Come and meet Daddy's Little Girl

It's raining all weekend. Why not pay us a visit?! We'd love to see you. My nesting instinct has finally kicked in and I cleaned the bathroom! Yeah! We have cake and coffee and movies to entertain you, plus THE MOST ADORABLE BABY IN THE WORLD!

Miriam Rose is here!

Labor took a while, but here she is. Everyone in the family is elated. She's a sweet tempered baby. Enjoy the pix.

It's Time!

Labor is under way. With contractions 6 minutes apart and increasing in intensity, this will be my last post as an expectant mother. Ty will tweet from the hospital.

Since baby will probably come today, I just wanted to give you some visiting news. I can't wait to introduce you to Miriam or Raymond. You've all been so supportive and loving. Thus far, your prayers have also paid off. Labor has gently increased in intensity and has been merciful by letting me sleep.

Visiting the New Baby

Please keep your visit brief. I'll need to nurse very frequently and visits longer than 15 minutes (in the hospital) can interfere with that. If I am nursing when you arrive, just hang out down the hallway and the nurse will tell you when we're free.

If you are sick, please wait a few days to visit until you are 100% well again. I'm happy to receive visitors at the condo during the next days and weeks. Please keep in mind that I'll need to nurse frequently. Please gague your visit time via your comfort level with me nursing near you.

Keep praying for us. We're so psyched!

O Where o where has my little babe gone?

Well, most of you were wrong on the last poll. It's the 25th and still no birth. I also messed up on the dates I gave you and made it impossible for you to be right if the baby is born on September 26 or 30. Sorry about that. Please vote again in this new and improved poll. I've also made up another mad libs about the birth, enjoy!

1. Location in Taunton
2. Verb ending in -ing
3. your name
4. verb ending in -ing
5. exclamation
6. adjective
7. your name
8. exclamation
9. person in healthcare field
10 adjective
11. emotion
12. number
13. adjective
14. adjective

"Our Baby" Mad Libs

Jot down these words on a sheet of paper, then click on comments to read the mad libs you just created. While we are waiting, we might as well have some fun! If you write a good one, post it in comments.



1. number

2. number

3. date in Autumn

4. name of a hospital

5. adjective

6. adjective

7. verb ending in -ing

9. relative's name

10. exclaimation

11. name of another family member

12. adjective

8. adverb

13. another family member

14. boy or girl's name

Due Date!!!!

Well, I'm typical. Most first-time moms go past their due date. The average is 4 days. My body is already changing do deliver, just not very fast. I've been learing how to express milk with a loaner Medela pump. This should help bring on labor.

FRIENDS AND FAMILY: No news is no news. If there is a birth there will be twitter, facebook, and a post here. There will also be plenty of chatter in the form of phone calls among you all. Vote in this week's poll. One of you is bound to be right about the birthday.

Until the baby comes, his/her kitty siblings are keeping the bassinet warm.

Dorinda threw me a gorgeous shower

at the end of August. Many loved-ones were there and my favorite color, green, was the star of the decorations.

Everyone brought some food, and it was delicious. From goffong to "bitch"rice, Cape Verdean cuisine was represented, as were delicious brownies, cookies, and an amazing cake from School Street Bakery.

Ty and I danced to the 70's classic, "She's havin' my baby," and we opened loads of gorgeous presents, among them some lovingly crocheted blankets and clothing items, toys, survival kits, supplies, and oodles of gift cards.

Sincere thanks to all who attended and all who sent us things even though you couldn't make it. The baby is DUE IN 7 DAYS! It's exciting. We have the condo ready for our little sweetie. A swing, bassinet, rocker, diapers, toys, and snuggles are ready for the little body.

Please keep us in your prayers. Deacon John from Holy Family Parish blessed the baby today and prayed that I stay calm and patient in these final days of waiting. I am "jofantioch" on twitter. If you want to know when labor is on, just request to follow me. You can also follow Ty on facebook, he's going to use ping to keep everyone updated.

Thoughts on Kennedy

As Massachusetts mourns the passing of her Senior Senator, many Catholics are of mixed feeling. Pride in our native son is mixed with disappointment that he didn't join his late sister, Eunice on life issues as his own life drew to a close. Perhaps these are judgements best left to Christ. Here is an interesting take on Teddy's life legacy. I'm sure you'll find it edifying.



BTW, ths priest has a wonderful podcast called "Word on Fire."

The next post will have pictures and information about the AWESOME shower last Sunday. We are still awaiting those pictures and will get them up asap.

