so much to update on. so little time -- bullet-style

*Friday night: ate fries for dinner, which I heartily regretted a few hours later.

*Saturday was our labor and delivery class, which was informative and pretty much what I figured it would be. We signed up for the express version of a Prepared Childbirth class, which means we were mailed a thirty page booklet that walked us through the basics, and also gave us a code that allowed us access to an online library of videos and information sheets. The class itself was only three hours long, which was less expensive and less time-intensive, perfect for us (read: me). We learned a little about how to breathe and a little about what drug options there would be. AKA: Susan gets drugs early and often, and no one gets hurt. Interesting tidbit: the birthing coach recommended a code word, so that the partners know to clear the room of people for a bit. I like that we’re close enough with our fams that we can just say ‘Um, we really need to be alone for a few’ instead of making up a code system. 

*Sunday we decided to walk to breakfast in our neighborhood, which would’ve been a great idea a) had I not been 8 months pregnant, b) had the first two places we tried been less swamped and c) had the third place where we actually ate had a kitchen staff at all. We finally ate, and were treated very well, but my 10am idea for breakfast turned into a noon brunch.  We ended up at a local pub, that serves beers with breakfast...  While we waited for our food (probably took about an hour or so) Karen had a few beers, and by the time we walked out, she was (rather innocently) a little buzzed.  Ah, the fun of being the designated driver at 1pm on a Sunday.

*Tuesday a few of our friends at work threw a shower for us, which was incredibly sweet. Lots of people joined us to celebrate Danny, and we got lots of generous help and some awfully cute gifts to boot. Karen’s parents joined us, which was quite a nice surprise, and the hour flew by. We’re very lucky to work with such kind people, and we couldn’t have had a better time.

*Today I had an OB appointment, where everything went fine. My doctor confirmed that he’s a big boy (never saw THAT coming) and assured me that we don’t need to worry about him getting too big. I’ll take her word for it. Good news for me today: I’ve only gained a pound since my last appointment… Shocking, since he’s gaining about half a pound a week now. By my (horrible) estimation, that will put him right around the eight pound mark when he’s due. We’ll see how that pans out. My OB appointments will be bi-weekly for a bit, and then weekly. We’re getting closer to the end every time I check. We’re fifty days from our EDD, and can’t believe we’re so close.

*This weekend, we have non-stop action: a dinner with friends Friday, Saturday we shop for costumes for our co-ed costume party / shower which is Saturday night. Sunday is our family shower… PHEW. Nothing like packing it all into one weekend!

*Karen has a game she plays with Danny, where she pushes in on my belly and he pushes out, usually just after dinner when he’s very active. It’s an awful lot of fun, and I love that they get to interact even before they officially meet.

*Updated symptoms: heartburn, back pain, scary swollen ankles and fingers, still sleeping pretty well, definitely waddling, generally looking like a house like a sea lion very pregnant.  I also drop foods/beverages on my belly daily now.  It's a good look for me.

*Size at this point: 5 lbs, and about eighteen inches long. Roughly, the size of a small baby. :)

Happy Halloween!

57 days, and a few sonogram pics

The first one is his skull, which looks less than round to me.  Karen, of course, is sure that I'm a complete wacko and googled the shape of human skulls to show me pictures.  She is one patient woman. 

He is facing the upper left corner of the picture, for those of you like me who are struggling to see things now.  It was a little easier when his whole body fit into the frame at once.

The second picture is his foot touching the top of his head, which just makes him look all bendy.  The acrobatic moves I've been feeling are apparently for a reason. 

This one looks like a hookah to me, but I'm pretty sure that's unlikely.  This is probably rated NC-17, but I can't see anything for the life of me. 

:)  57 days left!

That's still a big kitten!

Yesterday's appointment went just fine, save the fact that we waited for over two hours to be seen. The doctor placed the ultrasound wand onto my stomach and almost immediately pulled it off and asked, 'Do you know the sex?' Apparently, our boy is very proud of his anatomy, and surprised even the doctor with his immodesty. The kitten is doing well, he's head down and all looks good. He currently weighs 4lbs, 9oz, and that puts him in the 86th percentile -- he's still bigger than 86% of babies his age. Sonograms to come... I didn't grab a picture of them last night. On a few of the pictures, his foot is up by his head. I could just eat him up already, and I haven't even met him yet.

