Penelope Kate Douglas

Penelope Kate Douglas was born on Saturday, September 24 at 6:29 AM. She was 7 pounds 12 ounces, and a lengthy 21 and a half inches. She has been doing great and came home with mom and Dad on Monday.

More pictures and info will be put up when mom and dad get more sleep!

Balloon Festival

The Ruby Mountain Balloon Festival is this weekend. I had imagined taking Babygirl there for one of her first escapades. I even have a winter snowsuit I was planning for her to wear if it were too cold. Ah well....

And, since I didn't get around to posting this page until a few weeks later....Late this evening is when I went into labor, and we had Penelope in the morning!

How to induce labor

It seems everyone is very concerned that mother nature will not work and that I will be the first woman on earth to be pregnant forever. And this is only 4 days after my 'due date'. Which is an estimate of when the baby will come, and most any book you read tells you that 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after your due date is just as normal as having your baby on your due date. But, since I get several texts, emails, Facebook messages, and calls every day (sometimes starting at 6 am-thanks!) I am starting to feel like the weirdo that is never going to go into labor. So, along with all of this correspondence, you can imagine I am getting, yes, more advice!

How to induce labor:

Walk - have tried this. I walked down to the mailbox and back one day, but could barely move a few hours later.

Foot Massage - Wayne has been told to give me a foot massage to induce labor. At first I was leery...("I want it to happen naturally...") but quickly realized this would likely be the one and only foot massage I get from my husband. So I told him he could give me a foot massage. That was last Wednesday and I still haven't gotten that massage....

Spicy Food - At the Carlin Chili Cookoff, I was told to eat the hottest and spiciest food. I did, but nothing happened. Wayne's co-worker, Misty, is probably disappointed, as Babygirl was to be named "Chili" if born Saturday.

Boat ride - Well, went boating on Labor Day weekend, so that also failed.

Go to high elevations - Well, since we live next to the Ruby Mountains, we drive up to 9000 feet to go hiking once a week. Well, usually Wayne does the hiking, and I relax somewhere reading a book. So, this one hasn't worked.

A wide variety of intimate husband/wife relations - enough said.

So hold off on the calls/messages tonight, as Wayne and I will be driving up the canyon with Indian food and habenaro salsa, hiking to Liberty Pass, and spreading a soft blanket for foot massages and other romantic events.

Carlin Chili Cookoff and baby shower

Today's entertainment consisted of going to the Carlin Chili Cookoff and my friend Katrina's baby shower. Carlin, NV, is 20 miles from Elko. If Elko were New York City, Carlin would be the Bronx. Lots of interesting characters, and that is before they get drunk, which may happen around 11am. We went to this event last year also, and it is fun to taste all the chili and salsa. It was also fun to meet up with some friends we have made through Wayne's work.

Wayne passed on the baby shower, but I had a good time at Katrina's. Lots of food and fun.

Sewing for Babygirl

Yes, today is my due date. I have been keeping myself somewhat occupied by doing some sewing. Here are some things I have been making this past while:

A taggie blanket (without the tags, apparently) and a bib.

A blanket. The taggie blanket, bib and this blanket will be a gift for someone else.

A cover for the Boppy pillow. The other side is green and very soft.

A set of burp rags, with frilly borders

Yes, I'm still here

I would like to rant today about how awful I feel, how it hurts to move, and how I actually find myself checking to make sure Babygirl's head is still inside my body, contrary to how it feels. But since I'm sure you all have heard me whine and complain before, I will move on to another subject.

Wayne and I are not artists. I like to think we have an appreciation for nice things, art included. However, I have found one thing that we both abhor: Anne Geddes photography. I'm sure many of you may disagree, that's OK, you can go on living in your bizarre world where a baby squished in a flower pot is 'cute'.

I'm sorry Anne, but we think your photography is creepy and weird. How do you think up all of these baby poses? And what is your infatuation with babies and food? Are we to look at a baby inside of a pea pod and think "mmm, I'm getting hungry!"? At my doctors office, there are a few exam rooms that I cringe if I am taken to. The first room on the left and the last room on the right. For some reason obstetricians must like Anne Geddes. The last room on the right has a picture of a baby, and it's head is completely enveloped by large apples. How did you get the apples to stick? Poor baby! Luckily, I have read that Anne's charity helps against child abuse....but still. Makes you wonder. I thought that was bad enough, when one day I am led to the first exam room on the left. There we have a set of photos. One baby's whole body is surrounded by blueberries. The next, cherries. The whole body. Very weird. I took this picture with my phone:

I could go on about the photos, but there are too many that I would rather not see. So I will leave you with this image. It is entitled "Eucalyptus."

WHERE DID THE BABY GO?!