The Baby's Gender

As most of you know, we have held off on knowing the baby's gender. I have been a bit impatient and last night tried to figure it out. I put my wedding ring on a piece of string and suspended it over my belly via a music stand. I waited for movement (circular for girl, linear for a boy). Guess what!

Bupkiss. Nadda. Ziltch. The darn thing just hung there. The baby was kicking and rolling the whole time, if there was an energy to move the ring, it would have done so. So much for that.

We found all sorts of myths about determining the gender, but alas, they all seem to contradict one another. The baby's heartrate is strong and within normal range, according to many predictors, it's a boy because of this. Other myths put this heartrate in the girl range. A friend of mine just had a baby girl and she carried a huge basketball-like pregnancy. According to "the old wives", she should have had a boy, but she did not. Ty's mom wasn't protruding very much when she had him, but was for Dorinda, this also goes against the prevailing myth of gender determination.

This week's poll will see how good you all are at guessing.

41 Days until the Due Date!!!!!!

According to my doctor, there are 41 days until my due date. According to the computer program that helped me figure out cycles so I could get pregnant in the first place, there are 33. Either way, it's getting close, Baby! The countdown is on.

We're Registered!

Babies R Us and Target have our list of items. We've made sure that there is a large variety of cost and that everything on the list are items we really need.

We had a check-up this week and baby's heart is very strong. Baby's squirming and rolling kept me up (along with the heat) last night. Urgh. Thank God Dorinda has a pool. Gonna definitely use that resource to keep cool this month. Maybe I'll figure out a way to sleep in it!

Pray for us

In Worcester, my old stomping grounds, a woman was murdered and her 8 month fetus was cut from her womb few days ago. The news just broke because her body was just discovered. I'm sure you can see why I, in my 8th month, would be a bit freaked out by this news.

The horrible truth is that many expectant and new mothers are murdered. Human life becomes less and less precious. Please pray for women who are pregnant under tough crcumstances. Pray for those who would take their children, that they find another way to deal with their stresses.

Iraqi Christian Relief

While listening to the podcast "Light of the East", I was touched by the discussion of the plight of Iraqi Christians. I know that many of us think of Iraq as an Islamic country but Christian's have been in Iraq since the beginning of our church (this pre-dates Islam). The christian population in Iraq is a dwindling minority under constant threat of persecution and death. Many have been forced to flee in order to protect their lives and the lives of their families. They are now refugees in other countries living in poverty. If the persecution continues it is possible that there will no longer be a Christian presence in Iraq. I believe that if this is allowed to happen we will all suffer as a result. It has been said that Christians in Iraq are a buffer between the Islamic east and Christian West. If there are no longer any Christians in Iraq anti-western sentiment will grow unchecked. The Muslim families will no longer have a personal connection with Christian neighbors and Christian families. It is easier to hate the unknown than someone with whom you share a common nationality and history. I ask that you visit the Iraqi Christian Relief Council website to learn more. You can find this documentary on the site as well as others.

Tradition holds that the church in Iraq was founded by St. Thomas and these were the first people to convert as a nation. Christian's in Iraq have a special connection with our Lord Jesus Christ through their language; Iraqi Christian's speak Aramaic the same language Jesus spoke. As Christians living free from persecution I believe we have a responsibility to help in any way we can: through prayers, raising our voices, and if possible monetary support. As a Church we are one body in Christ and if one of us is threatened or wounded we are all threatened and wounded.

Please pray and spread the word.

Pax

Happy Father's Day

To Tyrone from the Misses and Junyor Bear

Nixon tapes

Roe v Wade, the landmark supreme court decision of January 22, 1973, was not the banner headline of its day. The death of Lyndon Johnson lead the news, and the subject of abortion was not considered very controversial. Today some 30,000 pages of transcripts and hundreds of hours of tapes from January and Febrary of 1973 were released, , among them discussion of the Roe decision.

Richard Nixon is a fascinating character. He dedicated himself to integrity and honor, yet is remembered for neither. Nina Totenberg reported on the contents of the tapes, specifically on Nixon's reaction to the Roe decision. We think you will find it both enlightening and disturbing. Take a listen. I don't think Mr. Nixon would be pleased with our baby, or with the whole of the Cape Verdean population for that matter.

Be careful about becoming a one-issue voter. Keep in mind that all issues flip flop between parties and that constancy belongs to God alone. All great presidents fail, and all failed presidents have their greatness.

