A Nutter Butter? Surely You Jest?!! Thursday February 25, 2010

Today marks the 1st day of our 13th week and the last week of the 1st trimester.  Woot woot!!!  The coolest thing about this new development in my view is that I just discovered that Bean is the size of a Nutter Butter.  How cool is that?!  One of the stranger things about pregnancy-related websites is that they all have week-by-week information about your babies’ development (which is obviously interesting), but they also have some theme that they use to let you know how big the baby is.  Many of the themes are odd.  Examples include fruit (ok….), crown to rump length (snore), entirely random (your baby is the size of a film reel, now a Playmobil figure, now a floppy disk), and vegetable.

Today Toad found the ultimate resource for me.  She sent me a link from work this morning so I don’t have all the details, but…. eureka!!  Week by week updates about your baby’s development into an ever larger convience food.

Daybook – February 24 Wednesday February 24, 2010

Outside my window…. winter is back.  Heavy, wet snowflakes are falling, but melting as soon as they reach the ground.  No accumulation.  No school cancellation.

I am thinking… that all of the possibility and ambiguity of this move feels exciting.  At least at this moment.  I’m going to try to hang on to that.

I am thankful for…my wife.  Again.  As always.  Now that she isn’t taking extra hormones, I’m remembering her actual personality.  This is a good thing.  I’m not nearly as good at being the calm one.

From the kitchen…. all sorts of wild and wonderful things.  On the menu tonight?  Mahi Mahi.  With guacamole.

I am wearing… grey pants, a green v-neck sweater and socks striped with green, blue and white.

I am reading…Fieldwork by Mischa Berlinksi.  My MIL liked this one so much that she sent me a copy in the mail.  That was a great surprise!  I love fun mail and I REALLY love books in the mail.  Les and I are protesting our book club’s selection of the new book by the woman who wrote The Time Traveler’s Wife (did NOT like that book) and have decided to read Fieldwork together and discuss.  I’m looking fwd to that.

I am hoping…that Bean keeps on keeping on in his healthy way.

Around the house… times they are a changing.  At church on Sunday there was considerable progress made in the Gadget Relocation effort.  A few possibilities have emerged over the last few months, but I didn’t feel good about them.  However, it turns out there is a retired woman who lives alone and is VERY MUCH a cat person in general and a black cat person in particular whose cat passed away a few months back.  A cat that she had on DIALYSIS for weeks.  Dialysis.  That is major committment people.  She is eager for a new companion and she is anti declawing.  I was practically in tears talking to her.  She plans to call me later this week and do a Gadget test drive.  We agreed that I would bring him over and they could spend a few days together to see how it goes.  I don’t think there is any way she wouldn’t fall in love with him.  I just can’t imagine it.  She seems bright and funny and just the kind of lady that Gadget would charm the pants off.  And she said she’s willing to keep in touch and send me pictures.  Fingers crossed.

One of my favorite things… is watching Criminal Minds with Toad.  This is our new show and I don’t know how we missed it for so long.  We like it so much that we’re thinking about naming the baby Gideon. 😉

A few plans for the rest of the week….The big news is that Bean had a photo shoot on Tuesday morning and she’s looking good.  Two arms, two legs and a nasal bone.  Happy Toad and the Professor.  Tmw night we are getting together with T&J for dinner which is good bc we haven’t seen them yet this year.  Man, it’s almost March.  Friday night the Grabs have invited us to dinner at an organic farm about an hour away.  Interesting.  I’ve seen stories about these kinds of places on the Food Network, but I’ve never been.  We are foot loose and fancy free for the weekend and they say the sun will be shining.

A “picture thought I’m sharing… Stay tuned.  Bean picture coming soon.

Unorganized Ideas Monday February 22, 2010

I like structure and coherent (at least to me) organization, but scattered is the name of the game today.  Usually when I’m scattered I don’t post, but today I am not letting a little incoherence stand in my way.  Not a chance.

WINTER IS NOT A PERPETUAL SEASON

I have adopted this as a kind of mantra, but I don’t think I’ve believed it even once.  When the sun emerged on Friday and cranked the temperature up to 60 by Sunday, I felt like I had been reborn.  Literally.  This is not dramatic overstatement.  It is actually, factually true.  Toad, Baker and I went on three substantial walks this weekend and they were blissful.  I had the feeling that you get when you start to feel better after having been sick for awhile.  That “Oh this is what human feels like” feeling.  How do people live in cold places?  I will never understand this.

