I believe you have my stapler

Thursday, April 27, 2006
It happened again.

So I received an email about 2 weeks ago letting me know that there were going to be some major rearrangements going on around the 5th floor, and lucky me, I was going to be part of the fun. No biggie - I've gotten used to not getting too attached to whatever desk I'm working at for the time being. My official "move date" was to be tomorrow, Friday, but oops, I don't work on Fridays. hee hee :) So I planned to have my whole, whopping, 1 box-full of stuff packed and moved by the end of today. Which I did. I was happily cleaning and rearranging my new desk, and unpacking my Dilbert calendar and sparkly pencils when the supervisor of the area I'm currently assisting walks by. We make some polite conversation, she leaves and I go about my business. She returns a few minutes later and looks a bit puzzled. Then she asks, "weren't you supposed to be moving into so-and-so's old desk?"

"Huh?" I replied.

"Uh, yeah," she says, "I think you're supposed to be over there because... blah blah blah..." I'll save you the boring explanation. Basically - it comes down to this - the department responsible for associate moves and changes was supposed to email me during the last 2 weeks since I received the first email about the move and let me know that my new location had changed.

Yeah. I never got that email.

My only response was "you've got to be kidding me."

This will be my 5th move since I started in this department in January. At least I'm moving closer to the department I'm working with, or I'd really be getting suspicious! I'm so paranoid now that I didn't even bother to unpack my box before I left today. I'll believe that's the desk I'm supposed to be at when I go in on Monday and my stuff is still there! Yes - I am thinking of changing my middle name to Milton. I'd give you my new extension, but I can't remember it. *sigh*

Getting a leg up

Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Josephine's time lately is mostly spent seeing what she is able to climb on. The objects she's attempting to climb now include, but are not limited to - the coffee table, couch, crib railing, kitchen chairs, footstool and dog. She assesses everything in her path for climbing suitability, then tries to throw her leg over it. She spent about 15 minutes this morning grunting and struggling to climb on one of the little chairs that goes with her kid-sized table. Although she never quite succeeded, I'm sure we'll be giving it another try tonight. She's a tenacious little bugger.

Oh - and she's entered a new stage of independence as she no longer wants us to hold her hand when we walk the sidewalk to Daycare Betty's house. This allows for maximum mobility as we pass by the front steps at Betty's that are, of course, perfect to climb on. I knew toddlers liked to climb and explore, but didn't know that is ALL she would want to do!

There's something just not quite right...

Monday, April 24, 2006
... about driving around Winona in a minivan. The big weekend has come and gone. We attended the 15 year anniversary celebration for Patrick's fraternity on Saturday night in Winona. Driving into the town with so many college memories (some crystal clear and some a bit fuzzy!) was strange - considering I haven't been back there in about 3 years, and driving back in a minivan made it even more strange! It was great to see the town again, to see the new stores and improvements made, to drive by campus and to have lunch at Bub's again. They have the BEST deep-fried cellar mushrooms you have ever tasted - yum! It was fun to catch up with people we haven't seen in years and to find out who has kids and who's getting or has already gotten married and divorced. I have to say it did feel a bit strange to be near the fraternity house with a baby bump... I couldn't quite bring myself to go in. It would be a little like taking a baby into a bar. Just not right.

A big thanks to my mom for watching Josie overnight on Saturday night. It was the cutest thing ever to drive back into the yard on Sunday and see mom pulling Josie along in the garden wagon, with Brewster not far behind, of course! Everyone survived - mostly unscathed. :)

Hey - if anyone has any pull in the building of cell towers - put in a good word for the community of Winona, would ya? It's like being in a black hole - can't get a cell phone signal in that place for nothin'!

Out of Commission

Thursday, April 20, 2006
So the past 2 days have been a giant, sleeping blur for me. I came down with a nasty cold (thanks Miss Josie for bringing that one home from daycare!) and perhaps a bit of seasonal allergies on top of it. Big bummer not really being able to take anything for it. And Tylenol is for the birds. I suppose the anemia jazz didn't help with the run-down feeling, either... and I slept, and slept, and slept some more. I'm feeling back amongst the living, but still not quite 100%. But much better.

Otherwise, not much new going on. Heading out of town this weekend to my mom's, then Pat and I are off to Winona on Saturday for a fraternity anniversary thing while Josie-bean babysits Mom and Erwin. Someone's got to keep an eye on those two. Should be fun!

25 weeks today - and baby is kicking like a champ. Except now she's decided she should stay up at night and exercise instead of doing it during the much more acceptable afternoon hours. Oh, well. Gotta get used to not sleeping again, sometime!

