Clowning... again

A shopping trip is never dull with my Chioma... and her fashion sense is too too cute.

SAVE THE DATE!

Today was one of those ultra productive days. After a bout with insomnia around 4am (which I suspect stems from the sudden increase in iron I'm being forced to ingest), I was convinced there would be nothing good to come out of July 30.

Instead, Chi lost her second baby tooth (see proud photo) right after consuming a sticky Hershey bar. Nope, the bar was not the culprit, but it would make a good "Don't eat candy or your teeth will fall out" advertisement.

We registered Chi at her new school, though a tour was out of the question do to construction projects all over the building. We're only a signature and a physical away from complete success and mama's piece of mind! And it's sweet to know that my baby is going to attend the same elementary school I went to when the family moved from Hawaii!

A doctor's appointment confirmed two more pounds in two weeks (any other time this would be very bad news). Yadon's heart rate is a steady 132 bpm and his measurements (or mine) are showing a steadily growing baby boy. Doctor H. called the hospital to reserve my operating room , so our birth date is guaranteed now... no guessing, and an accurate countdown commences now...

Big Sister on 8-28-2008! 29 Days to Birth Day...

Rearranging

I took a look around my house this morning and realized that I am not utilizing my space efficiently. You'd think with a place the size of mine I'd have no problem putting things away and still having room to spare. The problem is, as always, that three flights of stairs and packing issues prevented me from closely monitoring my "free labor movers" commissioned by my baby brother as a 'pay me back for all the times I've helped you." So I have big items that I am in no condition to move sitting in the most inconvenient spots.

This morning I decided that being cautious about heavy objects was not going to make me happy... so I emptied out a corner TV hutch (which no longer has the TV on it because that was placed upstairs) and pushed it out of the guest room and into the corner of my "family room." I have to push the couch back to its position and reload the hutch, but that wont take much effort.

Next is Laura's kitchen toy to the upstairs kitchen nook...

I've also built my tall Ikea bookshelf and relocated all my novels to it. I plan to go through the garage boxes once I find some really good bug spray. Not that I'm afraid of spiders, mind you, but there are no see ems in there that bite!

Oh, and I am now officially an e-mail stalker as I wait for the galleries of our last maternity photos to post. Impatience is my specialty and 2-3 weeks is a long time to wait. Did I mention how beautiful it felt to be wrapped in flowing robes and photographed? Talk about pampering! I should've signed up for portraits like these years ago. Knowing that my baby bump is the center attraction doesn't phase me at all... this mama feels gorgeous!

Why I am obsessed...

Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing, and when they have vanished,
there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again. - Henri Cartier-Bresson

Life After Pregnancy

Just a few more weeks before doctors schedule my hospital stay and the birth of my son. No mystery in the big arrival for me. He'll be here when the schedules deem it "convenient." I suppose we should all be grateful for the opportunity to know exactly when and where his birthday will take place. Certainly there is no fear of being "overdue" and there is no endless waiting game of "is it time yet?" And there wont be any labor pains this time around (probably a good thing, as I demanded an epidural upon check-in with Laura).

So now that everything is coming to a... beginning, it's time to dwell on other issues, right? The crib is still in pieces. It annoys me. Someone else is starting my class this year and I'll be walking in as an exhausted new mom one grading period into the school session. This scares me. And again I am postponing turning my hobby into a career because it is the responsible thing to do for my family. This upsets me.

Then there is the long term. I see people with the same passion as mine working full time in the portraiture business. Their vision, like mine, is solid. Their talents, unlike mine, are used daily to satisfy clients' needs. They set their own schedules. They are paid for their time. They profit both financially and emotionally every time someone buys an image.

One of these days I'm actually going to enroll in a fine arts photography course and a photography business certificate program. I'll invest in the pro camera I've eyed from afar for years. I'll buy the backdrop hangers and clear space for a "studio" in this house of mine. And I'll get back into the swing of things with my camera on a more serious level like I did almost 6 years ago when I was in grad school for photo journalism. One of these days, Laura and Yadon, mama is going to fulfill her dream...

Daycare and First Grade

I did a happy gig when I made the last payment to Chi's private school in May. It was one more expense of necessity, but not one I relished in creating. Granted, I want what is best for my children. What parent doesn't? Unfortunately, budget issues keep those grandiose dreams of lavish childhoods for them in serious check.

