Well, it's 8:00 on Sunday morning. I watched the 3rd game of the World Series and just stayed up all night. Keep that in mind as you are reading this!
I'm a bit slap happy right now and find myself giggling for no particular reason. Now is a great time to blog! So, I slept a lot yesterday, catching up on a sleep deprived week, and then since I stayed up to watch an awesome game - I decided to stay up all night after that. I'm not sure when that actually sounded like a good idea, but right about now, a hot cup of coffee not only tastes good, it feels good. I have a bit of a "problem". Sometimes I do this, especially since Charlotte's working and not here to say "what in the world are you doing up at this hour???" Since I put this new hard drive in my old laptop, I've been playing around with the new Ubuntu OS and dual booting with Windows XP - I can only compare the Ubuntu to a good book that one can't put down. Very nerdy, yes, but there are worse things that I could be spending my time on!
Occasionally I've been able to feel the "kick" in the belly. I put it in quotes because it's still the slightest feeling to me - I don't get to feel my bladder kicked at the same time! I do look forward to when the kicks feel more like a kick to me. Sounds weird, but right now I can barely feel it. As I head to South Bend for the next week, I'll be anxious to see how she and baby are changing without seeing them every day. We got a co-sleeper and are really getting excited!
Charlotte and I had a very nice Friday evening dinner with Matt and Lisa. They're expecting also - Charlotte really seemed to enjoy the "hey you're pregnant too" kind of talk! Matt and I talked mostly about their new home (which is very lovely) and our respective professions (i.e. I'm still a student!). After lots of debate, we decided on Italian fare and enjoyed a delicious dinner. We passed on the dessert there, and headed back to their place for a home made French Silk Pie. Wa wa wee wa! Quite tasty. We headed back home after some nice conversation, and slept in quite late on Saturday. Charlotte worked, and I stayed up for no apparent reason.
So, I took a trip to go get bagels and coffee at Einstein down the street. Charlotte will be home soon, so it's bout time I wrap this up. I'm sure this post is a bit goofy, but at least I warned you...
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
World Series Games!
We are in for our first frost of the season tonight. The change in the weather means that I've dressed the part, getting out my usual long sleeve shirts and fleeces, and wearing both simultaneously. Meanwhile, George is asking me if I'm cold (as he sits in his T-shirt and long pants). My response, "no." Upon returning from the kitchen, I find this...and the window closed. He cracks me up.
Another item of note is the Red Sox gear. As we were getting supper at Panera tonight we got a few looks and comments for support of the Red Sox since George was wearing his Boston hat. Good times.
He's a #1 fan!
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Fall Colors
George and I have been enjoying some of the last of the warm weather by walking our neighborhood. The area is known for towering American Elm trees, colorful oaks, and many other beautiful flowering plants and trees.
We are quite thankful that we live in a neighborhood that is safe for walking, as this is not always the case in the Detroit area. Its also a good place that is conducive to seeing other foot traffic, like roller bladers, bikers, joggers, and dogs out for walks. All of these can lead to entertaining sights.The first photo demonstrates a few of the creative outdoor fall decorations that frequent the doors and lawns of the Grosse Pointe homes (note the favorite - a scarecrow). The second is a shot of our apartment building (the third building from the right edge of the photo), and the trees right on our street, which are quite a bright yellow at the moment. We are also amused at the amount of pumpkins which have become squirrel "all-you-can-eat" buffets -- little tree rats!
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Diapers & Date Night
George and I took a little trip to Ann Arbor last night for a combination shopping trip and date night. I've been continuing to search out information about cloth diapering, and I have really learned a lot. The internet is such a great tool for this project. I distinctly remember the cloth diapers that my sisters and I grew up with. In fact, at times I was the one to diaper Caroline on occasion because the babysitter required assistance. In our day (almost 30 years ago) there was a square piece of cotton, known as a prefold, folded again in a special, "do-it-yourself" way and fastened with big safety pins. For waterproof protection, a vinyl pant was worn over the top of the prefold. Basically, that was it. That's how it was done.