Another Childless Saturday

Today we went to town to the farmer's market, sky fair, and a little shop where I got this cute pacifier for Babygirl:

We went to the sky fair last year, and it was fun to go again. Lots of airplanes to walk around and look at.

Several people asked when I was due. I told them Thursday. Here are some of the responses I got:

"You are carrying SO high!"

"Wow, you look great!"

*Blank stare* "Oh, this Thursday?"

"You are carrying SO low!"

And while eavesdropping...

"That girl over there is due this Thursday!"

Then I started to tell this friendly group of women a story that started out with something about my doctor and naming Babygirl....at that point I totally blanked out and said "I'm sorry, I have no idea what I was going to tell you!" How embarrassing! They were pretty understanding, but I still haven't a clue what interesting tidbit I was about to tell them.

Pregnancy Myths

It is true, when you get pregnant, you get lots of helpful, free advice, whether you want it or not. What you also get, is people telling you all about pregnancy, as if they have spent their lives devoted to human reproduction. Which none of it I actually mind THAT much... Here are a few highlights:

The lady that cut Wayne's hair: "Oh, your wife must be SO hot! Did you know that during pregnancy a women's body tempurature rises by 10 degrees?!"

Well, I'm no expert. But I just Googled body temperature, and apparently if your body temperature is around 105-108 degrees Fahrenheit, your body systems shut down and....you die. Normal body temperature is 98.6 degrees. So unless there are pregnant women keeling over at an alarming rate, perhaps you should stick with giving haircuts!

Here is another bit of interesting info. And also a note to the person who told me this that may read this blog: Don't feel bad, I thought it was funny! She made this comment over a month from my due date: "Don't you start gaining a half a pound a day from now until the end?" I burst out laughing and said "I sure hope not! That would be 60 more pounds!" We decided that what she had heard must have either been a half ounce a day or... just wrong. 

[Not] Sleeping While Pregnant

After a long day of carrying around an extra 30 pounds, one looks forward to the comfort of their cozy, warm bed. At least I do. So I start winding down, maybe take a bath, and put pajamas on. (or some article of clothing that still fits) Next, it's the big debate: Eat a snack and face the heartburn vs. get up at 1 AM to have a bowl of cereal. I opt for the snack now, since something at 1 AM still does not guarantee no heartburn later. I smartly make sure I have everything I might need on my bedstand: Tums, water, Chapstick, my phone, and a bag of bagels, just in case. Now I just need to go to the bathroom one more time before I turn in. Done. I lay down and chew a preventative Tum. Now, as many of you know, sleeping on your back is a big no-no during pregnancy, so I lay on my side and grab some Chapstick. My swollen feet hurt, so I try to elevate them slightly. There goes one pillow. The next pillow is propped between my legs, as it is supposed to relieve the pain in my pelvis. Great. Now, another couple Tums, as my throat keeps gurgling, and another pillow to elevate my head slightly. Now, I can finally relax. Feeling pretty good, but I can't sleep. So I grab my phone and read for a while. I finally feel sleepy, so turn off the phone. Uh-Oh, better go to the bathroom one LAST time, so I don't have to get up soon. So off to the bathroom, back to bed, feet up, head up, pillow between legs. Go to sleep. It is approximately 1030 PM. The remainder of the night passes like this:

12 AM - Wake up, man I feel like I've been sleeping well, it must be close to 4. Nope, only midnight. Go to bathroom where a torrent floods the toilet bowl. I wonder briefly if my water has broken, but decide I will just go back to bed and not worry about it. I'm sort-of hungry, but if I don't think about it, it should go away.

1 - Still can't sleep, go to the bathroom and take 2 Tums

3 - Wake up, hands are totally numb. Move them around until I feel them again, and get ready to get up to go to the bathroom. I'm facing the inside of the bed, so must roll over first. One, Two, Three....OK, good. Push/pull/will myself out of bed without moaning too loudly. Walk on numb feet to bathroom. Decide water has not broken. Apply more Chapstick and drink some water.

4 - Wayne gets up and goes to work. I tell him goodbye and sleep well until it starts to get light at....

6 - Go to the bathroom. Move feet and hands around until I can feel them again. Drink more water, as I am almost parched. Babygirl has the hiccups.

7 - Bathroom. Starving, so I go eat some fruit and yogurt. Decide I will sleep in as long as I can to try to get more rest.

730 - Give up, get up and start my day.

New Baby Cousin!

Babygirl's first girl cousin was born this morning!

Aleah Promise Cassens was born in Rapid City. Her parents are Scott (my brother) and Rachel. She looks pretty sweet and adorable from the pictures. Happy Birthday Aleah, and congrats to Scott & Rachel! We look forward to meeting her.

Aleah joins her brother Bradley as Babygirl's Cassens cousins. On the Douglas side of the family, Tucker (6) will soon be joined by Ryker (due end of September) as cousins.