Organ Screening and Updates
Last week's organ screening - I still haven't talked about. I realize it's been about a week since my last post, and even now I don't really seem to have the mind to sit down and compose something, even though I accomplished quite a few things last week! I blame it on the current heat. It makes my brain go numb, my legs swell to the size of watermelons, and my overall constitution rather weak. I have discovered the real blessing in my anti-varicose-veins compression stockings: they also keep the water out of my ankles! That alone turns them into somewhat of my best friends lately, but the problem is... with 35°C (95°F) outside even the biggest blessing turns into a curse. I refuse to wear them when the temperature reaches 30°C and above - which it has done for the majority of last week. Of course, the hotter it gets, the more water seems to accumulate in my ankles (and the more I would need my stockings), so at some point I couldn't even walk anymore at the end of the day, from all the pressure on my ankles.
In the last 3 days heavy rainstorms have unloaded over Vienna, unfortunately causing 3 deaths (from falling trees), but fortunately also dropping the temperature again under the 30°C (86°F) mark. The problem isn't so much the heat, it's the effin' humidity. During my life in Los Angeles I have lived through summers that were in the constant 90ties (Fahrenheit), and it never bothered me anything like a single day in the 90ties drags me down here. The difference is all in the humidity. Los Angeles' is a dry heat.
The news say that the heat will only get worse - not only through the course of this summer, but in the next years. France will be hit especially hard, and the whole Mediterranen will turn into an unlivable desert. Climate-refugees will be the new big thing, and all that until 2100 the latest. Should this hold true in any way, I will either pack my family and move out of the city and somewhere high up into the Alpes (which are currently said to be the future safe zone from the heat in the whole of Europe), or move somewhere to Canada, as high up North as possible. I really am a winter person, I like it cold and cosy, I like snow, I like rain, I like storms, I like snuggly winter clothes. I like skiing, damnit!
It really makes me wonder - so much change in the world for the worst in my 28 years of life already... what will my child have to see and go through during the course of his/her life? Chances are, he/she will live to see 2100 - what will Europe be like then? An endless desert in the formerly lush and rich environment? What are we doing with this world, that our children will have to deal with later? It really makes me scared for my baby and its future.
But! Back to baby, before I depress myself into stopping to write this entry entirely, and I still haven't talked about the organ screening. Needless to say, everything is perfectly alright with our Little One. Geo had it arranged so that he could join me in the hospital, which really was a special treat: he doesn't get to join me much to the ultrasound checks because of work, and this time he even got to see the high-res scan instead of the normal one. While the scan lasted, I wasn't sure if I should rather watch our child, or watch Geo watching our child. He was very taken by what he saw, and the clarity he saw it in.
I got a very good look at one leg, all the way from the hip down to the five little toesies, and they are already a bit chubby! I just wanted to nibble on that leg and love it and kiss it it, but I still have such a long wait ahead of me! It was simply amazing to see. The ultrasound technician, whom I told before that we don't want to know Baby's sex, kept himself away from the crotch (or at least he didn't linger there too much), but I am sure that he knows the sex now. It bothers me a bit that anybody in this world knows the big secret that we don't yet know ourselves, but then again I am proud of myself to still go through with it, and not to give in and ask just because I could have. But it really is getting difficult, I can tell you that! :)
Baby's heart (all four chambers!), kidneys, bladder, abdomen, spine, brain, and skeletal structure were checked, and everything was in perfect order. I was very, very happy to hear this, and in the end the technician even said: "You have a very beautiful baby."
Ha! Of course he says that to every expecting mother... but you know what??? It felt GOOD, and besides: since I WILL give birth to the most beautiful baby ever to have been born, I have to say: IN MY CASE HE IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT! :)
I got the most amazing photo, too. I strongly urge you to check out my ringo, this photo really is something else: a 3/4 view of the face, that shows very great detail! I was stunned when I saw it myself!
And speaking of detail: I also got myself an appointment for a 3D ultrasound scan. This has no diagnostic value whatsoever (and therefore I have to pay for it), but it'll leave me with a 3D video of my baby. I can bring my own recordable DVD, and I'll get to take it home with me to share it with everyone! Sure, it costs a lot of money, but it's a memory I would regret not to have later on, especially since we have the possibility to have it done in the first place. :)
I also signed up for birth gym class in the hospital - on time, so later on when it's time to go I have my reserved spot in there. I still need to sign up for the mommy-and-daddy preparation class, I haven't gotten a hold of anybody responsible yet. And I still need to sign up for a breastfeeding class, all of which are offered by my hospital. I still have a lot of time before any of these become relevant to me, but I rather take care of these matters now than to later discover that classes are full.
