First, thank you to everyone who has seen my horrific new 'do and not said anything. I really appreciate it.
Here is the tale of how it happened.
I went to an English-speaking hairdresser with clear expectations which I articulated verbally and with a picture. One of the things I specifically asked for was NOT TO CUT ANYTHING ABOVE MY EARS PERIOD. NOTHING. NO. THING.
So of course then she, you know, cut my hair such that I have hair literally less than an inch and a half long on the top of my head. Seriously. In real life.
Pretty much, let's just say that she did everything I specifically said NOT TO DO and did nothing that I actually ASKED FOR.
So that's why my hair is currently reminiscent of a dead octopus residing on my head. I swear to you that I did not ask for it. I cannot tell you how many tears I have cried over it (and yes, I did feel ridiculous the whole time. At least I feel ridiculous for how shallow I am).
It's not that I feel embarrassed leaving the house with this hair--it's that I feel embarrassed existing with this foul mop. I am embarrassed at all times over this hair, even when there is not another soul in the room to judge. Because I have to judge myself over this awful, awful hair. The other night I woke up in the middle of the night just heartbroken over it. But I have no choice now but to let it grow out.
This is valuable because it is teaching me not to automatically judge people with terrible, horrifically foul hair cuts. It can happen to anybody. Sometimes the hairdresser just doesn't even leave enough hair to let you actually fix the cut. Sometimes you're just stuck.
So anyway, that's the situation. If you run out of things to pray for you can pray for my freakishly foul haircut to grow out quickly. And please remember: I'm really not into tacky foul haircuts. Seriously. It was all a mistake.
:^(
Saturday, May 7, 2011
more pregnancy stuff
Last night was so intense: in the middle of the night, my calf got this gigantic charlie horse all the way up it. I actually wondered if my bone was going to crack or bend, like James's femur did that one time. Fortunately I am married to the best guy ever, and he woke up to my whimpering and rubbed my calf out. But yikes. I'm so glad that was the first time it's happened. I've been reading about pregnancy leg cramps for weeks and I'm so grateful I missed out on them!
I did some research yesterday on posterior babies, since Baby D is one of those now. Apparently the other term for them is "sunny side up," which I like way better. Anyway, this website explains why having sunny side up babies is harder than normal and has a bunch of ideas on how to help them move.
One website I found suggested putting cold packs on your back, and warm towels on your front. Since babies don't like cold, the baby will flip around and get into the right position for birth, assuming that they're not backwards because of an umbilical cord issue or something.
So I'm trying to sit with my knees below my hips, and I've tried SO hard not to recline, which enables sunny side up-ness. But that means a lot of leaning forward, which is really uncomfortable.
This morning, to help me out, Carl brought up our exercise ball, which I guess is now where I'll be sitting from now on, since it kind of forces you to keep your knees down and your back up.
Other than that! We're putting together the birth plan. I scheduled a tour of the birthing facility for June 5. We still need to pick a name and a pediatrician and all that sort of jazz. The end of June is swiftly approaching!
I did some research yesterday on posterior babies, since Baby D is one of those now. Apparently the other term for them is "sunny side up," which I like way better. Anyway, this website explains why having sunny side up babies is harder than normal and has a bunch of ideas on how to help them move.
One website I found suggested putting cold packs on your back, and warm towels on your front. Since babies don't like cold, the baby will flip around and get into the right position for birth, assuming that they're not backwards because of an umbilical cord issue or something.
So I'm trying to sit with my knees below my hips, and I've tried SO hard not to recline, which enables sunny side up-ness. But that means a lot of leaning forward, which is really uncomfortable.
This morning, to help me out, Carl brought up our exercise ball, which I guess is now where I'll be sitting from now on, since it kind of forces you to keep your knees down and your back up.
Other than that! We're putting together the birth plan. I scheduled a tour of the birthing facility for June 5. We still need to pick a name and a pediatrician and all that sort of jazz. The end of June is swiftly approaching!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Baby Doozit updates
Went to the midwife yesterday. Baby D is good. He is posterior, which basically means that his spine is up against my spine. I'm glad to know this, because I've kept hearing people talk about how they could feel their baby's back or spine against their tummy, and I haven't been able to feel that at all. Sometimes I can feel a foot pressed up against me, but nothing else.
But apparently that's because his back is just the other way. This is bad if he decides he wants to stay that way forever, but he has 6-8 weeks to flip around into proper birthing position and I'm not too worried.
Don't worry; he's head-down, so that's all good.
The midwife seemed to assume I was taking an iron supplement, which I'm not. I told her that I was trying to eat more ironic foods (ha, ha), and that now I take extra vitamin C to help the iron absorption. So I guess maybe my anemia has finally cleared up, all these months later?
But apparently that's because his back is just the other way. This is bad if he decides he wants to stay that way forever, but he has 6-8 weeks to flip around into proper birthing position and I'm not too worried.
Don't worry; he's head-down, so that's all good.
The midwife seemed to assume I was taking an iron supplement, which I'm not. I told her that I was trying to eat more ironic foods (ha, ha), and that now I take extra vitamin C to help the iron absorption. So I guess maybe my anemia has finally cleared up, all these months later?
