Yes, yes I know. I'm late posting this, but it's been a busy weekend.
But hey! It's October now! 6 more weeks baby! Yeah!
....Can you tell I'm getting excited about my upcoming due date?
Life Recap
I seriously can't wait for Jack to be born! And it's not just because I'm sick and tired of being pregnant and I want my body back (seriously, if you were in my shoes....well first, you'd notice that the shoes don't really fit anymore, and then you'd notice that the simplest tasks are difficult to do around the big round belly that slowly seems to be swallowing you whole). Getting my body back will be amazing, but I really just can't wait to meet Jack face to face! He kicks all the time, he has the hiccups, but I want to know more! Will he prefer sleeping to classical music or rock 'n roll music? Will the cat get used to him? What the heck will he look like?????? I just can't wait!
Is it also weird that I'm starting to look forward to the actual delivery itself?
Okay, so yeah, maybe it's a little weird that I'm getting excited about what is probably going to be the most painful day in my life, but hear me out. Something really amazing is going to happen on that day; a new person is going to enter the world, and I'm going to be a part of it. It's going to be a brand new experience, something that's been on my bucket list since I was a teenager.
Delivery day also seems less scary because I now have more information about it. Dave and I finally got to take the childbirth class that I signed up for two months ago, and we got quite a lot of information on how that day is going to go.
It was a surprisingly fun class. The instructor was pretty funny, and she a knack for explaining things in ways that were easy to understand. A big part of the class involved trying different positions that I could use during the active stage of labor, as well as a couple of breathing techniques to help focus and relax through the contractions. I now feel like I understand what's going to happen to me and when I can anticipate the worst of the pain. It's made me feel more confident about the upcoming experience.
Best of all, this childbirth class was through Middlesex Hospital, where I'm planning on having my baby. The instructor was able to describe how the hospital preferred to do things, which perfectly coincided with what I had in mind (aim for a natural birth first, then offer various methods of pain medications to aid in labor when it seems like the pain is overwhelming, then finally resort to an epidural as a last resort. A C-section is a last course of action if the natural birth is clearly not going the way it needs to).
I've always known that I want a natural, medication-free birth. I'm definitely the type of person who prefers to be in control of what's happening to her, so while I know it's going to hurt, I'd rather be able to feel the pain and work with it, than not feel anything at all and wonder what's going on. The fact that Middlesex Hospital offers nitrous oxide and the analgesic shot as pain medication alternatives is great; that way, I can reduce the pain without going completely numb. In a weird way, I'm actually getting pretty curious about exactly how painful it'll be, and how well I'll be able to handle it.
To practice handling the pain, I'm going to work on the breathing techniques I learned, and research a few new ones to try out. I'm also getting into the habit of practicing these techniques when I accidently hurt myself (ie, stubbing my toe, banging my shin, etc., fortunately there are many pregnancy-related clumsy moments that I can use), so that I learn to relax through the pain. So far, so good!
In the meantime, Dave and I are slowly trying to get ready for Jack's arrival, and our weekends are becoming packed with things to do. The childbirth class was one thing that we did, but we've done some other things as well, just for the fun of it!
Take the past couple of Saturdays for example. We went to the Connecticut Renaissance Faire twice this month. Yup, twice.
The first time was for me. The theme that weekend was wizards and magic, so of course I went dressed as a Harry Potter character! Dave and I went as James and Lily Potter, and our unborn son went as "The Boy Who Lived".
What fun that all was! I was super shy at first. All the other visitors exiting the parking lot weren't wearing costumes and I felt very exposed and almost took the costume off, but Dave kept up a steady stream of encouragement and we entered the fair with our costumes intact.
It turned out to be a lot of fun! The event staff loved the costumes, and while we didn't win the costume contest, we still got a lot of compliments. Plus, the Renaissance Fair is just plain entertaining!