I MAY ACTUALLY GET INTO A COUNSELING PROGRAM

The phone interview last Thursday went well.  I was impressed with what she had to share about the program and I think she was impressed with me.  Good.  Mission accomplished.  Apparently they don’t do on-campus interviewing for the Masters program, so I should be hearing from the graduate school folks in the next month.  If I am lucky enough to get in, the next step will be money wrangling.  Got to make it feasible.

MY LEGS ARE CAPABLE OF EXCEEDING FOUR MILES A WEEK

This is a happy realization.  In addition to robbing me of my will to live (or perhaps I should just say “zest for life”), the sun has also taken with it any interest I ever had in running.  I have NEVER been a treadmill girl.  I have been a girl who slogged through time on the treadmill, but I have never enjoyed it.  Not even a little.  Having to actually get myself somewhere besides my front door is a significant deterrent and I am not a fan of the gym environment once I actually do get there.  So, all of this leads to the fact that I haven’t been running much lately.  For several months actually.

Sunday morning Toad and I set the alarm and hit the road before church.  The temps were still in the 30’s, but the sun was bright and the wind was calm.  I ran four happy miles.  My body felt terrible, but my heart was full.  THIS is why I run.  I run bc I love the way it feels to be outside in the quiet when the sun comes up, when most of the world is still asleep.  I absolutely LOVE that and man has it been a long time.  It felt so good that I set my alarm a little earlier this morning and got out again before work.  It’s Monday and I’ve already put in seven miles this week.

MY JOB STILL BLOWS

Of course it does.  I’m feeling that very acutely today bc I have to attend three separate meetings with my colleagues.  We are going through the re-accreditation process and the big dogs are on campus this week.  Got to play nice.

IRON IS MY NEW BFF

I cannot say enough about having a wife who is a doctor.  The girl is a genius.  After months of experiencing a bunch of weird things that I never connected (sleeping much more than usual, unusual sluggishness during cardio, dizzy spells in the shower and while lifting weights), I finally talked to Toad about it Friday night.  I have always had extremely heavy periods and I’ve never eaten a lot of meat, but I’ve never worried about it.  I’ve never thought I was anemic.  Well, I think I was wrong.  One change that has been small but  likely significant is that we are not eating out nearly as much as we usually do since we have been TTC.  We started trying in July.  This means that we’ve been primarily eating at home for eight months.  This is important bc if I ever eat red meat, I eat it out.  Most of what we cook at home is veggie.

Eureka!  Now that I’m thinking about iron, I’m taking a multivitamin and making a conscious effort to get iron through my diet each day.

Things That are Making Me Happy Wednesday February 17, 2010

• Sunshine.  It is neither raining nor snowing and although it is still quite cold, the sun has not died.  Whew!  I was worried about that.
• The prospect of a phone interview.  Last night my phone rang and it was a student from the Counseling program I applied to calling to set up a phone interview.  Yahoo!!!  Tmw night I will spend thirty minutes trying to convince the Director of the program to accept me and waive my tuition.  Got to get working on my powers of persuasion.  I will actually be trying to convince her to invite me to campus for the real interview, which will be the next step should I make it, but I’ve got to keep my eye on the prize.
• Nearing the end of the first trimester.  Just two more weeks to go.
• The completion of my volunteer training in Palliative Care.  I left the hospital last night with a big check by my name.  On Friday morning I will report to my floor all by myself.  A little nervous, but mostly looking forward to that.
• The realization that I really enjoy stew/soup.  I didn’t know this for 31 years.  That’s a long time.  I’m happy that I’ve realized it now and am no longer missing out.  Yum.
• The Valentine’s Day mix CD I got from my wife.  Lots of lovey, happy tunes.  Love it.
• Coming home to find a package on my doorstep.  My most fabulous T sent a box of baby reading and Toad and I are thrilled.

Academia is Dangerous Sunday February 14, 2010

Have you heard the news about the Friday shooting at the University of Alabama?  If you haven’t heard the story, read this little blurb about it here.  I can’t get this off my mind.  Three people killed when a biology professor was denied tenure.  And they were shot at a faculty meeting.  Absolutely awful.  My heart goes out to everyone involved in this situation.  I’ve had very vivid fears of precisely this situation, so when I was talking to Mom earlier this weekend and she passed the story along, I just couldn’t believe it.  But, I also very much COULD believe it and that makes all of it so much worse.

This is What Marriage Looks Like Thursday February 11, 2010

I stumbled onto this image on another blog this morning and I had to share it here.  There is something about this picture that I really love.  This is what marriage looks like.

