21 weeks already!

My Baby
By the end of this week, your baby will measure about 7 inches from crown to rump and tip the scales at nearly a pound. Not too shabby for someone who barely weighed an ounce 10 weeks ago! Part of her growth spurt is likely because her stomach is now equipped to start absorbing energy-boosting nutrients from the amniotic fluid she's swallowing in there. (But most of your baby's nourishment is still coming directly from the placenta.)
Your baby's hearing is becoming even more fine-tuned now. In addition to making out your heartbeat, stomach rumblings, pulsing blood vessels, and your voice resonating inside the uterus, she can also hear sounds and conversations coming from the world outside of Mama. So have your partner chat her up regularly, too! This doesn't have to be nightly renditions of Goodnight Moon, by the way. You can each read regular books or mags aloud, sing along with the radio, or even just give baby a brief recap of your day -- especially all the parts where you couldn't stop thinking about her!

I can't believe I've passed the halfway mark already! It's amazing, and very exciting! It's starting to really hit me that there is a little life that I'm building, and everything! I'm still trying to get the bedroom organized, and there is still some stuff I know I need for the bedroom, but I'm trying not to stress about it yet. The baby it still a ways off from coming, so I don't need it all tomorrow. I'd just like to be able to get the room organized, so the biggest thing I'd like to get soon would be a bookcase and a little table to go in the room to put my lamp on. I'll probably check freecycle for both of those, which will save some money!

News from home

A random mid-week post that has nothing to do with babies or knitting! Go figure!

I figured I should probably give an update of just things here at home!

This week has been pretty quiet. John went back to school on Tuesday for his teacher days. Today is his last one, then he has a 4 day weekend for the holiday, and he's back to school on Tuesday with students. It's nice for him, they get to ease back into it - 3 days without students, 4 days with students, 4 1/2 days with students (they have a half day the second week of school), 5 days with students.

Second, John had an audition for the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra on Monday. The PSO is a semi-professional orchestra that rehearses (obviously) in Portsmouth, but performs all over the Seacoast. He just heard yesterday that he got the trumpet spot that was open. He was surprised, he thought for sure it would go to someone else that was there, but he was happy, and I think he is excited too. I am excited for him!

I am still off for another week before starting my new job - I don't go in until the 6th. It will be nice to get out of the house and go to work for 12 hours a week. I was thinking that it's a great way to "ease" back into the workforce too, since I've been off for the last month, and have been out of social work for almost 9 months!

Did anyone see the story on Good Morning America about the blog that bashed Elizabeth Edwards for taking their kids on the road with them? I just looked up the blog online, and read the post and Elizabeth Edward's response. I don't know how I feel about it - frankly, I figure their parenting choices are their own, so long as they're not denying their children and education, or fostering any other form of abuse or neglect while on the road.

I guess that about wraps up this post for the time being. I guess I'm going to go knit :-)

Much awaited ultrasound photos

Oh my goodness, the ultrasound was just the coolest thing ever! John couldn't go because of work, but my mom came, and it was amazing! We were able to see the baby opening and closing it's mouth, stretching, kicking, moving it's hands and arms... I was glad I decided not to find out the sex of the baby, because the sonographer wasn't able to determine anyway. The heartbeat was good and strong, at about 144 beats per minute, which is down from 160 at my last appointment. It was just the most amazing thing! So without further ado, here are the photos:

Good news!

I definitely did get the case manager job I was hoping for! The downside is that the hours have been cut from 20 to 12 for the time being (Seacoast Interfaith Hospitality Network is a non-profit and is all grant driven) because the money for my position is being split between me and the new position the woman who had my job is creating. We're hoping come 2008 that I'll be able to be back up to 20 hours. In the meantime, I'm going to sub at John's school again for the three days I won't be working at the shelter.

I figured since no one is really familiar with SIHN, I'd post a little blurb about it:

Any family can meet with hardships causing loss of income, health, and home. When these crises present themselves, a community shares hospitality and transitional assistance with families facing temporary homelessness. The Seacoast Interfaith Hospitality Network (SIHN) provides a structured path toward self-sufficiency, consistent income, and stable housing. Seacoast IHN relies on hundreds of community volunteers from different faiths. Our mission is to meet the food and shelter needs of guest families while preserving their dignity and privacy. Families with children under 18 years old are admitted to the Seacoast IHN program following an interview process. A case manager designs a custom goal-oriented plan with the family that defines steps to regain self-sufficiency and secure housing. Until that plan is fully executed, usually 8-12 weeks, guest families receive compassion and encouragement from our volunteers.

Local faith-based institutions open their facilities to serve meals, provide private sleeping arrangements, and distribute personal necessities to up to 14 guests at a time. Professional staff operate the Family Resource Center by day where families receive information and advocacy to services including public housing, employment, training, and education. The Center also provides a kitchen, children’s play area, computers, and telephones.

A typical day in the network begins early at the host congregation where families pack lunch, have breakfast and board the agency van or drive themselves to the Family Resource Center, school, work, or training programs. In the evening, guest families return to the host congregation for the evening meal, followed by playing, sharing, and doing homework. Each family then retires to private quarters for the night.

The community rallies to empower and encourage families to become independent and to maintain that independence after leaving the network.

After several years of development, Seacoast Interfaith Hospitality Network opened its doors in November 2003 with 8 faith-based partners and one paid staff person. Each partner in the network provides scores of volunteers to fulfill the mission of the organization, while offering each congregation the opportunity to serve those in the community in need right in the congregation's own building. Congregations that normally would have little interaction are working together as partners to provide this important service to families. No preaching is permitted, but volunteers are able to demonstrate their faith commitment through the example of their good deeds. In 2006, Seacoast IHN had 2 paid staff, more than 400 volunteers, and 13 congregations involved and more are needed.