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
how i cured my otitis externa
I kept meaning to post about this, but I also kept forgetting. From around January to around, oh, just recently, I was dealing with an annoying bout of otitis externa (which basically means, ear infection). DON'T look it up on Wikipedia because you WILL regret it.
My ear did not look like the ears in the Wikipedia pictures (thankfully!), but I did go temporarily deaf in my right ear, and it was all, you know, just scaly and gross. Very, very unfortunate.
I have a whole new respect for Mozart. Being a deaf musician totally rots.
But anyway, I was worried because the infection didn't go away, and because of the pregnancy I'm pretty against using medication.
So, I looked up a bunch of stuff online, and this is what I did that worked--my home remedy, as it were:
After three days and nights of doing all those things, my otitis externa was all gone, and I didn't have to go to a doctor.
So, if you find yourself suffering from a scaly inner ear and overall deafness, those are things you can try. Sorry that this is totally gross, guys. But I thought the internet deserved to know what worked for me! I wish I'd had a thing like this to read when I was looking for a solution.
My ear did not look like the ears in the Wikipedia pictures (thankfully!), but I did go temporarily deaf in my right ear, and it was all, you know, just scaly and gross. Very, very unfortunate.
I have a whole new respect for Mozart. Being a deaf musician totally rots.
But anyway, I was worried because the infection didn't go away, and because of the pregnancy I'm pretty against using medication.
So, I looked up a bunch of stuff online, and this is what I did that worked--my home remedy, as it were:
1. Prayed a lot!
2. Used a mixture of distilled white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide in my afflicted ear 2x daily and at night as needed. The mixture was approximately half and half, and I mixed it in the cap of my hydrogen peroxide bottle. You just pour the capful into your ear and then tilt your head so it stays in there for a bit. The hydrogen peroxide bubbles and the vinegar disinfects and smells like salad. :^/
3. Alternated a hot pack/cold pack along that whole side of my face/neck, to help alleviate the swelling in all the tissues around there. I probably used each of those packs for 10 minutes at a time, with a few minutes of break in between each use. I think it went kind of like this: Hot 10 mins, break 2 mins, cold 10 mins, break 2 mins, repeat.
4. Slept with a cold pack as a pillow on that side of my face/neck. This actually made a huge difference. I wrapped the pack in a handtowel and just put it on top of my pillow, and it helped a TON.
5. Sigh. Took one acetaminophen per day for three days. I didn't want to do it but I kept feeling like I should, so I did, and it worked out, so there we go. The acetaminophen was also for the swelling.
After three days and nights of doing all those things, my otitis externa was all gone, and I didn't have to go to a doctor.
So, if you find yourself suffering from a scaly inner ear and overall deafness, those are things you can try. Sorry that this is totally gross, guys. But I thought the internet deserved to know what worked for me! I wish I'd had a thing like this to read when I was looking for a solution.
nostalgia.
AHHHH I just got another hair cut today and I have mixed feelings! Slash, it's the kind of hair cut I normally hate on everyone and now it is MINE!!! AH!! Looking for ways to fix it. Oh man. Oh, noes.
I hated my last hair cut, secretly, but now I feel just very sad that I tried to get it fixed and now it's what it is. :^(
It's making my soul frowny but I just have to tell myself, it will grow.
Maybe this is because just the other day I prayed for help being more humble. Isn't that an awful thought??
This is a post to just commemorate that one time that I was actually hot, and had a figure but one inch off Marilyn Monroe's, and could run five miles in one go, and dated so much I basically never needed to buy groceries. THOSE DAYS EXISTED!!!! You would never know if you looked at me now, but they TOTALLY DID!!!!!
i used to have a really great figure one time (picture taken about 4 months before I met Carl)
i had long, shiny curly hair one time
i could fit into pretty dresses once
:^(
Remind me not to cut my hair again for like two years, kthx.
I hated my last hair cut, secretly, but now I feel just very sad that I tried to get it fixed and now it's what it is. :^(
It's making my soul frowny but I just have to tell myself, it will grow.
Maybe this is because just the other day I prayed for help being more humble. Isn't that an awful thought??
This is a post to just commemorate that one time that I was actually hot, and had a figure but one inch off Marilyn Monroe's, and could run five miles in one go, and dated so much I basically never needed to buy groceries. THOSE DAYS EXISTED!!!! You would never know if you looked at me now, but they TOTALLY DID!!!!!
:^(
Remind me not to cut my hair again for like two years, kthx.
Metro stories
Yesterday, I saw two really noteworthy examples of courtesy (or lack thereof) on the Metro. I talked about them with the Young Women last night for Personal Progress, but the story has stuck with me and I wanted to share it here.
Carl and I got on the Metro on our way home from work, and a nice guy stood up and offered me his seat. It was so kind of him.
Now, a few stops later, an old lady got on. Really, really old. I saw her and was like, whoa! I should give her my seat! But then I remembered, hey wait--I'm pregnant! Maybe it's not my job to stand up for her?
