Pregnancy brings out all the indignities and words you'd never usually say in polite conversation, doesn't it? I'm in the mid-second trimester, and this is when the more serious discomforts traditionally begin. With Hank, I had severe sciatica, and thought maybe I'd escaped it this time...
Not to be. Sciatica is quite literally a pain in the ass. It's the baby putting pressure on a nerve that runs directly through your left butt cheek. I notice it most when I get up from sitting or laying for a length of time. Right now, it's not bad, but as I creep toward the third trimester, I know what awaits me. But alas. It disappears immediately with delivery, so somehow, I'll make it.
The new thing is even less pleasant. I mean, is there anything good about the word "groin"? It's a very awkward-sounding word, if you ask me, which you didn't. It makes me visibly cringe to even read that word. But somehow, I've managed to strain a muscle there. *shudders." Great, crotch pain. Just what you figured you'd be reading about today.
I noticed it a few days ago when I set off for my daily walk. I walk every day for exercise, my handy iPod Max in tow, and in the winter, I walk indoors. The buildings here are conveniently connected by a serious of indoor walkways. It's not exactly scenic, but it's practical. Well, about 10 minutes into my walk, the right side of my groin *shudders AGAIN* starts to feel like it's on fire. And the problem became that even slowing down or stopping for a minute didn't abate it, and then I was a long way from my office. Sitting down and resting for about 10 minutes following the walk seemed to be the only remedy.
I don't experience this when simply walking as I go about my daily business, or even taking the stairs, which I do multiple times each day. But when I do my exercise walking, I seem to unconsciously hit the "POWER!" button in my brain, and my pace is substantially quicker. Even consciously trying to get myself to slow down had little effect. I guess it's all the bad (but fun, admit it!) 80's and 90's music I have on my workout playlist. MC Hammer anybody?
Today, I decided to take a different tack, knowing that I simply needed to take it easy. Instead of gearing up with Max, I grabbed my coat and boots. I went outside, and it was wonderful. I didn't walk for as long, true, and without music accompaniment I seemed better able to control my pace. Plus, the snow acted as a natural pace setter. It was cold and snowy, but walking outside in the winter is so, so peaceful. Barely anyone else is out there, and it's quiet and serene. Plus, I could just loop around my cluster of buildings, so if I felt uncomfortable, I didn't have far to go to get back to my office. It worked out well. No pain.
I go to the doctor for my regular monthly appointment on Monday, so I'll ask her about it then. I'm hoping this won't put a damper on my belly dancing, but obviously, I have no control over it. I'll just have to deal with whatever happens. In the end, it's very worth it.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Headcovering alert...
I was perusing one of my favorite headcovering shops the other day, Happy Homestead on etsy, and saw that the owner, Melissa, had posted a message. She's due to give birth shortly, and will be putting her store on vacation mode for quite awhile starting at the beginning of February. So, if you are in the market for a cute new covering, head over quick! I'm plotting to make a few new additions, and I'm having a hard time choosing!
What I like about her coverings is that they are in the cute style that I like (convertible kerchief/headbands, though she also does make longer veils), they're well made, and she ships them out lickety split. You'll have your new coverings in days. I've got my eye on several.
I like this style:
and this one:
and she'll make them in a multitude of colors. Decisions! I do like the deep purple, but also a dark green. Maybe cinnamon? That might look nice with my hair...
What I like about her coverings is that they are in the cute style that I like (convertible kerchief/headbands, though she also does make longer veils), they're well made, and she ships them out lickety split. You'll have your new coverings in days. I've got my eye on several.
I like this style:
and this one:
and she'll make them in a multitude of colors. Decisions! I do like the deep purple, but also a dark green. Maybe cinnamon? That might look nice with my hair...
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Energy levels high, sleep levels low...
I'm feeling really great these days, and looking a bit more pregnant. I've gained 9.5 pounds, which is perfectly normal, and I'm thrilled with. I've been walking and dancing, staying very active, which I know has the added benefit of keeping my spirits up. Right now, it's the dead of winter here; January is a LONG month :) even for those of us who like winter. I'm blessed to have a friend around the block that I walk with twice a week in the evenings, and the fellowship is so good that we barely notice the cold! And the exercise, walking on the fallen snow, is awesome.
Despite the fact that I haven't gained much weight, I've been noticing a few twinges of sciatica here and there, and I can't lie on one hip too long at night before it gets sore. Lots of baby growth taking place right now. Suddenly, within the past week or so, the baby's movements are so much more noticeable. Mike can easily feel them from the outside. It's that wonderful movement from flutters to body parts elbowing you as the baby rolls over.
My belly is still on the smaller side, just like with Hank, but it's certainly growing all the same. There are a few pairs of pants that I can still wear without the Bella Band, and others that I can zip but not button, so I pop the Bella Band over them. There are though, a few in a smaller size that I can't even zip anymore. So, I'm going to have to make some wardrobe changes soon. Next week, I'm going to go to Walmart and pick up one of those nice plastic storage bins, and gradually take pieces out of my closet that don't work anymore, and add maternity clothes in. This way, I can keep my regular clothes stored neatly until after I deliver, since closet space is pretty lacking in our house.
This pregnancy, to the extent that I've bought any clothing (pretty minimal) I've been buying stretchy regular clothes, rather than maternity. I find that it's a lot cheaper this way, plus, I won't feel too bad about still wearing that stuff after I deliver. I have a distinct aversion to maternity wear once the baby is out of utero. I of course have some maternity clothes from when I was pregnant with Hank. However, my belly time with him was summer/early fall. This time, it's hard winter/early spring. I didn't have a single maternity sweater. Thankfully, my cousin lent me some of her maternity clothes, and I'm going to supplement simply with stretchy stuff. I do have some Boucle sweaters from Victoria's Secret that I think will stretch pretty well. Yesterday at Target, while picking up a humidifier for Hank, I also bought 2 workout tops for dance. I just got them one size up in the regular activewear. They were half the price of the maternity camis and tank tops.
So, that's all fun stuff. I'm not cursing maternity clothes quite as much now. The time is approaching, and I've accepted it. I'm just so excited for the baby to be getting bigger. That means they'll be here sooner. :)
The discomfort side of things is my sleep abilities. I wonder if God has this planned out so that we become used to being up in the middle of the night? I remember being heavily pregnant with Hank, and people saying to me, "get your sleep now, because when the baby comes you won't get any!" I still maintain that this is an obnoxious thing to say to a pregnant woman, and I have never repeated it to a single soul. Can you *store* sleep? NO. So, this comment is meaningless. I do remember thinking to myself, "I am *8 months pregnant.* I can barely sleep. How much worse could it be with a newborn?"