Yesterday we visited Chi's new elementary school. The facility is a mirror to the elementary school I attended, except it has not been renovated or maintained as well. The playground for recess memories is a series of bars resembling a gymnast's double bar practice arena. There is no slide, no swing set, no jungle gym for those inclined to exercise and amuse themselves during the cherished breaks of the school day. The remainder of the grounds featured a few trailers and a soccer field of sorts. I didn't venture inside to see the actual educational environment, but the exterior tour does not bode well for this mom's psyche.

I also made a journey to tour a potential daycare for Yadon. It's scary to think that in a few weeks he'll be here and in a few more I'll have to entrust his care into someone else while I sit at work with other people's kids. The price of daycare for a newborn is astronomical. Averaging $200 plus a week for basic care in this area, available spots are few and choices are based on a "what wont make my heart tremble every time I leave him here" system. To look at the exteriors of many of these facilities gives one of two impressions: a false sense of security and warmth or a foreboding feeling of despair.

I did my call around to a half dozen centers on Monday, most of which had space in December, but not in November when I have to return to work. Daddy-to-be is a bit shocked at the high costs being quoted by these places - some of which don't do anything special for the kids they are entrusted with. Diaper changes and feedings alone do not a caring environment make. So I called a center near Chi's former school: a little nondescript white house in a gently wooded area with a somewhat active street at its back property line.

The door opens with a coded security lock. Inside is a series of cameras switching from classroom to classroom with images of teachers caring for and interacting with children. The director is friendly and hand on. She greeted us with a smile and a handshake and ushered us into Yadon's potential classroom. There, two other teachers greeted us. About 10 cribs lines the walls, each with a child's name above it. Cubbies of supplies for individual children, car seats lined up, a variety of educational toys, rockers, bouncers and walkers also filled the room. Despite the number of baby accessories, there was space for tummy time and crawling, which the few babies who were awake had full advantage of. The smell of the center was pleasant - not of bleach and not of mold and decay. The atmosphere seemed peaceful and my stomach didn't knot up with fear of leaving my little one alone there. So I reserved his space on the spot and am hoping that I'll be able to leave him their his first day in the same confidence...

Model Magic

Laura is enjoying my temporary obsession with photo shoots... in fact I think it is bringing out the natural model in her. She's willing to plan out hair styles and wardrobe and is eager to get into any studio where she can pose and smile. We've quickly learned that CHEESE is banned in most places, so she's working on the ANTM "think of something _______" technique to inspire her expressions.

I have to wonder if her little brother will follow her lead. As I am never without a camera, he'll be used to flash photography and shutter sounds... and of course the first year is filled with professional family photos and such (have to do for one what I did for the other, right?) Time will tell. His first photo session in studio is going to be about a week outside the womb - - how's that for quick?

A day at the beach...

My attempts at a more "artsy" photo of LC has become a Photoshop project of sorts, as I am learning how to use the pattern brush.

Here is big sis-to-be wading in the waters at Leesylvania State Park, Friday July 18, 2008:

Fairies and Expectations

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE photography, whether I'm the one taking the pictures or the one in them. Today Chi and I are off to a photographer based in Occoquan who specializes in digital enhancements and eclectic photography. Although Chi is battling the sniffles, she said she's ready to go to the session. I'm looking forward to the session, as it's been awhile since we've had family photos done professionally and it'll only be the two of us for a few more weeks...

You can check out the photographers I've really enjoyed by looking at the links on this blog. Each one has an awesome and diverse portfolio online and has proven personable in our correspondence.

Doctor's Appointments

Fifteen minutes. That's all the time it takes to see my OBGYN on these now routine visits. Each visit is the same: sign in, realize you can't wait to be called to use the restroom and find your labeled specimen cup (yuck), weigh in, take blood pressure, hear baby's heartbeat (the highlight), and speak briefly to doctor who measures your tummy. Our verdict this time was better than the last, as heartbeat is a strong 149 bpm and my weight is increasing again as he grows. I suppose this means our little one is a healthy baby? Thank God for that.

