Grateful

I went back to OLA today. I went to talk with a teacher (one whom I consider to be a Master Teacher) about my project for my master's program. I have to say that walking in the door of that school is like walking back into the waiting arms of family. The Master Teacher sat with me and spent all kinds of time discussing what she does and how we might implement what my class requires and what we can do in the time I have before my semester is finished. I am so grateful to this teacher, whom I respect greatly, that she is willing to have me invade her space and learn from her and practice with her. I also ran into (well, hunted down) a bunch of friends who remain at school to catch a glimpse and grab a hug. It was honestly like seeing a loving family again. I miss school, and often wonder if I've made a tremendous mistake in leaving for now. I realize that come November, I'm done, so I obviously wouldn't be teaching this year, but it's hard to go back and see all the little kidlings who are so excited about learning. I do miss it. 

Anyway, I'm grateful that I could go back there to do this practicum. How fantastic that there is a place a person can go and be welcomed back like the Prodigal Son?! I'm grateful to the friends that I've kept there that are continuing to pray for Thing 1 (OH MY GOSH! THEY'RE PLAYING IN THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and Thing 2. I'm grateful for the Love that is in that school. (I'm extremely grateful that Thing 1 & Thing 2 are in there playing while I'm writing this. Holy Cow.)

Okay, I'm avoiding writing my paper. I have to go write. I wanted to give a shout out to all those people (you know who you are!) that have showered me with so much love and so many prayers, even though I'm not there any more. I'm grateful for you. You're part of Team Beaker as much as anyone.

GO TEAM BEAKER!

Enormity

This has been an enormous weekend!

First the best news: Not only are we expecting, but so is Brett's cousin! She's exactly a month behind us & we couldn't be more excited! 2010 is going to be an incredible year for babies. We have quite a few friends who have shared their news that they're expecting - all at different stages - and I have to admit that it's really nice to be among that number.

The other enormousness: we bought the cribs today. It was a process and a half. We went to look at them a few weeks ago. That original trip was daunting. There are so many choices. So many features to look at and consider. We are very glad that we have a couple of great books that helped us pare down the choices. We finally narrowed it down to three cribs that we loved. We also knew that we wanted to support a quasi-little-guy. We ended up out at Baby's Room Norcross where the owner (who's a twin himself) helped us make sure that we made the best decision. He talked with us ever so patiently and reviewed our options on the three cribs we liked. Then, feeling very good about ourselves, we made the decision. Click here to see the cribs we chose. We also went ahead and ordered the glider (with the lock & nursing ramp). I can't wait for that to come in. A friend told me that once we get it, I'll never get out of it. I believe it! 

We left Baby's Room feeling a wonderful mixture of feelings. We're elated that we have made it far enough in pregnancy to purchase cribs. We're beside ourself with JOY that we had to get TWO cribs. We're overwhelmed with feelings of gratitude & fear & excitement & trepidation. But now, we have places for them to sleep. 

Next up: Strollers and Car Seats!

Go Team Beaker!

Rest in Peace, Reading Rainbow

**Disclaimer - today's blog is a place for me to express myself as an educator & a momma-to-be. Don't expect Baby News today! But I love you anyway & I hope you still love me! **

As I fixed my bowl of cereal this morning, I listened to NPR keeping me informed about the world, the nation, and the weather. I enjoy listening to NPR because I feel so much more aware of current events & the world around me. I plan to encourage our children to listen with me, and it will hopefully be as much a part of our mornings as brushing our teeth and getting ready for school. 

Today, I was given grievous news. Not grievous in the An Important Person Just Died kind of way, but grievous in that An Important Piece of Childhood Is Being Cancelled.  Click here to link to the article. Reading Rainbow will air its last show today. It's lost its funding because the Almighty Government decided (under the previous administration) that the focus in Educational Television should be on teaching phonics and spelling and the skills required for learning to read. Reading Rainbow doesn't speak to that. Reading Rainbow, and LeVar Burton, speak to the LOVE of reading and so, for that reason, Reading Rainbow - an iconic children's show - has lost its couple-hundred-thousand dollars a year funding and is going off the air. 