Well. :) Remember, I don't hold things back in this blog. Unless you're in a very lucky minority of the population (and I pray that you are, I don't wish misery on others simply because we struggled so much) the answer is that it's SO MUCH WORSE. But there's really no way to discover this until you have your very own, brand new squalling bundle fresh from the hospital, so there's no point in obsessing about it now. I will offer just this, which is something I wish someone had in fact told me before we had our first child: get a book on baby sleep and read about it before you deliver. I mean, I had no idea. Babies sleep, right? A lot, right? I mean, what's there to learn about?
*UNLADYLIKE SNORT* How uninformed I was. This time, I have 2 books in my queue at the library: Dr. Sears' No Cry Sleep Solution and The Sleep Lady's Good Night, Sleep Tight. Both are geared toward non-cry-it-out solutions to achieving decent infant sleep. I'm definitely not into "sleep schedules" for newborns, or anything like that. I just want little ways to help baby sleep better so that down the road, they have good sleep habits and everyone gets more rest. It's your choice, of course, as to what kind of sleep information you're interested in, but I would say don't wing it. Naturally, you can take or leave this advice, but for me, I wish I'd known 5 years ago what I know today. It would have possibly saved me a worsening battle with postpartum depression. Sleep deprivation has tentacle-like powers that I never envisioned in my worst nightmares.
So anyway, we still can't hear the baby making any noise, so what's my sleep problem right now? Simply that I'm pregnant, I suppose. If I awaken in the night, as I often do, to pee, to switch sides because my hip hurts, because I have a charlie horse that feels like it may devour the entire lower half of my leg, I simply can't get back to sleep. I don't know why, but it was like this with Hank too. But, I persevere. Now that the holidays are over, and I passed the 20 week mark, the birth feels closer. And I CAN'T WAIT!
Despite the fact that I haven't gained much weight, I've been noticing a few twinges of sciatica here and there, and I can't lie on one hip too long at night before it gets sore. Lots of baby growth taking place right now. Suddenly, within the past week or so, the baby's movements are so much more noticeable. Mike can easily feel them from the outside. It's that wonderful movement from flutters to body parts elbowing you as the baby rolls over.
My belly is still on the smaller side, just like with Hank, but it's certainly growing all the same. There are a few pairs of pants that I can still wear without the Bella Band, and others that I can zip but not button, so I pop the Bella Band over them. There are though, a few in a smaller size that I can't even zip anymore. So, I'm going to have to make some wardrobe changes soon. Next week, I'm going to go to Walmart and pick up one of those nice plastic storage bins, and gradually take pieces out of my closet that don't work anymore, and add maternity clothes in. This way, I can keep my regular clothes stored neatly until after I deliver, since closet space is pretty lacking in our house.
This pregnancy, to the extent that I've bought any clothing (pretty minimal) I've been buying stretchy regular clothes, rather than maternity. I find that it's a lot cheaper this way, plus, I won't feel too bad about still wearing that stuff after I deliver. I have a distinct aversion to maternity wear once the baby is out of utero. I of course have some maternity clothes from when I was pregnant with Hank. However, my belly time with him was summer/early fall. This time, it's hard winter/early spring. I didn't have a single maternity sweater. Thankfully, my cousin lent me some of her maternity clothes, and I'm going to supplement simply with stretchy stuff. I do have some Boucle sweaters from Victoria's Secret that I think will stretch pretty well. Yesterday at Target, while picking up a humidifier for Hank, I also bought 2 workout tops for dance. I just got them one size up in the regular activewear. They were half the price of the maternity camis and tank tops.
So, that's all fun stuff. I'm not cursing maternity clothes quite as much now. The time is approaching, and I've accepted it. I'm just so excited for the baby to be getting bigger. That means they'll be here sooner. :)
The discomfort side of things is my sleep abilities. I wonder if God has this planned out so that we become used to being up in the middle of the night? I remember being heavily pregnant with Hank, and people saying to me, "get your sleep now, because when the baby comes you won't get any!" I still maintain that this is an obnoxious thing to say to a pregnant woman, and I have never repeated it to a single soul. Can you *store* sleep? NO. So, this comment is meaningless. I do remember thinking to myself, "I am *8 months pregnant.* I can barely sleep. How much worse could it be with a newborn?"
Well. :) Remember, I don't hold things back in this blog. Unless you're in a very lucky minority of the population (and I pray that you are, I don't wish misery on others simply because we struggled so much) the answer is that it's SO MUCH WORSE. But there's really no way to discover this until you have your very own, brand new squalling bundle fresh from the hospital, so there's no point in obsessing about it now. I will offer just this, which is something I wish someone had in fact told me before we had our first child: get a book on baby sleep and read about it before you deliver. I mean, I had no idea. Babies sleep, right? A lot, right? I mean, what's there to learn about?
*UNLADYLIKE SNORT* How uninformed I was. This time, I have 2 books in my queue at the library: Dr. Sears' No Cry Sleep Solution and The Sleep Lady's Good Night, Sleep Tight. Both are geared toward non-cry-it-out solutions to achieving decent infant sleep. I'm definitely not into "sleep schedules" for newborns, or anything like that. I just want little ways to help baby sleep better so that down the road, they have good sleep habits and everyone gets more rest. It's your choice, of course, as to what kind of sleep information you're interested in, but I would say don't wing it. Naturally, you can take or leave this advice, but for me, I wish I'd known 5 years ago what I know today. It would have possibly saved me a worsening battle with postpartum depression. Sleep deprivation has tentacle-like powers that I never envisioned in my worst nightmares.
So anyway, we still can't hear the baby making any noise, so what's my sleep problem right now? Simply that I'm pregnant, I suppose. If I awaken in the night, as I often do, to pee, to switch sides because my hip hurts, because I have a charlie horse that feels like it may devour the entire lower half of my leg, I simply can't get back to sleep. I don't know why, but it was like this with Hank too. But, I persevere. Now that the holidays are over, and I passed the 20 week mark, the birth feels closer. And I CAN'T WAIT!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Young adult Catholic fiction...
I know I've posted about these books before, the John Paul 2 High series, published by Sophia Institute Press. But I recently read Book 2, Trespasses Against Us, and they're just so good I thought I'd give them another mention. :)
Contemporary Catholic fiction is fairly hard to come by(at least as compared to general Christian fiction, which has a vibrantly large representation), and these books are a breath of fresh air. They are indeed written for a young adult audience, but nowadays, the young adult market is very hot, and it's not all young adults reading those books. This is an interesting genre, even if you're much older than 16. Sophia Institute Press has 2 imprints for Catholic fiction: Imagio, and Chisel and Cross. You can look at selections from both here.
