tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43866015822978909162011-10-07T23:11:15.661-04:00Waterfall's blog about Baby Scout • writing • running • hiking • books • cats • George the Piano • etc.Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.comBlogger20701100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-49680865420373662682010-11-27T11:15:00.000-05:002010-11-27T11:15:07.582-05:00

Due to increased work hours, big changes in life, and general lack of inspiration regarding this blog, "A Sort of Notebook" is no longer being updated. I am now blogging at Life Downside Up.

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-52490837433018730032010-11-12T14:36:00.001-05:002010-11-12T14:37:33.194-05:00

Hi, everyone. I went to a counselor (because I am a mess), and it’s her professional opinion that I consider blogging again. Apparently, if I don’t have an outlet like this blog for letting words leak through my fingers, I become a mess. And if I close myself off and don’t interact with friends via the blog, I become an even bigger mess. (I’ve never been one for interacting with people much in

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-27826628713452598352010-10-06T17:45:00.001-04:002010-10-06T17:56:14.268-04:00

Thanks for visiting, and for sharing your comments, and for allowing me to share my life with you for the past six or so years. "A Sort of Notebook" is retired. Some of my favorite posts are still here, but most of the blog has gone to the Great Big Archive in the Sky. Blessings to all.

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-61562507145968328922010-09-23T20:41:00.001-04:002010-11-29T21:30:08.301-05:00

I recently thought about Outer Life, a once-active blog I used to visit back in the blogging heyday of the mid-2000s. The author's posts were always well-written and insightful. Most important, he often spoke my own thoughts; it was as if I was reading the words of the introverted, crowd-hating male me. Of course, his life had taken a different course than mine: he'd had children. I didn't

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-13322388360241146392010-09-23T07:37:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.100-05:00

This is baby "Scout" in the the old Standing Indian shelter with her Daddy, "Sheltowee." How do you like her hiking pants?We hiked about a mile from the trailhead to this shelter to check out camping spots. We're hoping to take "Scout" on her first overnighter before the weather gets cold.

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-67395257394527417772010-09-23T07:05:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.103-05:00

Happy autumn, everyone! Here's a squash picture:Autumn 2010, like autumns 2009, 2008, and 2007 before it, finds me up to my ears in my day job, which is actually more of a day-through-evening job these days.Yes, I'm tired. And what else is new?But you aren't here to read about me, so I'll give you the latest update on Miss Anne.She had her nine-month doctor's appointment yesterday. She's a

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-20753710457939782412010-09-20T06:38:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.106-05:00

Here's some food for thought ...[Via: Weight Loss Blog]

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-52896319656182966532010-09-13T17:49:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.108-05:00

It's a good thing I'm not blogging much these days. Here are a few things I wrote in my personal journal today:I'm at the iei doctor ritenow Dint fele comfortble wit hthat Its hard to ritte wite writte writtt with theis ths pen As ual they seme two be runing laeteYes. Seriously. This is how I'm writing these days. Perhaps I shouldn't admit that. I am a professional writer, after all, and people

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-71380720447803273972010-08-27T11:59:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.110-05:00

I took this with my new cell phone, so the picture quality isn't that great. But I love the picture--Anne loves it when her daddy puts her on his shoulders. She beats on his head like it's a big drum.You can see how fast she's moving her hands--my cheap cell-phone camera couldn't even focus on them!

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-88730454219457324212010-08-27T11:41:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.112-05:00

... because she's interested in these types of things.That is all.

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-89157498285368421302010-08-19T07:22:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.114-05:00

When I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail 10 years ago, I wrote periodic updates for the website GORP.com. Those updates are now available on Trailjournals.com. Below is my update from August 26. It descibes my day on the trail for August 19--one of the best days I had in the six months I was hiking. I've added some links for those who are interested. Enjoy the story!(Writing from Bascom Lodge, Mt.

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-66550762855396164462010-08-17T06:52:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.118-05:00

Outside my window... It's gray. Can't tell yet what kind of day it's going to be. I want to stay home all day so I can read, write, and think.I am thinking... that school is starting already. Makes me feel a little homesick. I always loved school. I kind of wish I was teaching. It is, after all, Beowulf season.I am thankful for... answered prayer. I've had to make some hard decisions recently,

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-86344439983351076022010-08-12T11:45:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.120-05:00

Friends, I have so much to write on this blog. I fear all of it will never get written. For the time being, I'll continue to do what I've been doing: writing little snippets here and there once every week or two, just so my five faithful readers know I'm still alive.Anne: Anne turns eight months old today. I'm not going to write things like, "My, how the time has flown!" and "Where did the time

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-90031474679934664432010-08-05T13:59:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.123-05:00

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-85010712765966523342010-07-31T14:37:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.144-05:00

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-49575000877873192262010-07-31T00:01:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.145-05:00

Who knew that there was a blog out there that declared "Notebook Addict of the Week" each week? Or that I would be selected for such an honor, based on an old blog post on my notebooks?Notebook Stories is a blog about notebooks. If you're into spirals, moleskines, or anything in between, check out this interesting blog on the humble notebook.

