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(Miss America theme song optional.)
The ultrasound yesterday was amazing! I had no idea it was going to be so thorough. For all I knew, we were just going to find out the gender and then leave, a quick in-and-out appointment. I had no idea that we'd be there for a good 45 minutes or so.
The tech (Carol) was so kind and thoughtful. She explained all the various parts she was measuring and examining, even though some of them weren't as interesting to me (like the cerebellum, or the cross section of the umbilical cord). While Carol tried "taking pictures" of little Abbie's face (side note: no, we will not name our daughter Abysmal. However, since we probably won't reveal her name until she's born, I'll refer to her-- affectionately-- as Abbie from here on out.), Abbie kept raising her hands, effectively covering her nose and preventing a good view. Carol kept trying until she was able to capture a clear picture of Abbie's little face.
And boy, was Abbie active yesterday. Her little legs were kicking and moving so quickly! Quick draw McGraw was able to capture some footprint images, though.
Can you tell that I'm excited? Yes, I wanted a little boy first, but I'm so grateful that this little one is healthy and strong. Besides, I'm going to have a daughter! How fun is that?!
Here are some of the pictures from yesterday. Enjoy!
These are the 3-d/ 4-d pictures of Abbie's face.
And here are pictures of her legs, her sucking her thumb, and her profile. 
Abysmal Medusa!
Yes, we are having a girl! I'll post more later (including pics once I've scanned them).
I absolutely love the fall; I love everything about it-- the colors, the smells, the holidays, the perfect weather. This past Saturday was one of those perfect fall days. We spent the afternoon with Nate, Ali, and Will picking apples at Stribling Orchard. Scott even had a good time (what a husband won't do to please his wife); of course, he also appreciated the homemade apple pie I made him later that night as a "thank you" for agreeing to go.
Enjoy a few photos from our excursion.
Well, as of Thursday, I'll be 20 weeks (5 months). I can't believe how quickly the time has passed. Of course, that first trimester couldn't pass quickly enough, but that's to be expected considering the nauseau.
When one of my co-workers first heard the news back in August, he admitted that the whole of idea of pregnancy just sort of "weirded him out". I laughed, thinking that was a rather absurd statement, but now that I'm starting to show, I think there's some truth in that. See, it's (for lack of a better word) weird for me to see my expanding belly. I look down and think, "There's a baby in there." And then when I think about how my innards are shifting, well, that just augments the weird factor. (No, I won't go into details. Let's just say that all those inner organs have to move someplace.) To think that there's this little miracle growing inside me is simply amazing.
Don't get me wrong; I'm loving this stage of the pregnancy (as all my girlfriends told me I would). I can finally wear some of the maternity clothes that others have loaned me (a thanks to Mary, De, Vanessa, and Amanda for hooking me up with the "new" wardrobe), and, even more exciting, I can feel the baby swimming around, which is the best feeling. I first noticed the movement a couple weeks ago while sitting quietly at work. All of a sudden, there were bubbles popping within my belly. At other times, the movement feels like a fluttering, like eyelashes brushing against my skin. Friday the baby was really active; that afternoon she just kept flipping and turning. She was equally active that night at Scott's hockey game; either she really enjoyed what we had for dinner, or she was cheering her daddy on.I still haven't had any cravings, but my desire to bake has certainly increased. I feel like every weekend for the past three weeks I've felt the urge to bake something... muffins, brownies, a pie. Not like that's a bad thing, but it certainly doesn't help us eat right. But at least all those carbs taste oh-so-good!
Above you'll notice that yes, I did say "she". We won't know what we're having until Wednesday, but Scott and I both have a feeling that it's a girl. Scott says so because that's "his luck" (whatever that's supposed to mean), and I think so because of how I'm carrying. Of course, towards the end of the day, I think I'm carrying a boy, so at this point who knows. Still... I finally took some pregnancy pics, so maybe that will help others of you determine whether there's an Abbie or a Megatron swimming around in there.
Being an English teacher, I've received countless forwards that discuss language use, whether it's used properly or improperly. The mixed metaphors forward is especially entertaining, probably because I couldn't believe that people actually used some of them... until now.
While reading a narrative writing prompt submitted by one of my juniors, I found my first truly entertaining (or at least memorable) mixed metaphor.
"Though (sic) out all the experiences I have lived through, there is one particular incident that is imbedded in my mind or memorized as if it was two names carved into a tree by a lake."
Even now, I chuckle as I read it. I mean, I've always thought that carving two names in a tree by a lake is memorable. *sigh* I think I'll actually miss moments like this when I'm staying at home with our little one.
I just happened to read an article in Real Simple about e-mail etiquette. Thankfully, I've discovered that I'm current with what is/ isn't polite, but apparently some of the parents I correspond with are not.
According to the article, you should include a salutation and closing when sending an email. The only exception is if you are sending one to a friend whom you correspond with regularly. Otherwise, include both. Well, the weekly progress reports that I email home to parents usually generate a response. While some parents include the required (and proper) salutation and closing, others neglect both. Thus, I have to figure out who is addressing me and how I should address him (or her). I find it frustrating that in an age of communication there are plenty of adults who do not know how to correspond with professionals properly. Whenever I email parents, I be sure to address them by their last name, and end the email with my signature/ name. When they don't extend the same courtesy to me, it's almost as if they are addressing me as a peer, or worse, as an inferior.
So please. Be sure you follow email etiquette. And feel free to call me on those times when I fail to do so.
I've taken to watching the Ellen Degeneris show after school since it keeps me entertained while I'm grading papers and whatnot.
Though entertaining, I have been a bit irritated by all the propaganda (for Obama). See, lately Ellen's been asking her celebrity guests for their opinions about the presidential race. That really irks me. For one, I don't understand why that needs to be one of the first questions she asks her guests, especially since many of them are not really part of the political scene. (I understand if the celebrity has been involved in politics or actively participates, but just the random celebrity?) Two, none of the celebrities can provide a good reason why they support Obama. Granted, I'm not a fan of his (how can I support someone who runs on "change" but hasn't done anything to make "changes" since being in the Senate? Voting "present" is hardly voting for change.), but I'm bothered by their inability to articulate why he'd be such a great candidate.
And then, of course, there's some of the negative press surrounding McCain and Palin. Sharon Osborne (yes, Ozzie's wife... so I guess I should just go ahead and dismiss the source) went on and on about how Palin isn't qualified to be VP because she's the basic "soccer mom". According to Osborne, if Palin could become VP, then most any soccer mom in America could, and she (Osborne) certainly didn't think that was plausible. Why not? Here's a woman who has solid family values and who has managed to balance running a state and caring for her family? So why could she not transfer those skills to a VP position? I know that she isn't as experienced as some politicians, but Obama's not as experienced, either, and he's running for president!
I'm sure part of my irritation is that I'm definitely conservative, and Ellen most certainly isn't. Plus, since it's her show, I guess she can ask what she wants. But I still have the right to be annoyed....
