May 11, 2005 ~ Failed to Mention
Wednesday.
Some things that I have failed to mention.
Bear season. Black bears. And reports say that this year their population is at a one hundred year high.
Last week, Monty and I came across one on a hike. He turned tail and ran for the ridge. Monty wanted so badly to give chase. Crazy dog.
We'd seen the evidence--tooth marks on our garbage can, bags of charcoal and wood chips torn open and dragged down off of the porch--but that was my first sighting of the year. (Yes, that means that there was a black bear on my front porch. Welcome to the woods.)
I'm showing already. Have been for a week. How do women who wait until the second trimester to tell everyone that they are pregnant do it? Sudden wardrobe change to baggy? Let people assume that they're just gaining a lot of weight, really fast, and ONLY in the abdominal region?
I also think I felt the baby move. It was last Thursday. I had been sitting still for a long time, then had to jump up to run down the hall and back, then answer the phone. When I sat back down I felt a faint twinge that was distinctly unlike anything I've felt before. Little flutters. It repeated several times then stopped. Did I wake the baby up?
I hadn't thought that the baby could be felt so early, only eight weeks after conception (traditional counting: ten weeks of pregnancy). I read around to find out if it was even possible to feel the baby this early. Turns out that it apparently is, but it is very rare. I guess later, when I'm feeling the baby more frequently, I'll be able to tell if that was it or not. Online it did say that women who are thin tend to feel the baby much sooner than normal (and also start to show much sooner than normal). So maybe?
The other night, Morgan sat down on the side of the bed and unlaced his boots, pulling off one then the other. He took off the socks, and Monty was standing right there, so he just held a sock out to Monty.
Monty took one sniff, looked utterly disgusted, and then gagged.
I cracked up and said to Morgan, "Dude. He thinks poop smells good. You obviously have a problem!"
Cravings so far? Veggie pot pie. Fresh fruits, especially nectarines and apricots (which I've not yet been able to find!). Spinach (really!). Pizza. Nothing really weird, though. I'm beginning to think that the strange cravings (like the ever-mentioned pickles and ice cream) are a bit of an exaggeration.
I'm certified as a second degree Reiki practitioner, now. I'm considering doing some volunteer work with Hospice, in an effort to give something back, for having been trained in Reiki for so little money. Next year, I will consider a Master level training/apprenticeship.
There's a car seat sitting on the porch. It was a Freecycle find.
A car seat! In which one puts a baby! Good Lord!
Still no morning sickness aside from very slight queasiness every once in a while (and I'm thanking my lucky stars!). I do tend to gag at really bad smells, but that passes as soon as the smell does.
I have, however, been having major problems of another sort, but that will have to wait for its own entry. Those problems are mainly what have been keeping me from writing and uploading as much as I would like.
As a side note, we plan to use cloth diapers. If you've used them, Morgan and I are looking for tips and pointers. Here are a few specific questions:
What sorts of cloth diapers and covers do you recommend; what are drawbacks and advantages to different kinds? (please include what you used).
We are leaning toward Chinese pre-fold (a rectangular fabric pad that you fold and pin or otherwise secure in place) with a cover over it. Mainly because these are much more affordable, and they are also like what our own mothers used, so we're much more familiar with them. We also plan to use liners for when out of the house or over night, for extra absorbency. If you have experience with these, let us know what you thought.
How many diapers do you find you need to comfortably get through two days (washing every other day)
How many should we get, honestly?
We plan to use cloth wipes as well (with a diluted non-toxic soap made especially for this). We figured we're washing the diapers anyway, might as well wash the wipes along with them. If you've used them before, how did it go for you?
Did you fill your diaper pail with water to soak, or did you just do a cold soak pre-cycle? Which worked better if you tried both?
What about that tar-like stuff that comes out of newborns for the first day or few? What will help with that (both getting it off of the baby's rear and out of the diapers)? (Or should we just give up for those first few days and use disposables until that phase has passed?) We have heard that it's good to keep the baby's rear coated in oil for the first few days (olive oil, baby oil, or the like). That helps in cleaning and preventing rashes. Any tips?
And how do I keep my husband from screaming in horror at the words "tar-like."? ;-)
|