But back to this series in particular. Book 1 is called Catholic, Reluctantly, and in this we are introduced to a small group of students attending a start-up conservative Catholic high school called John Paul 2 High. I like the diversity of characters that we meet: Celia, the principal's daughter, is the oldest in a big family and takes her faith very seriously. She tries hard to live a good Catholic life, and is sometimes labeled as "too perfect" by her siblings and others. Liz is the daughter of a teacher, but has a rebellious streak. Her sneaking around to meet up with a guy from the nearby public high school is putting her in some moral predicaments. Allie is the new girl, a transfer from the public school after a shooting took place there. She's technically Catholic, though her family has never practiced actively, and feels like an outside amongst the other Catholic students and their "weird" prayer practices. George is the strong male character, trying to live out a Catholic life while dealing with the temptations all teenage boys encounter. Brian is formerly homeschooled, for the first time attending a traditional school, and finds the adjustment difficult at times. J.P is the school prankster, and James, another new student, is so far to the ultra-traditionalist extreme (with a bit of a dark personality), that he gets under the skin of even the most pious of his classmates.
There's a bit of a thriller plot that run through both books, which continues into the third and as yet unpublished installment. But just the peek into the everyday lives of Catholic teenagers makes these books compelling for me. As you know, I like personal stories, books that demonstrate, rather than explain, our faith. They are very well written and engaging. Book 3 is about Allie's encounter with a non-Catholic summer camp and the precarious position her budding faith is put into as a result. It's done and in post-production, so should be released later this year. I buy these books the instant they appear on Amazon, and this will be no exception. These are great reads for you to enjoy and pass on to teenagers that you know.
Friday, January 7, 2011
An ode to my husband...
6 years ago tomorrow, Mike and I were married (there I am above, getting ready to meet Mike at the church :) ). It's hard to believe it's been that long. Granted, I hope that we live to be married 50 plus more years, but for a girl that barely dated before meeting Mike, 6 years seems like a long time!It's really hard to fully describe how much Mike and my marriage mean to me. I love being married; I thrive in commitment. I never enjoyed the "dating scene." It was only when I released control over *trying* to meet someone that I did meet Mike, through mutual friends. And I was a month shy of turning 30 years old when I did finally marry. I'm not saying 30 is old! Far from it. It's just that many of my friends married much younger, and I did feel a bit left out. It was a hard, but grace-filled, time in my 20's as I struggled to figure out what God wanted for my life.
These years since I've been married have been the happiest of my life. I love my role as wife and mother, and each day I wake up happy, grateful to have this life. This husband, this son, this new life in my womb, this home, this future that we're building together. And yet, I realize that the best years of my life are probably even still yet to come, which enkindles an even greater sense of awe. I'm still looking forward to meeting this baby, and possibly more, should that be God's will, to seeing our children grow, to trips together and eventually retirement. To many, many dinners spent talking over wine, and unexpected surprises and joys.
It's all so very wonderful, and I know that I love my husband more today than I did that day 6 years ago. Each day, that love continues to grow. It's amazing to me when I think back to when we were dating - it was a special time, but marriage is so much better!
I think that because I always wanted to marry, I thought marriage would come "naturally" to me. It did not, and I don't think it does to anybody. Everything felt very natural when we married, that's not what I mean. It's just that marriage has taught me so much.
At the base of everything, Mike and I are friends. THAT is what will keep a marriage together for a half a century or more. Passion and your role as lovers are important, and it's certainly essential to nourish those physical desires as the years go by, but that won't get you through the tough times, although it can be a welcome distraction :). Through illness and aging, loss of loved ones, misadventures of our children, financial difficulties. It's the emotional bond that gets you through those things.
And your emotional bond is nurtured via the ins and outs of daily life. Cooking and cleaning, raising children, making financial decisions, making career decisions, encouraging each other in your interests. Investing time to spend together, even when a million other things call for your attention. All of this happens most fruitfully AFTER marriage for the most part, and I think some of that is lost in modern society. As a Catholic, I of course believe in the importance of the sacrament of matrimony in solidifying your bond and putting you on the right spiritual path. My role as Mike's wife is to help him get to heaven.
I think that what I have learned the most from my role as wife is that I can't control, via my own emotional needs or actions, what Mike does. I'd like him to come to Mass with us more often, but I cannot make him go, and applying pressure on him will only make it seem like a chore and make him want to go less. Everyone has to come to their own resolutions to things, based on a mutual discussion, certainly, but in the end of their own will and volition. With regard to spiritual matters, everyone has their own path, and needs to come to their own "spark" wherein they communicate with God. A person cannot force that on another person. All you can do is pray and try your best to show God's light through your own life. And like all people, I'm certain that I fail to show that light pretty frequently.
On other matters, I've learned that while you may think going into marriage that it will change the other person in ways you'd like to see, the one who will come out changed is yourself. I've found things that I could do to make being someones partner a little easier, and over the years, I've changed my routines accordingly. The other person does not need to change in order for you to be happy; you should learn and grow, try to compromise, and realize that your expectations may have to mature.
Patience is a crucial virtue. The value of *waiting*. Feel emotional about something? Give it a half hour. You're bound to feel less edgy then and better able to discuss it, as well as listen to the other person more productively. This lesson took me well over 5 years to even recognize, let alone make any headway. :)
After these 6 years, I'm so grateful for everything that I've learned, and for everything that we've been through together. We got married already fairly settled into adult life and had to figure out how to coexist with each other. We had a beautiful son 10 months after our wedding and thus immediately had to figure out how to be parents together. We struggled through the early years of parenting and how to do a good job at it. We worked together when Mike was unhappy with his career, and navigated through a few disappointing positions. We mourned when a job we both thought was ideal did not work for him as we had planned. We took a significant leap of faith and decided for Mike to quit his job and go back to school full-time to pursue civil engineering. We worked hard to create a budget to live on one income while supporting 3 people. We bought a home together. We created another life together. And this year, we're facing adding another member to our family all while completely uncertain when and where Mike will work after he finishes his degree in May, where Hank will attend school in the fall, and whether or not I will achieve tenure (and thus get to keep my job!).
None of it is easy, but it's all so very worthwhile. And I wouldn't want to do it with anyone else other than my husband. Now I'm crying. I swear, it's the pregnancy hormones! Those toilet paper commercials with the little puppy make me cry too.
I thought I'd close with the nuptial blessing that the priest recited at the end of our wedding Mass. I still look back on that day so fondly, and continue to learn from this prayer:
"My dear friends, let us turn to the Lord and pray that he will bless with his grace this woman, now married in Christ to this man, and that he will unite in love the couple he has joined in this holy bond.
Father, by your power you have made everything out of nothing. In the beginning you created the universe and made mankind in your own likeness.You gave man the constant help of woman so that man and woman should no longer be two, but one flesh, and you teach us that what you have united may never be divided.