It's a sad time for anyone who grew up hearing the Oh So Recognizable Theme Song ("Butterfly in the Sky! I Can Fly Twice As High! Take A Look! It's In A Book! Reading Rainbow!!"). Even I, who grew up without a television, knew the theme song. I've seen the show a million times. I've played the videos for my Kindergarteners & First Graders. Its simple three part plan (Book, Adventure, Kid-to-Kid Recommendations) inspired countless children to Take A Look! 

As an educator, a Reading Teacher, someone who is working on her Masters in Reading Education, I am deeply troubled by the demise of LeVar's show. Ask me why & I'll tell you. I'll tell you anyway. The children of our society are being tested to death. Schools are held to standards that are set not by educators, but by politicians who left school after college (or graduate school) and never looked back. If a school doesn't meet the annual progress standards as set by the politicians in Washington, the school loses Federal Funding. This same principle is being applied to public television. The Almighty Thinkers in Washington decided that the focus in education television should be on phonics and basic reading skills. If a children's show doesn't accomplish the PreStated Goals, the funds are yanked and the show dies. So where does that leave literature and the love of reading? "Who Cares?!" says Washington. "Skill 'em, Drill 'em & Kill 'em!" they shout! And so, when presented with what remains of a choice, our children are left to choose between Spongebob Squarepants and Sesame Street yelling "A is Apple!" Where is the inspiration to learn something for the love of learning or to read something for the love of reading? Children are learning that learning is something you do to pass a test, not that it's something you do because you love to do it or are interested in something. Isn't that sad?!!!

Children learn best when they are engaged and interested. It's an perpetual process that occurs even when a teacher (or a parent) isn't trying to teach. Children learn from our body language, they learn from the words we use around our spouses or our co-teachers. Children learn from what's going on in their environments. Reading Rainbow gave that one more kick of inspiration to Take a Look in a Book. Can other shows help inspire that interest in reading - that interest in learning?? 

As a momma-to-be, I'm alarmed by what I'm seeing in our society. Remember how I just said that children learn from the interactions they have with others around them (teachers, parents, & peers)? A neighbor of mine said that she was watching Nickelodeon (the children's channel) last night at 8:00. While she was watching (I'm not sure if her children were with her or not), one of the characters said the word "b*tch" on the show. Another wonderful one is the show about the 15-year old who got pregnant in high school. What on EARTH are we teaching our children if they are able to encounter words (especially derogatory words) or see teenage pregnancy glorified like that at home or on a trendy television show? How about showing anti-depressant medicine ads during Pinocchio (another fine example I heard recently)? I totally understand why I grew up without a television. I'm not sure that it helped me fit in too well, but I know why I'll be limiting the amount of television these Babes watch! 

So, that's my rant for today. I'm so sad to hear that teaching the WHY to read has become less important than teaching the HOW to read. I'm alarmed that children's programming has been allowed to become morally bankrupt and demoted to Washington's standards. 

The Babes are doing great and I need a nap. Read in Peace, Reading Rainbow...

Oh, There You Are!

My body has been strangely quiet the past two weeks. No threats, idle or otherwise, of morning sickness. No strange smells or cravings. Nothing super out of the ordinary, except back pain. I half wondered if I have dreamed the whole thing & I'm just getting fatter without reason. Thankfully, we had an appointment with Dr. Smith today. Actually, the truth is, I am pregnant! I am growing for a reason! I just happen to be in the second trimester where not much happens. 

There are no pictures today to share. We got to see the Babes because I asked O So Nicely if we could see them. All I care about is seeing heartbeats. God Bless Them, They're still there!! Two little heartbeats. Two sweet angels just hanging out. I just wanted to know that they're still there & they're doing well. They are! 

