Labor Data & Update

This is what the data looks like from the iPhone app called "Baby's Coming" which is a contraction timer app. I'm also using an app called "Total Baby" which is aimed at logging info on the baby like feedings, wet diapers, dr appts, etc. I'm actually using it now to log info about ME that I know the hospital staff will likely ask me later. It sounds awful, and truth be told, it's not pretty but when you have a c-section, you end up being monitored just like the baby and they even measure your pee and poop to make sure your organs are working once they put you back together after they extract the baby. Meds will be dosed on a tight schedule and also meals. So, I figured why not add myself as one of the "children" that needs to be logged. I just entered my last meal, meds I've taken and noted my contraction info, among other details so I'll hopefully know what answers to give nurses when they ask after I've been admitted.   

I've had to stop several times now while writing this to note my contractions and; re-copy and paste the new data!

Baby is still active and moving a lot. I really think he wants out soon.

The surgery is scheduled for 12 noon today, so hopefully we can hold out for it, but 11 hours feels like a long time to be like this so unless these contractions start spreading out like they did an hour ago, we may have to leave earlier for the hospital than planned.

The OB on call told me to try and rest up (yeah, right!) and to just report to the hospital once we have a consistant pattern of contractions lasting 1 min and 5-10 mins apart for at least an hour. Well, I can check the 1 minute duration off the list and I can also check off the 5-10 min. intervals, but the consistant for 1 hour is what I'm working on now. Also, they can not cut me open until I've not had any food for more than 6 hours. Looking at my food log in the Total Baby app, it tells me it's only been closer to 5 hrs. since I last ate. So, we couldn't even leave for the hospital for another 1 hr. anyway.

I took some Tylenol PM and I'm starting to feel sleepy but I just don't see how I'll sleep through these contractions!

Well, that's the update for now. Nate is sleeping and I'm trying to lay down and rest in between contractions and going potty which is extremely hard to do when it feels like there is an ice pick in my bladder!!

I'm taking it minute by minute. Thanks so much for all of your prayers, thoughts, tweets, posts, and phone calls. It really means so much to Nate and I.

I'm going to keep resting while pressing the start/stop button on the iPhone app. It does really make it so much easier to rest because of the minimal effort to use the app. I can keep the lights off, Nate can sleep (which is what I need him to do!), I can lie on my side and just reach out a finger to the iPhone I have setting right here by my bedside and touch the screen.

Bags are packed and ready. Gadgets are charging. Computers are backed up. Lucian is sleeping over at Oma and Opa's house. Oma French braided my hair and alarms are set.

Rock n Roll!

Event	Details
Contraction	1:09:04 AM (duration: 1 min 30s, interval: 7 min 1s)
Contraction	12:59:59 AM (duration: 2 min 2s, interval: 6 min 19s)
Contraction	12:52:01 AM (duration: 1 min 39s, interval: 5 min 21s)
Contraction	12:45:34 AM (duration: 1 min 5s, interval: 9 min 37s)
Contraction	12:35:05 AM (duration: 50s, interval: 6 min 35s)
Contraction	12:26:48 AM (duration: 1 min 41s, interval: 6 min 1s)
Contraction	12:18:38 AM (duration: 2 min 8s, interval: 4 min 34s)
Contraction	12:12:36 AM (duration: 1 min 27s, interval: 2 min 6s)
Contraction	12:09:45 AM (duration: 44s, interval: 8 min 54s)
Contraction	11:58:58 PM (duration: 1 min 52s, interval: 2s)
Contraction	11:58:55 PM (duration: 1s, interval: 8 min 14s)
Contraction	11:48:54 PM (duration: 1 min 45s, interval: 8 min 14s)
Contraction	11:39:44 PM (duration: 55s, interval: 23 min 14s)
Contraction	11:14:44 PM (duration: 1 min 45s, interval: 28 min 45s)
Contraction	10:44:40 PM (duration: 1 min 17s, interval: 12 min 44s)
Contraction	10:31:09 PM (duration: 47s, interval: 12 min 35s)
Contraction	10:17:29 PM (duration: 1 min 4s, interval: 14 min 21s)
Contraction	10:01:55 PM (duration: 1 min 12s, interval: 31 min 20s)
Contraction	9:28:48 PM (duration: 1 min 46s, interval: 13 min 43s)
Contraction	9:13:52 PM (duration: 1 min 11s, interval: 9 min 19s)
Contraction	9:03:21 PM (duration: 1 min 11s, interval: 9 min 57s)
Contraction	8:51:53 PM (duration: 1 min 31s, interval: 7 min 38s)
Contraction	8:42:25 PM (duration: 1 min 48s, interval: 7 min 22s)
Contraction	8:33:28 PM (duration: 1 min 34s, interval: 5 min 31s)
Contraction	8:25:27 PM (duration: 2 min 30s, interval: 16 min 24s)
Contraction	8:07:05 PM (duration: 1 min 57s, interval: N/A)
Exported with "Baby's coming" iPhone application.

Rockabye Baby! Music Review & Contest!

I've been wanting to tell you all about this great music I've been listening to and what better way to do that than by showing you someone else's review and managing to throw my name in the hat for a prize at the same time?!!!

The Feminist Shopper blog has a great review up — almost sounds like one I'd likely write myself (especially the part about Steven Tyler's lyrics for, well, not how you can get pregnant all by yourself) — so why reinvent the wheel, ya know? (especially not while I'm due to give birth a just a few days!)

If you're having a baby, put this music on your baby registry. I did and good friends of ours got us the Lullaby Renditions Bob Marley CD and we LOVE it! If you know of a friend having a baby, this music would make a fantastic baby shower gift.

