penmillion

Why do nurses wake you up after you've slept for 3 1/2 or 4 hours and ask you how you feel? How do I feel? I'm disoriented and a little confused. Last thing I remember I was on a very large, crowded stage dressed as Captain Kirk, wandering around doing my best to ad lib with the other characters. I couldn't remember any lines, but I was sure I had a scene with a Ferengi. Maybe, dear Nurse, you can find out for me 1) who cast a very pregnant woman as Captain Kirk, 2) where I can get a copy of my script and 3) why Kirk would have a scene with a Ferengi since they were not introduced until Next Gen. Thank you. zzzz.

Drove out to Rochester Friday and came back Sunday. Stephen charmed his relatives with his baby cheeks and by grunting the tune to The Blue Danube. We went to a great BBQ place - Dinosaur something and then to the Museum of Play. Saw snow flurries on the way back, and a gas station in western Mass. had gas @1.98/gallon. Seems cheap now. It was a good trip.

6:48 a.m. I was looking out the bedroom window and saw a flash of color moving through the woods. Deer? No, it's too small to be a deer. Baby deer? No, still too small. Then it popped out of the woods and crossed through the backyard. Wolf? Dog? Wolf? Dog? Not sure, but I think it was a coyote. It's not surprising with all the rabbits just sitting about on people's lawns.

Last week I saw a snake by the driveway. It was dark with yellow pinstripes down its length - either a garter snake or ribbon snake. Cute. It was coiled up and would have fit nicely on a saucer. I scared it away when I spoke out loud but it probably hangs out in the stone wall near the mailbox.

I also saw the woodchuck-type creature a couple of times lately. It's very shy and runs back into the woods when it hears any noise.

I should start wearing my camera around my neck.

We went to Rochester, NY over the weekend. Drove out Friday; spent Saturday visiting relatives at Crash's sister's 50th birthday party. Homemade authentic Greek food: yum! Stephen didn't really like being held by people he didn't know, but he was quite happy to smile at them and laugh while I held him or while he played on the floor. They took tons of photos and will be sending us copies of the best ones. Everyone was really nice and they even had toys for Stephen and flowers for me for Mother's Day. Drove back Sunday.

By the trip timer, it was about 6 1/2 hours each way, but with the necessary stops it was closer to 8 hours. Coming back was worse because we were already tired. It wasn't that bad, though. Crash drove and I sat in the back seat swapping toys, sippy cup, feeding Cheerios, etc. Now we know long car trips are possible.

The last hour wasn't pleasant, though. Poor little guy hit his limit and became inconsolable. We stopped for a diaper check and a quick nurse, but as soon as he was back in his car seat he started crying again and went on for 20-30 minutes until he fell asleep. I felt so sorry for him. *sigh* I'm sure he's glad to be home, but he enjoyed all the attention from his relatives, too.

I would like to take a few days some time and explore Route 2, maybe take some pictures. There are a lot of interesting little souvenir stands, restaurants and shops along the way. There is a cave and some campgrounds, a white-water rafting place, little motels and Bed & Breakfasts, and a restaurant at the hairpin curve somewhere near North Adams, I think.

Oh, yeah, I saw several patches of snow in the woods off the side of the road. And a "bear crossing" sign. I had the new "Sweet Tea" at McDonald's. It may be too sweet even for me.

Latest baby picture: Stephen eating bananas. This is from yesterday.

(from ~second trimester - helps if you've seen Cronenberg's 1986 remake of The Fly)

Me: "You know, with all the physical changes I've been going through lately, I'm starting to feel like 'The Fly.'"
Crash: "Well, you are!"
Me: "What?! I am not the Fly!" Imagines Jeff Goldblum picking off pieces of his ear, vomiting on donuts, etc.
Crash: "Sure you are! blah blah carrying x percent foreign DNA, blah, blah, etc."
Me: "At least it's human DNA."

Welcome to Earth, and Happy One-Week Birthday

Stephen William Yerazunis
born Saturday, September 22, 2007, 1:48 am
6 pounds, 12.5 ounces
20.5 inches long

first baby picture:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7934800@N08/1439513941/

I will post more details/pictures later, but I wanted to get the basic announcement up here while I had a few minutes. I've been very busy and a bit sleep deprived, of course, but I really feel like I've hit the jackpot with this little guy.

Today is my official due date.
Another uneventful non-stress test.
Returned a bra at K-Mart.
Went to the post office to mail a package.
Still pregnant.
Still not King.

New in my garden: deer tracks.
Missing: the tops of the okra plants.

I have belatedly put tomato cages around what's left of the okra.

or...Baby on the way...or...Son of Crash, is the world ready?

We are pleased to announce that we have indeed opted for the full-blown mammal experience. Of course, I will be doing the birth & lactation parts of it. Things are going very well so far. I have had some food aversions, due in part to my new super smell powers, and there is a particular kind of salad that I can no longer be in the same room with. Only one incidence of vomiting, and I think it was more of a case of too large a meal and nowhere to put it (return to sender) rather than nausea.

With the potential of this in mind last year (doctor thought it might take six months to a year to conceive, but no) I cleared my calendar, avoided making any unrelated goals for 2007 and since have just been concentrating on doing a bit of research, getting plenty of sleep, plenty of exercise and paying attention to my nutrition. There have been some trips I could have taken, places I could have gone, but I am taking this opportunity to just charge up my batteries and prepare for the future. I do have a large project for work, but I am mostly working from home so it is not very stressful and I don't have to worry about buying lots of new maternity clothes. So far I've gotten by on a pair of maternity jeans, some stretchy waist pants and my larger sweaters and T-shirts.

I went to the Kid Stuff tag sale yesterday and bought cute baby things.


Answers:
September 17
boy
still thinking about names


From the Sage: Hexagram 32 from the I Ching (Wilhelm) Duration is...the self-contained and therefore self-renewing movement of an organized, firmly integrated whole, taking place in accordance with immutable laws and beginning anew at every ending. The end is reached by an inward movement, by inhalation, systole, contraction, and this movement turns into a new beginning, in which the movement is directed outward, in exhalation, diastole, expansion...