I had this inner debate with myself and decided that I would just wait and watch and if she stood for too long I would give her my seat.
Well, I didn't need to worry about that. Because she went up to these people sitting in the front seats of their row, and glared at them until they both moved. A businesswoman in a suit and a giant ghetto dude. They both scrammed and this lady took the seat by the window.
She sat down, and then leaned forward to the woman who had been sitting in the blue seat (which is supposed to be available for the handicapped). The woman sitting in the blue seat had a GIANT giant suitcase, and was holding several bags and messing around on her iPad.
Anyway, the old lady leaned forward and spat, "That seat is for seniors. Are you blind? Can't you read?" and every single word just dripped with derision.
The woman in the seat was incredibly gracious. She just said, "I'm really sorry. Would you like this seat? Because I can move. It's not a problem." The old lady just grunted (remember, she'd already chased away two entire human beings from her row during rush hour). The woman in the blue seat just picked up all her stuff, packed it all up, and dragged her bags and her giant suitcase off to another corner of the car. In retrospect, I wonder if that woman was also pregnant (or just kind of awkwardly fattish around the middle. I hate when you can't tell!).
The old lady just leaned back and grumbled and glared out the window for the rest of the time. She had chased away three separate people during rush hour. They were all just standing in the aisle. It was amazing to me that they would rather stand than sit next to her--but not that amazing, because wow, that lady was witchy, and I don't blame 'em.
Anyway, that was just a very sad thing to behold.
Carl and I got on the Metro on our way home from work, and a nice guy stood up and offered me his seat. It was so kind of him.
Now, a few stops later, an old lady got on. Really, really old. I saw her and was like, whoa! I should give her my seat! But then I remembered, hey wait--I'm pregnant! Maybe it's not my job to stand up for her?
I had this inner debate with myself and decided that I would just wait and watch and if she stood for too long I would give her my seat.
Well, I didn't need to worry about that. Because she went up to these people sitting in the front seats of their row, and glared at them until they both moved. A businesswoman in a suit and a giant ghetto dude. They both scrammed and this lady took the seat by the window.
She sat down, and then leaned forward to the woman who had been sitting in the blue seat (which is supposed to be available for the handicapped). The woman sitting in the blue seat had a GIANT giant suitcase, and was holding several bags and messing around on her iPad.
Anyway, the old lady leaned forward and spat, "That seat is for seniors. Are you blind? Can't you read?" and every single word just dripped with derision.
The woman in the seat was incredibly gracious. She just said, "I'm really sorry. Would you like this seat? Because I can move. It's not a problem." The old lady just grunted (remember, she'd already chased away two entire human beings from her row during rush hour). The woman in the blue seat just picked up all her stuff, packed it all up, and dragged her bags and her giant suitcase off to another corner of the car. In retrospect, I wonder if that woman was also pregnant (or just kind of awkwardly fattish around the middle. I hate when you can't tell!).
The old lady just leaned back and grumbled and glared out the window for the rest of the time. She had chased away three separate people during rush hour. They were all just standing in the aisle. It was amazing to me that they would rather stand than sit next to her--but not that amazing, because wow, that lady was witchy, and I don't blame 'em.
Anyway, that was just a very sad thing to behold.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Welcome to May!!
Hooray for May! Carl's birthday is coming up, next Sunday. You can honor his birthday by visiting our baby registry (you'll have to search for our names there). That would also be a good way to honor Baby Doozit's upcoming birthday!
Next Sunday is also Mother's Day. Thank the mother in your life for giving birth to you. That whole process seems pretty crazy.
Not gonna lie--I'm mostly excited for May because it means Baby Doozit is ALMOST DONE! Depending on who's talking, Baby D has just 6-8 more weeks to go. If he's due in the last 2 weeks of June, and this is now May... !! Hooray!
At ~32 weeks, Baby D now has a 90+% chance of surviving if I were to give birth to him right this second. He is sensitive to temperature and his eyes are officially blue. He's supposed to be around 4 pounds at this point, although in the end, who knows. He has fully formed toenails and is busy growing hair.
I'm really excited for Baby Doozit's hair. I really hope he has some. I have seen way too many bald babies lately. My dream is for him to have Carl's color of hair and my curls. I think that would be the best.
Here is a good song:
Next Sunday is also Mother's Day. Thank the mother in your life for giving birth to you. That whole process seems pretty crazy.
Not gonna lie--I'm mostly excited for May because it means Baby Doozit is ALMOST DONE! Depending on who's talking, Baby D has just 6-8 more weeks to go. If he's due in the last 2 weeks of June, and this is now May... !! Hooray!
At ~32 weeks, Baby D now has a 90+% chance of surviving if I were to give birth to him right this second. He is sensitive to temperature and his eyes are officially blue. He's supposed to be around 4 pounds at this point, although in the end, who knows. He has fully formed toenails and is busy growing hair.
I'm really excited for Baby Doozit's hair. I really hope he has some. I have seen way too many bald babies lately. My dream is for him to have Carl's color of hair and my curls. I think that would be the best.
Here is a good song:
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