Life SUX

I haven't writen to this blog in a while, mostly because I haven't had time. Things have been pretty crazy for us. My Dad has had a some heart problems, maybe some seizures, who knows. The point is he has pretty much been laying in a hospital bed since early Thursday morning without being awake. It has been a bunch of ups and downs for us. Eric and I flew down as soon as we got the news and got our act together. We have spent all of our time at the hospital, that we haven't spent at my parents house sleeping. It has been amazing watching and listening to the people who are friends of our family, people who my Dad has touched, who have taken off of work and just hang out at the hossy just to be with us and hear if we have any good news. We have one Dr telling us we have to wait 5-7 days before we can say for sure my Dad won't wake up. We have another Dr that tells us that 72 hours after the trauma if there is no response we have to make some decisions. Who the heck knows, all I know is this is very tough for my Mom, she feels like she did something wrong and she knows that she has to make the decision, but when is the right time to say that is it. We keep hoping that we see progress, but what the heck do we know, my Dad is only 57 and has never had any indication of heart problems. It really sucks. He has good color, and when he is 'resting', it is hard to see, because he just looks like he is sleeping and could wake up any minute. All I know is it sucks for my Mom, she has some people saying let him go and others who aren't ready to let go. How can she continue, I don't know, but I wish I could do more to make it easier for her.

Wednesday

Today is another home day. YEA! I am thrilled to be able to spend so much time at home, and still be considered at work. Certainly, one of the many benefits of being with child, bad smells at work = home for baby momma. Unfortunately, baby daddy since no baby in his belly, still has to stay at work. I don't really know what I am going to do all day. I am pretty sure that daytime TV sucks. I guess I should start reading up on what to expect during childbirth. Yesterday I did some cleaning and laundry, probably not going to be that productive today. Although, I have started some laundry. Maybe I can get some more cross-stitch done for baby. I would really like to have that done so all I have to do after she arrives is put her vital information: name, weight/length, date.

Busy weekend

This weekend was another busy weekend in our lives. We had the last of the "Where's the Instruction Manual?" class, which I have to say was fun and humorous. The husband learned how to change a diaper and clothe a baby doll. I have to say although he did a good job, the real test will come when we are sleep deprived and dressing a real moving target, I mean baby. We actually learned some stuff, that you don't think of and one of my friends who has a new 1st baby has been reaping some of the benefits. We also received a certificate of completion that we will be posting proudly on the fridge, so anyone who wants to offer unwarranted/unwanted advice, will be shown the certificate! Ok, so the showing of the certificate will never happen, but a girl can dream. We will be displaying it on the fridge, so late at night when I am wandering around the house thinking what the heck am I supposed to do with this fussy mussy, I will be irritated that we took the class and I don't remember a thing!
The hospital tour also really impressed the hubby. He thinks that the birthing center took some time to make it look homey and comfortable. I, on the other hand, was freaked out the normal looking bed comes apart so that the stirrups and/or footpads can be exposed. It is nice that all the resuscitation equipment is hidden behind 'nice' wooden cabinets and pictures. I mean, I guess the room doesn't look 'hospital-y' but I mean really, I KNOW where that stuff is now, should I really? I sometimes think ignorance would be better, in the long run I know it is not, but still.
Not too mention Saturday when we replaced 3 more lights. The foyer light came with 6- 100W bulbs replacing the 3-15W bulbs that the people who lived there before had. I think that when we have that light on, we will not have to use any other lights in the entire house. We will be replacing those bulbs with some lower watt bulbs. The hallway light, went up much easier than expected and fortunately the hubby did not fall, that would have sucked, he was pretty high off the ground and his 8 month pregnant wife probably could do nothing to help him if he fell, besides calling 911. Which I guess probably is the most important thing. So now all we have left to replace is the fake marble fan in the dining room and the tacky kitchen light, then we will have a house that is more 'presentable', or at least not so embarrassing.
We also went down to VA to a friend's daughter's First Communion. It was a nice little ceremony and so cute. All the little girls dressed up like little brides, so sweet. We then went back to the house and enjoyed some good food and conversation. Unfortunately, the good food was mostly junk food and that made me ill, later of course. I was in a foul mood for the rest of the day/evening, but only to the hubby. The poor guy, he can't get a break, when I don't feel good stomach wise, it makes me cranky! I think he interprets it as mad at the world, but with the baby in my belly when I don't feel so good, I just don't have the energy to fake happiness. In my anger, I assembled the pack-n-play (with some help from the hubby). Man that is going to be nice to use as a bassinet, I didn't realize it had a feature that allows for vibration of the bassinet. It won't fit through the door, but the hubby and I had a good time taking it apart and putting it together. Maybe we should do a race to see who can do that the fastest! Baby gear, while overwhelming with the amount of crap you "should" get, is fun for adults too!