My weight gain is fine - remembering that I'm having twins. Dr. Smith gave me some ideas for strengthening my back, which would be nice. I'm measuring at 19 weeks (19 cm), which is perfect for twins. Brett & I have to get flu shots (including swine flu shots, which will be available in October), so that should be fun. Woohoo. We have to start looking for pediatricians. Anyone have any advice about that? Particularly you people around here (Becca!!)...

In other news, I start school this afternoon (4:30) and I'll continue in class until mid-November according to Dr. Smith's calculations. 

He said that that date is a rough estimate & it could go earlier or later. He also said that it will be STRICT bed rest. (Crud.) His analogy was an hourglass. If you stand an hourglass up, the sand comes out. If you lay it flat, nothing goes anywhere. I've decided that I'll do whatever it takes to keep these Babes in there, steeping, until they're healthy enough and ready to come out. Brett & I are going to get a cleaning person to come once a week to clean the house & help us because I know that no matter what good intentions everyone has, this house will quickly fall apart if I don't have help. There are too many hairy things living in it for it not to get cleaned often. 

Also in other news, our fabulous contractor (read: Brandt) will start on the small amount of renovations that we're doing in preparation for the Babes next week. We're redoing floors, expanding the Nursery closet, changing doors, moving some vents and doing some basic nesting things that we can't do on our own (read: Brett can't do on his own). 

Also in further other news, we'll be ordering our baby furniture in the next couple of weeks & we're also going to be going to birthing classes pretty soon. Should be a hoot, I guess. We want everything done and prepared for when I go on bed rest (mid-November) so we don't have to think about it too much later on.

I have to go read for school.

Go Team Beaker! 

Growing Pains

Anyone out there have any advice as to why my back is hurting so much? I haven't gained a lot of weight - only X pounds in the 15 weeks that I've been pregnant. I've gotten to where I can't sleep at night it's so bad! Aaarrrrrgh!

B & I are going to see Dr. Smith on Tuesday. We'll get to see the babes, but I'm pretty sure there won't be pictures to share with you. I MAY post pictures of my growing belly, but I'm not sure that I don't just look like an overstuffed couch.

School!

I had a little bit of good news today! Remember I'd been bummed about not getting to go to school this semester because of the Big Stupid Meany? Well! Last night I emailed my advisor about a class that she's teaching this semester. She was so nice and welcomed me into her class with great cheer! So I'll start on Tuesday and the class lectures end on Nov. 17th. I'll maybe miss a class or two on bed rest. I'm so excited about being in school. I'm so grateful to my professor for being so willing to be flexible & easy to work with. 

Hoorah!

Birds, Squirrels & Brett

Here we are at fourteen weeks. 

We have a week off of going to doctors, so the Babes will have to grow on their own for a week. Brett & I have placed the ultrasound picture from last week on the refrigerator and I walk by and stare. I wonder if their noses will ever be less than amazing? Hah! I suppose when they're leaking green stuff I will become less than enthusiastic about them. But still! Even then! We've waited such a long time for those noses! 

Brett, God Bless Him, has already started nesting. It's really cute. He's obsessed with getting the office and nursery done. Not necessarily with the furniture in the nursery, but painting, redoing and preparing. He's in love with Sherwin-Williams right now. He worked tirelessly on what will be our office/guest room all weekend. He took all of the contents out of what was my playroom and put them in the front room on Saturday morning. Yes: bed, desk, two bookshelves, and their contents removed within a matter of three hours. Then Billy & Emmalee came over and while Emmalee & I chatted, Billy & Brett pulled up all the carpet to expose the hardwoods underneath. Then Brett spent the afternoon and evening pulling up carpet nails. He's been so busy! On Sunday, we went to Sherwin-Williams as soon as we could to get paint and caulk and "hamsters" (which may be a real term, or may be something I picked up from the Ramsdens and kept using!) and a wall paper book. He then spent all of Sunday caulking around the room! So I could be of some help (I can't be of much when it's this intensive), I patched holes around the room. Go Team Beaker! But it's something. B wants to start painting tonight! After we go to the gym! After dinner! Which means starting at like 10! The man is a machine! He's a Nesting Machine!! He's putting the birds and squirrels to shame. It's something to behold.

