FeatherBee

Danielisms

2009-03-07T10:11:00.001-05:00

I need to write down the way Daniel says words, before he learns the right way and I forget these!

sandwich= scramwitch
hamburger= hangaburger
invisible= invisibibble

I know there are more, I'll add as I remember.

Arrrrrrrgh!

2008-07-16T21:32:00.008-04:00

These are for Nutty Buddy. From the Clyde and Seamore show at Sea World.

Bats in the Belfry

2008-07-14T20:36:00.003-04:00

Call me She-Ra!

Saturday evening, I was gone at a Bunco game with my friends. Doug and Daniel were having a movie night at home. Doug noticed the cats were very interested in our fireplace. Turns out there was a little bat that had somehow fallen down the chimney. He opened the flue, but kept the outer glass doors shut, in the hopes that it would climb its way back out.

By the next morning, it still hadn't escaped. Doug took Daniel with him on an errand, and I put Nick down for his nap. As I was sitting here at the laptop not 3 feet from the fireplace, I saw the bat clawing his way across the front glass doors. I shoved the cats outside, so they wouldn't get in my way. Then I put on a long sleeved fleece, two oven mitts and a baseball cap, took Daniel's Elefun game net (link to picture) and verrrrrry slowly opened the doors. I trapped it against the fireplace wall, slid one oven mitt between the wall and the net, and proudly carried my angry squeaking trophy outside. After walking halfway across the (large) yard, I basically threw everything and ducked. Whereupon, the furry little stinker promptly flew back up to the chimney!

Here's hoping the bugger doesn't fall again, but if it does, I'm not worried. Me She-Ra, me brave, me take care of measly little bat!

July 4th, 2008

2008-07-10T13:54:00.001-04:00

At the hotel pool while we were in Disney World.

Oops!

2008-06-30T09:37:00.001-04:00

I got taken! The post below, about brass monkeys, is FALSE according to Snopes. Shame on me! I usually check any of those email stories out, but this one sounded so plausible that I got suckered. Here's the facts:

http://www.snopes.com/language/stories/brass.asp

Brass Monkeys

2008-06-01T21:35:00.001-04:00

(Sorry I've been such a slacker about posting lately! Here's a neat one my dad sent me.)

Cannon Balls

It was necessary to keep a good supply of cannon balls near the cannon on old war ships. But how to prevent them from rolling about the deck was the problem. The best storage method devised was to stack them as a square based pyramid with one ball on top resting on four resting on nine which rested on sixteen. Thus a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the cannon.

There was only one problem -- how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding/rolling from under the others. The solution was a metal plate with 16 round indentations called a Monkey. But if this plate were made of iron the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to make Brass Monkeys.

Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled. Consequently when the temperature dropped too far the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon balls would come right off the monkey. Thus it was quite literally cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey. And all this time you thought that was a vulgar expression didn't you? You must send this fabulous bit of historical knowledge to at least a few and unsuspecting friends.

Finished!

2008-04-20T19:06:00.007-04:00

Here's the final product. The sea creatures are all wall stickers, I can't take credit for them. We have seahorses and shells coming in the mail still. (In case you were wondering, the A in the corner is his easel.) The headboard of the bed is the back of his old crib. I'm so pleased with how everything came out. I keep going in there and just looking around! (Sorry for the slight fuzziness...the pictures are clear when printed, and on my computer, I just can't seem to get the size right on here to make them clear. If you click on the picture, you can see more detail.)

Finished Walls

2008-04-18T22:08:00.007-04:00

I'm very pleased with how the seaweed came out. I don't have a good detail shot, but there are highlights and shadows on the leaves. I did two of them, in roughly opposite corners. I didn't want to overwhelm the room with them, especially as we'll be adding the wall stickers Sunday. I also included a detail shot of the spongework for the water and sand. Water was done with a sponge and colorwashing, sand was straight sponging on.

Doing the Jailhouse Rock

2008-04-18T22:02:00.003-04:00

Sorry for the poorer quality on this one, it's linked from Shutterfly instead of my computer directly.

Baby Crash

2008-04-18T21:49:00.001-04:00

To be this flexible....

Scrabulous Update

2008-04-16T22:09:00.000-04:00

No Copyright for Games

Sand Base

2008-04-15T20:50:00.003-04:00

No pictures tonight, because I forgot to do it before Daniel went to bed, but I finished the water and started on the sand. I have the light tan base coat on, and am wondering if I need to do a second coat tomorrow. I hope not, I'd really rather start doing the sponging of the darker tan. We'll see what daylight brings.

