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More Sy!

Due to popular demand (and a sweet nudge from Dana), I'm posting some long overdue pics of Sy and his frazzled (but happy!) parents. Enjoy!

Here goes nothing

Hiya folks...

Just in case anyone didn't know by now, I'm scheduled to go in for induction tonight (assuming I'm not bumped). Matt and I are walking around with thousand-yard stares and generally useless demeanors, but wish us luck anyway. ;-)

We'll have updates as soon as there are some...in the meantime, have a great weekend everyone!

The Books are Closed!

OK then, looks like the votes are in and that it's time to close the books.

**Megan, I went ahead and placed you with September 7th, as it was the only date left and I hadn't heard from you...hope that's OK!

Anyway, the list is as follows and the Foster names are in bold.

August 17th -- Adam
August 18th -- Adam
August 19th -- Grant
August 20th -- Angie
August 21st -- Joy, Amyjeen (friend in Denver)
August 22nd -- Elizabeth
August 23rd -- Mark
August 24th -- Jeff
August 25th -- Dana
August 26th -- Ben (my co-worker)
August 27th -- Kristen, Vanessa (friend in Baltimore)
August 28th -- Matt
August 29th -- Margaret
August 30th -- Drew, Hannah (my niece)
August 31st -- Mickey
September 1st -- Linda (friend in Baltimore)
September 2nd -- John R. (friend in Philly), Theresa (friend in Denver)
September 3rd -- Matt K (friend in Philly), Shirl (my mom)
September 4th -- Carrol (friend in Denver)
September 5th -- Tyler
September 6th -- Donna (my sister), Colleen (friend in Baltimore)
September 7th -- Megan, Jeremy (friend in Baltimore)

Good luck, everyone. I'll just be here, suffering in late-term abject misery until this little contest plays itself out, boo-hoo...

**Actually, I'm fine -- only somewhat miserable, really! ;-)

Place yer bets, place yer bets!

Given the undeniable Foster proclivity toward competition, I thought it might be fun to start the Wendi and Matt Baby Pool -- essentially, to see which (if any) of us can predict the date that I'll give birth. Given that there's 21 days left until my due date and NOT (or should I say, "not yet!") that many Fosters, I'm not going to subdivide into hour slots. Simply pick a date and let that be your vote!

To further clarify, today is the 9th, and my due date is August 30th. Additionally, my OB has told me that if Sy isn't here by the 6th of September (7 days after my due date) he will want to induce (not sure if he meant "on that day" or near it).

I'm feeling just fine today, thanks, so I'm going to put the time frame in the four weeks between Friday, August 10th and Friday, September 7th. Again, I know that's more days than there are Fosters, but I'm going to see if I can get my own family and friends in on this too.

And of course everyone wants to know what the pot is for the contest...well, not much, save of course for the baseless, glowing satisfaction that stems from making a lucky call about something completely inconsequential (and we all know how fun THAT is!).

But to sweeten the deal literally and figuratively, I'll throw in the additional prize of a homemade (by me!) dessert of the winner's choice. If a Foster is the winner, then the jackpot will very probably be shared and enjoyed by the entire family this Thanksgiving (with the winner of course getting first dibs). If no Foster wins...well, then you all get nothing and like it. ;-P

Okay, here are the votes I have so far:

Matthew: August 28th
Ben (my co-worker): August 26th
Donna (my sister): September 6th (is her mean streak showing or what?)
Linda (friend from Baltimore): September 1st
Matt K (friend from Philadelphia): September 3rd
Jeff: August 24th
Angie: August 20th

Bring 'em on, folks!

Bigger than life...

...or so I seem to myself these days, yikes! :-S


Anyway, sorry I've been so absent in the blogosphere of late, but I'll try to get a decent post up sometime this weekend. In the meantime, here's a photo that was just taken a few minutes ago by my co-worker Ben. Things are truly getting massive here at the 36 week mark!