Brandi Carlile – I Had No Idea Wednesday February 10, 2010

Last night Toad and I saw an amazing show.  I was expecting it to be good, but I had no idea how good it would be.  If Brandi Carlile gets anywhere near where you live, you NEED to go to her show.  She is an excellent charismatic performer and her voice sounds even better live.  She might just be my new music hero.  In fact, I’m trying out the red bandana on the arm thing.  You never know…. it could look good 😉

Brandi also has a great band.  I was particularly impressed by the guys who frame her on the stage.  The twins.  Also very charismatic in their own rights.

Perhaps my level of Brandi wow-ness can best be communicated by the fact that I have not even mentioned who opened the show.

Super Bowl Sunday for the Non Sport Fan Sunday February 7, 2010

Although Friday brought another four inches of snow, the Snowpocalypse has passed us by.  Whew.  We really didn’t need 30 plus inches.  I was expecting another weekend trapped in the house, but by Saturday morning travel was back to normal.  There is still snow on  the grass, but it’s off the roads.  The snow came in handy a few moments ago, but more about that later.

Late in the week when we were imagining another home bound weekend, we decided to have a Super Bowl party.  For two.  Well, I guess there are technically five of us around here these days.  Toad, the Professor, Bean, Gadget and Baker are celebrating.  No one around here is particularly fond of football, but we’re not letting that stop us.  A party is a party after all.  I put some guacamole together and Toad made chips from flour tortillas.

You might think making chips from tortillas would be easy and you would be correct.  However, if you leave those tortillas under the broiler and then get distracted, it is entirely possible that your chips will catch on fire.  This is what happened here only moments ago.  Luckily, Toad is a fast thinker.  While I was scrambling around looking for a fire extinguisher that I REALLY thought we had,  Toad grabbed the cookie sheet loaded with flaming tortillas and headed for the front yard.  The front yard that is still filled with snow.  It turns out that snow is the perfect substitution for a fire extinguisher.  Bullet dodged man.  Bullet.  Dodged.

Now, we are settling in for the game with our very favorite veggie chili.  I have included the recipe below.  I found this on the Whole Foods website and it is most definitely a winner.  We add tempeh at our house, but it’s also good without.  Once the meal is over I’m not sure how long our Super Bowl fever will hold out.  Neither of us really even know who to root for.  Toad’s best friend from high school took Economics with Peyton Manning in college, so she’s leaning towards the Colts.  I have family in New Orleans, so I’m rooting for the Saints.  May the best woman….. I mean team, win!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped chipotles in adobo 1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
3 cups cooked red kidney beans, drained
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, drained

Method

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, peppers and garlic and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until vegetables are softened but not browned. Add chipotles, oregano, cumin, chili powder and salt. Stir to blend. Add tomatoes and 4 cups water. Gently simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Add beans and simmer an additional 30 minutes. Garnish individual bowls with green onions or sour cream, if desired.

Guess What We’re Doing on September 2nd!! Thursday February 4, 2010

WE’RE HAVING A BABY!!!!

Yahoo!  🙂  You heard me right.  Toad is pregnant with our little 10 week old Bean.  We got a picture of the little guy this morning.

Daybook Tuesday February 2, 2010

FOR TODAY… February 2, 2010

Outside my window… there is still snow everywhere.  It started on Friday night and now, four days later most of it is still here.  The skies are grey and we got some sleet during our morning walk.  Yuck.  And the damn groundhog gave us what we knew was coming this morning.  Six more weeks of winter.

I am thinking… that Toad and the Professor will have an exciting announcement to make very soon.  Keep your fingers crossed! 😉

I am thankful for… for the moments when I really believe in my myself.  Particularly thankful when those moments are woven together into entire days.

I am remembering… what flow feels like.

I am wearing… comfy blue jeans, a grey long-sleeved shirt and a blue fleece.

I am currently reading… Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah.  T let me borrow this and I am finally getting to it.  Sixty pages in and I’m hooked.  Nothing like a nice warm novel about friendship when it’s cold outside. 

I am hoping… that I can find some good blogs about writing.  Anyone got any recommendations?

Noticing that… the weather is supporting my emotional unemployment.  I’ve been grumbly about it, but school cancellations are a fabulous outcome of all the snow.  Yesterday I managed to avoid my long teaching day.  I teach a night class one day a week and that night is Monday.  What was I doing yesterday?  NOT being at school.  Check.

Pondering these words… Who could you be if you weren’t afraid to fail?

On the agenda this week… Still pretty quiet around here.  This afternoon I have my volunteer interview at the hospital. I’m excited  to see where that goes, but I am NOT excited about the needles.  Yes, there will actually be needles!!!  Seasonal flu shot and H1N1 and TB.  Wowza.  The forecast is calling for another snowy weekend.  Hard to believe.

Around the house… there are lots of leftovers 😉

One of my favorite things…SNOW DAYS!!!

From my picture journal… stay tuned.