" Fetal Development - Week 26

The baby now weighs between 1.5 and 2 pounds/ 680 and 900 grams and is
approximately 9 inches/ 23 centimetres long from crown to rump. He
makes breathing movements but has no air in his lungs yet. At 26 weeks,
fetal brain scans show response to touch. If you shine a light on your
abdomen, your baby will turn his head, which according to researchers,
means his optic nerve is working."

Also, I'm in double digits now... 98 days to go! Woohoo! Now that may
still seem like a lot to you... but it's really not! For one thing, I
started at 280 days to go... for another thing, that's about the length
of summer when we were in school... and didn't that go pretty fast??
I am starting to get excited... Still a little unreal but oh boy.
Hopefully this week we'll paint the "kids" room and get our new carpet!
We went to the Fall Festival yesterday and I had a very cute lion
companion.. we forgot the camera today but I'll post a picture
tomorrow.
Then off to the Radiant recording which went really well.. night 2
tonight. I'm going to rest up all day so I can sing tonight.

peace out

I celebrated Halloween once. Probably more than once but there's only
one I remember before the aged parents put the big kabosh on the evil
day...
I was about 5.... I was Myself the Elf. I remember the title and the
wings distinctly. Now, was Myself a diabolical scheme of Daddy's to not
have to buy a costume, or was I a licensed trademarked character? I
will never know.
I do know that my candy was heavily taxed by himself. The Easter Bunny
always gets his cut.
Then it was off to Piney Woods where the horror of the day was
evidently revealed to us and my yearly candy bounty days were cut to
one. You always knew who's parents weren't saved or at least
enlightened because there they'd be November 1st with a lunchbox full
of goods. And though we scorned their religious apathy, we ate their
candy.
I like the Fall Festival deal... you go to great effort to dress up a
kid who can't wait to pull his/her ears/tail off and rub his/her little
black nose up his/her forehead. And everything is very very itchy.
But you still score some loot. And they will figure this out eventually.

I am the Easter Bunny now.

We'll see if I come up with something to write about... we shall see

I think Richy's a little concerned about my Rumsfeld reference yesterday. Well, Rumsfeld is a hottie. So is Sean Connery. Is he ever.
But my taste runs toward really really skinny musician types. Like Bon Jovi. JOKING!
Isn't it funny how we women get away with "appreciating" men and men can't get away with it at all. It makes perfect sense. But it's funny.

Happy Birthday Heather and Mikey! I remember when they were born.... we
rode in a little brown beetle all the way down 45.... probably. Or we
might have flown in a big blue and white bird...
One problem with being twins is everybody just calls you the twins.
Those poor quads.
But I remember after they were born staying at Georgia's house...
actually that must have been right before because Bobby made up a song
for my 7th birthday... 7 is Heaven, it was called. It was a good year.
I don't really remember much about the twins then. It was months later
that I dropped Heather on her head. I do remember that. Sorry, Heather.
You seem to have turned out all right, despite this burning desire to
marry a missionary and move somewhere with outhouses.
I never dropped Mikey. Maybe he felt jealous. Maybe that's why he never
tells us about his secret girlfriends, I don't know.
Anyhoo, happy 20. I cried when I turned 20... leaving my teens and
all... of course I got married at about 14 so I don't know what the big
deal was... but it was a pretty good year.

Today I am planning on laying around. I would like to go see Jason
Upton in Beaumont... but too mucho driving for me.... so laying around
it is.

Well, we lost the World Series... and thus, my monthlong interest in
baseball will go the way of its fathers.
I stayed up way too late the night before last watching a 14 inning
game, and then not sleeping all night for whatever reason watching tv
till 2 in the morning tells your brain there is no more sleep.
Today I very comfortably could have slept longer.... very unusual for
me. But someone who will remain unnamed came in here shrieking to Woody
about Velveeta cheese and Democrats. So here I am. Better late than
never.