The following weekend, we took our friends to the same exact fair. It turned out to be a huge success; we took them around the fair, and because we had already gone the previous week, we were able to guide them to the best events without any hiccups. The guys were able to enjoy the alcoholic cocktail they sell (called a "Bee Sting"--basically mead and hard cider), while I pigged out on all the fair food (such as pulled pork mac n' cheese, ice cream sundaes, deep fried oreos......hey don't judge me, I'm pregnant!)
There were so many shows to watch, and contests to participate in, but we managed to see and participate in some really good ones. There was the ax throwing contest (yep, that's right, people get to try a throw an ax at a wooden board and try to hit a painted target), and an archery contest. For obvious reasons, I didn't participate in either contest (I think I would have scared some people with the ax throwing contest 😄), but I had fun watching my husband and our group give these contests a try. The event staff for these contests are absolutely hilarious; they tease/roast the participants a little bit while the contest is going on, and keep things running smoothly and quickly despite the number of people who show up to try this stuff.
(By the way, no one in our group made it past the entry round. Ah well, at least we tried!)
For me, the best part of the day was when Dave became a participant in an acrobat's show! Yup, that's right, you can see it in the picture here: the acrobat, Shelli Buttons, stood on Dave's shoulders and juggled knives! It was already a funny and entertaining show, and Dave's part was especially entertaining.
Overall, the Renaissance Faire was tons of fun, both times. It's nice when you can do something entertaining despite the fact that you need to sit down and rest every hour, and you're dealing with a gigantic ball of a belly.
Speaking of that gigantic ball, hats off to my Tuesday students! They held a surprise baby shower for me in between the lessons, which was so sweet of them. We had cupcakes, I opened a whole bunch of wonderful gifts, it was an overall great time. Thank you guys!
Finally, happy birthday to my wonderful husband! You're a wonderful man Dave, and you're going to be a wonderful dad very soon!
Haha! I did it again! My goal was 8 books, so I read 8 books. And I stuck to the books I had intended to read. Boo ya! (Hey, what did you expect? I'm a pregnant nerd with a lot of rest time on her hands. And TV gets really boring really fast.)
Below are the books I finished this month. 7 of those 8 I completed during the last couple of weeks; 3 were re-reads, and 4 were BOTMs.
 |
| Yep, I'm a nerd. A big big nerd. |
The first time was for me. The theme that weekend was wizards and magic, so of course I went dressed as a Harry Potter character! Dave and I went as James and Lily Potter, and our unborn son went as "The Boy Who Lived".
What fun that all was! I was super shy at first. All the other visitors exiting the parking lot weren't wearing costumes and I felt very exposed and almost took the costume off, but Dave kept up a steady stream of encouragement and we entered the fair with our costumes intact.
It turned out to be a lot of fun! The event staff loved the costumes, and while we didn't win the costume contest, we still got a lot of compliments. Plus, the Renaissance Fair is just plain entertaining!
 |
| Everyone got a bee sting but me :( ...At least I got my mac n' cheese! |
There were so many shows to watch, and contests to participate in, but we managed to see and participate in some really good ones. There was the ax throwing contest (yep, that's right, people get to try a throw an ax at a wooden board and try to hit a painted target), and an archery contest. For obvious reasons, I didn't participate in either contest (I think I would have scared some people with the ax throwing contest 😄), but I had fun watching my husband and our group give these contests a try. The event staff for these contests are absolutely hilarious; they tease/roast the participants a little bit while the contest is going on, and keep things running smoothly and quickly despite the number of people who show up to try this stuff.
(By the way, no one in our group made it past the entry round. Ah well, at least we tried!)
 |
| The juggling knives came a little later. Go honey! |
Overall, the Renaissance Faire was tons of fun, both times. It's nice when you can do something entertaining despite the fact that you need to sit down and rest every hour, and you're dealing with a gigantic ball of a belly.
Speaking of that gigantic ball, hats off to my Tuesday students! They held a surprise baby shower for me in between the lessons, which was so sweet of them. We had cupcakes, I opened a whole bunch of wonderful gifts, it was an overall great time. Thank you guys!