We sat in the main waiting room with a family waiting for their own baby to be born: Grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles all excited and anxious. After half an hour or so, the dad came downstairs to announce the birth of their baby boy, and everyone shouted and jumped for joy... I might have cried a bit, (read: cried quite a bit) even though I don't know them at all. I just imagined Karen walking into the same scene, with news of our baby boy. Welcome to my world.

Another week until my next OB appointment... we're crawling to the finish line, but these little glimpses make it easier to wait. Strangers ask what I'm having, and say things like 'You must be due any day now, huh?' Nope, just under two months left now. 'Oh, you'll never go that long... He'll be early.'

Whatever you say! We wouldn't mind meeting him anytime after 37 weeks. :)

sixty days left and a weekend recap

I was reading another blog earlier and saw that they were only 58 days away from their due date...  'Hmm...  we must be a week or so away from that countdown,' I thought.  I was a little surprised to learn that we're a mere sixty days away from ours.  Yikes.  Time flies when you're pretending labor won't happen!

We had a fun-filled weekend to say the least...  Friday we had family game night at our place, and stayed up until past 1am, which is later than I have stayed up in months.  Brunch Saturday with Jami and Laura, who trekked a whole hour to our side of town just to eat with us (and pick up their Farmer's Market bounty).  I give them credit...  I have trouble putting on clothes and walking across the street on Saturdays.  They are a motivated bunch!  Saturday night we went to the East side for dinner with fam, and had a Neighbor Cookfest yesterday. 

I made braised short ribs for the first time, and I highly recommend this recipe.  I didn't let them sit overnight, but I swear they were amazing without the extra step.  I managed to spend an extra thirty minutes in the store, searching for a few of the more obscure ingredients (crème fraîche?) only to find that the recipe didn't even really need them (and that sour cream is a respectable alternative)...  The meat and the gravy it produced was A-Mazing and it has quickly become my new favorite meal.  (Hint: the prep was the bulk of the work, since that took me a good solid ninety minutes, the remaining cooking time of 3 hours was a breeze, aside from the first-time-braisers-maintenance as the juices overflowed onto the oven floor.)  Thanks, Stephanie, for keeping us company and helping with dessert -- we made little apple pie tarts in a cupcake tin that were SO easy and SO good, that if I hadn't made up the idea, I'd think I'd stolen it.  Before we knew it, it was 9pm and we were all in a food coma on the couch, lounging while the Amazing Racers did the opposite of lounging. 

We have our 3rd Tri Ultrasound tomorrow, and I couldn't be happier to see the kitten again.  It's been since early August since we've caught a glimpse of him, and he should be considerably bigger now...  Average size is about 4½ pounds, and about 16" long.  If he's still following their early predictions, he should weigh about thirty pounds.  We'll see tomorrow!

more crazy, please!

Last night, Karen made pizza and generally waited on me for the evening, which I loved. I figured I'd take advantage, and mentioned that I had a taste for frosting, jokingly asking if she'd whip some up for me. She immediately got that lit-up kid look, and headed to the kitchen, insisting that I close my eyes. (Cue the slapstick music.) Ever the skeptic, I followed her orders, covered my eyes with one hand and began to giggle somewhat uncontrollably while I waited for her to return with her surprise. She continued to insist (loudly) that I not peek! NO PEEKING! I MEAN IT! So the covered eyes continued, as did our laughter. She approached me and I began to worry what might be in her hands, realizing it could be ANYTHING!!! I wracked my brain to think of the contents of our fridge and freezer -- it could be fruit, milk, veggies… or it could be a mean surprise like cold chicken soup. I was convinced that I might have something to be afraid of, so I covered my mouth. We both were laughing hysterically, and in between the laughter I could barely catch my breath. I had to give in, as you’d expect, and allow her to finish her surprise, so I opened my mouth and waited for what felt like MINUTES, only to hear the familiar sound of compressed air. She had sprayed whipped cream into my mouth, and the second I realized it wasn’t soup I was as hysterical as she was. I laughed harder, she laughed harder. I stood up, and laughed even harder… aaaaaaaaand then tried to take a deep breath. Yep, not the smartest move with a mouthful of whipped topping. I began to choke only for a second and then recovered, but not before the laughter turned to terror and I began to experience some rabid hybrid of laugh-crying. I couldn’t even contain it, and this noise escaped from my mouth that sounded like a wounded sea lion, tears streaming down my cheeks, while miraculously still laughing.  (Imagine a very extended duck honk.)  The look on her face was a cross between delight and true concern, since no one normally cries, laughs and wails at the same time.  She kept saying she was sorry she tried to kill me with whipped cream, which was even funnier.  After a few minutes I calmed down, and we kept laughing and recapping how in the hell that happened.  "You're totally going to have to post a story about this tomorrow...  I wonder if it will translate," she said.  I don't know if it did, but just writing it made me laugh again.