Garrison Keillor on libraries

A woman in my department at the Denver Public Library sent a link to this opinion piece about libraries by Garrison Keillor (of Prairie Home Companion fame). Mr. Keillor views libraries as a sort of sanctuary from a world that can be pretty ugly (particularly the world of politics), and I'm inclined to agree with him -- to a point.

The atmosphere here in the "main branch" can be intimidating to those who are not seasoned to the seedier aspects of urban life; one former employee here was known to describe the library as "the city's largest homeless shelter", and it's hard to argue with that observation, especially during the winter months. I won't attempt to sugarcoat the many unpleasant and even violently disruptive events that have occurred in recent years at my place of work -- rampant vandalism, drunken disorderly behavior, "misuse" (euphemism of the year!) of computers with internet access, assault, etc. It's all too common in Central, and it can have the unfortunate repercussion of driving patrons away from the positive things our branch has to offer.

Nonetheless, libraries for me have always been a haven. I spent much time in them as a child, and even if I wasn't spending my time as I was supposed to (e.g., checking out fiction or personal interest nonfiction instead of doing research for yet another dull school assignment), I truly felt at home. Where else could an introverted misfit bookworm such as myself bask in the glow of so much literature? (Mind you, this was well before the advent of such big-box bookstores as Borders or Barnes and Noble).

Anyway, I suppose it's no accident that I ended up working in a library, although to be honest I never really considered it as an option prior to taking my current position in March of 2002. So more power to Keillor, more power to me *grin*, and please support your local libraries -- regardless of how many sketchy types you may find hanging out in them on occasion. Libraries are an extremely valuable resource and they must be cherished! Thank you. :-)

It's easy bein' green!

Today I found this great article on babycenter.com, which gives simple, realistic and thoughtful tips on how to make your home, car, nursery, etc. more environmentally friendly. And you'll see that NONE of them require joining Greenpeace, chaining yourself to condemned trees, dynamiting Glen Canyon Dam or even voting Democrat! *smirk-wink*

In and of themselves these changes may not seem significant, but if more families "greenify" their lifestyles (even in such elementary ways as these), the effect could be decisive in making the environmental outlook of our planet much more positive than it is today. As such, I encourage and challenge each and every member of clan Foster -- myself most definitely included! -- to consider implementing some or all of these suggestions into our day-to-day lives.

I've posted some of what I thought were the most relevant points of the article below, but please read the entire article for more suggestions. Perhaps (dare I say it) we as the highly intelligent and opinionated Foster collective could even come up with MORE and/or BETTER ideas in this regard? Bring it on!


Make your fridge efficient
"The single biggest electricity user in your house is the refrigerator," says Lisa Moore, climate and air scientist at Environmental Defense, who notes that you can reduce the energy drain with a few simple tricks. Cleaning the coils every six months will help you use less energy and save money. (Flip up or remove the kick plate or toe grill, and clean with a vacuum attachment or bottle brush. Make sure to unplug the fridge or turn off its circuit breaker first.) So will keeping the fridge set between 38 and 40 degrees and the freezer between 0 and 5 degrees — the settings where it's most efficient.

Stop standby waste
Unplugging TVs, DVD players, computers, and other major electronics when they're not in use could keep thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide out of the air each year, according to Al Gore's site An Inconvenient Truth. (Even when they're turned off, their standby consumption is about equal to running a light bulb continuously.) To avoid the hassle of constantly plugging and unplugging, here's an easy solution: Plug several electronics onto one power strip and switch it off. As for small gadgets like cell phones, digital cameras, and hand-held vacuums — once they're charged, keep them unplugged until needed.

Light up right
"Switching from traditional incandescent bulbs to fluorescent is the easiest and most cost-efficient fix for saving energy," says actress Rachelle Carson-Begley, wife of actor and eco-activist Ed Begley Jr. Even though fluorescent bulbs cost more, you'll save up to $60 in energy bills over the lifetime of the bulb. If you don't like the look of fluorescent, switch out the garage and hall lights, and save the mood lighting for bedrooms and bathrooms. Or, mix iridescent and fluorescent in multibulb fixtures.