We now have in our collection: Lullaby Renditions of Bob Marley, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Queen. I have a combination of CD and digital versions I downloaded from iTunes. (hint: you can get them for less on iTunes than the CD version. Just a tip.) Just go to iTunes and do a search for "Rockabye Baby" or "Lullaby Renditions" and you'll see them all.

I loaded all of the music into iTunes and created a play list just for our new baby. I play this play list on our media center in our bedroom with the iTunes visualizer using the "Jelly" theme.

Can you say "drool?" It's a totally trippy ambience having this kind of music play softly while the visualizer puts a soft glow throughout the room. Very soothing in that Grateful Dead-Jefferson Starship-concert-visuals-type-of-way. (Minus all the pot smoke and actual tripping going on.) (So I've been told ;)

Anyhow, check out her review and enter the contest yourself. Hurry! Time is running out!

I hope I win because I really want to add the Eagles to my collection!!!

Cheeeeeeesecaaaake

If you are on an iPhone or iPod Touch with the Food Network Nighttime App installed, click Cheesecake.

If you are on an iPhone or iPod Touch but do not have the Food Network Nighttime App installed, click: Cheesecake.

Not on an iPhone or iPod Touch? Click here for the Food Network site.

Damn you, Matt!!!!

You're lucky I have sugar free cheesecake pudding for emergencies like this. Nate is breaking the glass right now to make me some while I lie here and deal with contractions. ;)

Lucian & Daddy are going to give me a back rub. Then it's cheesecake time!!

Trying to enjoy this last week of pregnancy.

Posted via email from TheMacMommy

I Was In Las Vegas. again. sorta. Did Ya Miss Me?

My Tweet Made the Big Screen at Blogworld!

Thanks to Allison Sheridan for snapping this photo! Cool beans!!

I love being able to "virtually attend" Blogworld Expo every year. One of these days I will try to get there "in the flesh."

One of these days I won't have a child attached to me. These times don't last forever, so Blogworld-Live will just have to wait. Since I've been in nesting mode and preparing for the arrival of our new baby, I didn't get to follow along quite as much, but I did manage to see bits and pieces by following my favorite peeps on twitter and watching a webcast or two. Same as last year, I managed to get in some little contribution to Allison and her Nosillacast, which is always fun to do.

I "virtually" attended last year and had lots of fun. Read about my adventures in couch surfing from last year.

Don't forget to check out my podcast, Moms Gone Geek and listen to our interview with Allison Sheridan, who presented at #bwe09 this year.

Even better yet, SUBSCRIBE!

We have a few more shows still on ice that we'll be producing and publishing soon. (Before baby gets here, I hope!!!)

Posted via email from TheMacMommy

It's October, Don't Be a Boob!

The Month of October is a Busy Month!

Now you have the dual responsibility to check both your boobs AND your wifi connections! October is just the month designated to promote awareness for these responsibilities you should enact all year round.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It's also now National Cyber Security Awareness Month.

Check out the

Susan G. Komen for the Cure website for more information on Breast Cancer and bringing awareness.

Pink for October is a website that shows you how you can be involved by making your blog or website pink for the month of October to bring about awareness.

Don't Be a Boob!

Check your network connections in your home and make sure you are secure. Don't leave your wifi connections unlocked. Protect them with a password and try to use something other than standard WEP if you can. Know what internet safety means and teach these skills to your children.

Homeland Security has a helpful website with resources about internet safety.

Also check out On Guard Online.

My good buddies over at The Typical Mac User Podcast know a thing or two or twenty about computer security. Always a great resource to learn more about security on the Mac.

Bart Busshots is a good friend who is also very knowledgeable about computer and internet security. You can find him on several podcasts discussing the topic of security.

Watch the President's Message

Posted via email from TheMacMommy

Balance

A family member posted a question on Facebook asking advice about balancing work and family.

Someone put something in my powdered juice mix. This was my answer and I can't believe the box let me type it all in there.

✂ ☺ ✂ ☺ ✂ ☺ ✂ ☺ ✂ ☺ ✂ ☺ ✂ ☺ ✂ ☺ ✂ ☺ ✂ ☺ ✂ ☺

I think Balance is the Holy Grail of Motherhood and we're on a constant quest to achieve it. The fact that we don't always achieve Balance keeps us humble. I think some people can afford to make it all look and smell good; the rest of us do the best we can with what we have.

It is possible to do more with less. I didn't say it was comfortable, but when you do it for a while, you get used to it. Bonuses are truly special that way.

Unfortunately, I always strive to be a better parent than my parents were. I say unfortunately because I'd rather be trying to emulate good parents; not trying to undo and break cycles of generations of abuse from all angles. Again, I work with what I have and try to improve upon it. Liquor nor drugs are the answer, but sometimes they are an aide, especially when prescribed. Better living through chemistry, but pick your poison carefully.

It also has something to do with what you define as "work." If you do something you enjoy, you'll never work. Tasks for which you are compensated monetarily will coexist with tasks for which you're compensated in that which is much more valuable than money. If you have priorities in order and put yourself and people first before things in your life and keep it simple, it gives you wiggle room for something closer to what may resemble balance.

Thank God for the life you live and the people in it. Nothing else matters quite as much.

Ok, that was fun. Now, excuse me now while I go back to freaking out about more important things in life like whether or not the slip covers are on straight and the kid put his books and toys away. Because, when I can't control what's happening to my body and I'm getting cut open in less than 20 days and will soon have a screaming infant again...you know...balance is making sure the coffee cups in the sink don't topple over and wake everyone up just when I finally pass out.

Posted via email from TheMacMommy