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-87577492436046895182010-07-23T21:24:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.147-05:00

We think Miss Anne is a born hiker. Why else would she be walking at seven months?

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-19863356662811231202010-07-23T19:11:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.149-05:00

Anne loves her horsie jumperoo.Many thanks to B for helping me post the video.

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-19016992561919152312010-07-19T19:57:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.151-05:00

I write likeStephen KingI Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!So, "Stephen King" I got when I entered a few paragraphs from Chapter 5 of a novel I started working on 'way back when, before I got back into tech writing. I entered a few paragraphs from Chapter 1 and also got "Stephen King." Not a bad writer to be associated with, in my opinion.Moving on, I entered a

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-8110135882147191232010-07-14T21:50:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.154-05:00

Here are some pictures that Angela (Anne's sitter) took of Miss Anne today while I was at work.She's learning to wave bye-bye:Doesn't it look like she's taking a picture of herself here?That's my baby, crawling across the floor! You can kind of see her tooth in this picture.Yes, she's the spitting image of her daddy, minus the facial hair.Crawling and laughing!Miss Anne is crawling, pulling

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-92138480328603087582010-07-08T15:40:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.157-05:00

Scout was such a great nickname while Li'l Boo was in the womb. I didn't plan for it to "stick" once she was born, but I didn't plan for it not to, either. I figured I'd just wait and see what happened.Well, she's Li'l Boo. I didn't plan that. It just happened. She's not nicknamed after Boo Radley or anything. She's just a Li'l Boo. Or a Sweet Li'l Boo. Or a Darlin' Li'l Boo. Or a Purty Li'l Boo.

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-35069951278086807432010-06-22T06:03:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.160-05:00

Outside my window... it’s just starting to get light. Can’t tell yet if it’s overcast, or if it's just the lingering night that’s making the sky gray.I am thinking... that my daughter looks really cute sleeping in her tie-dye. Also thinking that I have a lot of work to catch up on today. I love my job, but I hate to bring work home (I’ve had to do this a lot lately), and I hate when thoughts of

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-77848025375270823572010-06-20T23:45:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.164-05:00

Anne likes to swing. Here she is last weekend, swinging with her cousin Ella.Ella would always laugh when Megan would stop the swing. Look at those teeth!Anne kept her thumb in her mouth the whole time. How do you like that mohawk?Since then, I've taken Anne to the park every day after work so she could swing. She bunches her legs up in the baby swing and lets me push her. She grins and babbles

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-67235755239972348602010-06-15T07:05:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.167-05:00

Anne is five months old in these pictures. She turned six months this past weekend. She is a happy, active, and very talkative baby. Her favorite thing to say is "da-da-da-da-da." She loves to roll around on the floor, she holds her arms out when she wants to be picked up, and she's almost able to sit up on her own. She's also trying her darnedest to crawl!So, here are a few pictures.She's

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-44482605839202389822010-05-25T09:44:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.171-05:00

Outside my window … and a fifteen-minute drive down the road, my little girl is with her sitter, probably laughing or squealing with delight, or maybe “making raspberries,” or perhaps saying “ba ba ba ba ba ba ba.” Whatever she’s doing, I wish I were there. I miss her.I am thinking … that I’ve never been as happy as I am when I’m holding Baby Anne.I am thankful … for the gift of little Anne.I am

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-52222354800838257942010-04-20T07:39:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.174-05:00

Outside my window … it’s a cool, drizzly day. Reminds me of many mornings on the Appalachian Trail. I love weather like this.I am thinking … that I need to revise a document at work today, and I really don’t want to.I am thankful … for my Bible study group. I just “joined” them a couple of weeks ago, and am already beginning to see the fruits of these new relationships.I am wearing … my “uniform”

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-25219431452432233082010-04-19T12:45:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.178-05:00

Yes, I'm still here. No, I haven't had the time or inclination to blog. For those of you who are still checking my blog occasionally to see if I've posted anything, here are some Anne pictures for your troubles.Have you ever seen a prettier smile?Here's my giggly girl!Although she is smiling a lot more every day, Anne still seems to have a relatively serious personality. Here's one of her

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-4274143677606161492010-03-31T12:22:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.186-05:00

