of the terrible twos.
At that stage not only is the child’s relationship with God just emerging, it is almost impossible to effectively communicate with the frustrated child why he must or must not do something. The child simply can not comprehend why. Nor can she communicate the frustrations she is experiencing beyond screaming and tossing items about. However, teenagers, if communication lines are kept open, can voice concerns, frustrations and even temptations they are experiencing. When at logger heads over an issue most of my children have had spiritual directors to turn to, who in turn directed them back to the Authority over us all. God. What better resource can one have than that?
But this did not emerge over night. My husband and I did not pull God out of a magic top hat on a child’s thirteenth birthday. My husband and I began building this foundation at an early age, with attendance of Sunday Mass, and catechism taught at home. Efforts were made to pray the Rosary on a daily basis as well an attempt to communicate why it was important to pray. We attempted to make it an enjoyable experience. We also made many books of the saints available as examples to strive for. A personal relationship with Jesus and the community of Saints was what we strove for as a family through the frequent reception of the sacraments. It was a continuous, even if sometimes imperfect, effort. Thankfully we did not fall for the secular idea of not introducing our children to God as this was a personal experience, and was not to be inflected on a child. This idea was supported by the professionals who claimed it was better to leave a child to discover a god, or a higher power, of their liking.
I now truly believe it was this faith foundation that helped pull our teens and will continue to pull our current teens through those difficult years when one feels the need to challenge all authority around them, to seek independence and the why for everything. Why listen, why obey, why be different from ones peers. Why dress modestly when all around us don’t? Why be chaste when the message all about us is be hot and sexy? What better answer to these challenges, these whys, than God. What better than to be able to ask; ‘What do you think God wants you to do?’
Because we introduced our children to God at a very early age, we were able to work with Him to guide our teens through these difficult years. With God on our side when we have been faced with these challenging questions of why, my husband and I do not need to be the bad guy. At least, not for long. When we have had to enforce a decision that was not popular, typically it was not long before the teenager saw the sense of it. The teenager was able to see the reasoning because he was able to take it to God, through the sacrament of Confession, through direction from their Spiritual Director, or through his own private prayer life.
My husband and I know we are not perfect parents. I know that as a mother there have been many times when I over corrected, under corrected and just not been as attentive as I needed to be from time to time. However, I am putting my trust in God, that in His infinite mercy, He has blessed my children and us with enough graces to fill in those cracks in my parenting, and it is my continued prayer that He will continue to do so. I pray that He will continue to assist my husband, and I, in building the foundation that will sustain our children though their teens and on into their adult years – the foundation of a personal relationship with Christ. A foundation built through the sacraments offered by our Church.
Read more!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)