Father, you have made the union of man and wife so holy a mystery that it symbolizes the marriage of Christ and his Church.
Father, by your plan man and woman are united, and married life has been established as the one blessing that was not forfeited by original sin or washed away in the flood. Look with love upon this woman, your daughter, now joined to her husband in marriage. She asks your blessing. Give her the grace of love and peace. May she always follow the example of the holy women whose praises are sung in the scriptures.
May her husband put his trust in her and recognize that she is his equal and the heir with him to the life of grace. May he always honor her and love her as Christ loves his bride, the Church.
Father, keep them always true to your commandments.
Keep them faithful in marriage and let them be living examples of Christian life.
Give them the strength which comes from the gospel so that they may be witnesses of Christ to others. Bless them with children and help them to be good parents. May they live to see their children’s children. And, after a happy old age, grant them fullness of life with the saints in the kingdom of heaven. We ask this through Christ our Lord."
AMEN.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
What's that squished like a pancake? Oh right, my bladder. And Eucharistic Adoration with children...
I'm really at this wonderful point in my pregnancy. I feel great, and even though sporting a small pregnant bump, am not big and unwieldy yet. The only things that ail me these days are common pregnancy woes related to my poor internal organs. Recently, I saw a drawing of the insides of a pregnant woman. As you can imagine, her intestines are squeezed up like an empty, rolled up tube of toothpaste, and her bladder is flat as a board. The digestion issues persist, which I can live with, although it's not pleasant.
But my poor angelic bladder. Minding its own business, and yet week by week, increased pressure cause it to slowly lose its dignity. Nary a single teaspoon of urine in there yet the weight of uterus and baby contents cause it to spew out distress signals that CL must rush to the bathroom RIGHT AWAY! This happens at least two dozen times in a single 24 hour period. And worst of all: it's lost its will to be strong. Sneeze? Right, my poor beleaguered little bladder gives up the ghost. There's...leakage. Nothing feels like you're aging before your time like incontinence. Lovely. Please bladder, hang in there. I beseech you to bounce back to your former iron will after the baby comes. It's just four and a half months away. We believe in you.
At any rate, I do feel wonderful right now, and am really enjoying this pregnancy. Most of all, I can't wait to meet the baby. My current big boy (but always my baby), Henry, has been super adorable lately. He's been looking at the ultrasound photos a lot, which we keep taped on the refrigerator, and telling me that he's going to help me a lot when the baby comes. His prediction is a baby boy on May 22nd, so we'll see if he's right. :) At least, this is what he wants to happen...
Mike begins teaching again one evening a week coming up in a few weeks, and on that evening, I've been toying with going to adoration as part of my spiritual preparation for birth. Naturally, I would bring Henry with me. So, my question to you is: have any of you taken your young child with you to Eucharistic Adoration? I wouldn't expect to stay an hour, naturally, with a 5 year old in tow. But 15 minutes I think sounds like a reasonable goal. Or, at least it does now. Anybody have any experience with this?
But my poor angelic bladder. Minding its own business, and yet week by week, increased pressure cause it to slowly lose its dignity. Nary a single teaspoon of urine in there yet the weight of uterus and baby contents cause it to spew out distress signals that CL must rush to the bathroom RIGHT AWAY! This happens at least two dozen times in a single 24 hour period. And worst of all: it's lost its will to be strong. Sneeze? Right, my poor beleaguered little bladder gives up the ghost. There's...leakage. Nothing feels like you're aging before your time like incontinence. Lovely. Please bladder, hang in there. I beseech you to bounce back to your former iron will after the baby comes. It's just four and a half months away. We believe in you.
At any rate, I do feel wonderful right now, and am really enjoying this pregnancy. Most of all, I can't wait to meet the baby. My current big boy (but always my baby), Henry, has been super adorable lately. He's been looking at the ultrasound photos a lot, which we keep taped on the refrigerator, and telling me that he's going to help me a lot when the baby comes. His prediction is a baby boy on May 22nd, so we'll see if he's right. :) At least, this is what he wants to happen...
Mike begins teaching again one evening a week coming up in a few weeks, and on that evening, I've been toying with going to adoration as part of my spiritual preparation for birth. Naturally, I would bring Henry with me. So, my question to you is: have any of you taken your young child with you to Eucharistic Adoration? I wouldn't expect to stay an hour, naturally, with a 5 year old in tow. But 15 minutes I think sounds like a reasonable goal. Or, at least it does now. Anybody have any experience with this?
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
A Catholic devotional for your consideration...
I've been talking about birthing babies a lot lately, so I thought I'd lighten things up with some spiritual warfare. :) I mentioned in a recent post that I'm trying to prepare spiritually for the big changes coming up in my life as well, and one way I'm doing that is by trying to have more structure to my daily prayer life. I have almost always prayed a rosary each work day in the car, but I'd gotten a bit complacent overall. I was still praying the rosary, but not meditating nearly enough, and not spending any other time in serious mental prayer aside from short daily spontaneous prayers.
Recently, I picked back up a set of devotional books that I've had for years but haven't used in a long time: In Conversation with God, by Francis Fernandez. This is a 7 book set:
Vol. 1 - Advent and Christmas Season
Vol. 2 - Lent, Holy Week and Easter
Vol. 3 - Ordinary Time, Weeks 1-13
Vol. 4 - Ordinary Time, Weeks 14-23
Vol. 5 - Ordinary Time, Weeks 24-34
Vol. 6 - Special Feasts, January-June
Vol. 7 - Special Feasts, July-December
I have 6 of the 7 books, I'm just missing volume 7. I accumulated them one at a time, since it's easier on the budget that way. They're available used from Amazon, but new directly from the publisher, Scepter Press.
Once you find which day we're on in the Church calendar, grab the appropriate volume, find your place, and you'll discover a 5-6 page meditation on the day's Mass readings. What I like the most about these is that the meditations are very down to earth and practical. For instance, yesterday I read about Jesus' life as a carpenter, and what daily work (often boring and repetitive) can mean for our growth as Christians. Practicing charity, offering up small tasks, doing our work well in order to sanctify it properly. Sometimes meditations are too "heavy" for me, but these, though long, are perfect every single time.
The books are fairly compact, and easily toteable in your work bag or purse. Each comes with a vinyl cover, slip jacket, and ribbon place marker. I've been getting a lot out of them.
Armed with an Amazon gift card from Christmas (so dangerous...) I picked up a copy of Abide in my Word 2011, a book of the daily Mass readings for the year. I actually prefer these yearly publications over permanent missals, since it's easier to find your place in them. Plus, I bang mine up pretty good, and these (like the St. Joseph Sunday Missal, which I buy yearly) are inexpensive and then you can recycle and replace them with a shining brand new copy at the end of the year. At any rate, I figured having the Mass readings during the week would really enhance my meditations from In Conversation with God.