Last date

Tonight the hubby and I went on what could possibly be our last date for quite some time. You could say I could get nostalgic for many things we will be doing in the next couple of weeks before baby, but the last date for a while, might be the only thing we remember. I know it will be quite some time before we get any alone time after the baby is born. It is funny today, after the hossy tour and the installing of yet more lights in the house, going to dinner just seemed like a nice thing to do. Then after dinner, going to a movie seemed like a good thing to do also. So, it wasn't a formal thing, but it certainly was a nice thing (despite being in a restaurant that served sushi...only a couple more weeks!)
Later I might write more about this weekends' festivities, but for now I have to go to bed. Tomorrow is another busy day and we got up fairly early this morning. I just really wanted to test and see how easy this posting will be on the flaky home internet.

Its Baaack...

Yesterday when I thought I was getting a respite from the smell for a couple days because of rain, I was wrong. Today is a beautiful sunny day, so the hexane and toluene are back. And, worse, I can't find anywhere in this place that does not smell of it. Even worse, the VP of R&D is here today, so I can't just leave, or can I? Maybe I should take the laptop and sit outside for a while, until they need me. I wonder if there is some kind of mask I could wear.
Today starts a rather busy weekend. Tonight is our "hands-on" class where the husband should learn how to hold the baby, burp the baby, and most importantly diaper the baby! YEA! I am sure there will be other helpful and interesting stuff to learn. Pretty exciting. Tomorrow is the hossy tour. I am also scheduled to take my sewing machine in to get it repaired and I am sure we will be tackling the last of the lights. We have the hardest 3 left, foyer and 2-staircase lights. UGH! Sunday is 1st communion for a friend's daughter, where we will hopefully pick up the bassinet and swing. Then, we only have the boring miscellaneous stuff to get for baby's impending arrival. The stuff you really need but no one wants to buy for you, like thermometers and mattress pad protectors. Maybe, if we have time we will start packing the bag! I have been told that we could have the baby at any time (from some insensitive men who think I look big...they should just wait, baby unless really early, still has a lot of growing to do!) The countdown to the theoretical end could begin, we have 7 weeks until due date. But if I know my progeny, she will come when no one is expecting her, least of all her parents! I have been told that this week, marks the week where she could survive outside the womb on her own. That certainly is good news!

Its safe

Today is another day at the office, but one where I most likely will stay the whole day. You see, it is raining outside so the roof workers are not working. YEA! I have had to leave early the last couple of days because I don't want to harm the baby breathing in too much toluene and hexane. Not that I really want to be at work. Yesterday I went home early, took a nap, talked to the neighbors and finished my book for book club tonight. One of our neighbors went into the hospital this morning to have her baby. She was having a repeat c-section, so she knew that she was going in today, knew the day her baby was going to be born. Isn't that nice, some part of me thinks this whole process would be easier if I knew when the baby would be born. You know, if I knew what day I had to be prepared by. I mean it could be any day. I haven't learned the finer art of patience yet, so it is hard for me to adjust to not knowing.
Today is book club. It is our second book, and I have heard that most people hate it. My complaints with the book are not general overall plot, I think she could have gotten her point across about 150 pages before she did. I mean, I knew who the killer was way in advance of the ending. Granted she enlightened us in the end with some fabulous facts like motive, but I think maybe she could have done that pages before she did. Who knows, I guess that is why I am not a writer. But, this makes me more concerned about the book I choose. I am generally not picky about book, there are very few that I have not finished reading. Most books, no matter how terrible, I still want to know how they end. I am not the type to just read the last page either, I read the whole dang book. So it really irritates me if the ending doesn't satisfy me, leaves me guessing and/or doesn't tie up loose ends or is just terrible. It is like wasted time and I hate that, I could have been doing something else. Isn't my time more valuble than that. I should be reading books on labor, practicing breathing/relaxation/visualization, packing my bag, getting the last of the baby stuff we haven't received, SLEEPING constantly, etc. So much to do, but yet how much time to do it in?