Now, here's a funny aside that always seems to come up when I tell George about this system. If you know George, you know how he likes to do impressions, and is actually quite good at them, so its too bad you can't hear his voice on this one. A quote from the Simpsons: Ralph: Daddy, these rubber pants are hot.
Chief Wiggum: You'll wear 'em till you learn, son.
My how things have changed. Now there are still prefolds, which is probably still what we'll use as they are more economical and, it appears, more reliable in the wash (I mean, can you really mess up a square piece of cloth in the laundry?). The nice thing is this new-fangled item called a Snappi, which has three separate clingy claws on a rubbery band that grip a cloth diaper so that pins are obsolete. However, there are many, many more options in cloth diapering. Various types of diaper covers, with cute designs, replace the "rubber pants" and go on more like a diaper rather than underwear. Pocket diapers, which require an insert, but can be used with a biodegradable and flushable portion! All-in-one diapers, which seem to not need an explanation, but are more expensive and tend to leak more frequently (from what I've read). Anyway, I'm sure you all haven't logged on to have a cloth diaper lesson today. The exciting part is that there are options, so a person can choose what works for their baby and household.
As you can imagine, there are not an abundance of stores that feature cloth diapering, so we are pretty lucky that Ann Arbor has this available as a resource. George has been a really good sport about this, being super supportive, and is willing to learn all the tricks of the trade. It is wonderful having such a great partner and friend as we look to the near future of parenting together.
He also had the clever idea of going out to eat once we were in Ann Arbor. I admit, he didn't have to twist my arm very hard. It seems that there are many yummy places to dine in the university towns that dot the USA, and many with vegetarian options. This time we stopped in at a restaurant called Seva (perhaps a take on a French phrase that has had the spelling changed?). A couple that lives in the area -- George's Boston College buddy and his wife -- recommended it, and we were pleased with what we found there. We had very flavorful dishes.
We also enjoyed our time out on the town together. We've been warned that "date night" might become a thing of the past once our little munchkin arrives. So we are doing our best to live it up now by appreciating adult conversation at the dinner table, just the two of us.
I mean, there is life after children, right?
Now, here's a funny aside that always seems to come up when I tell George about this system. If you know George, you know how he likes to do impressions, and is actually quite good at them, so its too bad you can't hear his voice on this one. A quote from the Simpsons: Ralph: Daddy, these rubber pants are hot.
Chief Wiggum: You'll wear 'em till you learn, son.
My how things have changed. Now there are still prefolds, which is probably still what we'll use as they are more economical and, it appears, more reliable in the wash (I mean, can you really mess up a square piece of cloth in the laundry?). The nice thing is this new-fangled item called a Snappi, which has three separate clingy claws on a rubbery band that grip a cloth diaper so that pins are obsolete. However, there are many, many more options in cloth diapering. Various types of diaper covers, with cute designs, replace the "rubber pants" and go on more like a diaper rather than underwear. Pocket diapers, which require an insert, but can be used with a biodegradable and flushable portion! All-in-one diapers, which seem to not need an explanation, but are more expensive and tend to leak more frequently (from what I've read). Anyway, I'm sure you all haven't logged on to have a cloth diaper lesson today. The exciting part is that there are options, so a person can choose what works for their baby and household.
As you can imagine, there are not an abundance of stores that feature cloth diapering, so we are pretty lucky that Ann Arbor has this available as a resource. George has been a really good sport about this, being super supportive, and is willing to learn all the tricks of the trade. It is wonderful having such a great partner and friend as we look to the near future of parenting together.
He also had the clever idea of going out to eat once we were in Ann Arbor. I admit, he didn't have to twist my arm very hard. It seems that there are many yummy places to dine in the university towns that dot the USA, and many with vegetarian options. This time we stopped in at a restaurant called Seva (perhaps a take on a French phrase that has had the spelling changed?). A couple that lives in the area -- George's Boston College buddy and his wife -- recommended it, and we were pleased with what we found there. We had very flavorful dishes.
We also enjoyed our time out on the town together. We've been warned that "date night" might become a thing of the past once our little munchkin arrives. So we are doing our best to live it up now by appreciating adult conversation at the dinner table, just the two of us.