Flush water waste
A whopping 40 percent of your home's water use goes down the toilet. A low-flow toilet can cut your usage by half or more (and yes, they work just as well). A low-tech alternative: Put a brick or plastic milk jug filled with pebbles in the tank. You'll save gallons (and money) with each flush.

Fix drips and leaks
A leaky faucet? Time to call the plumber. That slow but steady drip, drip, drip can waste up to 20 gallons of water a day. Extra credit: Replacing standard faucets and showerheads with low-flow versions will help a family of four save 20,000 gallons a year.

There are plenty of other small but significant ways to conserve, says Joanna Yarrow, author of 1001 Ways to Help the Earth. "Keep a pitcher of water in the fridge so you don't waste water as you wait for it to get cold from the tap," she recommends. "And turn the water off when brushing your teeth."
**Wendi's note: this would also apply to NOT allowing the shower to run unoccupied while one is brushing their teeth, shaving, etc in the bathroom sink (names being omitted to protect the guilty, *wink*). BIG time water waste, and let's not forget the energy wasted in heating said water waste!

Use dishwasher smarts
"A lot of people think washing by hand is more environmentally friendly than running a dishwasher," says Yarrow. Not necessarily so. You can save up to 20 gallons of water a day by waiting till your dishwasher's full to switch it on. You'll save even more energy by letting dishes air dry on the racks instead of using the heat dry cycle. Plus, most new dishwashers don't need you to prerinse. Simply scrape off food and load, and you'll conserve another 20 gallons.

And if you're in the market for a new dishwasher (or any appliance), look for the Energy Star label. It'll save you more than $40 a year in utility bills, and many power companies offer rebates as well.

Wash in cold
"By washing clothes in cold water rather than warm or hot," says EcoMom Alliance president Kimberly Danek-Pinkson, "you can eliminate 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year." (Bonus: Your clothes will last longer.) If cold water isn't going to cut it with your kid's grimy duds, opting for warm water over hot still saves energy and gets clothes clean.

To make laundry day even more energy-efficient, wait until you have a full load. Danek-Pinkson also advises rethinking what constitutes dirty. "Kids go through lots of outfits that wind up on the floor, and then you toss them in the laundry basket," she says. "Ask yourself, 'Is this really dirty?' If not, think of all the energy you'll spare — for the planet and yourself — by not washing them."

Get the lint out
"If you clean out the lint filter of your clothes dryer before each load, you'll reduce your energy use by up to 30 percent," says Jennifer Hattam, green living expert for the Sierra Club. (That's nothing to sneeze at, considering the dryer is one of the biggest energy hogs in the house.) As with the washer, waiting till you have a full load saves lots of energy.

Adjust the thermostat
"Turning the thermostat just two degrees up or down saves a lot of energy and money," says Earth Day Network president Kathleen Rogers, who headed up the Two Degree Campaign. Rogers recommends setting that thermostat dial to 68 degrees in winter and 72 in the summer. For winter nights, lower to 65 degrees and pile on the blankets. And if possible, opt for an energy-efficient fan instead of air conditioning during summer.

More photos of the burgeoning belly

These were taken this past Sunday (26 weeks, 3 days -- of course I'm still counting!), during a brief excursion into the mountains. Matt and I made a very easy climb onto some boulders and soaked up some sun for a spell -- great day for it, too.

Anyway, onto the images (I hope that the sight of bare pregnant-lady belly doesn't offend anyone)!





After a little while, I decided to kick back, hike up the ol' belly band and let Sy-guy catch some rays for a few. Matt likes this photo, but I think I look like a giant albino pumpkin ripening on a vine, har!



Then, because I didn't want to be too much of a camera hog, I told Matt to model his own "sympathy belly" for the world. I think everyone will agree that while beautiful in its own way, it can hardly hold a candle to my own midsection!

The latest ultrasound image

This was taken last Wednesday, at 25 weeks. I've added a few labels, as this one didn't come out as clear as some others in the past (and I only got one image to take home with me this time -- I guess they must be getting sick of me at the perinatologist's office, har). They estimated a fetal weight of 1lb 10oz, which (according to a chart I looked up online) is slightly ahead of the curve for Sy's current gestation. So long as he's healthy, I'm A-OK with it!