My parents came back home from their trip to Ireland last week as well, and brought their grandchild the cutest onesie as a gift! Slowly the pile of baby stuff that we are accumulating here is getting bigger... and I still have a whole 4 months to go! I love it though, it's the cutest thing, with a furry and soft teddy bear and a bunny rabbit embroidered into it, and it also comes with that same bunny rabbit as a stuffed toy. Thanks Mom and Dad! :)
Our letter project is also coming along nicely! Geo has cut them all out, I have sanded them off nicely, and gave them a white coat of paint. I have already designed some of them, and Geo has given them the right base color to put the little drawings on top later. We are still working hard, but we are having so much fun doing something so creative together for our child! I'll post a picture when we're done! :)
Okay... enough updates for one post. Have a great remainder of the weekend, everybody! Tomorrow marks the beginning of my 6th week before staying home from work for good! :)
In the last 3 days heavy rainstorms have unloaded over Vienna, unfortunately causing 3 deaths (from falling trees), but fortunately also dropping the temperature again under the 30°C (86°F) mark. The problem isn't so much the heat, it's the effin' humidity. During my life in Los Angeles I have lived through summers that were in the constant 90ties (Fahrenheit), and it never bothered me anything like a single day in the 90ties drags me down here. The difference is all in the humidity. Los Angeles' is a dry heat.
The news say that the heat will only get worse - not only through the course of this summer, but in the next years. France will be hit especially hard, and the whole Mediterranen will turn into an unlivable desert. Climate-refugees will be the new big thing, and all that until 2100 the latest. Should this hold true in any way, I will either pack my family and move out of the city and somewhere high up into the Alpes (which are currently said to be the future safe zone from the heat in the whole of Europe), or move somewhere to Canada, as high up North as possible. I really am a winter person, I like it cold and cosy, I like snow, I like rain, I like storms, I like snuggly winter clothes. I like skiing, damnit!
It really makes me wonder - so much change in the world for the worst in my 28 years of life already... what will my child have to see and go through during the course of his/her life? Chances are, he/she will live to see 2100 - what will Europe be like then? An endless desert in the formerly lush and rich environment? What are we doing with this world, that our children will have to deal with later? It really makes me scared for my baby and its future.
But! Back to baby, before I depress myself into stopping to write this entry entirely, and I still haven't talked about the organ screening. Needless to say, everything is perfectly alright with our Little One. Geo had it arranged so that he could join me in the hospital, which really was a special treat: he doesn't get to join me much to the ultrasound checks because of work, and this time he even got to see the high-res scan instead of the normal one. While the scan lasted, I wasn't sure if I should rather watch our child, or watch Geo watching our child. He was very taken by what he saw, and the clarity he saw it in.
I got a very good look at one leg, all the way from the hip down to the five little toesies, and they are already a bit chubby! I just wanted to nibble on that leg and love it and kiss it it, but I still have such a long wait ahead of me! It was simply amazing to see. The ultrasound technician, whom I told before that we don't want to know Baby's sex, kept himself away from the crotch (or at least he didn't linger there too much), but I am sure that he knows the sex now. It bothers me a bit that anybody in this world knows the big secret that we don't yet know ourselves, but then again I am proud of myself to still go through with it, and not to give in and ask just because I could have. But it really is getting difficult, I can tell you that! :)
Baby's heart (all four chambers!), kidneys, bladder, abdomen, spine, brain, and skeletal structure were checked, and everything was in perfect order. I was very, very happy to hear this, and in the end the technician even said: "You have a very beautiful baby."
Ha! Of course he says that to every expecting mother... but you know what??? It felt GOOD, and besides: since I WILL give birth to the most beautiful baby ever to have been born, I have to say: IN MY CASE HE IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT! :)
I got the most amazing photo, too. I strongly urge you to check out my ringo, this photo really is something else: a 3/4 view of the face, that shows very great detail! I was stunned when I saw it myself!
And speaking of detail: I also got myself an appointment for a 3D ultrasound scan. This has no diagnostic value whatsoever (and therefore I have to pay for it), but it'll leave me with a 3D video of my baby. I can bring my own recordable DVD, and I'll get to take it home with me to share it with everyone! Sure, it costs a lot of money, but it's a memory I would regret not to have later on, especially since we have the possibility to have it done in the first place. :)
I also signed up for birth gym class in the hospital - on time, so later on when it's time to go I have my reserved spot in there. I still need to sign up for the mommy-and-daddy preparation class, I haven't gotten a hold of anybody responsible yet. And I still need to sign up for a breastfeeding class, all of which are offered by my hospital. I still have a lot of time before any of these become relevant to me, but I rather take care of these matters now than to later discover that classes are full.
My parents came back home from their trip to Ireland last week as well, and brought their grandchild the cutest onesie as a gift! Slowly the pile of baby stuff that we are accumulating here is getting bigger... and I still have a whole 4 months to go! I love it though, it's the cutest thing, with a furry and soft teddy bear and a bunny rabbit embroidered into it, and it also comes with that same bunny rabbit as a stuffed toy. Thanks Mom and Dad! :)
Our letter project is also coming along nicely! Geo has cut them all out, I have sanded them off nicely, and gave them a white coat of paint. I have already designed some of them, and Geo has given them the right base color to put the little drawings on top later. We are still working hard, but we are having so much fun doing something so creative together for our child! I'll post a picture when we're done! :)
Okay... enough updates for one post. Have a great remainder of the weekend, everybody! Tomorrow marks the beginning of my 6th week before staying home from work for good! :)
posted by spreadyourwings at 10:25 AM
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