I don’t think she’ll try to surprise me with food again, but I’m thinking that it may be my turn to surprise her, just to show her what she missed.

week 30

Ever since we found out we were pregnant, I've been looking forward to our hospital's labor & delivery tour, and I'm not exactly sure why... Maybe because it helps me visualize what it'll be like the day we meet our boy, or maybe it's because that meant that we'd be so far along. I figured it would be a sunny fall day with lots of orange leaves and fall temperatures, which I was not mistaken about. I started my day with a spring in my step, heading to the only somewhat-local Old Navy that has a maternity department, for some new tops. I learned a lot about how online returns don't work, but was able to buy some layering pieces so that my ever-growing belly doesn't peek out from below all my shirts.  (Quick lesson learned this week: just because you start out your pregnancy with shirts that you're sure will be WAY TOO BIG all through your pregnancy, maybe you should listen to all the people who tell you in that 'been there' tone that...  huh...  yeah...  that's never going to happen, and you'll outgrow everything you buy.)  We then headed to the hospital a little early so we could pick up lunch along the way, and arrived in plenty of time to make it to the tour.  What we hadn't considered is that I didn't show the hospital map to Karen, and we were navigating using my map skills.  (♫ Dun dun DUN! ♪)  We eventually made it to where we were supposed to be after a few detours and only managed to miss the first five minutes of the lecture portion.  Way to go, Suze. 

We learned that there are cameras allowed up until the birth and then immediately after, which is fine with me.  I would like to point out here that I reserve veto rights regarding all video and pictures of myself from that day, and am glad that I won't have to worry about any actual-birth-photos.  We learned about pre-registering and saw the rooms that we'll deliver in.  We also saw the post-partum rooms, which I was a little surprised to learn, were not as lavish or as large as I had vividly imagined.  But all in all, it was pretty much how I'd thought it would be.  (The one surprise: there's a 'room service' menu, that you can order from whenever you'd like.  Nicer than the typical hospital rounds of jello and chicken broth I had imagined.) 

After our tour, we made homemade pot pies with our neighbor, Stephanie, and basically lounged the night away.  Sadly, Monday morning came much sooner than I thought it would, as is often the case after a busy weekend.  Oh well, we're in the thirtieth week now, which means that the babe is about the size of a squash. 

I can say he's at least that big, since he is residing on my bladder.

not good

So today, I feel unwell.  Nothing that won't disappear in a few days I'm sure, but I'm grouchy and foggy and I feel like I've been hit by a bus.  For the first hour of work, I pondered going home, but that seems like a lot of work.  I'm certainly not dying...  So I'm toughing it out and getting everyone else remotely sick too getting some work done.

So please ignore me as I sit here quietly and every so often scoop a spoonful of Date Bars* into my mouth. 