I also picked up a new study Bible (actually, it's just a New Testament) from Ignatius Press, which I'll review that when I receive and dig in. :)
Recently, I picked back up a set of devotional books that I've had for years but haven't used in a long time: In Conversation with God, by Francis Fernandez. This is a 7 book set:
Vol. 1 - Advent and Christmas Season
Vol. 2 - Lent, Holy Week and Easter
Vol. 3 - Ordinary Time, Weeks 1-13
Vol. 4 - Ordinary Time, Weeks 14-23
Vol. 5 - Ordinary Time, Weeks 24-34
Vol. 6 - Special Feasts, January-June
Vol. 7 - Special Feasts, July-December
I have 6 of the 7 books, I'm just missing volume 7. I accumulated them one at a time, since it's easier on the budget that way. They're available used from Amazon, but new directly from the publisher, Scepter Press.
Once you find which day we're on in the Church calendar, grab the appropriate volume, find your place, and you'll discover a 5-6 page meditation on the day's Mass readings. What I like the most about these is that the meditations are very down to earth and practical. For instance, yesterday I read about Jesus' life as a carpenter, and what daily work (often boring and repetitive) can mean for our growth as Christians. Practicing charity, offering up small tasks, doing our work well in order to sanctify it properly. Sometimes meditations are too "heavy" for me, but these, though long, are perfect every single time.
The books are fairly compact, and easily toteable in your work bag or purse. Each comes with a vinyl cover, slip jacket, and ribbon place marker. I've been getting a lot out of them.
Armed with an Amazon gift card from Christmas (so dangerous...) I picked up a copy of Abide in my Word 2011, a book of the daily Mass readings for the year. I actually prefer these yearly publications over permanent missals, since it's easier to find your place in them. Plus, I bang mine up pretty good, and these (like the St. Joseph Sunday Missal, which I buy yearly) are inexpensive and then you can recycle and replace them with a shining brand new copy at the end of the year. At any rate, I figured having the Mass readings during the week would really enhance my meditations from In Conversation with God.
I also picked up a new study Bible (actually, it's just a New Testament) from Ignatius Press, which I'll review that when I receive and dig in. :)
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Some childbirth book reviews...
I know, right? Childbirth. Not exactly a light topic. But I thought I'd write about the books I read as I prepare for my baby's upcoming birth in May.
I read two over the holidays, and both bear discussion. One of those warning again: lots of body parts going to be tossed around in this post that I normally wouldn't use in everyday conversation. You'll see why when I get to the second of the two books.
I'll write about my previous birth experience in a separate post, but in a nutshell, with Henry I had a vaginal birth in a hospital with epidural anesthesia. It wasn't a bad birth experience, but there are some things that ideally, I'd like to go differently this time. The main thing I'd like different is in regards to Pitocin augmentation (Pitocin is a synthetic hormone that can be used to stimulate strong labor contractions; it is used in labor inductions and augmentation). I don't want it unless absolutely necessary. And I don't consider "Oh Honey, we just don't want you to be here all day!" to be absolutely necessary. Pitocin creates contractions that are immediately stronger than what your body would produce on its own, with no gradual buildup. It makes labor much more painful much more quickly, with little to no natural adjustment period.
I think it's important to state up front that I see nothing wrong, morally or otherwise, with pain relief medication in labor. I don't regret using it, and if I feel the need at the time, I'll use it again. I firmly believe that this is a woman's prerogative and a benefit of modern medicine (who is the patron saint of anesthesiologists? God bless that person).
That being said, last time I did want to labor without it, and for a number of different reasons that I'll discuss in that other post I mentioned, I ultimately chose to receive the epidural. This time, once again I'd like to try for an unmedicated birth, although I will again be delivering in a hospital environment. I really don't like the phrase "natural birth" because it makes it seem like giving birth with pain medication or via cesarean section are "unnatural" and that is simply not the case.
So, this time I'd like to do my homework and actually prepare myself with some knowledge and techniques that may assist me through birth without pain medication. I just want to feel less fear about childbirth, and find some ways I can manage my hospital birth actively on my own. Last time, I did not put much time into preparation at all. I was afraid, and thinking/reading about it made me more afraid, so I just figured I'd wing it.
I'm not planning to take a course (Bradley Method, Hynobirthing, that sort of thing) because I'm not sold on any one of those methods enough to pay a substantial fee and spend a number of weeks in class. Not that I think they don't work. I'm certain they do for many women, I'm just not sure that any one of those methods is right for me. I'd just like some guidance on simple things I can do in labor to help myself. I'm a reader, so books seem the logical choice to me. And in the end, if I want an epidural, I'm going to get one. I don't feel strongly enough about unmedicated labor to deny myself this if I truly feel it is warranted.
Plus, my doctor told me during my labor with Hank that second (and plus) babies come out faster than the first. If she was lying, someone is going to PAY.
Ok, so, on that note... On my first foray to the library, I was looking for Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, and happened upon a real gem: The Big Book of Birth, by Erica Lyon.
This is a practical book that describes every stage of labor, common interventions and cesarean birth, and simple pain coping techniques. I was VERY impressed. I can be a little turned off by real "crunchy" natural birth books that are very biased against hospital birth and obstetricians. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I see nothing wrong with midwife assisted homebirth for those that choose it, but that's not my choice. And I don't want to feel hopeless about my choice, that inevitably I'll end up tied to my hospital bed, unable to move around, or with an unplanned cesarean section.
This book was just very uplifting and perky, and gave you the facts. For me, it helps *tremendously* to see a chart with the different stages of labor, what they entail, and how long each lasts. Last time? Didn't know this stuff. Early labor (your cervix dilates from zero to four centimeters) will last anywhere from a few to eighteen hours, but is not very painful. Active labor (your cervix dilates from four to seven centimeters) will last anywhere from four to eight hours, on average, and while more painful, is usually manageable on your own.
Transition is where things get dicey. I remember this stage well, and I had HAD the epidural. Let's just say it wore off at the end. And with the Pitocin? I remember wanting to crawl up the walls of my hospital room. All I could manage was to writhe in agony on my side (still couldn't walk, despite the waning epidural) and grip the rails on my hospital bed. NOT a happy camper. What the author tells us in this book is that transition (your cervix dilates from seven to ten centimeters), while the most painful, is the shortest of all the labor phases. It will last anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours. I can't tell you what a relief it was for me to read that. Very comforting to have some solid facts in front of me.