I am only about a week more pregnant than I've ever been. But it's very
interesting how different it feels. Physically and emotionally. Last
night I looked at Babies R Us and Target online... I have had some kind
of mental block about planning for a real baby to come and live
here.... but it's fading and I'm getting excited...
Am I going to have a baby? Some friends I have online who have
experienced loss call it a "take-home" baby. I want to tke this one
home. I expect to. And it's tripping me out a little.

10 weeks sounds like nothing. Like I will make it there, easy. And if I
make it 15 weeks, great! But I like the sound of 10... or 9 and a
half...

Guys day was a very interesting experiment. I may keep it on
Wednesdays...

My appointment was good... no change! Holy Moley! I could have this
baby in 10 weeks and he'd be normal! Well, Yablonski "normal"...
then I had to have a shot... to mature his lungs - pretty standard for
previous preterm deliverers... but now both hips hurt. Cry for me,
America.

Remember, tomorrow is guy's day on the blog... I'll explain the rules
in the morning.

I have an appointment in an hour... slept late, now waiting to GO GO
GO....
Update should be early afternoon....

"Your baby weighs one
pound, nine ounces, and measures 22 centimeters crown-to-rump. Your
baby's ears are fully functional now, and he or she may even blink in
reaction to a loud noise. The brain is growing rapidly. If you could
look inside your uterus, you'd see a well-proportioned head and body."

Well, my birthday week is over... but the post 24-week euphoria is
just beginning. Oh, this is fun! Even my aching bones and 3000 trips
to the "jane" are fun because I've never made it this far! WE'RE GOING
ALL THE WAY, BABY!

the Astros lost last night.... mostly because of stinking cheaters.
We'll see if they get away with that in Texas...

I think I may go to church today. So the lecture begins now.
The subject of today's lecture is Dee Henderson. Dee writes romantic
suspense.... usually cop/military types falling in love despite
themselves and then getting blown up, etc.
They never planned to fall in love. Especially the men. Because the
country is too important, darnit, and they might have to sacrifice
themselves for the good of mankind. But then they meet her. And she is
one tough cookie. Dee's women just step right over the bodies and keep
going. Of course, later they can't sleep and the guys have to take them
horseback riding or make popcorn or something. Because she has to have
a vulnerable side. And she never meant to fall in love. Love is messy,
and her family is dysfunctional or something. But then the terrorists
come or her plane crashes or somebody tries to kill her and what can
you do? You have to survive. So you can get shot and kidnapped and so
forth but you're tough as nails. Then he comes and rescues you. And he
is VERY angry because you should not have gotten shot or kidnapped. And
you are so tired and worn out from getting shot you show your
vulnerable side and let him kiss you. But really, you have every
intention of going back to Bosnia or Chicago and showing that villain
what's UP.
And nobody (except the villains) ever makes a selfish decision. It's
God mom and apple pie... just the way it has to be.
But they come to some kind of agreement and get married and then in the
next book they get pregnant and are just a side story.
But America will be okay because you have cousins, or brothers or
something who plan never to fall in love.

I just can't think of anything entertaining. I'm sure it will come to
me in a blinding flash later today. For now..... pfttttt

Tomorrow: the long awaited Sunday fiction lecture!

I am typing this long before I'll actually post it. The MOG woke me up
by turning on the blinding light to find his shoes.

I knew it would be a relief to get past 24 weeks. I did not know how
much. It's like the proverbial weight off the shoulders. I still have a
while to go. But that hurdle was the key one for me... I am so grateful
to have this chance. I think in a few weeks I'll actually realize
there's a baby involved!

R2 is crashed out in the bunk bed with Woody. Mama is drying her hair.
Richy (the MOG) is on the jetties praying and taking a LOT of pictures
of birds and crustaceans and of course, the water.
The only bummer about our vacation was internet access... I know I'm a
dork but when you live with dial-up, high speed is a pretty exciting
offer. So, to only have high speed at the pool and it doesn't work a
lot of the time is kinda a bummer. Richy went in the lobby last night
and he said there's a lightning fast connection in there. But who wants
to hang out in the hotel lobby on vacation??
Once he gets back from the mountain, we're supposed to go try the
continental breakfast. I have had quite a few CB's in my day... Radiant
has a term for the "poor" ones... Just bread and maybe a couple circa
1980 bagels.... and some suspicious jelly. Or good ones... do it
yourself waffles and yogurt and various cereals, plus bagels and bread
and fruit. Or AMAZING ones where there is a free breakfast buffet. I
don't remember that city, or that church, or anything... just the free
breakfast buffet. We were all up bright and early and ate with great
gusto.
So we'll see how the Victorian rates...