Go Team Beaker!

Big Stupid Meany

I had great hopes for school this semester. I had emailed with my advisor and she'd had great hopes for me for the semester. They've all been dashed. Here's the story: though I'm getting mixed signals from the OB and the Perinatologist, there will be a time that I'm on bed rest to keep these Babes safe. That's my greatest priority and I'm going to stick with whatever Dr. Smith ultimately tells me. After all, he's primary care for these Babes while they're steeping. 

I emailed the professor who's teaching the class that I was REALLY excited about taking. I'm a good student. I have a 4.15 GPA after last semester, a fact about which I'm very proud. I thought that my academic record, and the fact that I wasn't going to blindside her, and the fact that I'm not having just one but TWO babies might have softened her. NOPE. She said congratulations (which she closed with a period, not an "excited stop.") and proceeded to tell me that my grade would be based a large part on class participation and I wouldn't be able to do that during November and December. No trying to work with me. No help. No let me think about it. She replied to me within 20 minutes with a NO. Wow. Georgia State at its finest. What a Big Fat Meany.

So, for all of my excitement and enthusiasm about being in school and my hard work from last semester, I am rewarded with a Great Big Finger. Fabulous. Why, you ask, is this such a big deal? Well, I feel like I've been turned around at every attempt to get my Masters. I waited when I was at OLA because we didn't think I'd be there that long. Then I waited because I kept getting pregnant. Then when I thought "Stuff it, I'm going back to school," I got pregnant my 6th time. That was the one I lost in January, and as we all know, I lost it for a little while. Then, I went back and Kicked Butt this summer! A tough semester, but I learned a lot and enjoyed being in school again. Now, when I've got a good momentum going, I'm being turned away. Are there any other classes I can take? Nope. They're all full because school starts next week. 

I'm really bummed. I thought getting my Masters would be a great thing: I could go back to work sooner, Brett could get a break and do what he needs to do, career-wise, and everything would be great. I realize (and don't lecture me, please) that the Babes are the most important thing in the world. 

Please don't think that I of ALL PEOPLE don't know that carrying Babes to term and having a family is extremely important. After what we've been through, I dare someone to say that I don't have my priorities straight. I was just hoping to have another class under my belt while I waited for these guys to get here. 

Bummer.

Prawns & Noses

Brett had to go to Jacksonville today so Momma took me to meet Dr. Korotkin this morning. I'm so glad she went because until we were born, she didn't get to see what we looked like. So I was thrilled that she could go and see the Babes today. And what a day to go see them! 

We must have seen 30 minutes or more of ultrasound footage. Thing 2 was very cooperative and let the nice ultrasound lady take lots of pictures, and complete tests that were very important and see the things she needed to see. Thing 1, though, woof! It's a different story! I believe that Thing 1 is the Furin of the bunch: has a mind of its own, was upside down for most of the ultrasounds, and I'm pretty sure has a headlamp in there with it. Crazy Furin! 

We saw little feet and hands, saw and heard the heartbeats and most importantly got to see the NOSES! These sweet babies already have cute little button noses! Oh My Sweet Cow! 

The Babes are 7.2 cm & 6.6 cm respectively, so approximately 3 inches each. Dr. Korotkin settled the "argument" that Petunia & I had been having about sizes. I said they're the size of peaches, she said shrimp. Dr. Korotkin said that they're a bit smaller than peaches, but bigger than shrimp. He says they're the size of Prawns. So that settles that!

From now on out, I'll get seen by someone every two weeks - Dr. Korotkin or Dr. Smith. Dr. Korotkin says that I CAN go to school for the fall semester, if I go with the understanding that eventually I may get yanked out for the end of it. There are so many opinions - it's amazing my head hasn't fallen off! But mostly, they are there to relieve my anxieties, and that's what they're doing!