It was a year ago today that Mary died. I’ve been wanting to sit down for a few hours and just write about it, just process the whole idea of this being the anniversary of the tragedy, but it was not to be. I can say this, though: since Mary died, I don’t think a single day has gone by that I haven’t thought of her. Her death was tragic and a great loss, and it should never have happened, at

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-20689088825326249662010-03-19T18:21:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.189-05:00

So, it's a slow day. Here are some of the Google searches that led to my blog ...buckskin bill, baton rougeAh, yes ... Buckskin Bill is a fond memory for just about any kid who grew up in the Baton Rouge area in the 60s and 70s. I still sometimes hum the "Monday Morning March" tune.You may not be the brightest crayon in the box MEANSUmmm, if you have to ask ... you're probably Raw Umber.Standchen

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-86076610860483703992010-03-19T12:21:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.192-05:00

Last week, we hosted a couple of hikers Hubster met when he was on the Pacific Crest Trail back in 2008. One of them was "Cuppa Joe," who is currently on a section-hike of the Appalachian Trail. You can read about his latest adventures here.

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-60679930655200493452010-03-19T09:46:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.194-05:00

I scored a 22 on the Pew Research site's "How Millenial Are You?" quiz. Which means I'm more millenial than my grandparents, but not so much as my fellow Gen X-ers.Since several of the questions asked about what you did in the last 24 hours, I think my score would have been slightly higher if I hadn't left my cell phone at home yesterday. :)What about you? What was your score?

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-81688204501852305222010-03-16T17:52:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.196-05:00

Oh, my! Has it been a week already? I’m tempted not to write a daybook for this week because I’ve been in low spirits and am generally feeling sorry for myself, but I’ll write it anyway.Outside my window... I hear the weather is nice. I wouldn’t know. Stuck inside all day.I am thankful for... a healthy child and a loving husband (who, by the way, just had a birthday).I am wearing... jeans,

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-34564436667638807412010-03-10T08:58:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.200-05:00

Outside my window... it’s overcast, but not cold!I am thankful for... quiet morning moments with my sweet daughter.I am wearing... jeans, running shoes, and an LSU t-shirt.I am remembering... life in Haywood County, and thinking of how much I miss Lake Junaluska (where I used to run) and Panacea (where I drank coffee and wrote).I am going... to edit a new manual at work over the next few days.I

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-55235777380138228422010-03-09T18:54:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.203-05:00

December 11, 2009. It was one week after Scout’s due date, and I was still pregnant. I wasn’t worried; it’s perfectly normal for babies, particularly first babies, to come a week or two past their due date. Still, I went to the OBGYN’s office that morning to check on the baby’s health and discuss, as necessary, induction options.Ever since I learned I was pregnant, I’d wanted to have a natural (

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-53024937242874694482010-03-08T12:00:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.208-05:00

Janet and I are training for the Cincinnati Flying Pig Half-Marathon again this year, and we're writing about it at our Spirit of the Pig blog. Please visit us there, and feel free to leave encouraging comments!

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-25840327067063450132010-03-04T12:37:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.210-05:00

Today it’s Anne’s turn to be under the weather. Fortunately, my day of rest yesterday, along with a chiropractic treatment for my immune system, seemed to help, and I’m feeling good enough today to work from home. Anne, meanwhile, is coughing, and coughing, and coughing some more. Poor little thing. Yesterday, it was just two or three coughs every few minutes. Now, she’ll cough ten or eleven

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-24628259085906964442010-03-03T11:08:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.213-05:00

Hubster came down with a cold last week that had him in bed for several days. Meanwhile, Anne and I developed scratchy throats and coughs, but not quite what I would call "colds."I hate hearing my little baby cough. It breaks my heart. The pediatrician said to "bring her in" if she gets fever or her coughs starts sounding raspy and rattly. So far, she seems to be her happy, sweet self. She even

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-12529313834409520482010-03-02T08:45:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.217-05:00

I read a post at Upsidedown Bee today, which led me to The Simple Woman's Daybook. So here's my "daybook" entry for March 2, 2010:Tuesday, March 2ndOutside my window... the snow is falling hard. I’m hoping this is the last snow of the season, and that Franklin will once again get just enough snow to be pleasant, but not so much that it’s inconvenient.I am thinking... about seasons of life, and

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-70050630076637108972010-02-18T08:58:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.220-05:00

“It’s my birthday, I must say!” That’s a quote from an Ed Grimley skit from Saturday Night Live, circa 1985. That quote still makes me laugh. In fact, every February 18, I hear Martin Short’s voice in my head and smile. (I hear his voice more often than that, but perhaps that isn’t something I should share with everyone.)Anyway, I'm forty today, and I have a newborn. God’s ways are quite amusing