*really the best thing ever invented, and likely to cure all known ailments

reason #497

Every week or so, I obsess about the items on our to-do list that have yet to be crossed off; some days it's our need for a crib, others, a glider.  One day, I scanned eBay for an hour looking for a bargain on breast pumps.  You never really know what you'll get.  (Quick aside, Karen's sign language classes have had a mixed result: She occasionally makes up signs on the go.  For example, I don't believe she's learned the sign for breast pump in her class, but that didn't stop her from unwittingly acting it out at dinner with my parents.  Good times.)  So, lately I've been focusing on the fact that we haven't chosen a crib yet, and since we're still eighty days from our due date, this hasn't really been a pressing issue.  By Saturday afternoon, though, I had it in my head that we needed to go shopping to at least compare models and probably maybe to buy one.  So we looked up the nearest Babies R Us, and found it near the airport, but we decided against the trip and went about our day.  We were supposed to attend a college play that night, to fulfill a requirement for one of Karen's classes.  The play was about an hour and fifteen minutes away, which means I was on the lookout for alternative ideas...  Maybe we could find a play that's closer another night?  Maybe there's another event altogether that we could attend?  Basically, I hemmed and hawed until she changed her mind.  Of course, I immediately felt a little selfish for not being more easygoing about the whole idea, and I proceeded to try to talk her back into seeing the play.  I start to feel better when I think I've successfully talked her into it.

Quick aside, I'm HORRIBLE with geography; I once thought Detroit was east of us. And by once, I mean about two years ago.  Karen is well aware my geographical disinclination.  She finds it endearing. 
(Or so I tell myself.)

Cast your mind... We're now in the car, heading west when I think we should be heading east.

Me: "I looked at the map, and the campus was south-east of us."
Her: "Are you sure you looked at it right?"
Me: "I think so...  It was east of the main campus"
Her: "You must've looked at it wrong"
Me: "Hmm, really? 
...pause
       "Okay"

About fifteen minutes later, we're passing the airport we discussed earlier, but I convince myself that she mentioned that it was en route to the theater.  Hint: this is when normal people would've caught onto her scheme.  A few minutes later, we're exiting at the mall that I now remember is near the Babies R Us, and I realize what she's done.  Turns out, she felt guilty that we were going to a play I didn't care about when I'd been wanting to look at cribs.  ☺

Reason #497 that we're perfect for each other.

another weekend gone...

Is it really Monday again?  I think we just need a few weeks of vacation in a row, to read a lot and better ourselves, and -- oh, fine...  I wanted to sit around and do nothing a little longer. 

We had a usual weekend, with a trip to Babies 'R' Us thrown in.  I felt a little like a celebrity, getting to use the 'expectant moms only' parking, but I soon chilled out.  We found a gorgeous crib that we both love, so we have another item crossed off our lists.  It wasn't in stock, despite the 'IN STOCK TODAY' sign, so we'll be picking it up in a week or so.  Karen almost killed the counterperson was moderately patient with less than stellar service and after waffling for a bit, we decided to get a changing table elsewhere.  Recent internet review checks have taught us that the changing table in question may not have been the best buy anyway, so it all worked out.  I can't wait to bring this guy home and set him up!  Sick, I know...

We did not get the cute monkey / hedgehog bedding set shown above, for a myriad of reasons, mainly because spending $250 on a bumper and blanket that won't be used at all cause it's dangerous seemed crazy we registered for more frugal choices at Tarjay.  I must admit, though, a huge part of me almost bought the bumper/blanket combo just to use it before Danny can roll over.  Is this how these companies make all their money?  On sappy, crazy mothers who just want the nursery to be adorable regardless of the functionality?  Shocking!

In other news, I had a crazy cooking day yesterday, that included fresh tortilla chips, a homemade pumpkin pie, a meatloaf dinner with potatoes and gravy, and date bars.  Clearly, I am suffering from some sort of psychotic break, and everyone we know will be fed for weeks.  :)

CPR Anytime

One of my facebook friends mentioned this website, and it couldn't have been more timely...  I was looking into CPR class for Karen and myself just this morning, and this website let me order a kit that is less expensive than the classes offered at our hospital...  And I figure we can pass it along to the grandparents so they can all take it.  There's also adult versions if you're so inclined...

http://cpranytime.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3045660

And, look! Even the dog can learn.

☼ here comes the sun...

The sun's out for the first day in what feels like weeks...  Such a nice change!

I signed us up for our childbirth classes today and I'm getting really excited.  Last night, Karen felt Danny kick 'harder than ever before' and he's started to really roll around in there.  Hard to believe he'll more than double his current weight before we meet him. 

