Update from Steve

By kate on July 21st, 2005

I’ve been too busy to write much about what we’ve been up to, so here’s something Steve sent our family recently:

I’ll just add that we’re leaning pretty strongly toward the birth center, as long as we can find a midwife that we like. The director of the birth center gave us a few recommendations based on what we told her was important to us, which was very helpful. Now if we can only find time to meet them….

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A little worse for the wear

By kate on July 21st, 2005

Thanks to a stressful week at work and the pregnancy kicking in a bit more, I’ve started to feel traces of nausea. It’s really not that bad, though, compared to what I hear other people have had. Mostly, it feels like it used to when I would read in the car.

(In a side note, reading in the car used to give me kind of a headache/nausea, although not the kind that makes me feel like vomiting. I was somehow able to get over it while we were on our big backpacking trip, probably out of necessity and looooong bus rides. Now, I can read in vehicles with no problem.)

It comes and goes, but doesn’t really make too much of an impact. It makes me do things like rest my eyes more, or lay down for a few minutes when I get home.

I’ve also noticed my appetite is getting slightly more funky. I still don’t really feel like eating much – not like NOT eating, just not particularly tempted. Now, though, I’ve found I sometimes do or don’t feel like what I’m planning to eat for a meal. It’s minor, though, and I can force my way through it. On the other hand, I’ve been giving myself a fair amount of leeway since I’m PREGNANT after all.

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Birth Options

By kate on July 17th, 2005

Steve and I are in the process of researching birth options. We both decided right away that a home birth wasn’t really our thing. It sounds messy, and personally, I think I’d rather go to a special place to give birth, rather than in my regular old house. While I love my house, and feel very comfortable there, I don’t know if I want to have the birth experience here. I can’t really explain why.

So, now we’re deciding between a hospital birthing center and a stand-alone birthing center, as well as between an OB and a midwife. Right now, we’re leaning toward the latter in both cases. We’ll be touring a few birth centers (both kinds), to get a feel for them. We like the idea of a midwife and a birthing center (I’m expecting to be low-risk), but we’re worried that they might be too woo-woo. We are trying to maintain a sense of wonder and magic while at the same time keeping a healthy sense of cynicism, humor, and practicality. It seems like some of the more natural-y places are too far into the mysticism and magic.

We’d also like a place that isn’t so woman-focused that Steve is lost in all the empowerment. I want him to be as involved as humanly possible.

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Week by week

By kate on July 17th, 2005

When we first started trying to get pregnant, I went to Third Place Books to buy a pregnancy book. They had a pretty scant selection, but I wanted a book, so I chose the best of the lot: an old edition of Your Pregnancy Week-By-Week. The cover was so repellent (and the “trying” so secret) that I immediately covered the book in a brown paper bag cover (like I did with textbooks in school).

We have since bought (and received) better overall pregnancy books, but I still enjoy the emphasis this one has on the developments each week, especially at this point when the developments aren’t visible.

I’ve started a nice little tradition on Sundays, where I sit down and read through the next week’s chapter. The first day of my last period was on a Sunday, so that’s when I start the new week. I’m starting week 7 now, during which Zippy will double in size from ~4mm to ~12mm. It’s fun to know what’s happening RIGHT NOW.

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Weird Science

By kate on July 15th, 2005

The folks at Weird Genius Real Science are really trying to get the word out about their second annual Science Fair tomorrow night (click the link for more details).

Steve and I went last year, and it was a blast (figuratively and literally). It’s a science fair for bizarre, eccentric, and artistic adults. I highly recommend it.

EDITED TO ADD: Earlier I posted a web link to it, but that was apparently for last year’s event. Here’s the info I was emailed about this year’s fair:

2nd Annual Weird Genius Real Science Fair
Saturday July 16
7pm – 2am
Magnuson Park (Formerly Sandpoint) Building 30
7400 Sand Point Way NE
$7, 21+

Come party with SCIENCE! Seattle Outsider Artists Project proudly presents the 2nd Annual Weird Genius Real Science Fair! This event showcases the finest in real science projects and science-enhanced/themed art by dangerous amateurs and science professionals. Behold the world’s largest baking soda and vinegar volcano! Hear the savage crackle of the Tesla coils! Volunteer for groundbreaking interactive experiments! Witness the miracle of fuzzy logic! Learn about electromagnetism while microwave ovens go WILD!!!

Featuring left-brained music by:
* Dr. Ffej and his Specimens
* Paul Edwards
* DJ’s Treble & Solo
* Tawney
* DJ CTRL
* Terso

ABOUT US:

The Seattle Outsider Artist Project (SOAP) is a Washington State non-profit for the advancement of marginal art by marginal people, art by non-artists, non-art by artists, and undifferentiated creative proliferation in the community. Please contact us immediately if you feel like you fit into any of these categories.

Seattle Outsider Artist Project
weirdgenius@inability.org

The Weird Genius Real Science Fair is a project of The Shunpike: “The Shunpike Arts Collective strengthens the Seattle arts community by partnering with artists to more effectively present and distribute their work.”