Kittyroy Was Here

2008-04-14T20:48:00.000-04:00

Watery Waves

2008-04-14T20:39:00.003-04:00

I painted a light blue on all the walls yesterday. (Daniel "helped" once by rolling paint onto the wall while I was nursing Nick and Doug was distracted.) Today I started the water. I used 3 different shades of blue, mixed them with glaze, and then used a damp sponge to layer wavy lines. I'll do the rest of the room tomorrow, when Daniel goes to grandpa's house.

Daniel's room

2008-04-13T23:35:00.002-04:00

Ever since the time back in, oh, December I think, when I mistakenly said to Daniel we needed to paint his room, he's been begging me to paint it NOW. The time has finally come. I have this next full week off of school, and have already started painting.

We're doing an ocean theme. So far, the walls are light blue. I'm going to do a colorwash tomorrow with other blues. The next day, I'm going to add a sandy bottom by reusing the light tan from Nick's room and sponging the darker tan from our living room over that. Then I'll add some seaweed.

Once that is all dry, I got these awesome wall stickers to put around the room. http://www.create-a-mural.citymax.com/page/page/2827304.htm I'll try to post pics when I can!

Fwd:

2008-04-13T23:34:00.003-04:00

Tired of getting email forwards?

http://info.org.il/irrelevant/may02-smilepop-soapbox4.swf

Samurai Sudoku

2008-04-04T22:18:00.003-04:00

If you like Sudoku, and feel like frying your gray matter, try this.

http://www.samurai-sudoku.com/

Abbott and Costello in the Computer Age

2008-03-27T21:13:00.002-04:00

Are you old enough to remember Abbott and Costello? For those of us who sometimes get flustered by our computers, please read on...

If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch, 'Who's on First?' might have turned out something like this:

COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.

ABBOTT: Your computer?

COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.

ABBOTT : Mac?

COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.

ABBOTT: What about Windows?

COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?

ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?

COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?

ABBOTT: Wallpaper.

COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.

ABBOTT: Software for Windows?

COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?

ABBOTT: I just did.

COSTELLO: You just did what?

ABBOTT: Recommend something.

COSTELLO: You recommended something?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: For my office?

ABBOTT: Yes

COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!

ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Window's.

COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?

ABBOTT: Word.

COSTELLO: What word?

ABBOTT: Word in Office.

COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.

ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.

COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?

ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue 'W'.

COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue 'w' if you don't start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: That's right What do you have?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?

ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.

COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?

ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.

COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?

ABBOTT: One copy.

COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?

ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.

COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?

ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!

(A few days later)

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?

ABBOTT: Click on 'START'

Potter Puppet Pals

2008-03-22T22:34:00.002-04:00

This cracked me up!

Potter Puppet Pals

(Although, I'd like to know what happened to Dumbledore's costume halfway through.)

Happy Easter!

2008-03-22T22:24:00.002-04:00

Happy Easter to all my bunny lovers out there!
(This means you Lynda and Jac!)

A Guide to the Facial Expressions of Rabbits

Organization Website

2008-03-21T20:19:00.003-04:00

I LOVE this website! We're going to be making Daniel's room more of a "big boy" room soon, and I was looking for some way to organize his toys. I found the stuffed animal net at www.organize.com. We want to do an aquarium theme, so I think it will fit in perfectly! I also found a few other great things, like the tub organizer. (Click on the pictures to go right to that webpage.)

2008 Darwin Awards

2008-03-14T22:18:00.000-04:00

The Annual Darwinian Awards

Someday, this ceremony may be as eagerly-awaited as the Academy Awards. Worthy winners -- who are always legion -- will receive the coveted Golden Gibbon ("Gibby"). Should this be the year the Awards have their debut, a list of certain finalists follows.

First, the runners-up (in random order):

2. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat-cutting machine and submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company, suspecting negligence, sent one of its men to inspect the cutter. When he tried the machine, he also lost a finger. The chef's claim was approved.

3. After stopping for drinks at a bar, a Zimbabwean driver returned to his bus to find that the 20 mental patients he was transporting had escaped. Not wanting to expose his dereliction of duty, the driver drove to a bus stop and offered a free ride to the first 20 people who boarded the bus. He then delivered them to a Bulawayo mental hospital, warning the staff that the patients were excitable and prone to bizarre fantasies. The deception wasn't discovered for three days.