Tonight is also (trumpet noise) my last Bio class!!!  It's gone by pretty quickly, but it's been an amazing amount of work.  We each have a ten minute presentation tonight that I'm dreading more than I would've thought...  I used to be such a brave public speaker, but now I get very nervous.  So, I've decided to read from my script and make sure I look up often.  Even practicing last night for Karen had my stomach all in knots.  I'll be a happy girl by 8pm tonight when it's over.  I feel like I should have a tequila and hot dog party.  Probably not smart, though...  huh?

Question of the day: why is it that we feel so much better when the sun's out?  ☼

I just realized...

...that our due date is three months from today. 

(yey!)

there sure is a lot of stuff out there

I was excited when I realized we still had to finish our baby registry on Saturday.  We went to Tarjay and were given our very own (for an hour or so) scan-gun!  What I remembered as a 'few aisles of baby stuff' turned into an hour and a half of 'do you like this?  How about this one?  Will we need this?'  over and over again.  We spent a good chunk of time looking through furniture and strollers and crib sheets, oh my!  We even went to Walmart afterward to comparison shop for cribs.  That store scares me, for the record.  It's much too big to do any kind of focused shopping.  Groceries are on one side, baby stuff on the other; garbage can we needed was in the middle of the whole store, and then we needed to ask where they kept the garbage bags.  It felt like an episode of The Amazing Race, but with crappier views and loudspeakers.  We managed to make it out alive, just barely.  I spent the rest of Saturday making chili, which we'll likely eat for the next three months.  I might have made too much...

Yesterday started as a typical Sunday, with Karen heading out for a round of golf with Dad, Mike and Mickey...  until she called an hour later to say she pulled her back and was heading home.  She managed to plop herself on the couch and hasn't really moved since.  It doesn't look comfortable at all, and she's a much more patient patient than I would be. 
 
We're in week 27, which means we've just started our third trimester!*  He weighs about 2½ pounds, and should be about fifteen inches long.  He can now open and close his eyes, and will likely jump in response to sharp sounds.  He's definitely getting stronger every day, and it's fun to see him push my stomach out like something from Aliens.  I can't wait to meet this little guy...

*I remember speculating how different things would seem once fall hit, thinking I'd feel so much more mature and maternal, cartoon birds hovering as I walk, a skip in my step.  Silly rabbit, it's more of a waddle.  And rather than feeling all glowy, I tend to just want more naps.

weekend plans and the usual recap

The glucose test was uneventful, and aside from being surprisingly tired later that night, it was a snap.  So far, no news, which I am hoping means that everything is fine.  The orange stuff was actually somewhat tasty, and reminded me of that orange drink I used to get in a tiny carton in grade school.  I did get a little worried when my friend said she was instructed not to eat anything all day beforehand, if she wanted to pass.  (Of course, worrywart Susan then checked the direction sheet she was given, to confirm that she was told it was okay to eat.)  Something tells me that Chipotle isn't the meal to eat just before this specific test, but I suppose time will tell.  The rest of the appointment was easy as usual, my belly is growing, of course.  My doctor is happy with my weight gain and says that everything looks great so far, which is always nice to hear.  Apparently the B-H contractions are nothing to worry about unless they happen more frequently than 4 per hour.  Mine aren't even close to that, so I'm going to stop obsessing.  Maybe.

My biology class is a little more than half over, and I've learned a few things: dissecting a cow heart isn't the exciting experience that dissecting a frog was in tenth grade.  It's kind of like preparing steak.  And, I am not as interested in, nor am I as good at science as I once thought.  When I started this class, I was excited to learn new things (I loved my college Astronomy class, and bio in high school...) and figured I was sure to keep my 4.0 GPA (I owned a microscope that I used for fun for several of my teen years!).  Now I'm kind of happy for it to be ending, so I can read what I choose and not spend my Sundays retyping information from a textbook.  I am also right on the cusp of losing my A, which is seriously frustrating because -- HELLO -- I'm a relatively smart girl who has gotten nothing but As for YEARS.  Our program has a stricter grading scale than normal, and there are forty possible points weekly, which means I can miss 2.8 points before I lose my A.  No pressure.

Okay, venting complete.  For now.

Tonight we have dessert with the fam for G-Ma's birthday, which I'm looking forward to.  It's at Malley's, which means ICE CREAM!  (Yey!)  Other than that, our weekend looks pretty breezy and we should be able to fit in a movie.  (Hint, hint.  Karen.  Ahem.)