Today and other stuff

Today is another fabulous day at the office. They are putting a new roof on our building, and it sounds like some guy is going to fall through the roof. I can't even hear myself think! I don't know if I could before, but I especially can't today!
I wanted to give an update on the childbirth classes. At the end of the class on Sunday our teacher wanted us to practice relaxation and visualization techniques. I had a really hard time with this. I think I am just one of those people that always has a hard time with that stuff. I don't think I could ever self-hypnotize myself and I suspect that I am always tense. When she popped in the CD and we were sitting on the floor with the lights off I could not concentrate on the tape. I started out good, we started with the deep breathing, which is apparently not something the little girl in my belly likes, because I can't even describe what she was doing, but suffice it to say it was distracting. I even put my coach, I mean hubby's hand on my belly and he was like what the heck. It was quite humorous and I think it is a bad sign that I was so easily distracted by the baby's crazy non-kicking movements, how am I going to breathe through the pain. Will I be easily distracted then? It is all well and good to practice at home, but I am not often distracted at home. Is it a bad sign, that I wanted the husband to feel what I was feeling, so he could be distracted also? I guess it didn't truly distract him too much, he was still able to get through 18 holes of golf in his head! I just wonder, does visualizing a healthy/realitively quick labor actually make it happen. I guess I will find out when the princess decides to join us on the outside.
We have our Dr's appointment today, should be fun. I am still going ever 2 weeks and we are scheduled with a Dr we have never seen before. Probably just another quick, weight, bp, measurement, your out. This is the only female in the practice that delivers babies. I wonder what she is like?

Another fabulous day

Today is another fabulous day at work. I have gotten calls and emails about the previous weeks problems at the office and other fabulous incidents have occurred that just irritate the stew out of me. And, all this after such a wonderful weekend, but I will get to that later. I have determined that the 2 current leaders of our group just don't have the fine appreciate for the use of email and how to 'harness its power' or actually use it to its full potential. Today I was forwarded an email from my boss to someone else thanking her for taking time to do something I DID! If he would just read the email he would see that I am organizing the 'event' and another co-worker sent a follow-up email because I had little to no response! URG! I guess that would explain why I have no response from him on whether or not he will be attending. Should I be a nice person and include him when I make the reservation, or should I just be the mean person I sometimes enjoy being and call him out and not include him in the reservation. Makes me glad to be going on a 'vacation' from this place sometime soon! That is probably the only thing that makes me want this baby to come soon! Then to top it all off, another co-worker looked at me today and said, looks like the baby is ready to come anytime. ARE YOU SAYING I AM FAT? Usually this stuff doesn't bother me, but today after the other crap I am dealing with and because of who said it I got offended. I mean really, I think I am carrying high, so the baby still has to drop, I think she is still rather high. But truly, when she comes she comes, don't try to elude that I have gained too much weight or whatever just to start a conversation. I looked around ay my childbirth classes this weekend, and I think I am still doing great weight wise, don't tell a weight-watchers lifetime member about weight, I obviously have had a problem with it in the past and I am rather sensitive about the issue.
But, this weekend we had a good weekend, I got to catch up with a girlfriend in town while wandering around downtown picking up free flowers, window shopping and eating yummy Indian food. I especially enjoyed dinner, we had a real chance to chat and the husband doesn't like Indian food...double bonus! We finished the childbirth and labor class; started the 'Where's the Instruction Manual?' class. We installed our new lights in the bathrooms and downstairs. We no longer have to be embarrassed about the 1990's outside style halogen lights downstairs and we picked out/ordered more new lights for the foyer stairs and hallways. YEAH! Hopefully we can get those installed this weekend. Goodbye gold 80s/90s light fixtures, hello soon to be out of date brushed nickel light fixtures! But, at least we like them! It is so nice to actually be able to see in our bathroom, the light in their before, only 1 side worked it was rusting and only a 40W bulb. Now we have 3 working 60W bulbs, it is like looking into the sun. Who needs coffee?

