Vivid, unpleasant dreams
Check! Although they haven't been as bad as my usual anxiety nightmares, just more life-like and frantic. I'm usually doing something that requires a tremendous amount of energy, like directing a high school musical. I wake up exhausted. This morning, though, I had an incredibly vivid dream that I was eating oatmeal. Then I woke up and ate some oatmeal for breakfast (and some for lunch, too.) What a helpful dream!
GERD
Heartburn, baby. Acid reflux-o-rama. Did you know that all good foods cause heartburn? Oatmeal seems to be a notable exception. Milk and chocolate are both on the list of foods to avoid, but for some reason chocolate milk seems to be all good for me and Scooter. Scooter also likes peanut butter cup blizzards, chocolate milkshakes, and cherry dipped vanilla softserve cones from Dairy Queen. Not all at once, though. We are trying to be healthy.
Irrational Fears
I've been really busy this week. That's the reason I'm giving for the fact that I went a whole day without noticing any Scooter movement. I'm sure the movement was there (in the days since, there has been tons of movement, including an adorable case of late night fetal hiccups after one of those trips to Dairy Queen.) I just didn't notice it, and then I noticed that I hadn't noticed it, and then I panicked a little. Sean was very calm and encouraging. He put his mouth right next to the belly and addressed the Scooter directly: "Walter! This is your daddy. Knock once if you can hear me!" We waited for about 30 seconds, and then there was one very distinct bop from inside the womb. The child is not even born yet and already the menfolk are in cahoots.
Anti-climactic revelation of baby's name
As noted above. =) We are quite excited to meet wee Walter and have started using his name with gleeful abandon. We've been duly warned by many experienced parents: sometimes the baby arrives and does not look at all like the name you've chosen. We think we're safe, though, because every baby, male and female, looks like a Walter (ie, like an old man.) We know it's not a particularly fashionable name, but we love it. He's named only partly after Mr. Whitman (he of our last pictoral clue) and really only tangentially after WALL-E (the lovable robot). Mostly he's named after Sean's grandpa, his mom's dad, who Sean never got to meet but who he's always loved. We're planning on calling him "Walt," aware that we may eventually be overruled by the child himself when it comes to nickname preferences (today, for example, we learned that Hank comes very quickly like a good boy when he hears the word, "Cake.")
Attempts to regain sense of drama with the baby's middle name
So, middle name clues! As Sean noted, it is another family name. Walt will also share this name with someone who shows up quite a lot in Christian iconography carrying a sword and showing off his receding hair line (he's depicted with a "high forehead" to indicate his great intelligence.) No pictures this time ... the last one I posted actually had the name written in the lower right hand corner, leading Sean to note that the two of us need an upgrade to our monitors or our glasses.
Amphibious characteristics
I have taken to the water. I spent my free time at Synod Assembly floating, treading, and jogging around the hotel pool. I've been to two water aerobics classes at the Y and am looking forward to more. This swimming thing seems to be nothing but good for me. I am less dangerously clumsy in the water (still clumsy, just not as dangerous.) I feel light. The water seems to take some pressure off my innards, leading to better digestion, and the chlorine seems to be clearing up my awful back acne. (I make pregnancy sound so glamorous and beautiful, don't I?) I've noticed that it seems to already be helping me get my strength and stamina back after those 3 months of near total immobility. Water is very, very good.
Even moar weeping
We went to a piano recital of two young members of the congregation last night. This was the greatest beginner recital I've ever been to--the kids were all so proud, so happy, so confident and just giddy with the chance to do something they clearly enjoyed. Of course I cried. You would too if you'd been there to hear Cooper's own arrangement of "Amazing Grace." We got a pamphlet for the program ... it's a music appreciation curriculum that starts with infants! We are so doing this. Also, Baby Swim.
Wonderful gifts
This doesn't really fit with the "terrifying pregnancy facts" theme, although it is related to the symptom described above. Also, I am a little terrified that I will be too paralyzed by guilt to sit down and write thank you notes, because I'm already so very far behind. There's my next vivid dream, I predict. But oh, the wonderful gifts! There were ladybug cards from Nancy and booties from the Andersons (who have also lent us the most gorgeous crib you've ever seen. Their youngest son recommends we rock it by attaching a string to the crib and the other end of the string to my big toe.) There was the blanket from Audrey you heard about before, and a classic text on "Expectant Motherhood" from Shannon (along with a note which I will always treasure.) My parents sent us Bunnicula II--descended from the noble line of Bunnicula, my all-time favorite stuffed animal and vampire bunny series protagonist. I got a book on child rearing from my confirmation co-teacher and an adorable bunny figurine from a member of the women's study group. And today ... today a box arrived from Texas.
The box came from Arwen. Like the box from Audrey, you could tell right away that it was good because it was covered with stickers. Inside was something truly wonderful indeed.
Arwen remembered that fraggles played a significant role in the early wooing days of Scooter's parents, and she remembered fondly the enthusiasm she and I shared for Fraggle Rock during our time as teachers together. When we started this blog four years ago, Arwen decided to make us (and Baby Edison-Albright) a fraggle. We've named him Groovy Fraggle and we LOVE him. But there's more! Other handmade items in the box: a doozer (we named him Biscuit,) a radish, a cupcake, and a hat for Sean to wear for comedic effect in the delivery room (you can see the hat in the picture, too.)
Little Walt, you are so loved by so many amazing people. Friends and family from all over have been preparing for years for your arrival. If you feel the love, knock once. [Bop!]
2 comments:
Re: MusikGarten
The pamphlet states the introductory program is from birth to 3½. I had to wonder how they convince the doctors to let them bring the piano into the delivery room.
More on the topic of MusikGarten: Hank just found and brought us the pamphlet, looking hopeful. He would like to go to MusikGarten too, we think.
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