My Latest
Update style…
1)Last Saturday, my mom, my aunt Sally, and I went to a 7 pm showing of Arwen’s movie Hog Island at the Sonoma Film Festival. It had a prime spot at the very cool, old-fashioned Sebastiani Theatre. I won’t give any details of the film away, but it was a treat to see Arwen, and the event itself was very exciting. The theatre was packed and the room was full of buzz-y energy. I wore my new black maternity dress. I felt quite snazzy for such a large, ungainly, hippo-ish version of myself. It was also a pleasure to see Arwen’s mom, Ann. Her photo is even featured in the film! (Maybe I am a dork to find this exciting, but I do.) Arwen’s definitely got it good in the mom department! It was a memorable day of my life. I was so excited that I forgot to keep my eyes peeled for Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, and, er, Peter Krause (my cousin Megan saw him at a pizza place in Sebastopol—apparently he lives around here). I would love to see the film again on DVD and show Mark, who didn’t get to come because he was playing in a show in Sebastopol with my cousin Jason.
2) I want to like our new place, though I’m under no illusions that it’s as pretty as our current one. However, it’s sunny and cheerful with a big window in the living room and a view from the kitchen of the Marin Headlands. The baby will be able to see the Golden Gate Bridge towers from her room--and everyone knows how important a view is to a baby. We’re within easier walking distance of more businesses than we were; there are nearby playgrounds that are easy to walk to; the Presidio with all its wondrous trees is right around the corner, Baker Beach is right there, and Mountain Lake Park is close, too. So in short, it's got more urban life AND more beautiful natural stuff to see, too (though we were closer to Golden Gate Park here).
But we’ve been a bit demoralized by some problems with the new place. Our parking space is so tight as to be almost impossible to navigate. If all the cars are in the garage at once, I don’t think we’re getting out without hitting either the wall or another car. It’s really bad. Then, we found water in our storage space—a lot of water. Seems like it could be a recurring problem. Next, no screens in the windows. The living room window is extremely low, almost to the floor, and the fall is steep. A kid or a cat could easily fall out. The managers won’t put in screens, though they said they’d consider reimbursing me for at least part of the expenses if I put them in. And finally, no fire escape, which my paranoid self craves. We have two doors, and the idea is that we’d escape through the second door to a fire escape at the end of the breezeway. I tried it out and discovered that the door is wedged shut. Arnold Schwarzenegger couldn’t open it. I’ve made a list of all these problems for the managers, but I’m not sure what they’re going to do. They have been pretty curt with me, so I’m not extremely hopeful-—and it’s not fun to move into a new place with a long list of complaints.
3) Had a doctor’s appointment yesterday. The doctor gave me something called a “kick chart.” Starting in week 28, I’m supposed to pick a time of day and make note, every day, of how long it takes the baby to kick (or move) ten times. If it takes longer than two hours, I am supposed to go into a complete meltdown (well, that's my loose interpretation of what the doctor said) and call Kaiser. I am sure my neurotic self is going to have a field day with this kick chart. The counting thing taps right into my pre-existing OCD-ish condition. I also learned that I should not be lifting heavy boxes: oops. It’s going to be hard for me to stop myself. And I have to go back to the lab for a diabetes and anemia test. Since I fainted on my first blood test, I’ve been very nervous about this. I also have to have another urinalysis due to some evidence on my last one that I might have a bladder infection. Dear me.
I now need to focus on being helpful with this move without lifting heavy boxes. Squatting to pack things and then standing up is becoming more challenging, too. I am a graceless, earthbound creature now. I am the dodo bird. The *fat* dodo bird.
1)Last Saturday, my mom, my aunt Sally, and I went to a 7 pm showing of Arwen’s movie Hog Island at the Sonoma Film Festival. It had a prime spot at the very cool, old-fashioned Sebastiani Theatre. I won’t give any details of the film away, but it was a treat to see Arwen, and the event itself was very exciting. The theatre was packed and the room was full of buzz-y energy. I wore my new black maternity dress. I felt quite snazzy for such a large, ungainly, hippo-ish version of myself. It was also a pleasure to see Arwen’s mom, Ann. Her photo is even featured in the film! (Maybe I am a dork to find this exciting, but I do.) Arwen’s definitely got it good in the mom department! It was a memorable day of my life. I was so excited that I forgot to keep my eyes peeled for Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, and, er, Peter Krause (my cousin Megan saw him at a pizza place in Sebastopol—apparently he lives around here). I would love to see the film again on DVD and show Mark, who didn’t get to come because he was playing in a show in Sebastopol with my cousin Jason.