Bringing our baby into a world at war?

North Korea is a nuclear power. This power has been tested and pushed lately in the form of tests, the latest of which will head toward our shores. Hawaii, Japan, and Guam (a US territory) are the proposed targets. This story was a small one on today's news, but it sure got my attention. This is deeply disturbing news. We all need to pray very fervently, and pay attention to the news stories about this international threat.

Childbirth Class

Tyrone and I attended our first childbirth class. It was extremely basic. We heard instruction like this...

"The female body has ribs and lungs, the male body has ribs and lungs too."

"The female body has three holes, the urethra, the vagina, and the anus."

We learned some good positions for comforting during contractions, but I was hoping for more detail. We'll see how next week goes. We'll get a tour of the hospital and see the environment.

Up: Movie Review

Don't pay the extra bucks for 3D, Up is a great work of art. 3D glasses will just make it more challenging for you to dab your tears. The movie is surprisingly touching. We will own it when it comes out on DVD. Bring tissues.

Father Mom

Father Joseph Huneycutt's Orthodixie podcast featured a letter by me this week! I was so excited to listen to him read the letter and reply to me. I laughed and cried at his response and found it very edifying. The title of the episode is "Father Mom", click this link to listen. If you are into Christianity, I'm sure you'd enjoy Father Joseph's podcasts.

The central question of my letter was "How can I go into a situation of intense pain, i.e. labor and delivery, without fear?" I asked what kinds of life situations also share this paradox. He was wonderful. You'd love to hear it. He even addressed my Bohemian Rhapsody earworm.

Thanks, Father Joseph.

Viability

Today marks the beginning of the week that our baby is viable! According to dictionary.com...

Viable
 /ˈvaɪəbəl/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [vahy-uh-buhl] –adjective
1.
capable of living.
2.
Physiology.
a.
physically fitted to live.
b.
(of a fetus) having reached such a stage of development as to be capable of living, under normal conditions, outside the uterus.
3.
Botany. able to live and grow.
4.
vivid; real; stimulating, as to the intellect, imagination, or senses: a period of history that few teachers can make viable for students.
5.
practicable; workable: a viable alternative.
6.
having the ability to grow, expand, develop, etc.: a new and viable country.

Baby is very skinny and has red and wrinkled skin under a greasy coat of protective linugo. Over the next weeks, s/he will put on brown fat and plump up. The most important thing for me to do now is eat lots of good fats. Avacados, nuts, and my omega 3 vitamins will help baby's brain grow, body plump, and make him/her even more of a little dancer. Here is a very sweet story about a little girl who was born at 24 weeks.

These are pictures of infants born at 24 weeks. We can all agree that it's best to leave them to grow a bit longer. Still, they're pretty cute!

Movie Review: Star Trek

**** We saw Star Trek last night, and it was worth every penny! What a joy to see the origins of the characters we love.

The price is high, but I suggest that all AAA members go to their local AAA office and pick up tickets in packs of 4. These tickets are matinee prices and can be used anytime. I'm going to pick some up tomorrow.

We strongly recommend this film. We gave it 4 stars. The beginning was very loud and scared the baby. S/he jumped and tumbled during the opening sequence. Then I cried and cried as the opening scene had to do with a woman in labor who is separated from her husband. We all calmed down after that. Lots of laughter and fun and suspense. Must see!

We're Registered for the Baby

Dorinda brought us to Babies R Us and told us to also register at Target.  Click on the store name and you can find our registry.  Our little angel is moving a bit, especially when I receive communion.  S/he loves communion, Orthodox or Catholic.  Thank you for the Mother's Day greetings you have given to me.  Many thanks also to Our Lady for being the perfect mom.

Silence is Golden

I'm just now getting my voice back. In about a week, I should be able to sing again. This cold is in its 6th week, and I look forward to it leaving me at last. During this latest cold, I lost my voice completely for a few weeks. It was very difficult, and I thought that my communication with Tyrone would suffer, but I was surprised.

Tyrone communicates mostly through non-verbal communication. My silence put us on even footing and made us closer. I learned to say "I love you" with a hug or a gesture. I learned to read him better instead of asking what he was thinking or doing. Sometimes God shuts us up to make us listen!

18 Week Ultrasound

Don't you think he/she looks like Tyrone? All indications are that our little one is healthy in every way. Full speed ahead.

If you hear of any nice pieces of land for sale at a reasonable price, let us know.

Christos Anesti!

Alitos Anesti!

