I’m sitting here on what looks like an overcast Saturday morning. I just had some breakfast, still working on the coffee, listening to my newly discovered “Mahler” station on Pandora, and just thinking about things… how they are and how they will be pretty soon.

The most pressing of how I am feeling is from the food we ate last night. I am still eating Paleo (with some dairy like cheese so, not AS strict as I used to be, but it’s coming to and end really soon) and only indulging really as I feel like it, which isn’t really often at all. Let’s just say last night I indulged and this morning, I feel like I got hit by a truck. Ick.

On the good side, I got to sleep until I couldn’t anymore today. That almost never happens, and I suspect once baby is here, probably will almost never happen again. We laid in bed for a good hour or 2 before I finally got up. I get to a point where I just can’t lay in bed anymore. V is still sleeping though, she didn’t sleep all that well last night.

We went for another prenatal appointment yesterday. Man, was that awesome! There was no sonogram this time, but everything is going really well with our pregnancy. Dr. Soloman was able to find the baby’s heartbeat immediately with the doppler. He asked V if she’d felt the baby move yet b/c according to what he was hearing, it was apparently doing backflips or burpees or something in there. Lot’s of movement. V thinks if our child is anything like she was, it will never sit still. I can’t remember if I was the same way. I will have to ask.

Anyway… we will have one more appointment with Dr. Soloman at the ARC (Austin Regional Clinic), then we will transition to Austin Birthing Center. At the recommendation of our friend Elizabeth, we watched a documentary called “The Business of Being Born“, which really made us think about and want to investigate doing a natural childbirth in a birthing center. I wouldn’t say that watching this completely sold me on having the baby outside the hospital, but it introduced me to an option I hadn’t previously thought much about. In my life/experience, I had always just thought that babies are born at hospitals, end of story, unless you lived in some “uncivilized” country. Man, was I wrong.

We went to take a look at the Austin Birthing Center last week and absolutely loved it. The atmosphere was like night and day when compared with the ARC. There are like 6 midwives that you all get to know so that any of them will be familiar when you are ready to deliver. They follow the exact same prenatal schedule as the ARC does (blood work, sonograms, etc…).They are REALLY close (like less than 5 minutes) from a major hospital in the event of a complication that they cannot handle (but they are equipped to handle most), and they take/work with insurance, so if I do my homework, I should end up paying the same as at the hospital, which is $0.

Although we really do like Dr. Soloman, this is how we have decided to take this on. Unfortunately, at the hospital he is associated with, they don’t let you do anything in the way of “alternative” birthing methods including “walking around while in labor”. Sigh.

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When we tell people about this decision, some seem to get really angry and become almost belligerent or condescending. I don’t understand this. Last I checked, it was up to my wife and I to evaluate options and pick what we feel is best. We get this reaction to lots of things and honestly I am a little tired of people’s opinions. We’ve gotten it with CrossFit (how can you work out like that?!) paleo eating (how can you live without bread?! what’s wrong with beans?!?!), chiropractic care (that’s all quack bullshit!) , our ideas about vaccinations (if you don’t vaccinate your child, you are stupid!), and now with our decision to deliver this way (having a baby in the hospital with drugs and in a completely unnatural position is BY FAR the best way to go and if you don’t there’s clearly something wrong with you!).

Not sure if you realize this, but my decisions about my body, my health, and my future children are the business of me, my wife, and no one else. If you don’t like or don’t agree with what we are doing and would like to open mindedly talk about it, that’s perfectly acceptable. If you want to be condescending and snooty about how we are making the wrong decision, please, kindly, go fuck yourself. I have enough to deal with in my life without having to argue with some condescending schmuck that isn’t going to honestly consider what I am saying, thankyouverymuch.

</RANT>

In other news, my back is still not 100% but it’s getting a little closer every week. I have been continuing on with Physical Therapy with the Tillmans and things are improving. I can see improvements in terms of mobility, flexibility, and range of motion. Still though, I am really stiff in the mornings or after being in one position for a really long time. I just have to keep at it. I know that back injuries take a really long time to get better and I don’t want to rush things. It’s hard to not be impatient, though.

We went back to Tai Chi classes a week ago after not being around for around 8 months. It felt really nice to be back. Honestly, I was a little worried that it would be “weird” or that I’d get the cold shoulder, but it was very welcoming and really nice to see people that I hadn’t seen in a really long time. I am hoping that adding Tai Chi back into the mix will aid in the whole “moving around” aspect of things with my back.

I realize I am going on and on. If you’re still with me, I do appreciate it. A lot has happened since my last post.

After searching and waiting and searching and waiting for what felt like forever, we have finally found a new home for OC. I was working one day and Stephanie IMed about it. I guess she had seen a Facebook status that V posted about looking for a new home. Long story short, she offered to take him. All things considered, I can’t think of a better outcome for him. Stephanie was super excited to take him and I know she will love him and take really good care of him. I miss him already, but I know it’s the best thing for us and him. The house is already so much calmer and Bella can finally walk around and do what she wants to do without worrying about being attacked.

The holidays are quickly approaching! It will be our first as a married couple!

As a society, we seemed to have skipped Thanksgiving (pretty sure I write about this every year). We went from Halloween to Christmas. I never really cared for the holiday much anyway. It’s just an excuse to eat really badly then pass out. Family is what is really important about this holiday and since I have moved to Texas, I really haven’t gotten that whole big family get together feeling. I really do miss that. We will be spending it with my grandparents, so at least we will get to see some family. Maybe one day we will all be together here.

My parents will be here the week of the 11th, so we are trying to think of some fun things to do with them. I am very
much looking forward to that as I haven’t seen them since our honeymoon in June. After their visit, we will be heading to Mississippi to visit with V’s family for Christmas.

I love her family and spending time with them. This time of year is always happy, but I still always feel a bit torn to not be with my family as well. I am sure that ever married couple has to deal with when to see which family for what holiday. The fact that we have 3 states to cover makes it virtually impossible for us to see everyone on every holiday. What can you do? I really wish that we all lived in the same state so things like this would be easier, but, what does wishing get you? Mostly nothing. I wish for tons of money all the time =).

Get back to the point, debbie downer.

This will also be our last holiday “alone” as next year we will have an 8 month old! That’s really crazy for me to think about. Being that the little thing is on it’s way and we are trying to stockpile money for all of the necessities and eventualities, we have decided to not really go crazy this Christmas in terms of gifts to each other. We are trying to decide on one item that we will both enjoy and then maybe a few small gifts like stocking stuffers.

For our families, we are working on a gift that I think they will really enjoy and will hopefully find very thoughtful. I wish that I could go all out like I used to, but, there’s not just me to worry about anymore and I can’t spend tons of money like I used to. I guess monetary routing priorities change. Le sigh. Anyway, I know they will be understanding of this. They are good people.

I think I hear the “Wrap It Up” box playing… I had better get a start to the day.