Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Yesterday's Doctor's Appt.

Your dad and I went to the doctor yesterday, and you appear to be doing great. Your heart rate was 142 and the doctor thinks you are positioned toward the exit. That’s good news for me! You are due to arrive in 85 days, and if you were born today (which thank God, there’s no sign of you trying to do) you’d have an excellent chance of survival. 27 days from now I’ll take my exam in Education Law and in 29 or 30 days I’ll finish off Trusts and Estates. We got the all clear from the doctor yesterday to schedule our flights to and from Nevada – planning to fly out on Dec. 29 and back on Jan. 7 (I think).  

The doctor said she’d do the Group B Strep test next time we see her so that the results of that test will be in my medical records, and we’ll carry the records with us for that extremely unlikely possibility that you decide to be a Vegas baby. I took that horrible diabetes screening test yesterday too. I haven’t had any symptoms of gestational diabetes and I would have been very happy to skip that test altogether. It made me feel nauseous, and I really can’t imagine that I am at any risk for it at all – still, better safe than sorry, I guess. I just hope I passed it, because if I didn’t, then I have to take another, more intense version of the same test, and that would really make me unhappy.

Today is largely devoted to working on an independent study paper – devoted to what government regulation of parenting and other caregiving for children would be societally tolerable, beneficial to children, and Constitutional. It’s a big topic and I’d better get back to it.
Stay well.
Love, Mom

News from the Family

Good Morning PunkieKid,

I’m sorry it’s been a while since you’ve heard from us. Your dad and I have been really busy. We have some more exciting news on the family front. Your Aunt Katie has gotten engaged to the brother-in-law your dad and I have been hoping for. He’s now officially Uncle Scott. There’s no set date for their wedding, yet, but this weekend, your dad and I went to Macon to meet Scott’s parents and to gather up some things for your room.

Meeting Scott’s parents was really lovely. They are very nice people and they made us all so comfortable in their home. They clearly love your aunt and I hope they know how much we all love Uncle S. It’s a shame we never met them before because I don’t know how often we’ll see them, now that your grandparents are moving to Nevada. It may be that you don’t see them that often. However, it also seems quite plausible that Katie and Scott will live in Macon for a long time to come, and if they do, I hope you’ll get to know Scott’s family as your extended family.

Knowing Scott and Katie will be really important in your life because they are going to be your godparents. That means that they will be mentors and role-models for you, taking special care to give you extra love and support around spirituality. Katie and Scott will also become your legal guardians if anything should ever happen to me and your dad.

On a lighter note, the trip to Macon and back through Bishopville allowed us to finish up some important preparation for your arrival. In Macon, we got a twin bed that was mine growing up. That’s for when your grandma comes to visit. We also picked up the baby swing that Katie got you. It’s pastel pink, which I just love. No stereotypical gender role imposition for you, buddy!  She also got you an absolutely precious little outfit – a onsie with puppies on it, some too cute khaki, corduroy cargo parts, and a little blue sweater. They are newborn sized, so it’s entirely likely that you’ll come home from the hospital wearing that little outfit (and a hat, and a bunch of other warmness articles – since it will still be very cold when you come home). We picked up your changing table, which your grandparents picked up for you in a thrift shop in Asheville, and a car seat which your grandmother and I picked up together when you were so new to us that people couldn’t even tell you were in there. We picked up a bunch of other baby clothes that your grandma and I got together too. In fact, since Buck and Elisabeth have passed on their son’s absolutely precious hand-me-downs, and I hear you’ll grow out of them so quickly, I really don’t think we need anymore newborn clothes for you. That’s not totally true. I think we still need to get you a bunch of socks and maybe a couple more hats (since knowing your mom, those will disappear pretty often). Then on our way back, we drove through Bishopville and picked up a chest of drawers, a dresser, and couch and a loveseat – all designed to make organizing our lives easier and spending time in our space more comfortable. After all, this is the first home you’ll ever know (even though I seriously doubt that you’ll remember it) and we want to be totally settled into it as we enjoy your first months of life.

More news in a bit - I'm hungry. I think you are hungry too. I'm definitely hungry enough for two.

Love, Mom