I also liked her suggestions for pain management on your own. Importantly, move around. Change positions. Stay upright as much as you can (squat, sit on a birth ball or stool, rock from side to side on your feet, lean on your husband, take a shower, as warm water will immediately dull some of the pain), but if you need a rest, even switching sides, or moving to your hands and knees on the bed can make a difference in helping labor progress. She gave some simple suggestions for handling intense contractions: they should only last about a minute or so, and will include a buildup, peak, and slow down. Pick a visualization to help you through. A boat going up a wave of water and then coming back down, water washing over you, or whatever you like. The contraction should only last a minute, even in transition, and then you should get a break. The breaks will get shorter in duration, but even in transition they should be long enough to catch your breath and gear up for the next one. Pitocin denied me that, which is why I hate it so much. :) Practice relaxation breathing, which is simply breathing deeply in through your nose and out through your mouth.
She also explained pushing and delivery in a way that took the scary mystery out of it for me. Ever wonder how that big baby head comes out of such a small seeming place? Picture pulling a tee shirt over your head. There's plenty of room at first, but then the collar at the top, small and flat, seems to present an obstacle. But once your head gets to that point, and you exert gentle pressure at the opening, it stretches for your head to gradually come through. That's how a baby is born, and that mental picture really helped me.
I really liked this book. In fact, I'm considering purchasing my own copy so that I have it for reference closer to my due date.
The next book that I read was the well known Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, by Ina May Gaskin. Ina May Gaskin is an extremely well-respected midwife who practices in Tennessee. She has a place called "The Farm" where thousands of women have delivered their babies, and boasts a cesarean section rate of less than two percent. The book contains a good number of birth stories, all from women who ultimately experienced unmedicated birth, explanations of the birth process and common interventions, and some tips on positioning to help in labor.
This is definitely a "crunchier" book, but it does not present a negative attitude toward obstetricians and hospital birth, which I appreciated. But it's definitely a book that is more, hum, how to say... well, sexual. The author feels strongly that birth is a normal, natural process that we shouldn't be ashamed of (I completely agree), and that while it takes a sexual act to get the baby inside, sexual acts can also aid in getting the baby out. Well...
In many ways, I appreciated her candor. There are some photos in the book that include women who are undressed. This isn't shocking to me, and it shouldn't be to anyone. Our bodies are a beautiful thing, and if a woman wants to be uninhibited by clothes in labor, good for her. I on the other hand, am extremely modest. I prefer to be clothed at all times, unless in the privacy of my own bedroom. But I am very grateful that she took the "ick! scary!" factor out of vaginal birth for me. There is nothing gross about a baby crowning out of a woman's vagina, it is the most natural thing in the world. And seeing the pictures really brought that home to me.
That being said, while I can understand that nipple stimulation can aid in labor progression, I don't plan to ask my husband to implement it in the middle of my birthing room. Or for us to start kissing... you get the picture. That may be appealing to some people, and if that's you, you will love this book. :)
She also had some great pencil drawings of historical birth positions which I found helpful. Many American women give birth in what is called the "supine position," meaning lying on her back with her legs pushed back. This may be convenient for the doctor, but is actually the least efficacious position to give birth in. Gravity is our friend here. Squatting, standing, even sitting up would all make pushing easier for the woman. I think many hospitals have squatting bars now, and while hospitals often reel you in with the fetal monitor and an IV pole, you can still stand up by your bed, sit on a birthing ball, rock back and forth, all by your bedside. I plan to ask about it at my hospital refresher class. As well as about intermittant monitoring to permit short walks and trips to the shower. We'll see. But rest assured, I'll fill you all in. :)
So, that's my long childbirth tome for the day. More to come!
I read two over the holidays, and both bear discussion. One of those warning again: lots of body parts going to be tossed around in this post that I normally wouldn't use in everyday conversation. You'll see why when I get to the second of the two books.
I'll write about my previous birth experience in a separate post, but in a nutshell, with Henry I had a vaginal birth in a hospital with epidural anesthesia. It wasn't a bad birth experience, but there are some things that ideally, I'd like to go differently this time. The main thing I'd like different is in regards to Pitocin augmentation (Pitocin is a synthetic hormone that can be used to stimulate strong labor contractions; it is used in labor inductions and augmentation). I don't want it unless absolutely necessary. And I don't consider "Oh Honey, we just don't want you to be here all day!" to be absolutely necessary. Pitocin creates contractions that are immediately stronger than what your body would produce on its own, with no gradual buildup. It makes labor much more painful much more quickly, with little to no natural adjustment period.
I think it's important to state up front that I see nothing wrong, morally or otherwise, with pain relief medication in labor. I don't regret using it, and if I feel the need at the time, I'll use it again. I firmly believe that this is a woman's prerogative and a benefit of modern medicine (who is the patron saint of anesthesiologists? God bless that person).
That being said, last time I did want to labor without it, and for a number of different reasons that I'll discuss in that other post I mentioned, I ultimately chose to receive the epidural. This time, once again I'd like to try for an unmedicated birth, although I will again be delivering in a hospital environment. I really don't like the phrase "natural birth" because it makes it seem like giving birth with pain medication or via cesarean section are "unnatural" and that is simply not the case.
So, this time I'd like to do my homework and actually prepare myself with some knowledge and techniques that may assist me through birth without pain medication. I just want to feel less fear about childbirth, and find some ways I can manage my hospital birth actively on my own. Last time, I did not put much time into preparation at all. I was afraid, and thinking/reading about it made me more afraid, so I just figured I'd wing it.
I'm not planning to take a course (Bradley Method, Hynobirthing, that sort of thing) because I'm not sold on any one of those methods enough to pay a substantial fee and spend a number of weeks in class. Not that I think they don't work. I'm certain they do for many women, I'm just not sure that any one of those methods is right for me. I'd just like some guidance on simple things I can do in labor to help myself. I'm a reader, so books seem the logical choice to me. And in the end, if I want an epidural, I'm going to get one. I don't feel strongly enough about unmedicated labor to deny myself this if I truly feel it is warranted.
Plus, my doctor told me during my labor with Hank that second (and plus) babies come out faster than the first. If she was lying, someone is going to PAY.
Ok, so, on that note... On my first foray to the library, I was looking for Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, and happened upon a real gem: The Big Book of Birth, by Erica Lyon.
This is a practical book that describes every stage of labor, common interventions and cesarean birth, and simple pain coping techniques. I was VERY impressed. I can be a little turned off by real "crunchy" natural birth books that are very biased against hospital birth and obstetricians. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I see nothing wrong with midwife assisted homebirth for those that choose it, but that's not my choice. And I don't want to feel hopeless about my choice, that inevitably I'll end up tied to my hospital bed, unable to move around, or with an unplanned cesarean section.
