Week 21

It has been quite a few weeks since I posted anything. In between week 18 and now has been a whirlwind...finishing my thesis, the thesis defense, and wrapping up everything at Penn. I will try to sum those few weeks up - but they were a very stressful time to say the least. And I hate to keep posting negative things...but it is what it is!

I submitted my thesis to my committee members 1 week before the defense date...I waited to submit to then to get feedback from either of my two advisers. Neither one gave any! Only Ian and I reviewed the document. Well, the one called me from home the day I was submitting (after I had printed out 6 copies of a ~175 page document) and basically said it was confusing and needed massive revisions...well thank you very much! I submitted anyway (what else could I do?) though my confidence in the document was definitely shaken at that point. I should have considered the source before losing any sleep over it. Especially considering at the defense, my thesis committee told me it was very well written and only offered two suggestions for revisions (extremely minor - only to annotate two things differently). After turning it in, I then focused on my public presentation. I always enjoy putting together presentations in powerpoint, so this was kind of fun. After multiple revisions and last minute changes, it was ready by late Monday...defense was on Tuesday 6/23 3-5pm. Felt okay about the talk...joked around with the AV tech about fire alarms in the building (not uncommon)...well, I was standing at the podium at about 5 minutes before 3 and guess what! - fire alarm!!! Everyone had to clear the building. I found that to be terribly nerve-wracking and felt like I never regained my confidence completely. Many people couldn't make the defense, and I was a little disappointed about that. However, my sister and all the kids and my parents were there and that was very nice. The kids finally got to see where I worked and got to explore the lab for a few minutes...that was fun.

The week after my defense was terrible. It was extremely difficult for me to wrap up everything, make my thesis revisions and deposit it to the university, catalog all of my samples and data, and clean up my stuff in the span of a week. As my adviser would only pay me through June, it had to be done. He and I ended on a bad note, as he actually had the nerve to ask me to come in past Tuesday to upload some files for our paper resubmission (anyone can upload files - including him!!!!)...on my own time and own dime. I told him I was not comfortable coming in past Tuesday as that was the termination date for my position. He did not seem to like that but I felt that I needed to stand up for myself. I do not know of a single other graduate student that was supported for only one week following the defense. Ridiculous...and to expect that student to come in afterward and work essentially for free! Well, it was a bittersweet ending to a large chapter of my life. Neither my adviser or a few of the other lab members said goodbye to me...just kind of left without any hurrah. I am happy to be finished in that lab, though I still wish I had something to move on to.

And that leads me to the middle of last week and this week. Last week wasn't so bad because Ian came home a little early on Thursday and then had Friday off due to the holiday. We spent the day at a festival in Kutztown - got a little too much sun but it was a good time. Wasn't feeling too great by the end of the night. Saturday we did a few things around the house that needed to get done. Was a little sad to not spend the day with friends at a bbq or something like that, but it felt good to get caught up on some house projects. We concluded the night in the backyard with a fire lit, but then the dogs were getting freaked out by the booms of fireworks so we had to call it a night. Sunday was a nice peaceful day at my parents with the dogs. Really ran them and tired them out...poor pups were not fully recovered until today, Wed.

Monday and Tuesday of this week have been rough. I have been trying to do much around the house - cleaning and working in the garden...anything to keep me busy. I feel physically weaker than I used to be, which is frustrating. I also noticed that I am clumsier than normal and my carpel tunnel is a bit aggravated in my right hand...getting lots of tingling and numbness which makes working with my hands much more difficult. It has been really hot in the house during the mid afternoon - house doesn't seem to cool down very well. I have been reluctant to turn on the AC due to the expense, so I have been trying to nap on the couch in the dark living room during the peak of the heat...hasn't been terribly effective so far. Also getting a little lonely and stir-crazy (and I have only been home for a week!!!!). Ian is never home and seems to think my being home means he can be even sloppier and messier! I am trying to adapt to this, but it is pretty hard...stay at home role is not for me. I miss talking to people and having lunch with anything other than dogs and the tv! Really really wish I could find a job so I could feel useful and productive again.

Oh well, the dogs have been enjoying me at home...and Ian has a personal assistant it seems. I am trying to stay optimistic and think about the baby. I am fairly sure I have felt her kicking a few times, especially in late morning. That is a good thing. I like looking at the cute clothes we have for her so far, tends to cheer me up a bit and give me something to look forward to. I should take some pics and post them...will try to do that soon. She is going to be one cute and stylish little one.

Well, week 21 is halfway through - more than halfway through the pregnancy!

Marie

Another trip to school...