I mean, there is life after children, right?
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Thoughts on Baseball
George and I have been watching the Red Sox vs. Indians ALCS series this week, hoping that the games would, at least, be interesting. Alas, it seems that the Red Sox have left behind their pitching, hitting, and even at times, fielding from the regular season. Any one of these things missing from a game can be cause for defeat, as they've repeatedly shown in the last 3 games.
However, this posting is not about the fact that the Red Sox are going to have to step it up if they are to remain in the post-season. This is about a few of the other interesting aspects of the game. Mainly sportsmanship.
First off, the "Manny Ramirez" pose. If I hit a game winning, walk off home run. I, too, might stand at the plate with my arms in the air, rejoicing in the fact that once the ball left the bat, I just knew it was going to travel far enough to advance my team further into the post season. That might be a time when the "Manny pose" would be acceptable. However, this has been happening every time he hits the ball, it seems. What happened to hustle and humility? I was taught that once you hit the ball, you hustle down the first base line so that you could get as far as you could in case there was a fielding mishap, and an extra base could be gained. Varitek runs his home run loop almost as if each were an inside the park home run. Now that's hustle.
Secondly, what's with throwing the ball back into the field when the opposite team hits one out? I don't like that. I think its poor form. This, of course, sparked some conversation between George and I as we watched our three lousy home run balls bounce back onto Jacob's field Tuesday night. (Not that back-to back-to back home runs aren't cool and recording-breaking and all that, but we were still down 4 runs).
I informed George that if I were even lucky enough to afford, and be granted, a seat at the stadium for a post season game, and a souvenir like that came in my direction you can bet I will be taking it home. No amount of jeering will pry that ball from my fingers and I won't be tossing it back onto the field of my own free will. That's a major league baseball we're talking about. Even if it was in a regular season game. And...just to push the issue, George pressed me far enough to state that even if it was off the bat of A-Rod, playing for the Yankees. (ouch) My thought, the pitcher touched it too...what if Curt Schilling threw him that ball?! I'm sticking to my guns on this one. It's America's favorite past time. If a "Tony the Tiger" baseball, free in our box of Frosted Flakes, can mean so much during childhood, just imagine what an official MLB baseball would mean...
Ok. The soapbox is available for someone else now.
However, this posting is not about the fact that the Red Sox are going to have to step it up if they are to remain in the post-season. This is about a few of the other interesting aspects of the game. Mainly sportsmanship.
First off, the "Manny Ramirez" pose. If I hit a game winning, walk off home run. I, too, might stand at the plate with my arms in the air, rejoicing in the fact that once the ball left the bat, I just knew it was going to travel far enough to advance my team further into the post season. That might be a time when the "Manny pose" would be acceptable. However, this has been happening every time he hits the ball, it seems. What happened to hustle and humility? I was taught that once you hit the ball, you hustle down the first base line so that you could get as far as you could in case there was a fielding mishap, and an extra base could be gained. Varitek runs his home run loop almost as if each were an inside the park home run. Now that's hustle.
Secondly, what's with throwing the ball back into the field when the opposite team hits one out? I don't like that. I think its poor form. This, of course, sparked some conversation between George and I as we watched our three lousy home run balls bounce back onto Jacob's field Tuesday night. (Not that back-to back-to back home runs aren't cool and recording-breaking and all that, but we were still down 4 runs).
I informed George that if I were even lucky enough to afford, and be granted, a seat at the stadium for a post season game, and a souvenir like that came in my direction you can bet I will be taking it home. No amount of jeering will pry that ball from my fingers and I won't be tossing it back onto the field of my own free will. That's a major league baseball we're talking about. Even if it was in a regular season game. And...just to push the issue, George pressed me far enough to state that even if it was off the bat of A-Rod, playing for the Yankees. (ouch) My thought, the pitcher touched it too...what if Curt Schilling threw him that ball?! I'm sticking to my guns on this one. It's America's favorite past time. If a "Tony the Tiger" baseball, free in our box of Frosted Flakes, can mean so much during childhood, just imagine what an official MLB baseball would mean...
