3 months ago

3 months ago, Clyde Stephen was born:

June 8, 2011
12:05 pm
9 lb, 4oz and 20.5 inches

...and he is the apple of my eye.

Stay tuned for more posts about my birth experience, and life since that fine day...

Blood loss

It's that time of year again, when mosquitoes get their daily feasting parties at my expense. It amazes me how much damage just a single mosquito can do. And also how a mosquito can distinguish the difference between me, and everyone else. While everyone else prances out of the woods without a bite, I emerge with dozens the size of apples, and the most miserable wretch.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Our large mango will be born in the year of the rabbit. According to the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco, "People born in the Year of the Rabbit are articulate, talented, and ambitious. They are virtuous, reserved, and have excellent taste. Rabbit people are admired, trusted, and are often financially lucky. They are fond of gossip but are tactful and generally kind. Rabbit people seldom lose their temper. They are clever at business and being conscientious, never back out of a contract. They would make good gamblers for they have the uncanny gift of choosing the right thing. However, they seldom gamble, as they are conservative and wise. They are most compatible with those born in the years of the Sheep, Pig, and Dog."

I don't really believe in the Chinese Zodiac business, but having been born in the year of the monkey, I have still yet to stop receiving monkey gifts in my lifetime. I have a feeling this child may be inundated with rabbit gifts from the Chinese side of its family. My brother was a rabbit year kid... and he had lots of rabbits.

There's also the Chinese gender prediction chart which claims that a baby's gender is determined by the month of conception (lunar calendar) and age of mother at conception (Chinese age). According to this, baby mango will be a girl.

[Weather update: 1-3 inches of snow expected across the Houston area tonight and tomorrow. Then back in the sunny mid 60's Saturday...]

Weather you like it or not

I guess I got a little too excited about last weekend's dream weather, because all of a sudden Texas is getting pounded by the cold. When I woke up this morning around 6:30am, it was windy and raining and I turned on the tv and saw that it was 70 degrees here and 30-something at the airport (30 miles north). Within a matter of minutes (according to the weatherman) the temperature dropped from 70 to the 40s and tonight it will be in the 20s with a chance of snow through Friday. Hello, Houston weather. You are strange. Please revert back to warm, sunny weather, because I do not like the cold bleakness one bit. It means that I cannot go outside without wearing a lot of clothes, and I prefer not to be weighed down by mounds of clothing. I'm already weighed down by a belly.

In other news, my belly button can still hold a few drops of water, in case you were wondering.

more random stuff

My belly button has 3 more days to invert. A month or so ago, Nate and I made our predictions about when the amazing inversion would occur. I guessed Jan 31. He guessed something like March... I can't remember.

One of our staff statisticians found out how far along I was and nearly fainted. She couldn't believe I wasn't further along than I am. "You're already so big!" She (very seriously) asked me if I thought I might gain 50 pounds before the baby is born. I had to laugh. Am I really that big? I don't think so, but apparently Nate has had similar thoughts.

So glad it's Friday! Wish I could spend it outdoors... it will be 71 degrees and sunny today! Thankful I'm not being blasted by winter storms :). And, it's Houston marathon weekend... Ryan Hall is in town (The Nate is very excited to see him run in the flesh).

Happy weekend, everyone!

News from the TMC

We've been swarmed the past week or so with news reporters and cameras. The AZ congresswoman is getting her rehab done here at the TIRR.

And I just happened to think this was super inspiring. I collaborate with several of the physicians in the video.

ok, I'm in a conference right now so I best skedaddle.

Burping Peaches, Wheel Bugs, and Bosom Babies

I was flying high up in the ceiling of a greenhouse where cardboard trays of peaches were labeled one by one with a "burp". As I hovered above the sweet smelling fruits, and read the labels, one by one they began to pop and explode... but not before letting out a loud and characteristic burp. Each one was different! Fascinating! (What kind of greenhouse is this, anyway?). As I landed on the ground, I began to explore the dirt-covered floor. It was moist with lots of tiny roots and sprouting green things all around. I felt an itching sensation in my left shirt sleeve and upon further and frenzied examination, discovered that it was a wheel bug. Ouch! I felt a pinch. It must have bitten me! I quickly shook out my sleeve and flailed my arm dramatically but then paused, realizing that I should not kill it. I had to save it, so that Nate could see it. He's never seen one before! But he must! ... I was brushing my teeth in the bathroom when my friend Carey showed up at the hotel room with her daughter. Lisa was there with her twin boys. I opened the bathroom door a crack to play peek-a-boo with Carey's daughter while I finished brushing my teeth (I paid no attention to Carey, after all, when we have kids, people will only care to see our kids, not us). When I was done, I came out and tried to get on the bed with the twins (who had morphed into tiny orange kittens), but Lisa shooed me away. I was not to waken them. Where is my black dress? I need it to go to the wedding. I can't find it. All I can find are pink and flowery summer dresses that are now too small for me. Well, I suppose this one will have to do. It's all I've got. I must have forgotten to bring my black dress. We're in the car on the way to the church and I'm wearing a pink dress that is far too tight. I look down at my chest and there is a tiny foot oozing out of one of my breasts. Oh my! Is it the baby's foot?? Upon closer inspection, I can see the head! Look, Nate! The baby's face! Oh, but I must cover it and shield it and protect it. Must go to ER. Quick! What should we do? Does this mean it's born? Can someone put it back in me? I'm not even 20 weeks yet!