I am having a great time. The Astros won... it was so sweet to see Jeff
Bagwell and Craig Biggio cry... they've been waiting a long time for
this.
So much for free hi speed internet in our room.... you have to have
your own ethernet cable - the Victorian only has two to lend out and
they're both out right now. Luckily, all the public places have
wireless so I'm sitting by the pool again... just woke up, haven't even
brushed my teeth....bleh
But here I am! We decided to "get that woman to the seawall", so my mom
and R2 will be joining us here today and we'll stay one more night....
We want to go see Wallace and Gromit but I have to see if I feel up to
sitting up that long.

It's just such a miracle we're able to do this at all right now. God is
so good. And I am having a blast. Probably another 6-8 weeks before I
throw caution to the wind... but right now just being away from home
and testing my boundaries gently is very fun.

I am not going back to sleep. I would like to believe differently of
myself. But the fact is, I am awake now. So I might as well do
something.

So here I am. Well, yesterday I had my first appointment at 8:30... at
the hospital for an ultrasound. Mind you, it was at the hospital. So I
got into my ultrasound at 9:30 or 9:45. The tech was a little grouchy.
I knew I would not be able to get the proper amount of info out of
her... But she measured Toby and he looks like 24 weeks 3 days
(yesterday) so that's great! But Madame Grumpy did not take very good
pictures. I have one very clear picture of his "manhood". And even
though that might be entertaining to my few, grumbling male readers, I
will not post it. So the only pics today will be of yours truly. And
then she measured my cervix and since Richy is an ultrasound tech
himself these days, he read all the measurements she wasn't telling me
and was doing dances and encouraging movement behind her head. My
cervix looks great.... just like it should!
Then we had about an hour to kill before my next appointment, and we
were pretty giddy by this point... so we went to Old Navy and I walked
around and picked out some stuff and had NO contractions!
Then back to Dr. Reed's for my other appointment. And we saw Dr Reed in
the hallway and she beamed at us and said she was so happy to see us.
(we've all been looking forward to this appointment). And she did her
thing and everything looked good and she was very happy, but not as
happy as us! And I asked if I could swim and she said she thought that
would be good- lift the weight off my cervix, etc....
So we went to my moms and I got my shot there (another story)... and
Leah and Nate and the fam came over and we went swimming! Well, mostly
me. Leah and Nate usually just lay by the pool and call that swimming.
But I walked around and aroound in the water and even got to hold R2
(first in 6 months) because he didn't weigh anything. And it was just
so great. Like being a normal pregnant person, almost.
Then I came home and I was sooooo tired and I just laid on the couch
for the rest of the day.

NOTE: THIS JUST IN: Josharoo and his blushing bride need a place to stay... hotels are full, etc...
"We went on line last night to book a hotel for our stay in TX and every decent hotel is booked.  I had forgotten about all the refugees being there, or we would've booked way in advance.  So, I was wondering if you could include on your blog post that we need somewhere to stay.  Our flight is in at 7:30 PM Thursday, then we'd "check-out" Sunday morning before church.  We'll have a rental car, so no transportation is needed.  They must have a comfy bed, not a futon.  Maybe the bloggers can let us know who has an extra room that we could call, or maybe some of them could take us. "
Anyone? I'd hate for them to have to stay with Batboy.

sorry it's so late... but I had an awesome report! Nothing has
changed... my cervix is still as it should be. Praise God! Yay! Happy
Birthday to me!
So we went to Old Navy and bought 2 maternity shirts, and went swimming
at my moms.... (doctor approved). Such a nice day for me and such a
victory!

Got an ultrasound and a doctor's appointment today... and we've decided
to postpone our beachgoing until Wednesday.