2) I want to like our new place, though I’m under no illusions that it’s as pretty as our current one. However, it’s sunny and cheerful with a big window in the living room and a view from the kitchen of the Marin Headlands. The baby will be able to see the Golden Gate Bridge towers from her room--and everyone knows how important a view is to a baby. We’re within easier walking distance of more businesses than we were; there are nearby playgrounds that are easy to walk to; the Presidio with all its wondrous trees is right around the corner, Baker Beach is right there, and Mountain Lake Park is close, too. So in short, it's got more urban life AND more beautiful natural stuff to see, too (though we were closer to Golden Gate Park here).
But we’ve been a bit demoralized by some problems with the new place. Our parking space is so tight as to be almost impossible to navigate. If all the cars are in the garage at once, I don’t think we’re getting out without hitting either the wall or another car. It’s really bad. Then, we found water in our storage space—a lot of water. Seems like it could be a recurring problem. Next, no screens in the windows. The living room window is extremely low, almost to the floor, and the fall is steep. A kid or a cat could easily fall out. The managers won’t put in screens, though they said they’d consider reimbursing me for at least part of the expenses if I put them in. And finally, no fire escape, which my paranoid self craves. We have two doors, and the idea is that we’d escape through the second door to a fire escape at the end of the breezeway. I tried it out and discovered that the door is wedged shut. Arnold Schwarzenegger couldn’t open it. I’ve made a list of all these problems for the managers, but I’m not sure what they’re going to do. They have been pretty curt with me, so I’m not extremely hopeful-—and it’s not fun to move into a new place with a long list of complaints.
3) Had a doctor’s appointment yesterday. The doctor gave me something called a “kick chart.” Starting in week 28, I’m supposed to pick a time of day and make note, every day, of how long it takes the baby to kick (or move) ten times. If it takes longer than two hours, I am supposed to go into a complete meltdown (well, that's my loose interpretation of what the doctor said) and call Kaiser. I am sure my neurotic self is going to have a field day with this kick chart. The counting thing taps right into my pre-existing OCD-ish condition. I also learned that I should not be lifting heavy boxes: oops. It’s going to be hard for me to stop myself. And I have to go back to the lab for a diabetes and anemia test. Since I fainted on my first blood test, I’ve been very nervous about this. I also have to have another urinalysis due to some evidence on my last one that I might have a bladder infection. Dear me.
I now need to focus on being helpful with this move without lifting heavy boxes. Squatting to pack things and then standing up is becoming more challenging, too. I am a graceless, earthbound creature now. I am the dodo bird. The *fat* dodo bird.
posted by Sarah Goss at 6:14 PM
14 Comments:
Ohhh! Poor dodo bird! It does sound like me: "The dodo bird, historically, has been viewed as a rather plump bird, weighing approximately 20-23 kilograms. Grey in colour, the dodo is quite distinct from the solitaire (a relative of the dodo which lived on the island of Reunion.) The dodo had a large, hooked beak, and a plume of white feathers adorned the rear of the dodo. What distinguishes the dodo from many other birds is not just its size, but that it was flightless. Despite its large build, the dodo had small, weak wings which could not lift it into the air. Thus it was easy prey to the Portuguese invaders who would club the bird to death as it approached them seeking friendship."
Oh my GOD!!!!! That is so sad!! I don't think I can go on living now. Plump, friendly, wings too small for big body, getting clubbed by the Portuguese when approaching in a friendly spirit... could I possible relate to the dodo more?
(Info. was from "The Tragedy of the Dodo": http://www.davidreilly.com/dodo/anatomy.html)
(Though I should also add that the author of that dodo blurb thinks the dodo may not have been AS plump as typically thought... in fact, the dodo's fatness seems to be a subject of scholarly debate.)
I'm so sorry about your apartment troubles! That is the last thing you need. Here are some thoughts:
1. Parking spot: might it just take some getting used to? I know Dave and Arwen's garage door is pretty narrow and it scares me but somehow they do it. If it is really bad, how is street parking around there? And maybe you or the landlord could rent out the spot.
2. Water in storage space: definitely should have the landlord fix that! Although again, based on Dave and Arwen's experience with the closet of doom and mushrooms, it might not happen. Rent reduction?
3. Screens in windows: yeah, we don't have screens either and our are low to the ground, too. We feel ya. With a kid coming, though, getting your own screens if they won't would be the best thing to do. Don't want no Eric Clapton thing happening.
4. No fire escape: huh. I thought they were mandatory but ... I guess not. May be worth it to get a ladder like this one: http://www.stacksandstacks.com/html/product529_0.htm or this one: http://www.iprepare.com/100ee36.html.
5. Lifting heavy boxes: let us know if you need to move anything!!!
So sorry that you have to deal with this crap. The place is rent controlled, though, yes?