Finally, happy birthday to my wonderful husband! You're a wonderful man Dave, and you're going to be a wonderful dad very soon!
Reading Recap
Haha! I did it again! My goal was 8 books, so I read 8 books. And I stuck to the books I had intended to read. Boo ya! (Hey, what did you expect? I'm a pregnant nerd with a lot of rest time on her hands. And TV gets really boring really fast.)
Below are the books I finished this month. 7 of those 8 I completed during the last couple of weeks; 3 were re-reads, and 4 were BOTMs.
Title: The Bear And The Nightingale (Winternight Trilogy #1)
Author: Katherine Arden
Date Finished: September 12
Rating: ★★★ 1/2
Quick Review: A pleasant surprise, considering I got this book for free at a renaissance fair this past June (we did a lot of renaissance fairs this year)
Full Review | Goodreads | Audible
Title: Inheritance (Inheritance Series #4)
Author: Christopher Paolini
Date Finished: September 16
Rating: ★★★★
Quick Review: Re-read to see if it could be a favorite. A good ending to a creative series that matured and grew with the author
Full Review | Goodreads | Audible
Title: A Gentleman In Moscow
Author: Amor Towles
Date Finished: September 16
Rating: ★★★★
Quick Review: A BOTM and a wonderful story that shows a different side of Russian history
Full Review | Goodreads | Audible
Title: The Ocean At The End Of The Lane
Author: Neil Gaiman
Date Finished: September 18
Rating: ★★★★
Quick Review: Another BOTM and a good quiet story with the usual Neil Gaiman weirdness
Full Review | Goodreads | Audible
Title: Educated: A Memoir
Author: Tara Westover
Date Finished: September 20
Rating: ★★★★ 1/2
Quick Review: Another BOTM and an excellent, thought-provoking debut memoir
Full Review | Goodreads | Audible
Title: A Man Called Ove
Author: Fredrik Backman
Date Finished: September 21
Rating: ★★★ 1/2
Quick Review: A funny BOTM read that made me laugh aloud, but I wasn't convinced by Ove's age
Full Review | Goodreads | Audible
Title: Wonder
Author: R.J. Palacio
Date Finished: September 23
Rating: ★★★★★
Quick Review: A re-read for fun and an absolute favorite of mine!
Full Review | Goodreads | Audible
Title: Bag Of Bones
Author: Stephen King
Date Finished: September 28
Rating: ★★★★
Quick Review: A re-read that is a good ghost story, almost as good as The Shining, but I think I messed up the experience by partially listening to it on audiobook
Full Review | Goodreads | Audible
Not bad, eh?
My Goals
Well, this month the goals are simple. I've got maternity leave coming up, and since I'm self-employed, I'm responsible for my own funds while I'm away. So I need to pinch the pennies as much as I can this month in order to save up enough to last me through November and December. Fingers crossed that I can manage it!
As for reading, I definitely have plenty of time on my hands (especially once the baby room is completely set up; we've got a lot of presents to sort through and organize, and Dave and I have to clean up and repaint my old dresser). My goal this month is to complete another 8 books, as well as another part of Les Miserables (I'm making good progress on this book--it's wonderfully done).
Here's my reading list this month:
- October 1-30: Les Miserables (Part II, "Cosette"), by Victor Hugo (my long-term reading project, only reading the second part of the book this month)
- October 1-6: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, by N.K. Jemisin (for fun)
- October 1-9: Mr. Mercedes, by Stephen King (A BOTM on audiobook)
- October 6-11: The Girl In The Tower (Winternight Trilogy #2), by Katherine Arden (A sequel to read for fun)
- October 9-20: The Magicians (Magicians Trilogy #1), by Lev Grossman (re-reading this trilogy on audiobook because I never never read the final book)
- October 11-15: Homegoing, by Yaa Gyasi (A BOTM for the library book club)
- October 15-24: Lethal White (Cormoran Strike #4), by Robert Galbraith aka J.K. Rowling (newly released, can't wait to read it!)