So go ahead, I dare you. Amuse me.

Update in the afternoon...

24 weeks today. What a milestone. I had the twins at 24 weeks, and R2
at 24 weeks 1 day. So as of Wednesday, I will be in completely
uncharted territory. Actually, I already am. I have never been 24 weeks
pregnant and not in labor. Not in a hospital.... not in a horrible
hospital gown.
You'll have to bear with my emotions today. It's a bittersweet victory.
I fully believe this is different. I'm going all the way. Or at least
until I put myself in labor getting a Christmas pedicure.... but
there's a part of me that grieves a little today. I wish I could have
made it with the twins. I always will.
And I celebrate R2, who was born at this stage and made it. What a joy
he is! What a character.... I don't know if God asked me if I'd like to
go back and swap him with the full term R2.... it would be a tough
call. He is sunshine.
But today, I celebrate Toby. Good job, buddy. Hang in there. Ain't
nothin happening out here anyway.

And today, I am officially in my late twenties. I think 27 is past
mid-twenties, wouldn't you say? Strange. We're going to celebrate very
quietly here.... we can't help holding our breath a little till this
week is over.
So no surprise party hiding in my closet and jumping out at midnight...
not a good idea, folks.

This post is kinda serious. But I enjoy the mayhem so much. So feel
free to party on in the comments.

The subject for the day is Gilbert Morris. GM has written about 4,329
novels, most of which are historical and follow the Winslow family from
the Mayflower to .... I believe the most recent one is in the Great
Depression. No, no, not the Clinton years... the 1930's.
To put this in perspective, I read my first Winslow book at Lifestyle
Christian School.... probably 92 or so. And I read the most recent one
last week. I will be 27 soon.... so that's a lot of books, folks.
The first ones were captivating... wedge shaped jaws and piercing blue
eyes ... (the Winslow eyes)... but after about 30 of these guys it gets
a little old. I mean, in my family, (and the gene pool may be a little
dicier, but hey) I don't know if 2 of us even have the same color
eyes....
And after a while, you get older. But in Morris world, if you live
uprightly, you can be 70 and only have little strategically placed
silver streaks in your hair... and still carry the beauty of your
youth. UNLESS you drink. Then you start looking like a "hard woman" by
25 or so.
Here's what happens: you're usually raised in an upstanding Godfearing
family. Because Winslows have to be saved by age 30 or they get killed
in an avalanche or a shootout and just get saved on deathbeds. Winslows
are not permitted to go to hell. So you're raised right. By someone
probably with blue eyes and a little silver streak. Then, when you're
an adolescent, something happens. You get kicked by a horse, or your
daddy loses his money, or a war or something. Still, it seems like
maybe you'll be okay. Until you're a teen.... 18 usually. Then you fall
in love with the wrong guy, or worse, a "hard woman" (they know how to
stir a man) or maybe you run away to be in a.)circus b.)Broadway
c.)cock-fighter's league. By the time you are 25, you are well on your
way to destruction, and you make statements like "I don't care what he
says! I won't do it!" and that is the thrilling cliffhanger that ends
the chapter.
But then you are walking barefoot on the streets of New York, or maybe
California or somewhere and the guy/girl/nurse/pilot/boxer who finally
helps you is an evangelist. And you fall in love, maybe. Or maybe you
hear the gospel but you're such a hard man/woman that you say "I don't
care what you say! I'm not doing it!" UNTIL you're somewhere else and
your woman gets hurt bad or maybe you get kicked by a horse or your
plane crashes. So you cry out to God in the barn/Germany/hospital and
are gloriously saved. You then get married, have children immediately
and raise them to be good Winslows.... but then....

my mind is too sleepy... will blog later...

