Thursday, March 31, 2011

Challenge

Call me neurotic. Call me obsessed. Call me ridiculous. Or, just call me curious. I'm trying to get an accurate account of who, if anyone, actually reads this lovely rambling of a blog (besides my family). I feel like there are people out there but they're secret stalkers and/or voyeurs and I'm determined to call them out, pin them down and shower them, and current followers, with a reward. So, I have set a goal. I would like to recruit 50 followers by the end of April. If I'm able to accomplish this goal, I will reward you in some way. Therefore, if you haven't already done so, add yourself as a follower and then comment on this post with a reward suggestion. It could be anything. The field is open and yours to suggest… within reason. Once I have an excellent pool of suggestions, I'll pick one and randomly (via an Internet tool) select a winner. It could also just be something you want me to do, write about, show, or shut up about. Now go forth, comment and make this an interactive blogging experience!

P.S. I have a lot to post about just haven't had time (the fan is dead, DeBoers came to visit, new belly pics, baby room progress, basement progress, thoughts on an expanding body, etc.).

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Validation

I was perusing babycenter.com's weekly updates, since I'm 22 weeks today, and confidently received validation why reading too much information is just not necessary. Case in point, read the entry below titled, "Surprising Facts: Symptoms you should never ignore".

Let me make sure I understand this. You're asking a pregnant woman who has no memory and virtually no brain to retain such information? All the while basically putting her in a potential, not to mention an unnecessary panic, that something may be wrong at all times because there isn't a second that goes by during the day where something doesn't feel weird, hurt, itch, move, stretch, ache, burn, throb, pull, discharge or basically, change. Then ask these things of a first-timer and you're sure to induce full-on anxiety and stress, both of which should be avoided for the babies sake, because we really have no idea what any of these new symptoms are or mean so we automatically question everything anyway and now have to wonder where on a serious scale these things lie? What if something happens once and then goes away? What if I can't distinguish the difference in discharge (sorry)? What if I've always had some of these symptoms and they go away? What if I can't remember what I did all day? What if I can't remember my name?

Yeah, not having it. Instead, I'm abiding by the following general rule that seems like common sense: trust your gut and if something seems wrong, first consult with a sister and/or girlfriend and if they are unsure or haven't experienced it, call the doc. To that end, I'm ignoring what everyone says or asks except my doctor, my husband and my closest family/girlfriends. Otherwise I'll have to start making appointments to punch people in the face, shake them incessantly and/or kick them in the balls if they happen to be a man because if one more person asks me if I should be taking this or that medicine, drinking this or that soda or eating this or that treat… I'm going, to go, postal.

Surprising Facts: Symptoms you should never ignore

So many aches, pains, and strange feelings arise during pregnancy that it can be hard to decide what's normal and what warrants a call to your doctor or midwife. To complicate matters further, some symptoms may be more or less urgent depending on your particular situation or health history and on how far along you are in your pregnancy. Here's a rundown of symptoms that could be a sign of a problem. If you have any of these complaints, call your doctor or midwife immediately:

Before you reach 37 weeks:
  • Pelvic pressure (a feeling that your baby is pushing down), lower back pain (especially if it's a new problem for you), menstrual-like cramping or abdominal pain, or more than four contractions in an hour (even if they don't hurt)
  • An increase in vaginal discharge or a change in the type of discharge — if it becomes watery, mucus-like, or bloody (even if it's only pink or blood-tinged)
At any time:
  • Your baby is moving or kicking less than usual
  • Severe or persistent abdominal pain or tenderness
  • Vaginal bleeding or spotting, or watery discharge
  • Pain or burning when you urinate, or little or no urination
  • Severe or persistent vomiting, or any vomiting accompanied by pain or fever
  • Chills or a fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
  • Blurred or double vision, or seeing spots or "floaters"
  • A severe or persistent headache, or any headache accompanied by blurred vision, slurred speech, or numbness
  • Any swelling in your face or puffiness around your eyes, anything more than mild swelling in your fingers or hands, or severe or sudden swelling in your legs, feet, or ankles, or a rapid weight gain (more than 4 pounds in a week)
  • Severe or persistent leg or calf pain that doesn't ease up when you flex your ankle and point your toes toward your nose, or one leg significantly more swollen than the other
  • Trauma to your abdomen
  • Fainting, frequent dizziness, rapid heartbeat, or palpitations
  • Difficulty breathing, coughing up blood, or chest pain
  • Severe constipation accompanied by abdominal pain or severe diarrhea that lasts more than 24 hours
  • Persistent intense itching all over
  • Any health problem that you'd ordinarily call your practitioner about, even if it's not pregnancy-related (like worsening asthma or a cold that gets worse rather than better)

Monday, March 21, 2011

Surprise

I took a nap the weekend before last and awoke to this:


Uh-huh. That's monkey bread. I love what Shawn accomplishes when he's left to his own devices.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Banjo