This summer has seemed to really fly by. Tomorrow is my last day of summer classes, so thankfully it will be my last late school night until the end of August. Finals are due next Wed but hopefully they won't be too crazy.
It seems like the countdown to November is racing faster and faster. It is exciting though, once school is finished there's a lot to do around the house: finishing the floor/trim, getting nursery room ready and just in general making sure everything is set.
I certainly wish that there were a few extra hours in the day. There's always so much to get done, and so little time. I think our dogs shed a dog sized ball each week, which just leads to a furry house, furry everything.
I've started reading books to Marie and the baby at night, so hopefully she'll recognize me when she's born. We've started with Wind in the Willows which I remember reading or have read to me as a child. I have fun with this but I pretty much put Marie to sleep within 5 min. I guess my voice is monotone. We made some progress last night though.
Well its an exciting time. Scary though too at the same moment. Its going to be hard to juggle school, the baby, keeping our house standing and Marie next semester. My guess is it will be among the most difficult times of my life.
Well, that's it for now I guess I'll try to be more frequent from now on instead of my usual pictures

Sadies new bed

During the fireworks

First baby things

So we bought the first things for our future daughter

Note the toy...

She thinks she's in charge

The real owners of the bed

This is why the dogs stay in the kitchen during the day.

A gift from Grandma Netty

A nice cute outfit

All healthy!

Apparently I have been eating too much of my sisters food and have built up some fatty deposits mommy was worried it was cancer but the doctor says I'm healthy! I have gained 4 lbs since january though, that's just more Ginger to love!

Week 17

Okay, week 17 has been fairly uneventful. Went to the shore for the day on Sunday (got to wear the new maternity tankini...surprisingly comfortable) and ate my first bit of chocolate in a long long time - choc fudge with walnuts...not sure if I totally enjoyed that. I do miss chocolate and sweets, though my taste buds do not. The shore was fun - the kids seemed to enjoy it too. Water was way too cold for me - couldn't make it past my shins. Ocean City is the best - I would love to spend a week there! A vacation...how nice that would be!!!! I wish...if only I had a job!

I have some more revisions on the thesis, working on it. I will be very very happy to turn that sucker in on Monday. Then I have about a week to focus on the presentation portion. And then...DONE. Then I can focus on what next.

We setup the crib but haven't gotten the bedding yet. We still need to organize the room and put everything in its place. We have a ton of hand-me-down toys - really hope we don't get too many more of them.

I had my second blood draw for the early genetic screening - should have results in about a week - hopefully everything normal, no reason to expect otherwise. Next checkup is Tuesday, and then the big appointment, level 2 ultrasound, will be on the 29th. Please, please, baby cooperate and face the appropriate direction. No crossing of legs or any other funny business. I must know the gender - too impatient to wait!

That's about it for this week. Feeling better overall.

Found a lump on Ginger's chest...taking her to the vet on Saturday to get it checked out. I am not going to think about it at all until after the appointment. I don't know if I could deal with that right now. That dog is everything to me. For now, I'm going to play fetch a few extra throws with her.
Marie

Week 16 spent in Chicago

Week 16 was interesting. A few headaches and a bit of nausea and a definite growing belly (and not from eating out every meal in Chicago!). It was a fairly stressful week due to my talk on Tues morning. Despite my adviser's lack of confidence in me and his unfounded criticism afterwards (really don't understand why he is so afraid of his own data), I think it went surprisingly well. The room was packed - standing and sitting in the aisles. People said ~300 people attended including some big guy from the Gates Foundation and someone from one of the NIH agencies. The questions after the talk were pretty easy and straightforward. What a relief. Funny thing is, despite the anxiety of the day before and morning of, once I got up there and started speaking, I think part of me actually enjoyed it. A little morning sickness immediately prior, but the baby overall seemed fairly cooperative too! Maybe he enjoyed the public speaking experience (future extrovert?)...oh no, maybe his Daddy's political interests will rub off on him and we will have a future politician. I would be extremely proud of that provided he were a Democrat. Oh, and no news regarding the gender yet, but I am seriously convinced that this little creature is a boy. Only a male could inflict so much distress and illness upon a female (haha, just teasing). And the constant craving for protein is also tipping me towards boy. Darn he is going to be big, because I feel huge already.

Chicago is a really great city. Expensive, more so than I had previously remembered (or maybe that is because I wasn't so poor the last time I went there?), but many things to do and the park system is amazing. Love the lake - beautiful color and almost as great as the ocean. I wish I had more time to see it, and that I wasn't as preoccupied with the conference.

It was nice to come home. Ian surprised me with some flowers and a temporary wedding band to wear during the pregnancy - fingers are already swelling and will only get worse during the summer heat. The dogs were happy to see me; I think Ginger squealed louder than I have ever heard her. My soul mate of a dog! Next in level of excitement were Hailey, Luna, and then Bella/Sadie. Sometimes I wonder if Bella and Sadie possess the mental capacity to realize the length of time that I am away - I swear they were just as excited to see me after a week's absence as they are when I run to the grocery store. Luna surprised me...she really does think I am her master...funny as she is NOT my dog. Pumba (Clawde) and the brothers (Hans and Franz) missed me and started following me around...but that might be because Ian is notorious for forgetting to feed them...they might have been simply hungry and recognized me as the giver of food.

It was good to come home, but it was sure nice to sleep in that clean bed in the hotel...no dog or cat fur to cover every surface, no dogs crowding me out of my bed. Clean linens... My house is a zoo. And every inhabitant is in full shed mode. And Ian isn't terribly clean or tidy either (various dishes and half full drinking glasses stacked in the bedroom - hallmarks of his late night snacks in bed)... it's good to be home... I think!
Marie