LATER, on the ranch:
The problem is, I am a morning person. As in sleep 2 hours and wake up smiling disgusting morning person. This has always been an entertaining thing to me, as there are few of "my people". My husband is a sleep 5 more minutes snooze button addict kinda guy.
So here's what happens... the man of God decides that tomorrow, he will wake up with the dawn and go to Sinai. The man of God is not capable of waking himself, so he sets his alarm clock for 3 in the morning or whatever (usually 7). When the alarm goes off, the morning person (me) is awake. Even though she stayed up till 2 or 3 with Ted Dekker or whoever (not Lori Wick, I assure you)... And the man of God groggily stirs himself to action, which includes climbing over his 6 month pregnant wife, implanting knees and elbows in all tender locations, and slapping the snooze button. The man of God then goes back to a peaceful sleep, like Kai with 6 oz in him.
The morning person is not really ready to get up. Noone will make her breakfast, and there's not really any reason to get up when you're supposed to lay down all the time so your baby doesn't fall out. So, she lies in bed, wide awake, thinking evil thoughts toward her soulmate, the MOG.
Repeat for 1 hour. Add mild profanity from The MP and sleepy apologies from the MOG. Add the MP turning the dadgum thing off, and when the MOG wakes up on his own at 9:30.... add the deep regret and sorrow, that somehow, he missed the dawn.

I watched another Astros game last night, this time with Richy and Paul
(and R2, of course). It was more fun having some guys around making
noises... and of course, it was a good game and we won. So I'm happy.
I'm not much of a sports fan, but I like it when local teams go to
championships and SuperBowls and World Serieses and whatnot. I usually
jump on board to support or Luv Ya Blue or whatever...

But my personal involvement in sports has been very limited. At Piney
Woods, we had a giant field in which to play. When I was in control,
this field was used for Pegasus running and princess parades, etc. When
the sadistic powers-that-be (not Terri, of course) were in control,
then it was used for P.E. P.E. stands for Persecution Entertainment, in
which small weak children are forced to exert great effort to try to
keep up with strong children, who do sports for fun.

Kickball wasn't so bad. The ball is very large, and even little short
chicken-legged children can manage to kick it a little and run to first
base where the big hulking 3rd grader has been waiting for you with the
ball.
But what's up with Dodgeball and Red Rover?? These games are designed
to dismember skinnys. Many terrified hours in my youth were spent
hoping that Stevie wouldn't notice that me and Melissa only had little
stick arms and run at us. Or that Joey (skinny, but evil) would not
attempt to throw the ball with great vigor and hatred at my little
peanut head.
Later, we had a volleyball team. I played for the whole year and never
hit the ball over the net.

In high school, it became easier. I went to public school. In public
school, they really really don't want you to drop out. Please. So, if
one day I felt unable to play (tennis, softball, basketball, track),
and I needed to sit out, they would make me (GASP) write an essay. For
my peers, this was bad. They would rather run track 8 months pregnant
or with a herniated disk than write. Many happy afternoons were spent
out in the sunshine at Conroe High writing essays. After a while, I
think Coach AC/DC was on to me... but she enjoyed reading my little
stories and thoughts.... so eventually I graduated and was married
within a single breath.

Now, I married a guy who likes to play a game of football once or twice
a year, and usually just watches championships. Works out good. We have
shared more than one batch of 10 dollar nachos at Minute Maid Park. And
really, anything with nachos is better.

Last night (actually starting at 4) Richy went out and I decided to
keep R2 because... I'm feeling much better and I didn't want to be
lonely. It's strange how someone who doesn't actually talk to you can
be a good companion.

We laid around for a while, then somebody brought dinner. So we scarfed
that down.... very little conversation. Then "we" made some brownies.
(yesterday I got to go inside Dollar General for about 10 minutes and
pick my own groceries.. first time in 2 months I've been in a store....
and no contractions! And of course I got brownie mix)
So we made the brownies and he got to hold the spoon although he was
too excited to stir. He just held it there and flapped wildly with his
other hand. Big help.
Then we watched Everybody Loves Raymond which I laugh hard at so he
laughs when I laugh. I was laying on his bed because we moved the TV in
there. He did not want to sit on his bed. He sat in his chair, thank
you.
And after that it was still going to be a long time before R1 was home
so he watched Wheel of Fortune.... I don't know what I did. Ah-
brownies!
Then we watched the Astros game. In its entirety. Which I have never
done before and it wasn't that interesting... but whatever. And the
game was very exciting to R2 because people throw balls, and run , and
sometimes everybody claps. Good stuff. Still not touching his bed.
Then it was finally over and I suggested he lay down which was quite
offensive but Mr. Giraffe talked him into it...
Back to my room to hang out with Ol Ted Dekker until the old man came
home to tell me about his Recording magazine focus group or
whatever....

and that is one episode in my thrilling life. Hope you enjoyed it.