A priceless instrument, highly under utilized in my opinion, and, one of my favorites. Growing up with some Dixieland Jazz in my life, it was hard to get away from it thus my appreciation for it's form even when it morphs into alternative music. For example, Mumford and Sons. Search iTunes if you've never heard of them, select The Cave, warm up your tapping foot while it downloads and then turn your computer up as loud as you can take it and jump on board. I'm sure they're not everyone's cup of tea but I get the greatest musical high listening to real musicians play real instruments in a string ensemble while the banjo leads the pace and the song finds it's way. A little Dixieland, a little Folk, some Alternative Funk and a mighty, mighty banjo; melodic soup for the prego soul.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Cletus

Most of the ultrasound photos below speak for themselves. However, if you're as inept at deciphering them as I am, look at the bottom of each for a description of hopefully what you'll see. No, there are no images that will allow the trained eye to determine the sex so don't even try.

Everything came up completely normal. In fact, Cletus is darn near in the middle for all stats. Average is perfect for us! After our ultrasound, we were able to hear the heartbeat again and left feeling slightly more connected to the little being who weighs in at a whopping 12 ounces, or as Shawn likes to put it, a Diet Dr. Pepper can. Man of my heart I tell ya!

Make sure you scroll all the way to the end, you won't regret it.


This is actually the second photo again. If you didn't catch it the first time, Cletus has an open mouth and both hands on the face. Just as, you guessed it, Kevin in Home Alone. I just had to assemble the representation below… cause it makes me giggle. I would expect nothing less from the spawn of Shawn DeBoer!

Monday, March 7, 2011

Dogs

Nor to the Man
Oeo Leo
I love our dogs. I do. I LOVE Norman and Leo. I'm one who thinks all households, people and children should get to experience the unconditional love of a dog. There is no greater therapy then interacting with these four-legged friends. I could not imagine life without them.

I could, however, imagine life without their hair, drool, goober, barking, nails, breath and "fighting." Most of the time, it doesn't bother me. Sadly, I'm used to it and because it's a never-ending war, I've learned to pick my battles. However lately, it's, driving, me, INSANE. Out-of-my-mind anxious. Like I look around my living room and want to cry. I look at the streaks on the windows (especially above the sofa they're supposed to be staying off of), the drool running down the TV, the hair on the fireplace screen and the dirt on the ottoman and just want to take a fire hose or a match to the joint and start over.

I blame winter. I feel like this has been the longest winter ever. It's duration is preventing me from escorting the pooches outdoors for the weekend and letting all that comes with them follow. I literally ache for the day I can open the doors and windows and clear out the winter stuffiness and let in some fresh air. Ache. Yearn. Pine. NEED.

I must say, on a brighter note, I am proud of how far they are coming in their training. We've decided with Cletus on the way it's time to buckle down and nip some issues in the bud. To do this, we're once again religiously following Cesear Millan. He is The Dog Whisperer and thanks to our new cable package, we again get the National Geographic Channel his shows air on. While we've always practiced many of his philosophies (exercise, discipline, affection - in that order and being a pack leader with calm, assertive energy), we've honed in on a few new ones.

First: We're helping them learn how they are to behave when guests are at our door. In the past, they run up to the door, greet the happy strangers and harass them until they get some attention. This usually leads to one of them jumping up just as a guest leans down and what ensues is a nose to the face collision. Not good. Now if you visit our house, you will see a lovely sign on our door asking you to let us let you in. This gives us time to coral them, place them where we'd like them to be and make sure they stay there until we release them. We then ask you to basically ignore them. You can give affection only after they've calmed down and you call them over.

Said sign
Second: We're reestablishing boundaries. For example, they are no longer allowed in the kitchen while we are in there. This has been the hardest for Norman who would give his left crooked foot for a chance at the smallest morsel or crumb. He licks the air when we spray Pam. Sad but true. For him, the taste of some real food goodness is worth the risk of consequences. You can't blame him for trying but you can't blame us for sticking to our guns. He's pushing 70 pounds people. He doesn't need any more food of any kind.

Third: We have renewed energy to eliminate their barking, whining and sofa sitting. All of these are easy fixes and issues we've been working on since day one. It just takes diligence on our part to address the issue each and every time, correct it and follow through with discipline. We admit, it's exhausting. Basset hounds have the shortest memory ever. Seriously. Think Dory from Finding Nemo but worse. To their, and I guess our credit, they are getting better. It continues to be a work in progress but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

We're especially proud of how far Leo has come. He's definitely the smarter of the two, listens very well (most of the time), has curbed most of his whining and is quickly learning the ropes of laziness from the master. If we can just rid him of his incessant need for being pet (which we think literally has something to do with his sensitive skin), his beliefs that he is the boss of Norman and our concerns of his past interactions with children, he will be darn near perfect. If we can instill the temperament in Leo that Norman has, we're golden.

Speaking of golden, Ruggles Street finally found a communal snow blower, circa 1967. It's gold. It's loud. It's awesome. More on that to come.

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