Hey - Josie turned 15 months yesterday. Wasn't she just born??

Week 24 Update

Thursday, April 13, 2006
24 weeks and all is well.

Weight: Up 3 lbs. from last visit 1 month ago.
Height: Oh, yeah. They don't check this.
BP: 124 / 78. Not too shabby.
Belly measurement: 24 cm. Right on.
Baby heartbeat: 150 bpm. Exactly the same every time. This kid's consistent.

Had the big, bad glucose screening this time. And passed. Whew. Less than 140 is good - and I was a 126. Yeehaw. I was nervous. Really didn't want to go back for that 3 hour torture test.

My hemoglobin was a 9.9. I have no idea what that means - except that it's low. Supposed to be a 12 or something like that. Gotta go do some research on that one. ***Did research. Ah ha. Possibly anemia... I should have known that one. I'm tellin' ya - pregnancy stupids. I'm sure my clinic will be giving me a call to talk about that. The low hemoglobin, not the stupids.***

Oh - and I have a "tall" uterus. I didn't know this was possible. Normally at this stage, the fundus (that's the top of the uterus, for you laypeople) is about an inch above the belly button. Well, I guess mine is a couple inches above that. Perhaps something to do with baby being breech? I dunno. But that does explain why I'm popping out up higher than I thought I should be at this point. (I'll get a picture taken... really, I will. I only think of it when Pat is gone... sorry!)

Doc Ro' said that he took a look at my u/s pix from last week - and everything appears to be just dandy. No concerns that he could see with baby's kidneys. Thank goodness.

Can someone please tell my why my darn tailbone hurts so doggone bad?? Man. I sit for more than a few minutes in one position and it feels like the sucker's going to poke right on out of there. No fun. That's it. No more gripin'.

Baby is kicking like an all-star. Josie did, too... and she hasn't stopped ever since. She has to either step on or kick everything in her path... including our cat, Baxter, much to his displeasure.

Good night - gotta go watch CSI!

You have to be smarter than the window

Tuesday, April 11, 2006
I just mentioned to Meg that I've had a pretty bad case of pregnancy stupids lately. That brought to mind the following example of such stupidity. Which, normally, one probably wouldn't want to share, but what the hey. We're all friends, here, right?!

Although... now that I think about it, Pat did the same thing, so I'm not sure what his excuse is. Except for having to put up with a wife with pregnancy stupids, which is plenty of excuse in and of itself.

So after we bought the minivan, Pat decided to take it to a full service car wash and have it fully cleaned and detailed. (Not that you can even tell anymore, but at least now I know the dirt on the floor is mine and not some strangers.) It was sparkling quite lovely, and the friendly people at the Downtowner ever so kindly cracked open the one of the third row rear windows (which is the type of window that ever-so-slightly opens outward from the vehicle) for us since you're supposed to leave a window open a tad for the first 24 or 48 hours or something after having the carpets cleaned.

The only problem was a torrential downpour which was going to happen within the aforementioned 24 or 48 hour timeframe.

Now Patrick and I, having never owned a fancy-schmancy minivan before, were having a lot of trouble getting that back window closed again. (You can probably see where this is going, right??) Pat tried and tried one morning in the parking lot before work, and just couldn't quite get the window closed. I tried and tried one evening while waiting to pick Pat up from work, and just couldn't quite get that window closed. That darn window latch was stuck open. In the process of yanking excessively on the window dealy, we got this greasy junk on our hands and proclaimed ever-so-wisely to each other that the window must never have been opened before.

Yes- that was it, we were not inept, it was merely stuck open due to lack of use.

Well, about a week ago, we had a gloriously warm, beautiful day. A day beautiful enough to have the windows open while driving around. I did exactly this while on my way to pick up Pat from work. While waiting for him, and adjusting the driver and passenger windows to allow for optimum air circulation without massive wind gusts which blow my hair all over the place and make me quite cranky, I noticed just below the driver and passenger window controls two more window control buttons.

"Well, isn't that strange?" I thought to myself. "Why would there be a second set of controls when minivans have sliding passenger doors that don't have power windows?"

So I pushed one of the controls, and heard this strange whirring sound and looked around, quite puzzled. I pushed it again, and still couldn't figure out where this sound was coming from. Hmm. Maybe they're just there and not connected to anything. I was in the process of pushing the other unexplained window control button when I caught a glimpse of something moving in the side mirror.