Oh, and Daddy-to-be is thinking we're going to use the middle name as baby's call name. As I am the one who picked it, I'm flattered.

Exciting

Marq texted me last night to share that he had made a few purchases for the baby... it's his first time searching out and buying things (though there has been a lot of window shopping on his part). Is this a sign that we're getting a bit too excited?

I told him to pull out the camera and get ready for this birthday - - I obviously can't take pictures of our son from recovery, but am more than happy to have the family with the baby doing just that!

I'm on a countdown, which Marq says makes him a bit nervous. Marq is instead watching the calendar dates fly by and closer to our tentative August 28 delivery scheduling. I've gained weight between our last visit and this one, so I'm certain the date will be made firm pretty soon.

Marques Yadon is VERY active, shifting around (while still upside down) all day and hiccuping or kicking throughout the night. We're wrapping up month 7 and are so ready for the end of August. I want to meet the little man whose been dorming rent free for all of this year!

Simply beautiful

Marques, LauraChioma and I journeyed to the Fort Langley area for my cousin Danjile's wedding. Chi was chosen to be the flower girl in the wedding - an honor she was nervous about until she saw the ring bearer and practiced her walk down the isle a few times. It was nice to have our "family" together, especially during the dances we three shared. Amazingly, my dress fit without a fight and I didn't look terrible in it. At 30 weeks, that's a special treat.

Thinking About Him

Chi and I have been having a number of discussions about what this little munchkin (as Chi has named him) is going to look like. She thinks he'll have a little hair on his skull (her words) and will be brown like her (as that is the preferred complexion, Chi assures me). She knows he'll be a cutie (I totally agree).

When he's first born, she has a graphic image of his entrance into the world "with blood all over him and naked." I really have to watch the programs she sees! She claims she knows this information because "You [I] have blood inside of you [me]." How's that for logic?

After almost two years of desiring a pregnancy for a baby of her own, she assures me she is not having children anymore. She knows how they exit mommy... and thinks the hole is too little and it hurts a lot. I've caught her several times inspecting herself to verify that the birthing process is a "no go" for her. Let's hold onto that theory for a long time, Chi.

We watched an episode of Law and Order SVU where Elliot's wife goes into labor after a car accident. She gives birth en route to the hospital in an ambulance. Chi watched that intently with wide eyes and reaffirmed the "it hurts" conclusion adding, "Oh no, I'm not having any babies!"

Now perhaps other parents would screen their five year olds from such graphic television. I teach teenagers, and the birds and bees logic doesn't fly anymore. It makes sense to me to give Chi clinical definitions and honest answers (to a point) so she knows exactly what is going on. She seems smart enough to process the information and asks questions freely when she doesn't understand.

Of course there are many random questions that surface as she considers how this pregnancy thing plays out. "Where does the white thing [umbilical cord] go?" "Is the baby okay?" "Where are his feet right now?" and at least once a day, "How many days before we get our baby?"

There's also the issue of marriage. Somehow my previous excuses for why she can't have a sibling (Mommy needs a husband... to which she replied, "How about dad?"), have returned to bite me. Whenever I mention a friend who is expecting, she asks "Is she getting married, too?" Hmmm...

Nesting...

Birds have it easy. They simply wander around in search of string, grasses and fluffy stuff to pack their nests with. Then they lay a few eggs and sit on them for a few weeks. Now I'm certain that the exhaustion of feeding the little chirpers after they hatch is no picnic (actually... it is, full of worms and grubs, lol). So I guess humans have the after birth a bit easier.

I'm well into my nesting phase at this point. I visit my nursery daily, then leave it disgruntled. The crib is in pieces against the wall and I've lost the instructions. I still have a closet full of craft supplies that have no new home to go to. I've started to organize the few hand me downs of Laura's that I absolutely could not part with in the last five years. And there are new accessories that I "had to have" assembling on my Ikea Expedit wall unit.

The stuff would look neat and clutter free if I hadn't had a fight with the plastic boxes I bought to fill the shelves with. But after spending more than a half hour on one box and then cracking the next while trying to get it together, I've decided that the woven boxes are the way to go. So, I took a trip to Ikea and returned the broken one and the others I didn't even attempt to put together. With woven boxes, however, I can't see what's in them and I can't label them.

Can't anything be simple?