tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90241012024-03-08T04:10:59.370-08:00Listening to MyselfListening to Myself... After all, who else will?
Thoughts on my various interests: politics, housing, personal finance, and whatever else is bright and shiny at the moment.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.comBlogger113125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1137189268346357802006-01-13T13:51:00.000-08:002006-01-13T13:54:28.366-08:00An AnnouncementHi everyone, my blog is moving. Matt set me up with an instance of Word Press, and it is set up enough over there that I'm ready to start using it. From now on, I'll only be posting on my new blog... *drumroll please*Rutabaga DreamsI hope to see you all there!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1137180945047773162006-01-13T11:20:00.000-08:002006-01-13T11:35:45.083-08:00100 Easy Lessons, Lesson 4We completed lesson 4 today in Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, and all is still going well. (a shorter title for the book would have been nice though) She's getting better at watching the page and my finger rather than looking at me, which is making things easier. I tried having her point to the page and the letters, but it seemed like too much for her to think about at this Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1136921361287356852006-01-10T11:25:00.000-08:002006-01-10T11:29:21.520-08:00Learning to Read, Day 1Because of Mrs. Darwin's discussions of Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons I decided to borrow a copy from my library and take a look at it. In the fall, I bought another book about teaching your child to read but I haven't done much with it because they want the child to know all their letters and most of the letter sounds before you start it. Also, they don't give all that much aid Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1136740895721929142006-01-08T09:05:00.000-08:002006-01-08T12:56:22.293-08:002005 ReadingI've been keeping track of all of my reading since halfway through 1998. In case you're wondering why I decided to start halfway through the year, it's because I started keeping track the day after I graduated from college. It's an enjoyable exercise and even more fun now, thanks to LibraryThing. One of these days I'll get the rest of my reading log imported into LibraryThing, but right now Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1136528375336968772006-01-05T21:44:00.000-08:002006-01-05T22:19:35.416-08:00We are all really enjoying Gregory. He's such a wonderful and amazing baby (although as his mother I suppose I'm rather predisposed to saying that). He seems older than just two and a half weeks, and not just because he's become part of our family so smoothly and easily. We're all amazed at how strong he is, and how alert. He has a remarkable amount of control over his head and even his torsoAmberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1136396107740841672006-01-04T09:18:00.000-08:002006-01-04T09:35:07.773-08:00Venturing ForthYesterday I took my first trip out of the house with both children and without Matt. All I have to say is that it has *got* to get easier! *grin* All in all, it went pretty well, but I was definitely worn out by the time we got home. Our objective was to go to the post office to mail a box and buy stamps, then head to the library to return books and check out more. First, it took us almost Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1136102514611185232006-01-01T00:02:00.000-08:002006-01-01T00:01:54.643-08:00Happy New Year!I've been listening to people setting off all sorts of fireworks for the last half an hour, causing me to jump and check the time repeatedly. We're almost there... only a couple more minutes. I can't believe I'm still awake, I don't think I've made it to midnight on New Year's for a couple years now. Emma went down at about 8:30 and Matt and Gregory crashed together at about 10 (Gregory fell Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1136099127397458422005-12-31T22:27:00.000-08:002005-12-31T23:08:22.376-08:00Letting go of thingsIn the course of going through things in the closet, we came across a box of my cycling gear. For the last two years of high school, through college, and after I graduated I was really into cycling. At my peak I would easily ride 100+ miles a week, and I participated in a number of 50 and 100 mile events. It was something I loved, and something I never thought I would give up. For a number ofAmberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1136096845586181852005-12-31T22:13:00.000-08:002005-12-31T22:27:25.603-08:00Too much stuff!Matt and I have started to feel rather overwhelmed by the amount of stuff we own and have crammed into our humble abode. It could be worse I suppose, but then again it could be quite a bit better. It doesn't help that we live in a rather small place that tends to look cluttered very easily, making things appear perhaps worse than they are. Matt and I both have some pack rat tendencies, as wellAmberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1135834400162062322005-12-28T21:22:00.000-08:002005-12-28T21:33:20.206-08:00I've been meaning to post for awhile now, but I've been a little, well, preoccupied. I'm sure you can understand. We're all doing well here though, and settling in nicely together. Gregory so far seems to be a pretty mellow baby, which makes for a nice switch from our delightful but sometimes a bit intense daughter. From the beginning he's slept a good 4-5 hour stretch at a time at night, Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1134933320517031572005-12-18T11:11:00.000-08:002005-12-18T11:15:20.533-08:00A Picture!Here's Gregory, looking quite alert. This was taken only a few hours after he was born. By the way, I should have mentioned that he was 8 lbs, 2 oz, and 21 inches long. I just can't get over how long he is - a full 4 inches longer than his sister was at birth!We're still all doing really well, and it is so nice to be home and not stuck in the hospital!!