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-58038198897515811052010-02-17T08:53:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.223-05:00

Anne went to sleep last night at 11:00. When the alarm clock buzzed at 5:45 this morning, I panicked. Thanks to Anne, I always wake up before the alarm clock! Something must be wrong!I raced to Anne’s room. She was fine. Sleeping soundly, thumb in mouth. She’d slept for almost seven hours. I was shocked.But wait! There’s more!I hated to wake her up, so I decided to get a shower and wash and dry

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-13014919548201107032010-02-16T18:53:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.226-05:00

I managed to run 1.75 miles last night. That's the most I've run in a single session since last May, when first-trimester fatigue prevented me from realizing my goal of "running through the pregnancy." Ha. Now that was an unrealistic goal if I've ever had one. But I'm back.Over the next few months, my friend Janet and I are going to be training for the Flying Pig Half-Marathon, which is scheduled

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-33583848881620868232010-02-16T08:58:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.228-05:00

This morning, I drove through blowing snow, over winding country roads, past brown fields dusted white, to the little house hidden on a dirt road where Anne will be spending her days.D. is both a grandmotherly type and a grandmother. She has eight kids, twenty-eight grandchildren, and nearly as many great-grandchildren. She has white hair and a sweet face, and she loves to knit ... or crochet. (I

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-57942626710138324622010-02-13T10:31:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.232-05:00

I'm wondering, does anyone even check this blog anymore?My maternity leave is over. I go back to work on Monday. I have mixed feelings about it all. On one hand, I'm ready for the mental stimulation and social interaction that work provides. (Yes, even an introvert starts to crave social interaction after a while.) On the other, I'm going to miss my baby. I left her with her new sitter on

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-11816040397110210222010-01-21T11:11:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.235-05:00

Holy moly. This is my first post of 2010. Have I been away that long?Little Scout sure knows how to distract me from blogging (and house-cleaning, and piano-playing, and writing, and ...)!Scout will be six weeks old on Saturday. My life is definitely different from what it was before; it's hardly recognizable. Gone is the independent Waterfall who makes such self-actualized decisions as, "I'm

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-78893436881869270792009-12-31T11:09:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.241-05:00

It's New Year's Eve. Since December 12, the day my daughter was born, I've written approximately one and a half pages in my journal, three thank-you notes, a couple of notes in Anne's baby book, some lame blog entries, a few half-finished grocery lists, and a smattering of ten-words-or-less status updates on Facebook.It hasn't been a good month for writing. Heck, it hasn't been a good year for

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-27674711931388542222009-12-17T14:40:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.245-05:00

Hi, everyone! Sorry I haven't updated in so long. Things are going great with Baby Anne, but I've been too tired to do much online, other than posting the occasional status update on Facebook and responding to a few e-mails. I want to write an account of Anne's birth story on here before I forget it, so maybe I'll work on that this afternoon.Motherhood has been overwhelming but wonderful. I am so

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-72139380588069848902009-12-13T14:51:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.250-05:00

Anne Megan Rogers entered the world on Saturday, December 12, 2009, at 8:51 p.m. Baby is healthy and beautiful!Anne Megan Rogers:Mommy, Daddy, and Baby Anne:Mommy and Daddy are tired but happy. Birth story to be posted soon!

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-25763371820256317252009-12-11T21:23:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.261-05:00

I'm 4 cm dilated and 80% effaced. Maybe tomorrow? Little Scout, are you ever going to come out of there?

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-18939338939592883772009-12-09T10:15:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.264-05:00

The last few days of my life have been pretty uneventful. Basically, we're sitting here, using up the last of my paid time off at work, waiting for Scout to get here. I spent one day playing piano, making cookies, and concocting a lovely dinner for the Hubster. I spent yesterday watching movies, playing putt-putt, playing piano, and walking on the treadmill Santa brought us for our early

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-46577077845336501852009-12-09T09:37:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.267-05:00

Have You Had That Baby Yet?

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-58670007557366055282009-12-08T12:16:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.269-05:00

I haven't posted a belly pic in a long time, so here's one:This is how I look at 40.5 weeks pregnant. Scout was due last Friday but decided his/her 98.6-degree home is preferable to the upper 40's and rain we've been getting in the western NC mountains. So we wait.I went to the midwife today and Scout's heartbeat was the usual 140 bpm. I'm 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced--not a huge change after my

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-13889459947088533692009-12-07T08:57:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.272-05:00

I just realized I last posted on the day before Scout's due date and haven't posted since, probably giving people the impression that Scout is here.Oops.Scout isn't here yet. I had contractions for 11 hours Friday, but then they stopped around 2:30 a.m. and I haven't had a contraction since.So we're in the waiting game. I'm doing fine, just wondering when the little bugger will get here.Just