Ok. The soapbox is available for someone else now.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Klackle Orchard
Over the weekend, George and I went over to Grand Rapids. Jessica was visiting the Sanfords during her week of school vacation and we planned a trip to Klackle Orchard. Klackle Orchard turned out to be more than just an ordinary orchard -- with many, many fun activities for both children and adults.For several more photos of the fun-filled trip, click on the link below to access Jessica's photo album. (This also includes other photos of her vacation week, such as the Race for the Cure in Des Moines with Mom.)
http://picasaweb.google.com/jesscaps/OctoberFun
There were many outdoor games for the children, including the large inflatable jumping rooms, a tractor pedaling race, a spinning "apple" ride (which turned the stomachs of the adults), a barrel train, a petting farm, and outdoor stage for puppets.
Here are Jessica and Jennifer enjoying an activity for kids and adults. The Klackopolis -- sort of a go-cart derby without the luxury of powered engines, but pure muscle pedal power. Now that's what I call a true competition.If these activities weren't enough, you could ride one of the many tractor powered wagon trains to the pumpkin patch, corn maze, strawpile and orchard. As a bonus, each person (including the children) got a 1/4 peck baggie for a "free" bag of apples. That would be "free" with admission. As Dad always says, nothing in life is free. :)
Below are a few photos of Julia and Andrew working through their own 1/4 peck of apples. It was pretty impressive how much of the apples the kids would eat. Andrew's apple was the size of a softball, and he had no help from the adults. Truly amazing how much that kid can pack away. When he's older, any place that advertises "all you can eat" better watch out for this guy! Julia's approach was similar to her brother's. She simply worked her way through the apple from one side to the other. At one point she turned to me and said, "Aunt Charlotte, there are seeds, can you get 'em out?" Realizing she was eating her way through the core to the other side of the apple, I instructed her to turn it over and start from the other side. Ha ha ha. Waste not, want not.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Twitchy Eye
I just thought I'd throw out a little FYI...
My eye has been twitching everyday for a week.
Is this yet another pleasant pregnancy symptom? I haven't read about this in any book or online article. An indication that I need more sleep? (the more obvious reason) An electrolyte imbalance? Or perhaps a nervous habit?
It reminds me of Donkey from Shrek when he says "I just know, before this is over, I'm gonna need a whole lot of serious therapy. Look at my eye twitchin'."
I would be open to home-remedy suggestions. Either that, or I'll be working on a really good pirate costume for Halloween.
My eye has been twitching everyday for a week.
Is this yet another pleasant pregnancy symptom? I haven't read about this in any book or online article. An indication that I need more sleep? (the more obvious reason) An electrolyte imbalance? Or perhaps a nervous habit?
It reminds me of Donkey from Shrek when he says "I just know, before this is over, I'm gonna need a whole lot of serious therapy. Look at my eye twitchin'."
I would be open to home-remedy suggestions. Either that, or I'll be working on a really good pirate costume for Halloween.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
The Leydons Visit
George and I were fortunate to have a semi-impromptu visit from his mother and brother over the weekend. They had Columbus Day as a holiday on Monday and took Friday off work to drive out to Michigan and endure the last of the summer weather with us!
We had a most enjoyable weekend watching baseball. The good news is that the Red Sox swept the Angels in the ALDS. Our first baby gifts include some rather important paraphernalia to show team support as a family!
In more good news, the Yankees have been eliminated from the post-season!
We also ventured up to an orchard in Armada, MI to pick some apples.
Here's a photo of George and Nicholas gathering George's favorite type of apple, the Golden Delicious. He likes to refer to them as "raspberry apples" as that's what he thinks they taste like. Hhmmm. I'll agree that they are very tasty, but I don't know about the raspberry part.
It was a very hot day (in the low 90's), so it was a chore to fill our 1/2 bushel bag. However, the apple cider and donuts we enjoyed after the apple picking were very refreshing! What a treat!
Here's Nicholas, bushed after a day at the orchard. He took advantage of the 45 minute car ride back to the apartment to catch a little shut eye.
The next day we had some yummy apple crisp as we watched our baseball game.