You can check out the website at www.sihnnh.org and see more about it!

I'm very excited about starting off in this new position, and am looking forward to it gaining more hours! The other nice benefit is that Pati, the director, already knows about me being pregnant, and instead of having to pay for daycare, I can bring the baby to work with me! That will be a huge money saver!

Halfway there!!!

My Baby
Congrats -- you're halfway there! Your baby measures around 6.5 inches from head to rump and weighs between 9 and 10 ounces. The big news this week: He's growing layers of that gorgeous baby-soft skin underneath the protective vernix (a creamy, white moisturizer that's keeping his skin safe and scratch-free). Your baby's happy as a clam in there, as his well-developed limbs continue to explore the womb by curling, flexing, and kicking. And as his hair, nails, and eyebrows continue to sprout, your fetus is looking remarkably more and more like Mom and Dad every day.

My Life
Funny how sometimes all you can think about is being pregnant (I can't believe my boobs! Why are my feet killing me? I really miss sushi...) and then other times, you become completely fixated on the baby herself -- and how her arrival is going to completely rock your world. It's a good idea to check in with your partner to get on the same page when it comes to chore divvying and other new-baby issues. Planning to breastfeed? Maybe it becomes Dad's job to feed you -- so dinner prep is one less thing on your plate. Or if you're waking up three times a night for feeding, maybe your partner takes on diaper duty as often as possible. When it comes to maternity leave and childcare, will your partner be able to take any extended time off? If you're staying home for a while, discuss how you'll get those much-needed baby breaks. Maybe he can re-jigger his work schedule to go in late one or two days a week, for example, so you can sleep in. Of course, you can't plan too much in advance, but you're better off making sure that your partner's well aware of some of the compromises and trade-offs you'll have down the road. This is tag-team parenting, after all!

I'm halfway there!!! I can't believe I'm already 20 weeks in! I figured out yesterday that, since a pregnancy is considered full term at 37 weeks, I will be considered full term the week of Christmas, so there is a very distinct chance I could have the baby that week! That would be amazing! I spent a chunk of time yesterday sorting through baby clothes that we've gotten and figuring out what we still need. We actually need quite a bit more than I thought we did, because we keep getting tons of onesies (aka creepers) but not a lot of actual clothing type clothes. So keep that in mind if you feel like buying us clothes at all! We also need a few more things in the "newborn" size department, but not a lot, as the baby won't be in that size very long!

Only 20 more weeks to go!

Knitting projects

Here are the photos of my two most recent completions! The first is my very first attempt at a pair of mittens. Sadly, I can't remember the yarn I used off the top of my head, but it's very soft and very warm. Each ball makes one pair, with a little yarn left over. I made two pairs of these mittens, one for me and one for my mom. She loved them! I'm in the process of making up my own mittens from the same pattern but a thinner yarn (this time I'm just using Lions Brand Wool-Ease Chunky in the same blue as the ruana I knit).

This photo is a baby hat I knit for baby Roo. Roo's due date is January 17th (just a reminder for anyone who forgot) so I wanted to make sure he/she has a warm hat to wear when we have to venture out. Of course, we'll have a snow suit or a bunting for them to wear too, but it can get pretty darn chilly here in New Hampshire!

Job interviews

I've had two job interviews this week, and I have a third one tomorrow. I was turned down for the first job (just as well, I'm sure I would have hated it), I was offered the job for the interview I had today (which is a decent job working as a paraprofessional in Epping) and tomorrow is an interview for a part-time case manager job at a homeless shelter.

I have a history with the case manager job. Let me back track a little: I interviewed for this job in the late spring of this year, after leaving my job at DCYF. The woman doing the interviewing is a woman I know from church, and a group we were in together. The decision wasn't up to her, but she said I was in the top two. The board of directors made the decision to hire someone else. Well, The other day I get an e-mail from her: Melissa, are you working?

Me: No, not yet. I’ve got some interviews, but the more pregnant I look, the harder it is to get hired anywhere. I’m doing some independent contracting for Social Work p.r.n, but I JUST started, and haven’t gotten any assignments yet.
Why, you still have something open at your place? :-)

Her: Yes, The case manager who came here, who is a wonderful woman, really wants to be more out in the field, on the road and following the families when they are out of the program.
I am going to have her look for funding to see if we could facilitate that.
She will be here through the end of the month. Interested in packing up 15 to 20 hours with me? $20.00 an hour.

Me: Definitely still interested!!!

Her: Can you come for one more interview on Friday the 24th and plan on starting after Labor Day?

Me: Absolutely!!!

So, anyway, does that seem to you that she offered me the job? Or just an interview, telling me that I would start after labor day if I get the job? At first I thought she offered it to me, then I wasn't so sure. I don't really know what to think right now, so I figured I'd go through with the other interviews, and see what happens. I can always turn down a job, but I'd rather not have nothing to fall back on if this one doesn't work out.

So, what makes this so ideal? Well, for one, the pay. Second, she already knows I'm pregnant, so that won't be an issue. Third, I can take the baby to work with me! So that will be great - no daycare cost! Johns parents have even offered to help out for a day or so a week, which would be nice.

So that's where I stand right now. I'll update again tomorrow with the final verdict on a job, as well as the latest updates about the baby. I can't belive that I'll be considered full term in just 18 short weeks!