- October 20-31: Enchantment, by Orson Scott Card (re-reading this one on audiobook to see if it's a favorite)
- October 24-31: Dune, by Frank Herbert (re-reading this one as well to see if this one's a favorite)
There you go, 8 books. I'm finding that scheduling when I read each book helps me keep my goals on track, hence the dates.
I also set up a new reading challenge for myself, one that I feel I can probably manage, even with a new baby taking up my time.
I've tried this before and didn't succeed because I made it too big and therefore too difficult to complete. This time it's only 57 books, and it shouldn't be too hard to work with. I call it "The Pyramid Challenge", and I've decided to have it go from September 1st of this year to August 31st of next year, so that I already have a good headstart on it before Jack enters the picture.
My Pyramid Challenge
Start Date: September 1, 2018
End Date: August 31, 2019
(Note: I've already added some of the books I've read to this challenge. The ones in italics are books that are planned.)
Read an entire series or trilogy from start to finish
- The Magicians Trilogy (The Magicians, The Magician King, The Magician's Land), by Lev Grossman
2. Two Non-Fiction Reads
Read two books that are non-fiction, any subject will do
- Educated: A Memoir, by Tara Westover
3. Three Books Friends Liked
Read three books that were recommended by a family member or friend
4. Four Books By New-To-You Authors
Read four books by four different authors that you've never read before
- A Gentleman In Moscow, by Amor Towles
- The Bear And The Nightingale, by Katherine Arden
5. Five Books By Foreign Authors
Read five books that were written by five different authors from another country
- A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman (Sweden)
- Lethal White, by Robert Galbraith/J.K. Rowling (England)
6. Six Books From Six Different Genres
Read six books that belong in different genres (Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction, etc.) or different sub-genres (Chick Lit, Magical Realism, Horror, etc.)
- Inheritance, by Christopher Paolini (Young Adult Fantasy)
- Wonder, by R.J. Palacio (Children's Fiction)
- Dune, by Frank Herbert (Science Fiction)
7. Seven Books Of Seven Different Lengths
Read seven books that correspond with a certain number of pages (100 pages long, 200 pages long, 300 pages long, etc. up to 700 pages long)
- 100+ pages: The Ocean At The End Of The Lane, by Neil Gaiman (181 pgs)
- 200+ pages:
- 300+ pages: Enchantment, by Orson Scott Card (387 pgs)
- 400+ pages:
- 500+ pages: Bag Of Bones, by Stephen King (529 pgs)
- 600+ pages:
- 700+ pages:
8. Eight Books For Book Clubs (or Eight Books That Were Made Into Movies)
Read eight books that were assigned by book clubs, both online and face-to-face (if this doesn't work, then I'm going to try to read 8 books that were made into films)
- Homegoing, by Yaa Gyasi (The Early Birds Library Book Club)
- Mr. Mercedes, by Stephen King (Goodread's Coffee&Books Book Club)
9. Nine Books By Female Authors
Read nine books by nine different female authors
- The Girl In The Tower, by Katherine Arden
- The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, by N.K. Jemisin
Read ten books that you've been meaning to read for a while, either from your physical stash, or from your online reading list.
- Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo
Not too bad, right? I'm hoping I'll be able to complete it this time. For any of you book lovers out there, feel free to give this challenge a try! Just tag me or my blog so I can see how many are trying it out, okay? And while I'm planning to avoid any overlap, if over 50 books seems too difficult, then a book can count for more than one category.
Anyway, time to amuse myself with free entertainment: reading! Since I have a couple of private lessons today, I think I might take my reading to the library, and maybe pack a lunch that I can eat outside while the day is so nice. Enjoy the day everyone!
-Lisa The Dancing Bookworm
I love the Harry Potter photo. It sounds like you’ve been busy. Good luck with the pregnancy and your goals! Happy October.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!