100 days to go, and a birthday wish

As the countdown dwindles, I start to get just a little more nervous and excited.  In 100 days, (give or take) we will have our little boy home.  I've started to have some braxton hicks contractions, which feel like a blood pressure cuff around my belly.  From what I read, they're perfectly normal, but I'll be sure to ask about them at today's appointment.  Also today, (drumroll...) I'll have the much-awaited glucose test!!!  Try to remain calm, folks.  I know that everyone secretly wants to drink flat orange soda and have blood drawn.

In other news, today is my Dad's birthday! 

Happy Birthday, Papa!

another Tuesday

Time is flying along, and it's starting to feel a little like fall here; it gets dark earlier and gives me an excuse to wear sweaters at night.  We're in the 26th week now, which means that there's only fourteen left.  HOLY CRAP that seems close.  I started to realize that my brain needs to know that we're all set, or at least all planned for, so last night we sat down and made a little checklist of things that we have left to do before Christmas...  Crib, registries, little things, choosing a pediatrician, labor classes.  Do you have any opinions about L&D education classes?  It feels like one of those things we should do, but it also seems like it has the potential to repeat all the things I've been reading so far.  Are birthing classes worth it?

We're also waffling about whether to put the condo on the market, to see if it will sell quickly.  That might be something to check off our lists before next summer if we can.  We have always planned to move East eventually, in a year or so, but we're torn.  Cons: we LOVE our neighbors and our neighborhood.  Pro: we could be much closer to our families.  Con: we can walk to swanky restaraunts and we're five minutes from the city for games and concerts.  Pro: we will have very little time for these things come December.  Con: we love the condo now that all the remodeling is finished and I have my dream kitchen / bathroom / basement.  Con: the three-floor walk-up is virtually un-baby-proofable.   I suppose these may be moot discussions, since the housing market isn't exactly booming right now. 

The kitten weighs about 2½ pounds and about 13" long.  He definitely has some typical active periods, including 7am and 11pm (of course) and Karen can now see my stomach move from his kicks when she's all the way across the room.  I read yesterday that some expecting mothers experience some pretty serious pain, caused by feet that wedge between their ribs. 

Luckily, I've had a talk with Danny and explained that this is not acceptible behavior. 

Happy Tuesday! (and happy 100th!)

It's rainy and yucky here, but it's also Tuesday so that somehow makes up for the weather.  We had a great weekend with the fam on vacation, where we got to see our first Labor Day Fireworks show over the lake.  The weather there was absolutely beautiful, and we got to lounge and eat, which are two of my very favorite things. 

In other, sadder news, I received most of the clothes I ordered from Old Navy and found that more than half of the stuff didn't fit...  too big -- who'd have guessed?  So I have to mail it back and decide what I'd like to try in another size.  I wish a local O.N. had a maternity department so I could just try things on in the store. 

We're in the 25th week, so only 15 to go.  He should be about two pounds now, and 13.5 inches long.  His room is the size of a soccer ball, which makes it very difficult to bend over to pick things up off the floor now.

This is also my hundredth post -- YEY! It's been incredible making new friends through this blog, and letting our families follow our progress at the same time. Thanks to all who read and all who comment, it is much appreciated. :)

our Puerto Rican friends

This morning, I put on the purple and lime bracelet that I got a year and a half ago.

We were vacationing near San Juan, and decided to be adventurous and head into the city for the evening.  We grabbed a taxi and after passing on a few clubs that weren't open on a Tuesday, we decided to try a dance club that appeared pretty busy.  Mixed in with the many people standing outside, talking and smoking, were some interesting characters:  We met El Mago, the magician, who worked the crowd with a trick involving his lit cigarette and a piece of my tee shirt that I was sure would catch me on fire.  We met some other tourists like us, and had the typical discussions about where we're all from and what we all do when we're not on vacation.  In this mix of personalities, we met Tito and Oui Oui, a couple who lived up the road.  They were charming and fun, and we talked for an hour or two before they invited us to visit their apartment down the road.  I still don't know what we were thinking, being that spontaneous, but we walked our little mojito-filled selves about two miles down the cobblestone streets to their place.  Every so often, we'd check in with each other using secret eye signals, to make sure that the other person was still having fun.  Their apartment was probably the smallest one I've ever actually been in, with a teeny kitchen, with a step up into the bathroom, and a loft that they'd made into a bedroom just above the kitchen.  They made us feel at home, with seats on the step and a drink, and we began to talk for a few more hours.  They were both very creative, and as the girls talked, Tito was working on a drawing off to the side.  We discussed music and art, science and movies, and somehow veered into a discussion on how brain chemistry works.  Oui Oui had a pretty thick accent to begin with, and by this time we were all a little tipsy.  As she tried to think of the word for connections in the brain, Karen tries different pronunciations of the word synapses. 