Here are the pictures from today. Thing 2 is on top and Thing 1 is on the bottom. There are closeups of their faces and the wider shots are of their whole little selves! God Bless Our Babies.

Go Team Beaker!

Thirteen Weeks!

We've made it thirteen weeks! Technically, I'm in the second trimester and that's Miraculous!

Tomorrow Momma & I are going to meet the perinatologist. Hopefully we'll get some good pictures of the Babes to share. Brett's going to be out of town, so it'd be nice to have something to share with him while he's away. 

This weekend we went crib hunting. Talk about a daunting task! There are a million styles out there by a million makers. Thank goodness for the Baby Bargains book! It has been invaluable as we researched the cribs that we found and liked. We have found three or four that we are mulling over. We went out to The Baby's Room in Norcross, where we were assisted by the owner who has a twin sister! Imagine our delight to meet another boy-girl twin set! He was most helpful and Brett & I came away feeling less overwhelmed and more informed about our preferences and what we want to do in the Nursery. We'll have to make a decision in the next few weeks in order to have everything here before I go on bed rest.

Speaking of which: we're not sure how strict the doctor's going to be about bed rest. There's a chance it could be a modified bed rest where I can be up a few minutes every hour or so. Whatever it is, it means totally adjusting our existence for the last two, maybe three, months of our pregnancy. It's all in the name of making sure that I don't go into labor before the 34th week. That's why we want everything done and ready by November.

Anyway, the Babes are theoretically the size of peaches - about 3 inches. We'll see tomorrow! I'll report back after we meet the latest member of Team Beaker!

Go Team Beaker!

Oddness - but I guess normal?

I keep finding myself forgetting things, losing my train of thought, running out of breath & forgetting what I was talking about. In fact, I'm inside but I can't remember why I came inside....

Dr. Smith

B and I went for our 12 week check-up and our first meeting with Dr. Smith today. Dr. Smith is a nice OB, seemingly in his late 50s or early 60s. He is very conservative in some ways, but pretty liberal in other ways. We are his first set of twins in a while, so the nurse was pretty excited and Dr. Smith shifted into Twins Mode to tell us all the News That Is News About Twins.

Most importantly: We did NOT get pictures to post here today. We'll get those next week at the perinatologist and I'll post them then. We DID get to see the Babes in there squirming and playing and doing backflips. I'm fairly certain that I will have my little gymnast to whom I'll be able to teach cartwheels and back-walkovers! We could see good images of arms and legs with the rudimentary ultrasound machine at the office, and are so excited about seeing them in all their glory next week.

A brief run-down of what the Good Doctor said:

1. I will officially be in my second trimester next week. I guess week 12 is the final week of the first trimester. 

2. There really aren't foods that I have to avoid completely and entirely. He said to keep things in moderation and it will be fine. (That means I can have a hot dog!!!)

3. My heartburn isn't going to get any better, but there are things I can do to help it, including propping my head up at night and not drinking anything before bed and taking a wonderful fizzy antacid that he recommends.

4. I will be placed on Strict Bedrest at the beginning of November. That means no getting up except to go to the bathroom. I'll be reading and watching a LOT of movies. I hope people will come visit me so I don't die of boredom. I'm hoping to take a class online because going down to GSU is kinda out of the question. (Conversely, that means no housework!!)

5. I'm allowed to be a piggy, but I am not supposed to be a Hog. I understood the difference, do you?

How am I feeling, you ask? Oh, my. I'm tired all the time. I'm hungry all the time. I have decided that someone is stuffing me with upholstery every night because I look like an overstuffed couch. I will never be a Lovely Pregnant Lady, but I'm Pregnant and that's really all I care about. 

What questions do you have that I might be able to ask the next time I see Dr. Smith? He's a font of information and I am thrilled to have him on Team Beaker!

That being said:

Go Team Beaker!