This book was just very uplifting and perky, and gave you the facts. For me, it helps *tremendously* to see a chart with the different stages of labor, what they entail, and how long each lasts. Last time? Didn't know this stuff. Early labor (your cervix dilates from zero to four centimeters) will last anywhere from a few to eighteen hours, but is not very painful. Active labor (your cervix dilates from four to seven centimeters) will last anywhere from four to eight hours, on average, and while more painful, is usually manageable on your own.
Transition is where things get dicey. I remember this stage well, and I had HAD the epidural. Let's just say it wore off at the end. And with the Pitocin? I remember wanting to crawl up the walls of my hospital room. All I could manage was to writhe in agony on my side (still couldn't walk, despite the waning epidural) and grip the rails on my hospital bed. NOT a happy camper. What the author tells us in this book is that transition (your cervix dilates from seven to ten centimeters), while the most painful, is the shortest of all the labor phases. It will last anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours. I can't tell you what a relief it was for me to read that. Very comforting to have some solid facts in front of me.
I also liked her suggestions for pain management on your own. Importantly, move around. Change positions. Stay upright as much as you can (squat, sit on a birth ball or stool, rock from side to side on your feet, lean on your husband, take a shower, as warm water will immediately dull some of the pain), but if you need a rest, even switching sides, or moving to your hands and knees on the bed can make a difference in helping labor progress. She gave some simple suggestions for handling intense contractions: they should only last about a minute or so, and will include a buildup, peak, and slow down. Pick a visualization to help you through. A boat going up a wave of water and then coming back down, water washing over you, or whatever you like. The contraction should only last a minute, even in transition, and then you should get a break. The breaks will get shorter in duration, but even in transition they should be long enough to catch your breath and gear up for the next one. Pitocin denied me that, which is why I hate it so much. :) Practice relaxation breathing, which is simply breathing deeply in through your nose and out through your mouth.
She also explained pushing and delivery in a way that took the scary mystery out of it for me. Ever wonder how that big baby head comes out of such a small seeming place? Picture pulling a tee shirt over your head. There's plenty of room at first, but then the collar at the top, small and flat, seems to present an obstacle. But once your head gets to that point, and you exert gentle pressure at the opening, it stretches for your head to gradually come through. That's how a baby is born, and that mental picture really helped me.
I really liked this book. In fact, I'm considering purchasing my own copy so that I have it for reference closer to my due date.
The next book that I read was the well known Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, by Ina May Gaskin. Ina May Gaskin is an extremely well-respected midwife who practices in Tennessee. She has a place called "The Farm" where thousands of women have delivered their babies, and boasts a cesarean section rate of less than two percent. The book contains a good number of birth stories, all from women who ultimately experienced unmedicated birth, explanations of the birth process and common interventions, and some tips on positioning to help in labor.
This is definitely a "crunchier" book, but it does not present a negative attitude toward obstetricians and hospital birth, which I appreciated. But it's definitely a book that is more, hum, how to say... well, sexual. The author feels strongly that birth is a normal, natural process that we shouldn't be ashamed of (I completely agree), and that while it takes a sexual act to get the baby inside, sexual acts can also aid in getting the baby out. Well...
In many ways, I appreciated her candor. There are some photos in the book that include women who are undressed. This isn't shocking to me, and it shouldn't be to anyone. Our bodies are a beautiful thing, and if a woman wants to be uninhibited by clothes in labor, good for her. I on the other hand, am extremely modest. I prefer to be clothed at all times, unless in the privacy of my own bedroom. But I am very grateful that she took the "ick! scary!" factor out of vaginal birth for me. There is nothing gross about a baby crowning out of a woman's vagina, it is the most natural thing in the world. And seeing the pictures really brought that home to me.
That being said, while I can understand that nipple stimulation can aid in labor progression, I don't plan to ask my husband to implement it in the middle of my birthing room. Or for us to start kissing... you get the picture. That may be appealing to some people, and if that's you, you will love this book. :)
She also had some great pencil drawings of historical birth positions which I found helpful. Many American women give birth in what is called the "supine position," meaning lying on her back with her legs pushed back. This may be convenient for the doctor, but is actually the least efficacious position to give birth in. Gravity is our friend here. Squatting, standing, even sitting up would all make pushing easier for the woman. I think many hospitals have squatting bars now, and while hospitals often reel you in with the fetal monitor and an IV pole, you can still stand up by your bed, sit on a birthing ball, rock back and forth, all by your bedside. I plan to ask about it at my hospital refresher class. As well as about intermittant monitoring to permit short walks and trips to the shower. We'll see. But rest assured, I'll fill you all in. :)
So, that's my long childbirth tome for the day. More to come!
Monday, January 3, 2011
Halfway there!
Today, I am officially 20 weeks, and I couldn't be more thrilled. I'm halfway there! It's gone fast. I know that the most discomfort is still yet to come, but I'm feeling very optimistic that I'm going to make it ok.
So far, I've gained between 9 and 10 lbs., and am on track to gain exactly what I did when I was carrying Hank, 29 lbs. I'd like it to be less, but we'll see. The doctor is very happy with my weight gain, and tells me to gain between 25 and 35 lbs, so I'm perfectly average, which I know is a good thing. I'm also carrying this baby exactly like I did with Hank, meaning I carry throughout my obviously freakishly long torso, since it takes me a very long time to look very pregnant. I don't mind this at all. :) I will say though, that suddenly, Saturday morning, I woke up and looked down, and whoop! There's a baby belly. I swear it happened overnight. But I do look a bit pregnant now. I'm still not wearing maternity clothes, which I'm seeing as some sort of moral victory, because I'm, you know, crazy.
I have been wearing my Bella Bands non-stop for the past couple weeks. I had a white one leftover from my pregnancy with Hank, and at Allison's suggestion, went to Target and found their Be Bands. They're a good deal, $16.99, and they come in 3 colors: white, black and natural. I wanted natural, and they didn't have a small, so I got black, and I do love it. It coordinates with a lot of stuff. My goal is to hold off until 22 weeks and then re-evaluate. I may need to break out the maternity clothes at that point. But I'll take every week that I can.
I feel a ton of movement now, and I can tell that the baby is growing steadily at this point. I feel it throughout the day, and it *feels* different than it did before. Much more activity, much more intense. The baby even quickened during the consecration yesterday at Mass. :) I'm loving that.
This pregnancy, I plan to prepare for childbirth and the newborn time much more than last time, which is to say, prepare at all, because I just had no idea what I was in for with Hank. Last time, I attended the hospital's childbirth preparation class, and took a breastfeeding class, and called it a day. This time, much, much different already. I've been checking out books from the library like a crazy lady, and I'll start reviewing them tomorrow. I'll also provide a detailed account of my labor and delivery with Hank, and how I'd like it to be different this time. Prepare yourself for lots of body parts and fluids descriptions. Certainly, I won't be graphic, but it'll be an adult discussion. :)
I'm also preparing spiritually more intensely this time. I can talk about that more at length too, in a future post.