Overall, quite an enjoyable weekend. Thanks, Claire and Nicholas, for making the trip out to the land of the great lakes to see us!
We had a most enjoyable weekend watching baseball. The good news is that the Red Sox swept the Angels in the ALDS. Our first baby gifts include some rather important paraphernalia to show team support as a family!In more good news, the Yankees have been eliminated from the post-season!
We also ventured up to an orchard in Armada, MI to pick some apples.Here's a photo of George and Nicholas gathering George's favorite type of apple, the Golden Delicious. He likes to refer to them as "raspberry apples" as that's what he thinks they taste like. Hhmmm. I'll agree that they are very tasty, but I don't know about the raspberry part.
It was a very hot day (in the low 90's), so it was a chore to fill our 1/2 bushel bag. However, the apple cider and donuts we enjoyed after the apple picking were very refreshing! What a treat!
Here's Nicholas, bushed after a day at the orchard. He took advantage of the 45 minute car ride back to the apartment to catch a little shut eye.The next day we had some yummy apple crisp as we watched our baseball game.
Overall, quite an enjoyable weekend. Thanks, Claire and Nicholas, for making the trip out to the land of the great lakes to see us!
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Day Shift!
Hooray! This is the official announcement that I'm going to be working the day shift starting in November. I'm looking forward to a more normal schedule and regular sleeping habits!
Thursday, October 04, 2007
"Poor visualization"
Our 20 week doctor's visit was today. I am roughly at my pre-pregnancy weight, which is +5 lbs from the last visit 5 weeks ago (gaining 1 lb a week, which is my goal). Baby's heart rate today was 130, and with movement, 140. Baby had to be chased just a little bit to get these measurements. I have a feeling it didn't want to be disturbed from a nap, given I had just worked 3 night shifts in a row and an afternoon appointment time would fall smack in the middle of catching some good zzz's if I were at home.
Funny thing, and the reason for the title of this post, is that I told my doctor we went to our ultrasound on Monday. So, after pulling up the report and reading the results for different organ systems, he said, "huh, it says here 'poor visualization' of the genitalia." We informed him we didn't want to know if baby was a boy or a girl. I get the feeling its like planning a huge surprise party, and can only imagine if they listed the sex on the report that the doctor would have blurted out something like "so, your baby (girl/boy) looks healthy" -- ha ha ha.
It seems we are in the minority for choosing NOT to know the sex of the baby before birth, and extra effort is required on the part of the doctors, nurses, and ultrasound techs to help us plan our surprise party. So far, so good. The secret is safe!
Funny thing, and the reason for the title of this post, is that I told my doctor we went to our ultrasound on Monday. So, after pulling up the report and reading the results for different organ systems, he said, "huh, it says here 'poor visualization' of the genitalia." We informed him we didn't want to know if baby was a boy or a girl. I get the feeling its like planning a huge surprise party, and can only imagine if they listed the sex on the report that the doctor would have blurted out something like "so, your baby (girl/boy) looks healthy" -- ha ha ha.
It seems we are in the minority for choosing NOT to know the sex of the baby before birth, and extra effort is required on the part of the doctors, nurses, and ultrasound techs to help us plan our surprise party. So far, so good. The secret is safe!
Monday, October 01, 2007
20 week ultrasound
Our little wiggle worm decided it was going to make life difficult for the ultrasound tech and the ob doc who we saw today. It decided that it was going to keep its back to us and not let us see its face really well. It kept moving around plenty, swinging away, but just wouldn't turn over to get a clear picture! Everything looked great though, which is very reassuring!
We did get a 3d picture, though it's of the backside. There will be plenty of embarrassing pictures through life, so we figured a butt-picture wouldn't be a good way to start off! So, here's a view of the tootsies and a side view. Everything is digital now, but ironically we got printouts that we had to subsequently scan into the computer in order to post online. So, the picture quality is what it is! 13 oz so far! Just 5 lbs behind Dave and Stacia's brand new Maria.
Enjoy...
Long Genes
Its the little things in life, right? Like a comfy pair of good fitting jeans.