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1134865570989107422005-12-17T16:09:00.000-08:002005-12-17T16:26:11.006-08:00We are proud to announce...The birth of our son, Gregory Alan! He was born at 5:25 am this morning, at home with our midwife and her assistant present. It was absolutely wonderful, I couldn't have asked for a better birth experience. Gregory is doing very well, and I am feeling tired, but well and healthy. It was a pretty fast labor, really - I started having contractions at about 7 pm, but they weren't really that Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1134776606438347972005-12-16T15:25:00.000-08:002005-12-16T15:43:26.480-08:00No ChangeI haven't posted anything because nothing particularly interesting is happening. Well, that's not entirely true... progress is being made, it is just happening veerrryyy slooowwwly. Another cm dialated, irregular contractions are getting a little stronger, that sort of thing... all good things, but it would be nice to actually really go into labor! My midwife seems surprised that I haven't Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1134508036953794422005-12-13T13:02:00.000-08:002005-12-13T13:07:28.570-08:00Still...waiting. And waiting. Yes, yes, I know, it takes as long as it takes and all that. But yes, we're ready.The house is so quiet and peaceful right now... Emma is up in the office bothering, err, visiting Matt and it is nice to just sit here in the still downstairs and sip my tea. I just recently read this - A 2005 Rollick, by James Lileks - which wins my vote for best 2005 rap-up. Not that Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1134278294310386872005-12-10T20:56:00.000-08:002005-12-10T21:18:14.983-08:00Due DateYes, today is my due date. I suppose it doesn't mean all that much, other than a rough approximation of when the baby's expected... but still it carries quite a lot of psychological weight. At this point I am in the odd position of feeling like the baby's birth is both imminent and impossible. Completely contradictory, I know, but there it is. I'm starting to feel more emotional and more Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1133852535399610822005-12-05T22:53:00.000-08:002005-12-05T23:02:17.336-08:00Still here...and still pregnant. Just thought I would let you know. It is very strange to think that I am now less than a week away from my due date, even though the due date doesn't exactly mean much. It is bugging me a little though, I feel like I am expected to produce this baby by my due date, because due date just sounds so much like a deadline to me. I'd love to just get this crossed of my todo list,Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1133291298308255332005-11-29T11:04:00.000-08:002005-11-29T11:08:19.086-08:00Pictures!Matt's mom sent me a few photos this morning that she took over Thanksgiving, and I thought I would post a couple here.Here's a picture of our beautiful little girlAnd here's a family picture. Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1133238286698043562005-11-28T19:05:00.000-08:002005-11-28T20:24:47.240-08:00Happy CamperI got a call from my midwife and she said that I am GBS negative this time, yippee!! No stressing about my water breaking early and no IV antibiotics, both of which are quite a relief. I don't really understand how I can be positive one time and negative several years later, but whatever... I'll happily accept the test result without any further questioning.It has started to rain this evening,Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1133208400114864742005-11-28T11:46:00.000-08:002005-11-28T12:06:40.793-08:00WaitingAh, waiting. It build character or something, right? I am almost at the point where I am further along in this pregnancy than I got in my pregnancy with Emma, since she was born at 38 weeks, 3 days. I am definitely starting to get huge now, and the baby and I are having a hard time figuring out sleeping positions that work for both of us. The baby seems to prefer me to sleep on my left (whichAmberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1132346632599409972005-11-18T12:10:00.000-08:002005-11-18T12:44:00.136-08:00Yea!I had my in-home visit with my midwife this morning and all is well. The baby is head down, although his back is parallel with the right side of my body, which can lead to back labor... so I'm supposed to be spending time on my hands and knees and making sure I sleep on my left side as much as possible. Both should be far easier to do and be much more enjoyable than the breech tilt! She Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1132245377063718342005-11-17T08:15:00.000-08:002005-11-17T08:36:17.113-08:00Just thought I'd drop by to say hiThings are fine here, nothing too exciting. I think the baby might have shifted position on Tuesday morning, although my belly has been so tense with Braxton Hicks contrations it has been a little hard to tell. Yesterday I sort of felt like something might be happening as I just felt sort of different and what I assume were still BH contractions were getting stronger and more regular, but of Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1131682600766868012005-11-10T19:55:00.000-08:002005-11-10T20:19:26.893-08:00TodayToday we had our second class at the Lindsay Museum up in Walnut Creek. The class is supposed to be about the weather, but I think the instructor has decided that it is too complicated of a subject to try and broach with three year olds, so instead we talked about spiders and insects. The kids enjoyed it, and I got to hold a 4" walking stick insect so it all was fine. There was also a good Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1131681282942687652005-11-10T19:26:00.000-08:002005-11-10T20:21:00.836-08:00Depressing housing trivia for the dayI read this in our local freebie paper today:"Thirty years ago, a family earning 70 percent of the state's median income could afford to buy a house at the median price. Today, a family must earn $110,000 per year, or 175 percent more than the median income, to afford a house that is priced at the statewide median, which is $469,000."Ah, lovely. And then to think that the median price is higherAmberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1131503113248129432005-11-08T17:36:00.000-08:002005-11-08T18:25:13.290-08:00Election Day and other stuffI read this morning that this year's "special election" spending has exceeded previous elections, even though there were half as many propositions on the ballot. I reflected back on the election season and realized that we only received one piece of mail relating to the state elections, and that I've only seen a handful of billboards relating to the propositions. We also received absolutely no Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9024101.post-1130992735783363062005-11-02T20:35:00.000-08:002005-11-02T20:38:55.806-08:00Breech*sigh*At least the baby's only been in this position since Thursday night (I think) and I'm "only" at 34 weeks. My midwife doesn't seem too concerned as of yet, and everything else seems to be looking just fine so at least there's that. But still, *sigh*Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12689104216675201913noreply@blogger.com3