Well, Brandon has reminded me time and time again that I need to update the blog, and every time I tell him, “I’ll do it when I get home,” but find that by the time I get home, I’m exhausted, preoccupied and feeling the need to do something to fix the mess of a house we’re living in this year. So, feeling like I have a moment to breath, I’m going to put up a post, following the hubby’s, so I can share a little, too, and answer some questions that a few friends/family members have been curious about over the last few weeks.
First: baby talk. Above is a side shot taken at 19 weeks. I'm still wearing all of my normal clothes but thankful for my gray dress pants that have a higher-sitting button and hug my belly a little. :) In September, I had an appointment in Anchorage with Dr. Ha. At the time, we were a blossoming 17 weeks with a nice, strong heartbeat of 143 beats per minute for Baby Good. (S)he earned the nickname “Wiggleworm” from the nurse, as the little one kept squirming as they looked for the heartbeat. I’ve been feeling pretty well lately, with fewer aversions than what I was experiencing a few weeks ago. I still can’t stomach bacon or tacos, as Brandon previously stated in his post, and for some silly reason, I look forward to almost everything they serve for school lunch. The lunch ladies have been sweethearts, making sure that mama’s getting plenty of good food to feed baby. My students are finding it entertaining to pat and talk to my growing belly, although I don’t know that it’s grown THAT much. I think they’re giving baby WAYYY more credit than its due for the pouch I’m carrying. Part of me wants to remind them that I had a belly before the baby, but then again, I kind of enjoy using it to my advantage that very few of the little ones knew me well enough last year to know just how chubby I was before this little peanut took over my body!
Brandon and I are getting antsy to know what we’re having, as we get closer and closer to February. We still have a long way to go, and are starting to realize just how little there is for “neutral” colored and themed baby outfits. Right now, we’re still planning on saving Baby Good’s sex for a surprise when we deliver, but ya just never know what we’ll do when we get into Anchorage in November for our next appointment. I have a glucose test scheduled for the day before Thanksgiving, and they’re hoping to get a good ultrasound in either the Wednesday before or Friday after, so that they can check to make sure there are 10 fingers, toes, and all the rest of those expected parts, before I’m so far along that they can’t move baby around to see. Brandon will come in for that appointment with me.
Nurseries and registries: I’m determined to find fabric and make our own curtains and possibly some sheets for the bassinet that we’ll be using from February to May, but that motivation might dissipate if I start to remember the trials I had with the curtain mom and I made. I don’t have mom to run to now that we’re 3,000 miles away if I find myself in a jam. I have to say, though, that I’ve become really good at rethreading my bobbin and figuring out tension settings so I’m not breaking and replacing the thread every time I finish a sweeping pass. As you can see (below) I keep things pretty simple when it comes to sewing. The “curtains” I made for our front and back door were pretty elementary, only because they didn’t have to be anything but that: elementary. They serve one function, and the fact that they don’t look too shabby either, is just a bonus.
As for registries, I’ve had quite a few people ask for baby shower ideas or registry links so that even if we can’t have a shower before the baby is born, people can feel like they’ve helped us prepare and celebrate in some fashion. While we appreciate everyone’s support and enthusiasm as we prepare for #1, we also have a somewhat harsh reality to deal with in the sense that everything is extremely pricey to ship this far, and our space is quite limited, especially when considering the fact that we may not be out here forever and would need to either sell, give away or haul everything back to the lower 48 with us. And because infants outgrow so many things (clothes, toys, books, etc.) so quickly, we’re really trying to limit what we encourage all of our generous and thoughtful family members and friends in buying. The very last thing we want to do is hurt feelings or discourage anyone from sending something meaningful and sentimental that our little one can carry as they grow, thinking of those that sent it. But we also want to make it very clear that we don’t expect and definitely don’t want anyone to feel obligated to go out of their way to send something or set up a shower of any sort while we’re out here. Your kind words and constant check-ups on us relay to us how much you love and care about us, and that’s all we need to get us through until May.
In preparation of the little one, Brandon and I are focusing on a few major areas: lodging and transportation for our month-long stay in Anchorage when we deliver; diapers and wipes; onesies; bottles; and blankets. My sister is sending us a pump, my parents have our changing table, crib and bassinet, and we’ll probably buy a set of monitors for when Brandon’s working and the baby’s sleeping. Everything else, we plan to purchase once we’re back in the lower 48 and have a better idea of what this little one will need. Again, thanks for the questions and concerns over Baby Good. We’re very excited, and are getting more excited by the day as (s)he continues to grow.
Completely switching subjects, my principal was in Anchorage over the weekend, and brought back 52 pounds of muktuk, (whale blubber) which is a delicacy out here. Brandon and I were offered a nice chunk of it, but I gratefully declined it, knowing that we probably, especially in my state, wouldn’t appreciate it as much as some of the others here would. Sophie, one of the cooks, was telling me that it’d be great nourishment for my baby, as Brett, my principal, was telling me my child would come out with two heads and six legs if I ate it while I was pregnant. Sophie told me to pay him no mind, and that he obviously didn’t know what he was talking about; that clearly he never got to know his people in Barrow if he thought babies came out with extra heads over muktuk. We all got a good kick out of it, but I’m taking a rain check on trying it until my taste buds and gag reflex are functioning normally again.
After a short walk to the P-Store and the pose office today, I came home just in time to answer the door for Kyle, one of my coworkers and a friend of Brandon’s. Apparently, there have been whale sightings on the Nushagak, and Kyle, Jon, Mickia and Brandon are going to go see if they can find them tomorrow. It’ll be a chilly one, but what an opportunity, huh? I’m a little jealous, as I haven’t had the opportunity to see a whale with the exception of a time I saw one on a plane ride back in August over by Iliamna. Don’t get me wrong, it was an amazing sighting, but there’s something about a boat ride on the Nush, and being literally within yards of the majestic creatures that gets my adrenaline going. I hope Brandon remembers the camera!
School is going really well for me. While I haven’t made teacher of the year or earned a “Bad Teacher” rep quite yet, I have been told that I am Jason’s “third favorite teacher” after Carissa (in first) and Lida (in second). I don’t mind a bronze medal from the kid, especially knowing and hearing of how amazing the other two contenders are. I feel like I’m doing the job I’ve been trained for, and while my students give me a run for my money on a daily basis, to the point where I literally have nightmares about losing control of my classroom, I can’t imagine doing anything else. That’s a far cry from how I’ve felt at points in previous years teaching, so I’m thankful to be where I am, doing what I’m doing.
My optimism is alive and kicking, and I definitely haven’t lost the spunk, passion, drive, etc., (whatever you want to call it) to continue clarifying and strengthening my role as a teacher in one heck of a district. We have our challenges every day, but I feel like our staff is strong and unified, despite the transitions we’ve experienced with administrative and curricular changes. I’m very excited, and a little nervous to see how we do this year.
Anyway, what was meant to be a short post has once again turned into a novel. But let’s be realistic, none of us are surprised. I hope everyone is having a pleasant and safe fall! I’m sure the bluffs are gorgeous in the tri-state, so those of you with access, take advantage of the views! We have our fair share here, too, but there’s nothing like October in the Midwest!
Love to everyone! Keep the emails and posts coming! We look forward to every form of communication we get!
Brie
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