Such sublime absurdity must be shared!

A video of William Shatner's majestic cover of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". Dig the music, kids!

More belly!

Here's the most recent round of belly pics, all taken within the last two weeks. There's no doubting that I'm lookin' mighty preggo, but it's kind of fun. :-)

The XY trend continues

I'm sorry if this disappoints anyone who was hoping for a female grandchild to help keep poor outnumbered Joybear company, but our ultrasound session last week confirmed that Matt and I are indeed expecting a boy. So Angie and Jeff, it looks like the XX-chromosome-ball is in your court -- don't let us down! ;-)

Seriously though, Matt and I couldn't be happier, although we weren't all that set on a gender anyway (so long as it was one of them, har). We've decided on Simon as our little guy's name, although we're still a little up in the air as to a middle name. We may opt for Lawrence, after my own dad...but I kind of like Simon Matthew too, although Matt is still "thinking about it" (sheeesh, some people just can't take a compliment! *wink*). Does anyone else think that the Simon / Matthew name combo has too many "m" and "n" sounds?

The best news of all is that our little Si-guy has thus far a pretty clean bill of health. My sequential blood screen results were very good, and the level III ultrasound I had last week concurred the findings well enough where my perinatologist didn't feel the need to recommend amniocentesis. Looks like I'm off that particular hook this time around.

I'll post the ultrasound images below, but first I need to take a quick poll among the "Foster mothers" -- Diaper Genies; yea, or nay? Discuss!

Simon's foot:


His face and belly:


Yep, it's a boy alright!


His profile -- he was gulping for us again!

My big belly @ 16 wks & 3 days

It's not the greatest picture -- I'd just gotten out of the shower when Matt took this. But anyway, it's my big belly...soon to become much, MUCH bigger, egad!

12 week ultrasound images!

On Wednesday the 21st, Matt and I went to the OB for my 12 week checkup. We were treated to some very clear images of our little bean, or should I say our little jumping bean -- the little tike was all over the place!

It got to the point where our sonographer had a difficult time getting an appropriate image, necessitating my walking around the exam room for a few minutes in hopes of encouraging the fetus to change positions. Matt will tell you that I added a couple of deep knee bends, high kicks and other lame dance moves a'la Napoleon Dynamite, just to keep things interesting. Matt was certainly amused! ;-)

Anyway, we got some great images and are excited to share them with you. Enjoy!

Here's a top down view through the skull; observe the magnificent brain contained within!


The little bean appears to be waving hello to us here:


Here the bean is performing what appears to be a windmill -- I always knew I would bring a champion breakdancer into the world...


And here we have a view looking up through the nether-regions, featuring what my OB was reasonably sure is (as Doc Mark would say) developing "boy parts" ;-)


Anf finally, here is the little guy(?)'s body in profile. Technology is truly amazing!



My due date has been moved up to August 30th, which puts me at 14 weeks and 2 days. Things are definitely getting interesting now...nausea is fading, energy is returning (somewhat), and even Matt's pants are coming close to not fitting me anymore. Sometimes I could swear that I feel the little guy moving around in there...given how active he seems to be, that might not be too surprising, but we'll see. Exciting times!

Chubulence!

Some recent bathtime pics of my ever-adorable niece Hannah!

Behold, our little bean!

Here are four images from my first ultrasound session, which took place this afternoon. According to my doctor everything is looking hunky dory, and the fetus has a healthy heart rate of 150 beats per minute. Given the measurement of the fetus, she estimated a gestationaI age of 7 weeks, 4 days -- a tad further along than we'd originally calculated. But given the nebulousness of these things, we're still shooting for my original due date of September 6.

One of the niftiest parts about this experience was that I was able to see my little guy/girls' heart beating (even if it's too soon to hear it just yet). There it was, fluttering right before my eyes like a thimble jellyfish -- an amazing and quite moving thing to see! I hope you all enjoy the images of this newest addition to clan Foster.