Baby Anderson: The Journey

On October 5, 2006, God gave us the biggest blessing we could imagine: our daughter Liliana. So here is a place for our friends and family to keep up with her as she grows.

Thursday, September 28, 2006

It's Today!

...except not. We had a doctor's appointment first thing this morning and nothing is happening. In fact, I'm at the same place I was on Friday. So, we are set to be induced a week from today, October 5th. I was really hesitant about it because I really wanted to go into labor naturally, but the doctor said going much longer than that can be hard on the baby. I feel somewhat like I'm giving up and taking the cheaters way out by not going the distance and letting it happen naturally. I really hope it happens on its own before the induction date. I guess Liliana is just too comfy to be bothered with something as trivial as being born.

Now, when people aren't asking if I'm in labor, they are giving me advice as to ways to speed up labor. The big one is "Take a Walk--get up and move." Ummm...I am currently working 10 hour days, most of them up on my feet. I walk all over campus, should I enroll in a marathon? Another of my favorites is castor oil. As far as I can tell there is no connection between ingesting nasty castor oil and labor. I do, however, see a connection between that and me being deathly ill with a whole new set of issues. Nasty. I've got enough problems, thank you very much.

So everyone send me natural labor vibes and pray we have our little girl before this time next week.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Nursery Pictures, part two

No, still no baby.

Here are some more nursery shots. This is the top drawer of the dresser: tiny socks, bibs, shoes, burp clothes and knickers (they all came with outfits from England, so that's what I like to call them).


Drawer number two filled with blankets from friends and family.

The bottom drawer at the moment has seasonal stuff and hats.

This is the top row of her closet: 0-3 months through 6-9 month sizes.

The butterfly puppet Godmother Marty sent her from New York.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

A Room for Baby

I was able to take some pictures of the nursery. The blog will only let me post 5 at a time, so here is the first set.

Here is the crib and bedding. Mom made the quilt, sheet, and bedskirt. I painted the letters and the Paddington painting in corner was painted for Staylee by his Granny Annie and is on loan to Liliana.

The window shade and valance Mom made. It's hard to see, but the valance has tiny frogs on it.

The wreath on the nursery door.

Grandma's rocker, and the memo board and lamp I made.

The dresser/ hutch with changing stuff.

Monday, September 25, 2006

Is it time yet? Part Two

Nope, no baby. So all you folks calling and stopping by looking disappointed that I was at work today—suck it up. Babies come in their own time. Hounding Staylee and I will not make the baby come any faster. It will just serve to irritate me even more than the snowstorm of work that has hit my office has irritated me.

People keep giving me crap jobs to do that they think are the most important possible thing I could have to do. Then they get upset when I explain the first come, first serve policy. But I want an Umpa-Loompa NOW, Daddy! says they. Can it you nit! says I. I promise, the world will not go careening off into oblivion if you don’t have your copies RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND.

At the doctor on Friday there was really nothing going on. No real dilation or engagement. I go back on my due date and if nothing has happened by then, we’ll induce around October 5th. So there all you need-to-knowers, there is a date you can mark on your calendar.

I survived my very uncomfortable trip to Alpine this past weekend, even though I really didn’t want to go. I have decided transcendentalists needed to shut up and stop trying to transcend their own existence and start trying to transcend their very dull habit of talking a point to death. That means you Thoreau and Emerson. And Fuller, don’t think you’re off the hook just because you’re a woman—you’re just as guilty as the other two. Unfortunately, my professor has a long standing love affair with good old Henry David, so I keep my eye rolling and less than flattering opinions to myself.

Monday, September 18, 2006

Is it time?

This question has been echoing through my office nonstop. People are calling us wanting to know if it’s time yet. So here is my answer to all of that—NO, it is not that time. We saw Dr. Locke on Friday and after an exam he told us that nothing is happening. I’m not dilated, I’m not engaged—nothing. The baby is still a ways off. And while this may not be the news the antsy people want, it’s good for us. We still have to finish cleaning our house and I have several big projects at work that I would like to complete before leaving.

This weekend I have class in Alpine again and even thought I really don’t want to go, if there’s nothing going on with the baby still, Mom and I are off to the Big Bend. I have to say I am not looking forward to another weekend of tedious Thoreau chat with the trite, annoying people in my class. Sigh. Now, I know Dr. Locke would probably tell me not to go, but lots of people come up from Alpine to have their babies in Midland. The key is we are not going to ask him. Then he can’t say no and we aren’t going against doctor’s orders. However, if there are any signs of change, I’ve already turned in my work for this weekend and I would be more than happy to stay put.

Friday the girls in my division (and my mom) threw me a surprise shower (although I already sort of knew about it). People were very generous and we got a lot of cute gifts, as well as a gift card and money tree. With the gift card we were able to buy our high chair, a gate for the stairs, a diaper pail, the Boppy feeding pillow I wanted, and several childproofing things (plus we got a free umbrella stroller with our purchase!). I felt weird spending so much money at once, but it was stuff we needed.