Susan Boyle

A 47 year old Scottish spinster named Susan Boyle blew the judges of "Britain's Got Talent" away. Click this and see this wonderful video. IT WILL UPLIFT YOU, IT WILL MAKE YOU CRY, IT IS A GREAT THING TO HEAR. This is for all of us who have felt washed-up, dumpy, and past our prime. Listen and be amazed. Our best days are ahead of us!

Some other little gems, though not quite as serious and fine as Ms Boyle, are now included. Some Greek/Celtic dancers, a stripper who brought Simon to his feet, A group of friends who are flawless dancers, Singin' in the Rain by a tween boy dancer, a 13 year old boy who had suffered bullying and loved singing Pie Jesu (see his final performance in the sidebar).

Stupid Health Care System

I'm sick again. Same old story. Cough, runny this and that. Been going on for weeks. Doctors hesitant to do anything. Unable to see my primary care physician. Frustration, days off work, inability to talk or sing. Urgh.

Tyrone is sick too. We both are sharing our misery and, I must say, it's much better to do this with a partner than alone.

Because my primary couldn't see me today, I went to a walk-in clinic in Andover. Walk-in clinics are cheaper and more efficient than emergency rooms. Even so, my primary doctor didn't want to write a referral for the walk-in clinic. "We don't do that," said the secretary.

I asked "Why?"

She said, "If you need to go to a clinic, just go to the ER."

"But that's a complete waste of money and resources," I retorted.

She rolled her eyes and said she'd do it "this one time."

We need major health reform. If in nothing else, in logic! Maybe the man suffering parinoid delusions in New York wouldn't have blown those people away. Maybe we'd have fewer illnesses at work and school if people were treated. Maybe we'd save billions at a time we really need to save those billions!

5 inches long

The baby is about 5 inches long. That's about as long as this frog instrument. The size of a very large petunia blossom.

The baby weighs as much as a morning dove.

Drugs are bad M'kay

We've all heard this mantra from adults, government, and yes, Nancy Reagan. But let's make a decision to not use illegal substances until they are legal, regulated, and taxed.

There are probably 10-100 or so readers of this blog, most of them have probably tried pot and other illegal drugs in their lives. If we all choose not to use this stuff, a huge financial incentive for drug lords will vanish.

The recent uptick in violence at the Mexico/US boarder shows the kind of people we support when we light a joint. We support kidnappers, mass-rapists, and torturers. We support the corrupt Mexican police, child slavery, and other horrors that we never see but cheerfully fund.

I remember driving around several sheet-covered bodies with new sneakers peaking out, during my life in Los Angeles. These kids ran drug deals for older drug lords. Kids are used because their jail sentences would be less harsh. Taking drugs kills kids.



Save your money. Save your health. Save lives, M'kay?

Housing help?

We are trying to sell our condo. Please pray for us.

I wrote to my Washington DC representatives. So far, I've only heard back from Barney Frank. His rep, Lisa, agreed that families like ours, buying larger homes, are exactly the types of people who will help the economy get going again. She also said that there are no pieces of legislation that could help us, since we are current on all bills. She said that "if Countrywide drags its feet answering you, should you have a buyer, please contact the Congressman's office. We can call them. This can be very helpful."

The Obama administration is allowing citizens to submit questions. I was going to contribute one, but there were already many people who had submitted questions that were similar. There is outrage among our people about responsibility and home ownership. Some of them were...

"Why do I need to fall behind in payments before I get help?"
"Why do banks still approve people for mortgages that they cannot afford. We were approved for $450,000 and we know we can only afford $230,000"
"Where is the help for people who have been current with their payments, but are underwater?"

Let's see what happens. The first order of business to to stop people from becoming homeless. Help for our family will be in phase two, getting the economy rolling again.

Baby Timeline

Happy Spring!

The seasons roughly correspond to the trimesters of my pregnancy. The baby was conceived around the Winter Solstice. Spring marks the beginning of trimester #2, and the end of June will be the beginning of trimester #3.

The baby is due on September 20, 2009. (the Autumnal Equinox)

Right now, the baby is about the size of this little chick! He/she is about 3 inches long, cute, and precious.

Hello!

Our little one is healthy, and there is almost no chance of a chromosomal abnormality! Hurrah! There are pictures. Here is our baby waving "hello".

I think he/she has Tyrone's hands. I think we have a pianist on our hands! I also think he/she has my Dad's profile. Hmmmmmm

Here's a nice profile.