AH-frickin'-HAH. As I was pushing the mysterious buttons, the third row rear windows were opening and closing, just like they are supposed to - WITH THE POWER CONTROLS.

Wow. I got quite a kick out of showing Pat this fancy new trick when he got to the van. What will they think of next :)

More Josephine Pictures

Monday, April 10, 2006


We are SO lucky.

Overall, Josie is such a good girl. We dragged her all over the place over the weekend running various errands, getting her picture taken at Penney's, picking out new rollerblades for Pat, meeting friends for lunch... and she didn't complain at all. Granted, she is finding new ways to test us - rubbing food all over her head, dropping food on the floor (on purpose, all the while looking at us to see our reaction,) and throwing her leg repeatedly over the side of her wagon while on a walk after I freaked out that she was going to fall out. I know this is just the beginning, and I know that it's all in exploration of the cause - effect relationship to see what our, well, mainly MY, reaction will be. So I'm getting good, okay - better, at withholding my freaking- out response and trying not to give a reaction at all since that's all she's looking for. She's a stinker, but such a good-natured stinker :)

And yes... Peg and Becky... we will get a picture of my belly up here for you soon, I promise!

The Tree Man Cometh...

Friday, April 07, 2006
And the tree stays. For now. Pat called a tree service and had them come out and give us an estimate on taking down the birch. Can you say "holy moly!?"

After talking with the Tree Man, he said that he didn't think it was in that bad of shape. Yeah, it isn't as alive and vibrant as it could be, but give it a little pruning and should be okay. For now. He assured us that in his opinion, it's not going to fall on Old Crusty's house. We're in more danger of losing a limb or something in a big storm, which could cause damage, but doesn't pretty much anyone anywhere anytime have this danger if you have tree anywhere near your home? Sure, the nice, neighborly thing to do would be to pay the money to have it taken down, since the sum we'd pay is pretty much the same as the deductible we'd have to pay if it fell on Crusty's house. But you know what? I'm not feeling all that nice. Or neighborly. Toward her, at least.

Changing the subject, I uttered a phrase the other night I didn't think I'd ever say. "Honey, don't shove that broccoli up your nose." Josie has discovered her nostrils, and boy, are they are fascinating. The PERFECT size for little fingers and other objects. Geesh. Thought I had a while before needing to worry about nose-picking becoming an issue.

Changing subject again, we had our follow-up ultrasound yesterday afternoon. All is well. The tech said she didn't see anything that looked like cause for concern regarding baby's kidneys, but of course, the u/s pix will be forwarded to my doc to take a look at. I see him next Thursday so will have more info then. Oh - and no boy parts have appeared in the last month, so we're still going with girl gusto for the time being. Baby is breech right now, but has tons of time to head south for the winter. Or summer, in this case. Based on baby's size, the "guess date" is off by a day, but no biggie.

We took Jo for her first wagon ride today. A bit on the windy side, but she LOVED it nonetheless. I have a feeling we're going to be logging a lot of miles in ye ole wagon this summer.

More pictures to come soon. But maybe not this weekend - it took 6 minutes to upload this one picture on dial-up. Ugh.

Exercise your right...

Wednesday, April 05, 2006
... to help name our baby. There are new girl names to vote on. And you can now vote for more than one choice, if you wish. I thought this might be necessary since the list is getting longer instead of shorter. Ugh.

Again, we're still open to suggestions. But don't bother suggesting Sierra Misty, because Pat's brother already did - and I had to shoot him down. Sorry. But if you're pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, please, feel free to use it. ;)

And let me explain my reasoning behind Eleanor. I think it's kinda classy - and before you say "wait a minute... Ellie Daly, I don't think so!," it wouldn't have to be Ellie for short, it could be just Elle. Which isn't so bad. Or Nora - which, yes, Pat doesn't like, so my chances of winning on this name are slim to none. But I still like it. So there.

Anyone know a good lawyer?

Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Because apparently our next door neighbor is going to sue us.

If the tree in our front yard falls on her house.

Here's the deal. We have a grouping of three birch trees in our front yard. Now - our house is "cozy" to put it nicely and there are a lot of improvements that an improvement-minded couple could undertake - but those birch trees and the size of the kitchen and the fireplace are what sold me on the house. I don't claim to be a... well... whomever it would be that would know a lot about trees, so I don't know, maybe the tree is dying. But is it going to fall over today? No. Tomorrow? No. Next month? Probably not.