I am happy to report that it is a beautiful fall day in West Texas: it’s breezy and cool without being windy and overcast. The temperature is perfect. Finally.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

That's Perfectly Normal

Pregnancy is just weird. There is no way around it. Strange things happen that your doctor can only explain with, “That’s perfectly normal.” I have said on more than one occasion I think I could tell Dr. Locke my head’s come off and he would reply, “That’s perfectly normal.”

Some of the things I’ve experienced I have found to be typical in other preggers. However, here are a few “quirks” that seem to be more specialized to me.

Nose bleeds—When I was little I used to get them all the time, but I hadn’t had them in years. And then one morning a few weeks ago, BAM, blood gusher. I’ve had about three now and they are like May Florida rainstorms: they go as quickly as they came.

Carpel Tunnel—Or at least that’s what my doctor says it is. My hands hurt like crazy, especially at night. What’s really weird is that my ring finger on my left hand gets these excruciating cramps in the top joint that wake me up at night.

Bad Vision—So my distance vision has been a little blurry for most of my adult life. Since becoming pregnant, I swear it has gotten worse. My glasses, once reserved for movies and night driving, are a must have for shopping or anything with florescent lights. I remember just walking into Wal-Mart one day and not being able to see anything on the shelves. I decided to put off getting new glasses, because what if my eyes go back to normal after the baby is born.

In other news, well...there really isn’t any BIG news. The baby hasn’t dropped (although she may not until I’m in labor—that’s perfectly normal) and I’m not having contractions. Certainly, there is the random shooting pain, but they are isolated and never more than one. I’m trying to keep upbeat, but I know my crankiness seeps through. I’m so tired and my back and feet are painful.

A guy at work bought me some slippers to wear around my office because I was spending so much time barefoot. I see now where the phrase “barefoot and pregnant” comes from. I always thought it was some sexist thing (and to some it is), but in truth, all those pregnant women are barefoot because none of their shoes fit anymore. I find myself gazing forlornly into my closet at my beautiful shoe collection, fantasizing about the day my lovelies can come out to play once again. I have been warned that my feet may never go back to normal. This notion is too horrible for me to process, so I refuse to believe it can really happen.

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Here are some random pictures of the puppies, Staylee's birthday, and my one belly picture.

This was taken on July 28th, I think. So I'm about 8 months along here. Mom and I are on our way to her student's wedding.

Charleigh waiting for Daddy to come home on his birthday. She thinks the time would go faster if I would throw her rope.
The girls waiting on the stairs to surprise Daddy.
Perdita is ready to party. She'll wear a hat if there's a chance she'll get cake later.
Happy Birthday Daddy! (Notice how sad Perdita looks--she is wanting less pictures and more Pirates of the Caribbean cookie cake. Charleigh is wanting less pictures and more rope throwing.)

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Tick Tock

The clock is ticking away...as of tomorrow we are three weeks from our due date. I am amused that people seem to be in a rush...everyone keeps asking me if I think it’s going to be any day now. No, I don’t. Although Dr. Locke confirmed that she has turned (which I had figured out by the abundance of kicking at the top rather than the side of my belly), she hasn’t dropped at all. People keep telling me how anxious I might be, but really, I think Liliana and I are quite fine waiting a few more weeks. We’ve got stuff to do.

Liliana is busy making brain cells and finishing up development on her lungs, so I know she’s pretty booked right now. As for me, I’m trying to find a work study, get all my work in order for my classes at Sul Ross, formulate a descent Arthurian Literature research paper that can be developed into a killer thesis, get our house into some sort of discernable order, train my beloved assistant T.J. to do all the mundane crap I forget I do on a daily basis, and keep up with the new episodes of House and Project Runway. We’re busy girls!

This Friday I start my weekly visits to the doctor, although they are not going to check for dilation until next week. Dr. Locke doesn’t seem to be in a huge hurry to get this baby born either.

Our other babies, Charleigh and Perdita, seem mystified by the whole idea of the nursery. They like to go in the room, but they don’t seem to understand why they aren’t allowed to wreck their usual havoc on the place. Perdi likes to snuggle her big old head on my big old belly, while Mom’s dog Cora finds it very offensive that I have gotten too fat to let her on my lap. Keep in mind Cora weighs 57 pounds and really isn’t a lap dog, but you try arguing with an evil genius Collie.

I am worried how Perdi will react to the baby, as something else taking my attention away from her. Perdi is very much my big baby (60 pounds) and panics if she can’t find me. She gets so jealous if I pet another dog, even Charleigh and heaven forbid I should try to go to the bathroom by myself. So if anyone reading this (and living in or visiting the Midland area) would like to really help me out, when you come to see the baby, make sure to give the big white deaf dog lots of attention, too. She’s very sweet and likes bubble baths, chocolate, petting, and snuggles. She’s not too crazy about seafood, midgets, and motorcyclists who don’t wear helmets.