The fiction lecture seems to be a hit. I think I will make it a weekend
thing.
I am currently working on composing a birthday list. It's difficult as
it seems right now that I will always be pregnant and on bedrest. So
that really limits the gift ideas. But I am putting the old percolator
to work and thinking of some stuff. If you want a list, email me.

Daniel "The Dream" Mathews bought me a porch swing. At some point,
hopefully today, it will be assembled and I shall go and porch. Very
exciting!
Note here that I have used porch as a verb. It sounds good. Maybe a
little Amish. I like it when they say I took her to wife. As a verb.
What does it mean, exactly? How do you wife a woman? Should I ask?
I wifed her. I wived her. She has been wifed.
Interesting.
We won't talk about my dreams as they are crazy magical adventures here
in the almost 6th month of pregnancy... strange.
Maybe a music lecture would be in order, some day. I have some rhymes
that I see pretty consistently.
This is the point during childhood when one parent or another would put
down their fork and say "JESSICA. Shut UP and eat!"
Good advice, that. See ya in a few. Unless I get porched or wifed.

all is well... my cervix is normal!! We knew it, but it is still so
exciting to hear. I got my nasty orange drink today for a glucose test
in a few weeks... never got the orange drink before!!

Doctor's appointment in a little while... I'll update in the afternoon.
I don't feel scared, I just want it to be over and have a good report. I was 23 weeks and 1 day when they admitted me with the twins. And this is SO different. But it's hard not to remember and compare.

Talk amongst yourselves. Maybe give Daniel advice.

"This week of pregnancy, your baby is over 8 1/2 inches in length and weighs a little over a pound. Your baby's body is getting plumper, as he or she accumulates fat. Your baby's hearing is well established and he or she can hear your heart beating, your digestive noises, as well as your voice."


I actually know what a baby at this approximate gestation looks like... so Toby and I have made an agreement that I don't want to see him until he is the size of a smallish watermelon, with flowing hair. (strange imagery, there)
I have never spent this week of pregnancy outside of a hospital... with a good cervix... so this is exciting!
Pray me through this week mentally and emotionally...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BETHER! Maybe a few words on budgeting?


exciting weekend on the blog, folks... might want to catch up.

Reading a Lori Wick book today. Lori Wick writes a book every 4 days,
so there's always something to read. The problem is, after you've read
a couple, you've read 'em all.
Now, I enjoy her stories, her settings and so forth. What I have a
problem with is her women. They are all weak. (for the chauvinists
among us, this is getting interesting)
Lori's women are always getting shot, or pregnant (within wedlock) or
not eating for 24 hours and here's the kicker- they don't want to tell
anyone. Seriously, this happens every book. They end up blushing a lot,
fainting or in the deathbed, etc. And always the strong, rugged types
around just make them ride their horses or get on the train or
whatever. And THE WOMEN JUST BUTTON UP AND DO IT!
Now, maybe I come from a line of strong women. I suspect it to be true.
But I don't know any woman who would fail to mention LOUDLY that she
had been shot, jerk, and shut up and get her to Ben Taub so she could
die of infection.
Even the fasting thing. I admit my household is a little strange on the
withholding from food scale.... some people in my house don't eat
often... But still, I have gone days without eating... nearly a month
and never even came close to fainting. These women faint after a couple
hours. Even if they've had a little jerky and a hard biscuit. Not
likely. And any strong rugged type in my life knows that he darn well
better pull over to McDonalds or it will be ugly ugly.
And pregnancy... I freely admit I've never delivered a 10 pound baby
without medication... although I know some who have. But when I am
pregnant... I know. Within hours. I am pregnant from day 1. (day 15,
for the technical) And I never faint. I grow horns, maybe... and weep
profusely over WHY would he leave the toilet seat up? But no fainting.
And none of this figuring it out at 6 months because of a kind elderly
friend who just happens to see me vomiting in the chicken coop and
suggests that maybe... and I am SHOCKED and BLUSH. Not gonna happen.