Anyway, back to prenatal stuff. I have my next ob/gyn appointment in 2 weeks, and I'm taking Hank with me so he can heard the baby's heartbeat. No more planned visits to the perinatologist, which although I adored her, I'm happy about. I feel great right now. Nausea faded at 14 weeks, and so far, I've had no sciatica, which debilitated me with Hank. It could still rear it's ugly head, but I'll take it for now. Aside from a growing belly, I feel like my old self, and my energy levels are high. I've been walking daily, and doing my hand weights and dancing weekly.
Baby is just going to be growing quite a bit now, and I'm going to be preparing. Brace yourselves now for my overpreparedness. :)
So far, I've gained between 9 and 10 lbs., and am on track to gain exactly what I did when I was carrying Hank, 29 lbs. I'd like it to be less, but we'll see. The doctor is very happy with my weight gain, and tells me to gain between 25 and 35 lbs, so I'm perfectly average, which I know is a good thing. I'm also carrying this baby exactly like I did with Hank, meaning I carry throughout my obviously freakishly long torso, since it takes me a very long time to look very pregnant. I don't mind this at all. :) I will say though, that suddenly, Saturday morning, I woke up and looked down, and whoop! There's a baby belly. I swear it happened overnight. But I do look a bit pregnant now. I'm still not wearing maternity clothes, which I'm seeing as some sort of moral victory, because I'm, you know, crazy.
I have been wearing my Bella Bands non-stop for the past couple weeks. I had a white one leftover from my pregnancy with Hank, and at Allison's suggestion, went to Target and found their Be Bands. They're a good deal, $16.99, and they come in 3 colors: white, black and natural. I wanted natural, and they didn't have a small, so I got black, and I do love it. It coordinates with a lot of stuff. My goal is to hold off until 22 weeks and then re-evaluate. I may need to break out the maternity clothes at that point. But I'll take every week that I can.
I feel a ton of movement now, and I can tell that the baby is growing steadily at this point. I feel it throughout the day, and it *feels* different than it did before. Much more activity, much more intense. The baby even quickened during the consecration yesterday at Mass. :) I'm loving that.
This pregnancy, I plan to prepare for childbirth and the newborn time much more than last time, which is to say, prepare at all, because I just had no idea what I was in for with Hank. Last time, I attended the hospital's childbirth preparation class, and took a breastfeeding class, and called it a day. This time, much, much different already. I've been checking out books from the library like a crazy lady, and I'll start reviewing them tomorrow. I'll also provide a detailed account of my labor and delivery with Hank, and how I'd like it to be different this time. Prepare yourself for lots of body parts and fluids descriptions. Certainly, I won't be graphic, but it'll be an adult discussion. :)
I'm also preparing spiritually more intensely this time. I can talk about that more at length too, in a future post.
Anyway, back to prenatal stuff. I have my next ob/gyn appointment in 2 weeks, and I'm taking Hank with me so he can heard the baby's heartbeat. No more planned visits to the perinatologist, which although I adored her, I'm happy about. I feel great right now. Nausea faded at 14 weeks, and so far, I've had no sciatica, which debilitated me with Hank. It could still rear it's ugly head, but I'll take it for now. Aside from a growing belly, I feel like my old self, and my energy levels are high. I've been walking daily, and doing my hand weights and dancing weekly.
Baby is just going to be growing quite a bit now, and I'm going to be preparing. Brace yourselves now for my overpreparedness. :)
A very happy new year...
Well, I'm back again, and by the looks of my December timesheet, which I just completed, I won't be taking any vacation time between now and when the baby is born. :) I have plenty of sick time, but you can only use that for 6 weeks following delivery, and I want to take 14 weeks off. So, lots of blogging from me to look forward to. :)
I had a wonderful weekend with Hank, Mike and my mother-in-law. We had a quiet New Year's celebration at home, and made some good food. Yesterday, the feast of the Epiphany, is one of my favorites. I have a book on patron saint names (that we use to choose baby names) and my name, Tiffany, is listed in there as being derived from the feast of the Epiphany. A stretch, but I like it. Alas, there is no official St. Tiffany.
Yesterday, I was also responsible for the Children's Liturgy of the Word. I was dreading it a bit, since my last foray 2 weeks ago on the 4th Sunday of Advent didn't go as I'd hoped. It wasn't a disaster or anything, but a large group of children came forward, and once we got settled in the back, it quickly became apparent that getting this group to sit still and pay attention would be like trying to get a herd of feral cats to learn the National Anthem. It was a frustrating 20 minutes.
Yesterday, I made sure to pray beforehand, and just felt a gentle urging to relax and enjoy the children. So I did. And it went great. A much smaller group, granted, but I couldn't have asked for a better experience. These are still 4-7 year olds, so their attention does wane, but for the most part, they stayed with me.
I had to love it when we got home, and started putting away our Christmas decorations (at Mike's urging; he'd take them down December 26th if he could, but I insist on waiting until New Years Day, or if possible, the Epiphany; Mike is just very efficient and likes to take care of things as early as possible :)), and Hank announced, "Daddy, it's still Christmas Season, you know." Ah HA! So he WAS paying attention. Makes it all worthwhile.
I had a wonderful weekend with Hank, Mike and my mother-in-law. We had a quiet New Year's celebration at home, and made some good food. Yesterday, the feast of the Epiphany, is one of my favorites. I have a book on patron saint names (that we use to choose baby names) and my name, Tiffany, is listed in there as being derived from the feast of the Epiphany. A stretch, but I like it. Alas, there is no official St. Tiffany.
Yesterday, I was also responsible for the Children's Liturgy of the Word. I was dreading it a bit, since my last foray 2 weeks ago on the 4th Sunday of Advent didn't go as I'd hoped. It wasn't a disaster or anything, but a large group of children came forward, and once we got settled in the back, it quickly became apparent that getting this group to sit still and pay attention would be like trying to get a herd of feral cats to learn the National Anthem. It was a frustrating 20 minutes.
Yesterday, I made sure to pray beforehand, and just felt a gentle urging to relax and enjoy the children. So I did. And it went great. A much smaller group, granted, but I couldn't have asked for a better experience. These are still 4-7 year olds, so their attention does wane, but for the most part, they stayed with me.
I had to love it when we got home, and started putting away our Christmas decorations (at Mike's urging; he'd take them down December 26th if he could, but I insist on waiting until New Years Day, or if possible, the Epiphany; Mike is just very efficient and likes to take care of things as early as possible :)), and Hank announced, "Daddy, it's still Christmas Season, you know." Ah HA! So he WAS paying attention. Makes it all worthwhile.
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