Let's back up. Old Crusty, as we'll call our evil neighbor, first approached Pat last summer. They were having a conversation about whatever, and Pat mentioned that we needed to take out the row of poorly-maintained shrubs that separates our yard from Old Crusty's. And she agreed that would be great- they were unsightly and we hadn't touched them since we bought the place in 2001. I know we are not the most desirable of neighbors from time to time, our lawn tends to be a tad underwatered, undermowed and undertended in general. And we have a big dog. Who leaves big poops. But damn it, yardwork just isn't our bag, baby. And we live next to ALL RETIRED PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOTHING TO DO ALL DAY BUT WORK ON THEIR YARDS. So that makes us look even worse. Anyway - back to the story. So then a while later OC comes a-knockin' on our front door. I answered. She hands me a card for a tree removal guy and says that she just used him for a tree in her backyard and he was reasonable and we should use him for the birch because he said it was dying and she'd hate to have to sue us if it fell on her house. *crickets chirping* I wasn't sure what to say to that. So I just said "yes, Old Crusty, that would be too bad, wouldn't it?" And closed the door. ???!?! What the hell?

Fast forward to last Friday. I got the mail and noticed an envelope hiding at the bottom of the closet under one of Pat's shoes. I'm not sure how long it had been there, could have been there a while or could have been left that day. (Let me explain our mailslot... it goes from the outside of the house directly into our front closet. It requires acrobatics to make sure you retrieved all of the mail. Big fat pain in my big fat butt.) The thin envelope was simply addressed to "Pat" and contained one sheet of lined paper. This is what it said:

Pat,
Please take down that tree in the front yard. If it would come down on my house I'd have to sue you. It would be better to pay for the tree removal then damage to my home.
Old Crusty

I'm not *always* a completely unreasonable person. It would be unfortunate to have a tree come down on her house. I'm not begrudging her that fact. But what the hell is up with this suing us business?? That's the second threat we've gotten and if she thinks she's scaring us, she's sorrily mistaken. If anything her scare tactic is completely backfiring and we're going to leave the damn tree there just out of spite. AND if anything else, the part of the tree that leans the most toward OUR house may be the most damaged. I don't know, I guess we just need someone to come out and look at it, but I don't want to give OC the satisfaction of thinking that her harassment has worked. Ugh. I'm so incredible peeved. And sad - I really like that tree. Yes, it's a birch and it drops a bunch of twigs as birches tend to do, but it's pretty and I like it and I'm sad that we didn't water it as much as we should have a couple of summers ago when it was ungodly hot and we should have known better and watered more. I know it means a lot to get along with your neighbors, but I don't think I'm being unreasonable in being very annoyed at her threats. She never even asked us reasonably about the tree. So I let off some steam by writing her some nasty letters back - which I threw away, of course, and good thing since the nicest of them told her that she was old and so was the tree so we were just going to let nature take it's course with both of them - and now I guess we just sit and wait. And see which way the tree falls. So if you know a good lawyer, let us know, just in case the wind isn't blowing in our direction that day.

Alright, so maybe we'll give in and have the blasted tree removed... but we're sure as heck going to let her sit there and stew about it for a good while first. Oh yeah - stew away Old Crusty One, stew away.

The case of the missing sock

Monday, April 03, 2006
If anyone is mysteriously missing a sock - let me know - my dog probably ate it. So I walk into Josie's room on Friday afternoon to get her up from her nap, and Brewster, as always, joins me. She had taken off one of her socks, so I pick it up and am messing around with the dog, hitting him in the head and face with it while he opens up his mouth and tries to get it. This always gets a laugh out of Jos. Well, I stop for a second, Brewster grabs the sock and takes off across the room with it, and it's gone. I bolt after him and open up his mouth - and it was truly gone. He ate her sock. No report yet on whether a bright pink sock has shown up in our yard. Gross.

If you're up for a little Lawrence Welk sometime, stop on by. That is Josie's new favorite show. No Dora or Dragon Tales for my little girl. We like the classics. She had the remote on Saturday and was flipping through stations (one of her favorite things to do) when all of the sudden she stops at Larry, puts the remote down and smiles the biggest smile and starts dancing away! She didn't quite understand that if she continued to flip stations, she'd lose the tunes and would get very mad until we put it back on the station with the delightful polka melodies. She has turned into a music fiend lately and definitely has an affinity for classic rock over any of her "educational" music CDs.

Everything else is going just fine - I'm feeling good in my 22nd week. I have my follow-up ultrasound this Thursday. Feelin' a little groggy this morning due to the time change, but am sure looking forward to more daylight in the evening. BUT we do have to get darkening shades for Josie's room. Nighttime could be a battle until we do.