Then there's Gilbert Morris... but another day, folks. Another day.

feelin pretty good today... I actually got to sit outside for a little
while yesterday. Normally, I hate going outdoors. I just very
cheerfully stay inside all the time.
But yesterday was so gorgeous and R&R were outside so I took my big
pillow and made a little comfy place on the deck.

I had to come in to eat my steak and baked potato.
Toby has it pretty good.

I remember, as a kid.... the wonderland that was mama's bed. So many
pillows, heavy blankets.... just the comfiest place in the world. It
did not belong to Daddy, although he slept there. During the day... or
when I was sick... I would creep in and burrow underneath the covers...
maybe watch a little hurricane TV....
For a while they had a waterbed. I had a waterbed the first year I was
married. If you (a skinny) sat on one side, you would jettison your
spouse (another skinny) into the air. When you fell asleep, you would
be snug in the middle, then wake up wedged in the side of the frame,
with a sort of dome of waterbed mattress in the middle. Mama's waterbed
was not like this. It was a cocoon. Maybe even heated... I did not ever
have a comfy just right bed until 1999.... what changed? I became a
mama.
Now I am a mama, and I have a mama bed. To me, my mama's bed is still
more comfortable... good for what ails ya. But to R2, this bed is
Mecca. He casually lays down in here every night around 8:30. Like
"Whew, what a day. Well, this is where I sleep." And then he puts on
the cute show. He tells jokes and giggles and kisses... (see:
Thanksgiving Turkey Syndrome) And if anybody suggests that maybe he has
his own bed, the lip comes out and panic begins to set in in the
eyes.... He flips over and burrows down.... already asleep, you see. No
moving him.

Interesting, I am the mama now.

I read a lot of books. I like fiction, but every now and then something
nonfiction catches my attention. This week I read one of my dad's
books- How Do They Do That? published in the oh-so-current 1981. So
some things are waaaayyy outdated but some probably haven't changed.
Like how they put stripes in toothpaste. Or how they shell peanuts
without breaking them. Now, how the copy machine works is beyond me.
It's chemistry, folks... photons and chemical reactions and so forth.
So that book was very interesting and I shared a great deal of it with
my husband who has a bad habit of falling asleep when we aren't talking
about a.) the Lord b.) studio equipment or c.) none of your business.

So here I am with another random collection of facts. This is why
people think I'm smart. I just walk around (well. I used to walk) and
my brain is like der-der-der--coooookies- and so forth. Then person A
(not my husband) says, "Man, I wonder how they shell peanuts?!" And
some little random fact gear kicks in and there you go.
And everybody says, "Man, you are so smart!" But I'm just thinking,
"Cap'n Crunch....mmmmmmm"

and speaking of the good Captain, I must bid you good day.

I have been sleeping so great lately. Don't you love sleeping? I can't
nap, however. My brain won't shut down. I always get in nap posture and
lay still for about 5 minutes before I think of something else to do.
This is a pattern my whole life.

Some people don't even have to close their eyes and they're already
asleep. Natalie Hernandez can go to sleep at will. Anywhere, anytime.
Sometimes on accident. I NEVER fell asleep in school. I wanted to,
plenty of times.... just can't do it.

Richy and I have had many "discussions" about the necessity of naps. He
takes 'em. I consider them wasted life. It's a little easier now for
him that I have to lay down all the time. Although I don't let him nap
in here. Why? Because I like to pretend that someone is watching
Kamikaze Kid as he explores the wonders of climbing, etc.
Kamikaze doesn't take naps, either. I vaguely remember him taking them
when he was smaller... but I can't ever remember when anything happened
with him because I have all these different clocks in my head. He's 6,
but he's 2. And over here, he's 4. So that confuses my memory.