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-35354694472572308012009-12-03T09:29:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.274-05:00

Well, all the predictions that Scout would come on a full moon have turned out to be wrong. Scout resisted the pull of gravity and is still snug in the womb at 39 weeks and 6 days of gestation.I've been having some signs that my body is "preparing" for labor, but haven't gone into labor yet. I have the Contraction Master up and running for when the real contractions begin. Who knows when that

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-92039716663118129652009-12-01T15:11:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.276-05:00

Scout's due date is Friday, and I'm happy to say that Scout didn't come on Thanksgiving and didn't come in November, granting me my humble wishes of a relaxing holiday and a December baby.Thanks, Scout! So considerate already!Today was my 39-week appointment with my midwife. Baby's heart rate was the usual 140, and I'm two centimeters dilated and 75% effaced. The high level of effacement is

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-2698790922233511502009-11-29T13:31:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.279-05:00

Here I am at Week 39. Bulky sweaters are apparently good at hiding baby bumps, so I might take a blue-tank-top photo later today.Due date is Friday. Baby could come any day now. I'm still hoping for a December baby, okay, Scout?

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-9649341042289022252009-11-25T15:54:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.282-05:00

Clearly, Scout is trying to build up his/her calf muscles for hiking. That’s the only reason I can imagine for all this kicking.I haven’t gone into labor yet, but I do have my hospital bag packed, just in case. Hubster set up the high chair last night (more for Ella than for Scout, since Ella will be having Thanksgiving with us), and he’s setting up the “pack 'n play” today.He got quite a deal

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-89232280962368805552009-11-24T13:55:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.286-05:00

Today was my weekly midwife appointment. Maybe it was my last weekly appointment … or maybe I have a few more to come. We’ll see.I had about a million questions for her, which she answered. I asked her if it was normal to crave ice, since I’ve been sucking/chewing on ice for a couple of weeks now. She said it might be an iron issue, so they tested my iron levels, which turned out to be normal.

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-35607046298922719612009-11-23T22:15:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.288-05:00

Sigh. I got another comment today that I "really don't look very pregnant at all." Here's my Week 38 belly pic.No, the shirt doesn't fit me so well anymore, does it.The blue shirt doesn't lie. I look pregnant. At least, the blue shirt and I think so.

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-45691535267048692742009-11-23T10:54:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.291-05:00

A friend of mine got a text message in the middle of the night Saturday night. She awoke in a panic, her first thought being, “It’s happened! Waterfall’s gone into labor!”Oh, but no. I didn’t go into labor this weekend. Scout’s still sitting in my belly, as snug as a bug in an amniotic rug—though I do feel like he/she is kicking me so much as a way of saying, “Get me out of here!” My belly is

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-23976770140034062692009-11-21T14:35:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.294-05:00

Our little Scout, bless his/her soul, has made it to Leeman Brook Lean-to, just north of Monson in Maine’s Hundred Mile Wilderness … that is, if this pregnancy were a northbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.What kind of time will our Scout make as he/she treks the Wilderness? Northbounders, who are in excellent hiking shape by this time, are able to speed through the Wilderness in less than

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-30578337154473152062009-11-19T13:54:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.298-05:00

OK, so I’m not doing so great on the “daily update” thing as we count down the days until Scout is here. If I were to write about what’s happening every day, it would go something like this:I worked all day today.Scout is getting bigger and bigger.Scout is an active little booger!I’m tired, tired, tired.So, that’s pretty much my life. You want details? Well … OK.I worked all day today. It’s

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-55974964335604284482009-11-17T09:57:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.301-05:00

Wow. What a weekend we had, me and Scout. We watched and supervised as Scout’s Grandma Gwen (GG), Aunt Megan, Cousin Ella, and Dad worked on Scout’s room. I’ll put pictures up soon, for those of you who aren’t on Facebook. (If you are on Facebook, you’ve probably already seen them on my page by now.)So the bedding is on the crib, the baby monitors are all hooked up, the tiny clothes are all

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-71064938283388185232009-11-13T11:41:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.304-05:00

I just learned today of the Mary Couey Award Fund at the University of Georgia. You may remember that my friend and co-worker Mary was killed last spring by a drunk driver, about 20 minutes after she dropped me off at my house one night. Mary was a good and inspirational friend to many, and I think it's fitting that an scholarship is being developed in her name at the University of Georgia, her

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-58312248090447413882009-11-13T09:22:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.312-05:00