Thank you, Deb! I know--I said the same thing about the windows ("Tears in Heaven" played in my head instantly). I will either install screens or window grates. I agree about the parking space--we might get used to it. If not, street parking is decent, though I think we should ask for a rent reduction if we don't end up using the space. I hadn't thought of the idea of renting it out to others--that's a good idea. (Oh, and yes, the place is rent controlled.) I thought fire escapes were mandatory, too. Apparently the idea is to escape through the back door (our apt has two doors) and down this breezeway, but the door to the fire escape is jammed!! I am going to keep reminding them about that if they don't fix it. It really, really makes me nervous. I am also going to check out that link you sent about the ladder, because the safest thing is definitely to have a way out of one's own apt, directly. Thank you for offers of help!! Do you think you could help on Saturday, a week from today, with stuff the movers don't get??
Watch out for those wily Portguese...
Is Arwen's film going into any kind of art-house release? I'd be curious to see it, but as I mentioned I'm not coming out your way any time in the near future. Please wish her the best of luck with it from me.
Hi Bill! Y'know, I have no idea about the opportunities to see Arwen's movie... but you should check her blog from time to time. Maybe she'll find out more info. in time :-)
Forgive me if I rant for a moment ... but for god's sake, do your doctors think they invented pregnancy or something? A kick chart? What is this supposed to tell them, or you? Perhaps their reasons are legitimate, but I've never heard of anything like this, and in my (albeit uninformed) opinion they're looking for things to bother themselves about. Nothing you've described suggests your pregnancy is anything but textbook-normal.
Just my two cents, and this week I'm having a 50%-off sale.
I know what you mean, Matt! All I can think of is how it's a new thing to worry about. The ostensible reason for it is that babies have sometimes gotten oxygen deprivation to the brain from having the umbilical cord wrapped around their neck or something; my doctor said that in a few cases, they've been able to save the baby through an early delivery if the mom noticed there hadn't been kicking for a long time. But she said my baby is still too little to survive an early delivery, probably--so we asked what they would do if they discovered the cord was wrapped around her neck at this point, and she admitted that they couldn't do anything. Sooo...er...what gives?
Anyway...this kick count thing is going to make me crazy. I just know it.
Since I was never asked to complete a kick chart when I was pregnant, I have to agree. The main purpose would seem to be to add anxiety. Plus, really, who has time to lie around at a set time each day and count kicks?
Hi everyone,
I really like our OB/GYN, and I'm sure she's just giving us the standard Kaiser treatment. Sometimes you wonder what the individual doctor really thinks of the particular plan she/he has to follow -- though I'm very happy with Kaiser overall.
I wonder how many of the policies/procedures for pregancy are motivated in part by a desire to be able to say to the patient -- if anything DOES go wrong -- something like, "Well, we did everything we could to plan for that contingency -- the kick count card, warning you to avoid caffeine, or whatever -- so you can't blame us." I don't mean to sound cynical, because I'm sure that all of their policies are based in SOME study. Also, even if there is a small chance of something going wrong, it's great that they want to cover all bases to avoid such problems. I also don't want to sound like I'm being critical of lawyers or of the malpractice system -- because I'm just plain too uninformed on the subject. Still, I certainly hear Matt and Stacy loud and clear when they say that it seems that so much of this has the primary effect of producing anxiety -- at least for worry-warts like Sarah and me...:-)
Thanks to all for the supportive ideas and words during this exciting -- but often anxiety-ridden -- process
Oh yes, I didn't want to blame our particular doctor. I like her, too. At Kaiser everything is "standard procedure"--they hand you pre-prepared sheafs of forms at every visit, and the kick chart is part of the sheaf for this visit. It's definitely not about our particular doctor. And I'm going to do it. But I DO wonder a little bit how necessary it is, since now several women who've had kids (Stacy, Melissa) have told me they didn't have to do a kick chart. Anyway, I think it would be fine for some women who aren't as worrywartish as I am... though I agree with Stacy about the time factor, since the chart says to "sit concentrating" at the same time each evening till you feel up to ten kicks-- for up to two hours. That's a lot of time to "sit concentrating"!
I've heard of people with "no-count" families, but I didn't think this was it... hee hee.
You are right, Haddayr-- I should look into the law. The landlord informed me that the law actually prevented him from installing screens as a safety device--or, rather, b/c screens are not an adequate safety precaution, he could be legally liable if he promised to install them as a safety precaution, explicitly, and then my child plummeted to her death-- but he was so unclear and full of many, many words that in the end it was all hard to sort out. I am going to find out.
I WILL call the fire marshall if nothing is done about the fire escape in a few days!
"No 'count mammas." I like it.
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