But overnight, I sleep like a normal person. Well, kinda. At least I
don't have "fright syndrome" like my mom and Leah. Out of a sound sleep
they will hear a.)a door close somewhere b.) a branch against a window
c.) breathing in California.... and sit straight up, hair wild, eyes
wide. It's pretty frightening. I never wanted to wake Mama up. Noooo
sneaking in her room, nohow. I do sleep lighter than Richy. I will
hear, for example, bandits removing our front door with a chainsaw.
"Wake up!" I whisper. Nothing. "I mean it, I heard something!"
zzzzzzzzzzz..... I usually have to go disarm them myself.

W: So that's the jist of it. King Fad here says he'll be nice to Mr.
Sharon, here. And so nobody's gettin blowed up today.
Fahd: I would rather eat the backsides of 1000 dung beetles.
Sharon: You don't mean the protected Ha'Shamid beetle, do you?
W: heh, heh, heh. Now, fellas-
Fahd: You speak so to ME? to ME? I am Fahd!
W: Now, he's gotta point. He is Fahd.
Sharon: He will be fodder! For the guns!
Fahd: You monkey! Ptuh!

W: (in phone) well, I'm gonna need a pickup, boys. Things are lookin
ugly

Acrobat Toby with his foot above his head

Something happens when I get pregnant. Well, a lot of things happen. But what I am referring to in particular is Baby Brain.
Un-pregnant, I am something of a politico. At least, I love to follow it. I listen to Rush daily for my Institute of Advanced Conservative Studies, keep an eye on Israel, watch press conferences, participate in fasts and prayer vigils and whatnot.

Immediately upon seeing two pink lines, I am transported to another world. I could go and see that the King of Jordan spit in Ariel Sharon's face and called him a monkey (these kind of things happen) and in the forefront of my mind is ARE BUMPER PADS SAFE??
President Bush gets away with all kinds of stuff when I'm pregnant. Hurricanes come. I think about the baby.
I try to listen to Rush, but can't get my mind around it. He could be having unbelievably brilliant moment after moment, monologues that unpregnant bring me to tears, and yawn... I really hope that we can paint that jungle mural.

Now, on the very edges of my consciousness, there is something going on with the Supreme Court. I am vaguely aware that if I weren't pregnant, I would probably be standing on the Supreme Court steps with red tape on my mouth, and I probably wouldn't have eaten for several days.

Instead, I am laying in a bed all day long getting kicked viciously. Every time I hear his heartbeat, every time I feel him kick, I grow less and less interested in the world around me.

I am in a womb.

Well, my appointments were great! That measurement a couple weeks ago
was wacky, because my cervix is a normal length and everything looks
good!
Driving home was a little stressful, had a few contractions. Pray for
me for peace, physically.

peace out
oh, and I'll post such a cute ultrasound pic tomorrow.

Today, Toby should weigh about 13 ounces... he should be about 7.5
inches from crown to rump. (because his legs are all folded up) Kai, at
this stage, weighed 4 pounds. (a little joke)

The books have stopped making comparisons, so I had to go find
something 7.5 inches. Hamburger Helper, folks.

Your baby is now the height of a box of Hamburger Helper (or Panburger
Partner, for the frugal). He is approximately the weight of the
contents of a can of Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup (or For Best
Value). He kicks about as hard as a medium sized bullfrog in your
abdominal cavity. Oh, and this is from the book: he has eyebrows. Now
you see why I have to ad-lib.

I have an ultrasound and a drs appointment today, but they're late
afternoon, so most of you will have already checked out for the day
when I update.

UPDATE 1:48 pm

9 pounds 11 ounces

---

7:49 am

just got the call,,, pray for leah today as she brings this very
content large baby into the world...
i'm so excited for her... although she's not using any pain meds so i
know she'll need grace to stay focused...

october 1st! yay!! When this month is over I'll be 26 weeks. Never done
that before...
all of my life i've celebrated october 1st as the beginning of my
birthday month. I'll be 27. sheesh. and the thing i want most is to be
pregnant, with an unchanged cervix and no contractions....

it's usually pretty quiet on the ol blog over the weekend. see ya if i
see ya.