4. A teenager in London was in the hospital recovering from serious head wounds received while riding on a train. When asked how he the injuries occurred, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a passing train before he was hit. He is now an expert on the subject.

5. A man walked into a Louisiana convenience store, put a $20 bill on the counter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer, the man pulled a gun and demanded all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash the thief got from the drawer was $15.

6. An Arkansas man wanted a drink badly. So he decided to break a liquor store window, grab some bottles and take off. He turned his back to the window to protect his face from flying glass and heaved a cinder block over his shoulder. It hit the Plexiglas window, bounced back and struck the would-be thief on the head, knocking him unconscious. The event was caught on videotape.

7. As a woman left a New York convenience store, a man grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911, and the woman gave the police a detailed description of the snatcher. Within minutes, they apprehended him. He was driven back to the store and told to stand up for a positive ID. To which the cooperative thief replied, "Yes, officer, that's the lady I stole the purse from."

8. An Ann Arbor, Michigan crime column reported that a man walked into a Burger King in Ypsilanti at 5 A.M., flashed a gun, and demanded cash. The clerk explained that he couldn't open the cash register without a food order. When the annoyed would-be thief grudgingly ordered onion rings, the clerk said they weren't available for breakfast. The man, frustrated, walked away.

9. A Philadelphia restaurateur attracted long lines of customers, waiting outside of his luncheonette to order his huge, delicious, very inexpensive sandwiches. When asked how he could afford this, the owner replied, "I lose money on every sandwich I sell, but I make it up in volume." Not long thereafter, the restaurant became a dry cleaner.

And now, the 2008 winner of the Golden Gibbon! (Awarded posthumously)

When his revolver failed to fire at his intended victim during a hold-up in Long Beach, California , would-be robber James Elliot did something that can only inspire wonder. He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again. This time it worked

Shriner's Hospital Fun Center Contest

2008-03-04T22:04:00.003-05:00

My Dad is a Shriner, and sent me this information:

Colgate is having a contest and depending upon the number of votes will provide a Hospital Fun Center to that Hospital with the most votes. Shriners Hospital in Chicago is on the list and we would appreciate your vote. First click on the web site, then Click on IL, note that Shriners is the first Hospital that you can vote for so click that box. At the end of the page you need to type in the letters that you see in the box and then click on submit. Help us win this contest. You can vote once every day until the contest ends on March 31st. The Children and I thank you.

Colgate is taking votes on which hospital to upgrade with a new toyland
and you can vote for the Shriner's Hospital of Illinois. Shriner's in Missouri is also in the running, but they are in the lead.
Please Help Shriner's in Illinois, Thank You!
Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation

Easter Facts

2008-03-04T21:57:00.001-05:00

I received this in an email today. (Thanks Dad!)

Easter
Do you realize how early Easter is this year? As you
may know, Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the
1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March
20). This dating of Easter is based on the lunar
calendar that Hebrew people used to identify Passover,
which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.

Found out a couple of things you might be interested
in! Based on the above, Easter can actually be one day
earlier (March 22) but that is pretty rare.

Here's the interesting info. This year is the earliest
Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives!
And only the most elderly of our population have ever
seen it this early (95 years old or above!). And none
of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier!
Here's the facts:

1) The next time Easter will be this early
(March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now).
The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you're
95 or older, you are the only ones that were around
for that!).

2) The next time it will be a day earlier,
March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from
now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So,
no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier
than this year!

Poopsie AppleToes

2008-02-23T23:09:00.002-05:00

Follow the instructions to find your new name. The following in an excerpt from a children's book, "Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants" by Dave Pilkey: The evil Professor forces everyone to assume new names...

Use the third letter of your first name to determine your New first name:

a = poopsie
b = lumpy
c = buttercup
d = gidget
e = crusty
f = greasy
g = fluffy
h = cheeseball
i = chim-chim
j = stinky
k = flunky
l = boobie
m = pinky
n = zippy
o = goober
p = doofus
q = slimy
r = loopy
s = snotty
t = tulefel
u = dorkey
v = squeezit
w = oprah
x = skipper
y = dinky
z = zsa-zsa

Use the second letter of your last name to determine the first half of your new last name:

a = apple
b = toilet
c = giggle
d = burger
e = girdle
f = barf
g = lizard
h = waffle
i = cootie
j = monkey
k = potty
l = liver
m = banana
n = rhino
o = bubble
p = hamster
q = toad
r = gizzard
s = pizza
t = gerbil
u = chicken
v = pickle
w = chuckle
x = tofu
y = gorilla
z = stinker

