Since M. and I are both on an academic calendar, posting here has become rather... well... difficult. But it's supposed to be a lovely warm weekend, so I'm sure we can be persuaded to do something worth talking about (unless y'all want to hear about my papers).
In the interim, a video clip from yesterday's episode of Ellen, in which she talks with the mother of the boy in Springfield, MA, who hanged himself after having been teased with gay-related language.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Healthy Baby!
Bean had a fairly long photoshoot today, but hasn't yet learned how to love the camera. Finding the left hand took quite a while - the tech kept measuring other things and coming back to the left side to try again. Shy kid. Actually, sleepy kid, sucking thumb with head against the placenta. A tummy-sleeper, like Mommy... or like Mommy would be, if there weren't a Bean in the way.
The good news is that there is no sign of anything wrong. All of the internal organs are the right size and shape, the heart is pumping away, all four chambers. Today's measurements, combined with the triple-screen bloodwork and the nuchal translucency ultrasound, have reduced the risks for trisomy 18 and spina bifida to less than .01%, and the risk of Down syndrome from 1/180 (simply given M.'s age) to 1/9600. So YAAAYYY for a healthy baby!
And no, we did not find out the sex. The ultrasound tech was really good, and had us look away as she checked the kidneys and leg bones. It cracked us up, because she looked a LOT like Amy Poehler, and we kept half-expecting something wacky to happen.
Pictures:
Profile and parts of the left arm. You can see nose, eyes and lips, esophagus and stomach.
The good news is that there is no sign of anything wrong. All of the internal organs are the right size and shape, the heart is pumping away, all four chambers. Today's measurements, combined with the triple-screen bloodwork and the nuchal translucency ultrasound, have reduced the risks for trisomy 18 and spina bifida to less than .01%, and the risk of Down syndrome from 1/180 (simply given M.'s age) to 1/9600. So YAAAYYY for a healthy baby!
And no, we did not find out the sex. The ultrasound tech was really good, and had us look away as she checked the kidneys and leg bones. It cracked us up, because she looked a LOT like Amy Poehler, and we kept half-expecting something wacky to happen.
Pictures:
Profile and parts of the left arm. You can see nose, eyes and lips, esophagus and stomach.
Overshot the mouth, looking for the thumb. Either that, or thinking hard. I kinda enjoyed seeing the ribs, which are ossifying nicely.
As I mentioned before, sleepy kid using the placenta as a pillow. Bean was rocking to Mommy's breathing, so the picture blurred a little, but the tech was nice enough to switch on the 3-D ultrasound for a couple of minutes so that we could not only get the King Tut images of the 2-D, but the Bog Man as well! And note: Bean got Mummy's long fingers.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Kicks!
Need I say more? Fluttery, pokey kicks!
Hi, there, Bean! ("Hi there, Mommy, hi there, Mummy!")
(For those of you who will nitpick and mention that the Bean is not saying hello to me, that I can't yet feel those little flutters, cease! Mommy pokes me everytime the Bean pokes her. It's like a family game of "telephone".)
This is also the week where the Bean will begin to hear and respond to external noises. One website that we consult fairly regularly notes that loud noises that the baby becomes accustomed to in the womb will not likely be an issue after birth. Which means that the Bean should be able to sleep through NPR with no problems. Either that, or Scott Simon's voice will be as familiar and welcome as either of ours.
Hi, there, Bean! ("Hi there, Mommy, hi there, Mummy!")
(For those of you who will nitpick and mention that the Bean is not saying hello to me, that I can't yet feel those little flutters, cease! Mommy pokes me everytime the Bean pokes her. It's like a family game of "telephone".)
This is also the week where the Bean will begin to hear and respond to external noises. One website that we consult fairly regularly notes that loud noises that the baby becomes accustomed to in the womb will not likely be an issue after birth. Which means that the Bean should be able to sleep through NPR with no problems. Either that, or Scott Simon's voice will be as familiar and welcome as either of ours.
Friday, April 17, 2009
What are you going to do...
...to end the silence?
Today is GLSEN's Day of Silence. In honor of all who have had to live in silence, notably the silence of the closet, students around the nation are refusing to speak all day, to bring awareness to both themselves and others of what such silence might mean. There are days when I feel incredibly lucky, when I look around at my own home state, at Connecticut, Vermont, and Iowa.
Then I read about the persistent bullying in schools, rooted in a policing of "proper" gender roles. I hear friends talk about the response they get in playgrounds, when their sons are seen playing with dolls ("You need to beat him.") I get reminded about the kids we've lost to the silence. I hear the virulent rhetoric of the Yes on 8 campaign, and similar groups forming in Iowa, New Jersey, New York... I hear the subtle twists of language in the Day of Truth campaign. And I ask myself, and I ask you all:
What are we going to do?
Today is GLSEN's Day of Silence. In honor of all who have had to live in silence, notably the silence of the closet, students around the nation are refusing to speak all day, to bring awareness to both themselves and others of what such silence might mean. There are days when I feel incredibly lucky, when I look around at my own home state, at Connecticut, Vermont, and Iowa.
Then I read about the persistent bullying in schools, rooted in a policing of "proper" gender roles. I hear friends talk about the response they get in playgrounds, when their sons are seen playing with dolls ("You need to beat him.") I get reminded about the kids we've lost to the silence. I hear the virulent rhetoric of the Yes on 8 campaign, and similar groups forming in Iowa, New Jersey, New York... I hear the subtle twists of language in the Day of Truth campaign. And I ask myself, and I ask you all:
What are we going to do?
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Easter
Easter is a great day to spend with family. A Mommy, a Mummy, and a bunch of aunties and uncles, for instance.
Uncle Jeremie gave the Bean a flavorful and colorful hint of Italian heritage. The flower in the center was Mommy's doing - she made each of us an eggshell vase as a place card.
And a chenille chick!
Uncle Jeremie gave the Bean a flavorful and colorful hint of Italian heritage. The flower in the center was Mommy's doing - she made each of us an eggshell vase as a place card.
And a chenille chick! Wednesday, April 15, 2009
YAY UNCLE JACOB!!
We're all so proud of you! 
But Gracey thinks it's kinda far away for cuddles. (want to take her with you?)
Photo Days
Our buddies Juana and Kayla were in town for the past couple of days, which means two things: photography...
...and silliness...
...and sometimes, both at once.
And then, while Juana and I reviewed all the photos of the day, M. and Kayla made art of a different sort.
And a good time was had by all!
A larger gallery of photos from our photo trip to the Cape are available here.
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