Now would be a good time to take up drinking...

if I didn't have a baby in my belly! I tell you I am at my wits end about this project I am working on. How come whenever I do the procedure everything looks peachy keen, but when I try to transfer it to someone else it looks like poop! WHY DON'T YOU KNOW HOW TO DO PCR? I took several days to talk to you about it, gave you a detailed procedure and followed you like a puppy dog while you followed the procedure. Why won't it work? Why can't I come up with a solution? I have heard that some people either like to cook or bake. I have never understood that because I can and I like to do both. It doesn't make any sense to me, many of the things in science are like cooking/baking. If you follow the directions to the letter they work. Sometimes you can make little adjustments along the way and things work out better. I always follow the directions the first time you try something the first time exactly as it is written, the second if you see fit is when you should make adjustments.

• I am not sure if the person I am working with just can't do PCR, I have heard there are people who can't
• I am not sure if she is not listening to me, I can not be a fly on the wall
• I am not sure if someone else who doesn't know jack about PCR is influencing her,

I suspect it is a combination of the 3. What am I supposed to do, my trainee is on vacation next week, this project is supposed to launched the week after that and if I can't get her to consistentally do this, then what can I do? AHHHHH! I think my only option is to go home and drink, but sadly it isn't an option I can actually follow through with, so what is left for me to do?

Weekend

With only a couple months left to go until the baby is born, life has become pretty hectic. We had our first of two childbirth classes that really go through the nitty gritty of what I will be going through as I deliver this baby. The husband is stoked; he KNOWS I can do it. We just have to keep that positive energy up until the baby arrives. The teacher also told us to practice breathing holding ice cubes in our hands. The husband made me hold said ice cubes in hands last night while he watched the clock for 30 sec. He also held the ice cubes. I have to say, that was a lot harder than I expected, I guess next time I will have to try the breathing thing while holding the ice cubes. They also showed us the dreaded video of childbirth and some of the medical equipment used for intervention. I am not real thrilled with the prospect of a needle being stuck in my back while I am having contractions and being told not to move! Must of been a man who came up with that idea. We had previously taken the how to tolerate the pain childbirth class, and I realize that no matter what, there will be pain, I will have to be calm/have no fear if I want to have as little pain as possible. But, this is an unknown for us, we have never had children, so I don't know what it will feel like, how long it will take, etc. AH! The unknown!
This weekend will be the final childbirth class and the first of the 'Where's the Instruction Manual' class. We might also be doing more lighting projects around the house. Technically, we have 5 more weeks until the baby is considered full term, my due date is 8 weeks away. But when will the baby come? Probably on our wedding anniversary, just so I can always remember how we spent our 3rd anniversary! It is probably time to put the car seat in the car and pack the bag. I have already done all the washing of the baby stuff. The car seat and packing the bag, might make this more real than I am ready for yet. But, it must be done, because I don't think while having contractions is the best time to be running around looking for stuff to complete the bag!

Stolen computer

So, now I have a computer, it is a little bizarre. This is a loaner computer, but I will probably have this loaner computer for the rest of my life here at work. You never realize how you much you rely on something until it is gone. There are many things about my work computer I have taken for granted. Many things I have lost because they were saved to my hard drive. And no I did not back the stuff up on a server; I guess I never thought my work stuff was that important that it needed to be backed up. But, I will survive and soon everyone will forget, except for maybe IT and work life will continue to progress as usual, whatever that is.

Email test

This is my test to see if I can email in my posts. Today has started off as a very interesting day. I came into work this morning to find that my laptop has walked off my desk. Now, this is very bizarre, because I was unaware that my laptop could actually walk! At first it was like a bizarre dream, like someone had 'borrowed' it or stuffed it in a drawer, but now it appears that this is not the case and incidient reports need to be filed, etc. It is strange, I don't feel like I have been violated, but maybe that is because I don't really feel the laptop was mine, it was work property. It has started a whole hullabaloo about how safe a secure our building actually is, and has gotten people in a panic. I just want to know what I am supposed to do for the rest of the day. I can't sit in the lab and surf the internet. I guess I need to start working on the stuff I have been putting off for quite sometime, i.e. the preparing for maternity leave, get all your crap in order so someone can do what you did if necessary! UGH! What a way to start the week.