I’m 37 weeks pregnant today, which means I’ve carried our little Scout to term. If Scout were born today, he/she would be consider full-term (not premature) and would most likely be able to come home with us soon afterward.If Scout were a northbounder like his/her dad, and this pregnancy were an Appalachian Trail thru-hike, Scout would be somewhere in the vicinity of the Bigelows in Maine and the

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-79314194617475427242009-11-12T12:26:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.314-05:00

Twenty-two more days until Scout’s estimated due date. Will Scout come early? Will Scout come late? Who knows? I keep saying this is the best-timed baby in the history of my company, since Scout’s birth will allow me to get out of my least favorite time of year at work (support season). So, with such good timing, I figure Scout will be either a little early or right on time.I don’t have any

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-29733230425475167292009-11-11T16:29:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.317-05:00

I wonder if I’ll start providing daily pregnancy updates, now that I have only 23 days to go. Or maybe I’ll just provide updates on the particularly riveting days. We’ll see.Today I started experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions. (And I thought focusing on work was hard enough already …) Here’s what BabyCenter.com has to say about Braxton Hicks:“By the time you’re within a couple of weeks of

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-72455371625650094302009-11-10T17:46:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.319-05:00

Eight years ago this week, I fell in love with a scruffy hiker who was making his way, on foot, across America.He'd gotten as far as Natchez, Mississippi. Since I was living in Baton Rouge, and since he was a friend of a friend, and since I was transcribing his online journal for him, I drove over to Natchez to say hello and spend some quality time with fellow hikers (he was hiking with his

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-70356297018209129112009-11-10T10:36:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.321-05:00

(Warning: There’s some TMI stuff in here for anyone who isn’t interested in the joys of third-trimester pregnancy.)The eagle has landed.OK, so that’s a dramatic way of saying, “Little Scout has dropped and is now perched, head-first, smack-dab in my cervix/bladder area.”I suspected it a couple of weeks ago. I was walking from the bathroom (surprise, surprise) to my cube at work when I was

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-27504445084600780602009-11-09T07:41:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.323-05:00

Warning: This is a very rambly post.Scout’s due date is 25 days away. It’s hard to imagine Scout will make it that long, as low as he/she is right now. I went on a walk around town Saturday afternoon, and thought I was going to start crying on the downhills—the pressure from the baby’s head against my pelvis was like nothing I’d ever felt before.Friday night, Hubster and I went to see a local

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-90792832047370531602009-11-08T21:39:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.325-05:00

What to do, what to do? Do I post the Belly Pic #1, where you can really tell how big my belly has gotten, but where my posture is horrible and I'm wearing a scary frozen smile because it took the Hubster so long to take the picture?Or do I post Belly Pic #2, which isn't at a great angle for seeing the belly, but where my smile actually looks somewhat natural?Oh, I'm so vain. On second thought,

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-58029115228549444022009-11-06T08:46:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.327-05:00

Maybe “familiar territory” is the wrong term. After all, I’m guessing nothing is familiar to Scout, except maybe the sound of my heart beating and the sound of my and Scout’s daddy’s voices. And I’m sure Scout knows every square centimeter of my uterine wall.But if Scout were on the AT, he/she would be in places very familiar to his/her mom and dad.Southbound Scout is in the Smokies, somewhere

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-67784953393667698172009-11-05T11:57:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.329-05:00

Well, we did Scout’s ultrasound today to find out why our little one seems to be measuring so small. And we got an answer:Scout’s head is really, really low. In fact, Scout is right smack on my bladder. I kind of suspected that already, so it’s good to know that’s the case.But Scout is a normal size; in fact, he/she is measuring at 35 days, 6 weeks—which is exactly how old we think he/she is!

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-40807178402635876222009-11-03T10:29:00.000-05:002011-03-03T15:16:56.331-05:00

Well, today was my last biweekly OBGYN/midwife appointment. My next appointment is next week. From now until Little Scout is born, I’ll be going every week.The big news from this appointment is that my hemoglobin levels are good. I’ve been taking iron pills for several months because my hemoglobin was so low, and it stayed low, even with the iron pills. So it was good to see it was in the normal

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-74075569286418515702009-10-30T21:36:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.334-05:00

Testing ... testing ... my blog is acting weird ...

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-36518323132449972442009-10-30T11:43:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.335-05:00

It’s official: Our little northbound Scout has made it to Maine!In fact, Scout is struggling through Mahoosuc Notch this very day, and I can feel it. I woke up nauseated and faint-y feeling, and could barely get out of bed after a long night of no sleep. Scout has been kicking less than usual this morning, most likely because he/she is concentrating so hard on getting through all those

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-52759071343482828852009-10-25T20:35:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.337-05:00

OK, so Hubster took about six pictures of me before we finally got this one. Clearly, my lack of beauty sleep is taking its toll.Once Hubster finished with the camera, I confiscated it and took a picture of my feet. Or at least I tried to. Nice, huh?The next person who tells me I "don't look very pregnant" is going to get a hormone-induced kick in the mouth.