"SIN-apses?" 
No, no, says Oui Oui.
"sin-AP-sis?"
...
This went back and forth for four or five tries, before Oui Oui finally came up with the word on her own.  "Sin-opsizzz," she said. 

Blink.  Blink, blink. 

The night rolled on, and the discussion continued.  We tried to stay focused enough to translate some of Oui Oui's half-French, half-Spanish so that we could keep the discussion going.  Mid sentence, she stopped talking for a moment, and I looked down to find her painting my toenail with a Sharpie.  She explained as she calmly colored, that there was a spot where the polish had worn off, and she was fixing it.  She was very nonchalant about the whole matter, so we tried to roll with it, although I wish I had a picture of the surprise on Karen's face when she realized what Oui Oui was doing. 

After all our discussions and play, it was getting very late and we were more than a little lost in this foreign city, so we decided it was time to make our way back to the hotel.  By this point, they seemed less like strangers we'd just met, and more like friends we'd known for years.  They began handing us gifts to take with us: two bracelets and two coiled wooden reeds that Tito had found a few days before, and painted for us as we gathered our things.  They called a taxi for us, and walked us to him.  Tito spoke with the driver and arranged a discounted rate for the drive home, and we were on our way.  We got back to the hotel, and reviewed the pictures and videos that we'd taken all night, and marveled at how we were fortunate enough to meet such kind and welcoming people so randomly.  We laughed for another hour or so, but found ourselves too tired to continue recapping.  That was, without a doubt, the strangest, most fun night I have ever spent on vacation.

Every time I wear this bracelet, I remember flashes of our Old San Juan night and smile.

oh, what a day

My first day of school came and went.  After usual traffic delays, I got to school in plenty of time for class, only to find a note on the door that it had relocated to a buiding I wasn't familiar with.  I drove around for a few minutes until I realized that I could find the campus map online (thanks, iPhone).  I made it to class after the requisite bathroom stop about ten minutes late, and I wasn't nearly the last one.  I am hoping that tomorrow's class stays put.  I had forgotten how much I loved high school bio.  I'm looking forward to the labs we have on Thursdays where I'll get to dissect things. 

This morning I was awake about ten minutes before our neighbor Stephanie called to let us know that my car had been broken into.  The passenger window was broken (the opposite side than was smashed last spring in a similar event) and they rifled through the glovebox and handful of things I keep in the console.  So there it all was, a box of Whitening Strips on the seat, the snack bag of Fritos on the floor, and my precious Windshield Wonder.  They didn't take anything, apparently because white teeth, heartburn and insanely clean windshields weren't on their agenda.

Stephanie and Brendan were nice enough to let me borrow their shop vac to clean the glass, and after fifteen minutes of cleaning, I was on my way with the wind in my hair.  Luckily, today is probably the nicest day we've seen in ages -- sunshine, low 60's -- I don't need no stinkin' window!  So I came to work, filed an online police report (ooh, swanky!), and made arrangements for a local glass shop to come here to work to fix the window.  I'm a little impressed with how coolly I'm taking this, since last spring I was in tears about it.  As Shane said, "Something happens today, something else will happen tomorrow." 

Life goes on. 

Speaking of life, Danny kicked me all through class last night -- enough that I'm starting to think he's having parties in there.  Watch it, kid, or you'll be grounded!

**Updated to add: Glass man is already here to fix the window...  He's been here, and the window's fixed.  I called less than two hours ago, and their price is totally reasonable. If you ever need window repair work in the Cleveland area, I recommend Guardian Auto Glass.