Anyone who knows the "Capper girls" knows their woes of finding jeans or pants that are "long enough." Often in a store the "long" or "tall" versions are quickly sold out, not available, or need to be specially ordered.
Given that we are entering a new season, and for me a new type of wardrobe, I have the challenge of finding a specialty item, maternity jeans, with an additional requirement, length. Because let's face it, wearing my current jeans without buttoning the top, or using the "rubber band" method to extend the life, is not going to cut it later on during the pregnancy. Plus, the rubber band can be quite the obstacle when nature calls you with an urgent message!
A quick reflection on sizes. Isn't it true that women, in general, are caught up with the numbers that are printed on the tag of their jeans or pants? Even if this isn't personally true for each and every woman striving to maintain the lowest number possible, I think everyone can agree that according to the brand name, or type of cut, a person's pants size can span 3 different numbers...and don't even get me started on the "odd numbered sizes" -- just when you thought you were a 10 or a 12, they throw in an eleven occasionally! In the end, it shouldn't be the digits that really matter, as long as the fit is flattering.
So I venture into the maternity section at various department stores and lo and behold, the only sizes are S, M, L, and XL!?! That's it. Not really a "slim fit, regular fit, boot cut, straight leg, etc." Simple, right? Until I realized they all come in the same length: SHORT! Ok, ok, ok all the petite readers out there are saying, "but they're all too long for me!" The basic fact is you can always hem them up. Producing extra fabric at the bottom of the pant leg is another story. And as for all you "regular" or "average" readers out there -- count your blessings, for they appear to be everywhere!
Anyway, mission impossible: accomplished. I found the perfect pair of jeans to sport for the duration of my pregnancy. And at Old Navy, of all places. As George and I went through the store, an hour before closing time just to take a quick peak, we actually found a pair of large longs...not on the rack with the others, but hidden in a crumpled pile on a shelf. What a find! As you can tell by the thought involved in this post, this is a big deal for me. So hip hip hooray for finding the needle in the haystack! Like I said at the beginning of this post, its the little things in life. Or maybe, its the long things...like long jeans for tall genes.
Anyone who knows the "Capper girls" knows their woes of finding jeans or pants that are "long enough." Often in a store the "long" or "tall" versions are quickly sold out, not available, or need to be specially ordered.
Given that we are entering a new season, and for me a new type of wardrobe, I have the challenge of finding a specialty item, maternity jeans, with an additional requirement, length. Because let's face it, wearing my current jeans without buttoning the top, or using the "rubber band" method to extend the life, is not going to cut it later on during the pregnancy. Plus, the rubber band can be quite the obstacle when nature calls you with an urgent message!
A quick reflection on sizes. Isn't it true that women, in general, are caught up with the numbers that are printed on the tag of their jeans or pants? Even if this isn't personally true for each and every woman striving to maintain the lowest number possible, I think everyone can agree that according to the brand name, or type of cut, a person's pants size can span 3 different numbers...and don't even get me started on the "odd numbered sizes" -- just when you thought you were a 10 or a 12, they throw in an eleven occasionally! In the end, it shouldn't be the digits that really matter, as long as the fit is flattering.
So I venture into the maternity section at various department stores and lo and behold, the only sizes are S, M, L, and XL!?! That's it. Not really a "slim fit, regular fit, boot cut, straight leg, etc." Simple, right? Until I realized they all come in the same length: SHORT! Ok, ok, ok all the petite readers out there are saying, "but they're all too long for me!" The basic fact is you can always hem them up. Producing extra fabric at the bottom of the pant leg is another story. And as for all you "regular" or "average" readers out there -- count your blessings, for they appear to be everywhere!
Anyway, mission impossible: accomplished. I found the perfect pair of jeans to sport for the duration of my pregnancy. And at Old Navy, of all places. As George and I went through the store, an hour before closing time just to take a quick peak, we actually found a pair of large longs...not on the rack with the others, but hidden in a crumpled pile on a shelf. What a find! As you can tell by the thought involved in this post, this is a big deal for me. So hip hip hooray for finding the needle in the haystack! Like I said at the beginning of this post, its the little things in life. Or maybe, its the long things...like long jeans for tall genes.
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