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-61488454054979144342009-10-23T13:12:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.339-05:00

Wow. I opened a blank Word document at 8:00 this morning to write a quick “Week 34” update, and here I am at 1:00 and I’m just getting started.Work is busy! Time is flying!Northbound Scout is still in the Whites, just north of Mount Washington. Dad and I are so proud of you, Scout! You’ve conquered the Mount Washington of your time in the womb!Southbound Scout is just south of Erwin, TN, close to

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-30396950041383553012009-10-20T20:55:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.342-05:00

I felt awful today. Nausea, cramping, weak, etc., plus I was exhausted from lack of sleep over the past few weeks. I didn't go into work first thing this morning, waiting instead until after my midwife appointment to head to the office.I was nearly in tears at my appointment. I just don't feel good. I usually feel OK in the afternoon, but the mornings and evenings are uncomfortable. I'm not in

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-7548955076886165482009-10-18T19:40:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.345-05:00

Do you remember when I posted my first belly pic, at Week 20? You don't? Well, here it is again:That was back when I had a cute little belly. I don't have such a cute little belly anymore, I don't think. Now that I'm less than seven weeks from Scout's due date, I'm finally looking like a bona fide pregnant woman, one who has a belly worth flaunting:That little blue shirt isn't fitting me so well

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-59774422115303182552009-10-16T09:14:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.347-05:00

Scout and I have seven weeks to go. Seven weeks until I’m the mother of some poor, hapless, innocent little soul. More power to him/her.Southbound Scout is at Carver’s Gap:I must admit, I feel about as tired now as I did when I was nearing the end of my thru-hike. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in weeks—no, make that months. It’s uncomfortable to lie on my sides, and it downright hurts to lie

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-40419457972232383212009-10-09T09:46:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.349-05:00

Good news! Both southbound Scout and northbound Scout are in new states—and new maps—today! We’re 32 weeks along, with just eight short weeks to go. Southbound Scout finally crossed the Virginia state line and crossed over into Tennessee, and is now at Vandeventer Shelter, some 30 miles south of the state line. Welcome to the last map section of your southbound hike, Scout! (Click map to enlarge.

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-60264963186140800142009-10-06T11:08:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.351-05:00

Well, little Scout and I had our two-week appointment with the OBGYN this morning. My weight has ballooned, relatively speaking--after three weeks of the scale hardly budging, it jumped five pounds. Looks like Scout had a bit of a growth spurt. That’s hardly a surprise to me; Hubster and I can both definitely tell that my belly has grown more than usual in the past week.Still, Scout’s measuring

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-22401663763749895022009-10-04T21:50:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.353-05:00

Scout and I took this one out at Pickens Nose, a rock outcropping in the Wayah Ranger District in Western North Carolina.Nine weeks to go!

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-17250228021193273532009-10-02T09:02:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.355-05:00

Nine weeks to go. That’s 63 days, folks. One of my co-workers is having her baby today (via C-section). I should be close behind in the joint effort to add new members to our department at work.Hiking, anyone? If this pregnancy were a southbound hike, Scout and I would be almost, almost, almost (but not quite) to the Virginia state line.We’ve made it past Mt. Rogers and are on our merry way

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-86105567880612848742009-09-28T09:17:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.358-05:00

Last week, my co-workers threw me an impromptu baby shower (well, it seemed impromptu to me because it was a surprise). They had pooled together some money to buy some really nice gifts. Plus, my friend Stephanie made a cake in the shape of an exclamation point (in celebration of National Punctuation Day) that said "Welcome Scout," and my friend Lori made a "cake" out of diapers and baby gifts.

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-29707939660275388162009-09-25T09:40:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.361-05:00

It was a very special weekend ...We're going to celebrate our anniversary, appropriately enough, by going to the wedding of a couple of hiker friends.Happy sixth anniversary, Hubster! I hope you enjoy your present. Sorry it hasn't come in yet. It'll be done in about 70 more days.

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-342099103035572182009-09-25T09:32:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.363-05:00

Wow. Scout and I have finally hit the big 3-0. Thirty weeks down, ten to go. Seventy days. Gulp.Little Scout is over three pounds now, and about 15 and a half inches long, head to toe. Scout’s brain is starting to wrinkle and fold, thanks to the rapid growth of brain cells. His/her fingernails and toenails are finally “finished,” and the bone marrow is now completely in charge of producing red

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-17316401967471683282009-09-21T11:09:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.366-05:00

We got 3-D ultrasounds today! Scout is apparently a very healthy little alien, weighing in at 3 pounds, 1 ounce, which is about normal for 29 weeks gestation. Also, Scout's measurements put him/her at 29 weeks, 3 days--which is actually what we are! So our little Scout seems to be growing at a healthy rate.Heart rate was 138. Baby wasn't very active this morning. I think we interrupted his/her

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-13131732222265186632009-09-20T21:42:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.370-05:00

This silly blog has been so Scout-centered lately that I thought it was about time I posted some Ella pics.Here's Ella with her Aunt Nina (a.k.a. Waterfall):Here she is with her Uncle Dan (a.k.a. Hubster):Here's another Hubster pic. Funny, I kept accidentally referring to him as "Dad" (sorry, Stephen!). I love this one because it looks like Ella has a HUGE hand!And here she is with her mom, dad,

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-199678823345883722009-09-20T20:20:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.373-05:00

Here I am in the purple version of my blue belly-pic shirt. Twenty-nine weeks and counting!

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-16981406405403655812009-09-18T16:04:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.376-05:00

Jammie's recent comment compelled me to find this delightful scene on YouTube.I think it's impossible to watch this without laughing. This'll be pretty fun to watch with Scout!Thanks for the laugh, Jammie J.!

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-16951845159824487732009-09-18T12:00:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.378-05:00

After the divine Miss Ella was born last October, I had several strange dreams about having “children.” They generally ran along these lines:- I would give birth to a litter of humans with horses’ or pigs’ heads- I would give birth to a handful of big snakes- On one occasion, I gave birth to a broken jack-in-the-boxAs you can see, I didn’t have a very positive attitude toward giving birth. I

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-40241199091385972532009-09-18T08:54:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:16:56.380-05:00

Here we are at 29 weeks of pregnancy. And yes, Virginia, we are still in Virginia.According to my advanced mathematical calculations (heh, heh), if this pregnancy were a southbound AT hike, Scout and I would be at Jenny Knob Shelter in southwest Virginia. If we were northbounders like Scout’s dad, we would be somewhere between Adams and North Adams, Mass.Now we’re getting somewhere … almost to

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-38574632743812296972009-09-07T21:42:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:15:58.077-05:00

Friends, here we are at Week 27. I took this picture at our friend John G. Young's house this weekend:It was a good, relaxing weekend--something I was very thankful for, since development season at work will be in full swing before I know it. I really needed to relax, and that's just what I got to do. Plus, I got to have shrimp for lunch Saturday, shrimp for a Saturday afternoon snack, and shrimp

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-51696772808265341962009-09-04T11:12:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:15:58.146-05:00

Here's a picture of Sheltowee, a.k.a. Hubster, a.k.a. Scout's dad, on McAfee Knob during his 1999 thru-hike.Isn't he just the cutest thing?

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-83531306475114072232009-09-04T08:54:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:15:58.148-05:00

Comments are temporarily closed on this blog. If you’d like to respond to any of my posts, I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me at INFPeace [at] gmail [dot] com. Thanks for reading!

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-76013698518207412242009-09-04T07:40:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:15:58.150-05:00

Well, Scout, here we are. We’re starting the journey of our third trimester. According to the statistics, you should be about two pounds right now and about 14.5 inches long. I can tell that you’re sleeping and waking at regular intervals. Your most “awake times” are between 9 and 12 in the morning and then starting again around 9:00 at night. In the mornings, you like to stretch your weary bones

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-45116231250435581832009-09-01T08:57:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:15:58.153-05:00

Whenever I sing, Little Scout starts kicking.It is tender baby joy at hearing Mommy's voice?Or Scout's fetal effort at throwing rotten tomatoes?Whatever it is, I love it.

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-14834260279767480372009-08-28T09:00:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:15:58.154-05:00

26 weeks down, 14 to go. I think back to when I was 14 weeks and think, “Well, I was just barely pregnant then!” Fourteen weeks does not seem like a long time. That’s just over three months remaining: September, October, and November, plus a few days on either end, if Scout comes as expected on December 4.Comparing pregnancy to a southbound AT hike, this puts me at the Apple Orchard Falls Trail,

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386601582297890916.post-61173439392398089802009-08-27T10:54:00.000-04:002011-03-03T15:15:58.157-05:00

One of the great things about where I live is the multitude of free ultrasounds available. The local pregnancy care center is training someone to be a sonographer, so they've been begging for ultrasound models. Scout "modeled" a couple of months ago, and we went back in today for Scout's second "modeling" session.Scout was very discreet and polite and didn't flash his/her private parts for the

Ninahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02560933499700939011noreply@blogger.com0