Use the fourth letter of your last name to determine the second half of your new last name:

a = head
b = mouth
c = face
d = nose
e = tush
f = breath
g = pants
h = shorts
i = lips
j = honker
k = butt
l = brain
m = tushie
n = chunks
o = hiney
p = biscuits
q = toes
r = buns
s = fanny
t = sniffer
u = sprinkles
v = kisser
w = squirt
x = humperdinck
y = brains
z = juice

I'm Poopsie AppleToes, Doug is Dorkey AppleToes, Daniel is Zippy AppleToes and Nick is Buttercup AppleToes.

Eclipse

2008-02-23T20:26:00.010-05:00

Can you see the "man in the moon" on the last one?

Breast Milk Contains Stem Cells

2008-02-14T19:39:00.002-05:00

The Australia & New Zealand Science Alert website published an interesting article about breastmilk here: Breast Milk Contains Stem Cells.

33 Weird Statues

2008-02-02T20:28:00.000-05:00

From the site toroller.com, "33 Weird Statues and Sculptures Around the World."

Ice Storm

2008-02-01T21:54:00.001-05:00

February 1, 2008

2008-02-01T21:47:00.001-05:00

The Germ

2008-01-27T18:40:00.001-05:00

Fran M: Somehow the mutant GERM had gotten out of the lab. Jessica didn't think it was an accident.

Heather M: It was a nasty germ. First a cough, then a fever, and the next thing the patient would know, they were in a COMA.

Fran M: It was not an ordinary fever either, the AGUE would last several days and regular medications didn't seem to help.

Me: It was not anything she'd ever seen in any of her BIO-chem texts. She had a feeling it was going to BE one for the record books.

Fran M: She was willing to BET the inevitable outbreak would TAX public health resources to the limit.

Me: she wondered if DI, the girl who had answered the help wanted AD for a lab assistant, had anything to do with it. The girl was obviously very smart, as she had helped discover the XI baryon particle.

Fran M: A soft WHINE came from the hospital bed. Jessica was looking in on the latest victim of the mutated germ, a 12-year old girl.

Me: She was feverish and shaky, but still conscious. Unfortunately, she was as helpless as a kitten. To ADD to her humiliation, she had PEED the bed.

Fran M: Even if the lab assistant hadn't actually taken it, she was guilty of aiding and ABETting. Jessica was sure of it.

Fran M: There were SO many home remedies for fever, she had to try all of them, chewing QATS or wrapping the head in TI leaves were two of the things they tried.

Me: The girl wasn't much of a WHINER. Even when she was told she had to GO FOR blood tests at odd hours, she patiently complied.

Fran M: It was frightening to SEE the SPEED at which the disease ravaged the body.

Me: Jessica decided to try and SEEK answers from a local psychic she knew. As she gazed into her crystal ball, she said it seemed cloudy and INKY, there was no help from it.

Fran M: On the way home from the psychic, Jessica CUED up her favorite cd. It brought her spirits up, at least a DINKY bit.

Me: She also stopped at the florist, and picked up a TI plant in a JET black vase. She hoped the plant would have better chances than the girl in the hospital.

Fran M: She would put it next to the fountain that was made to look like an EA that she had in her living room and she hoped the hi FE content of her water wouldn't kill the plant. She thought it would look nice next to the photo of the GOA she had blown up and framed from her trip to Tibet also.

Me: She went into the kitchen to make some PEA soup, and almost tripped over her PUG laying in the middle of the floor.

Fran M: Jessica Tandy, NEE Smith had just gone through a divorce. She got the pug in the split. HE was a little messy, which WE assume all pugs are.

Me: After dinner, she went for a walk beside the VOE. It always helped her sort out her thoughts, NO matter how many WEE bugs liked to bite her while she walked.

Fran M: the path she took on her walk made a zig-ZAG through the park.

Me: As she left the park, she noticed a ZA parlor that was missing the AR from its sign. She went inside to let the manager know, and he rudely called her a LIAR.

Fran M: Not one to take insults well, she insisted he come outside. Sure enough the blank spot was there, looking like a HILAR mark on a tree.

Me: "HO HO HO" she laughed, and his face turned to one of WO at being proven wrong.

Fran M: When she saw that the front of the shop had a lot of WEEDS, she realized they might not be doing so well.

Me: So she got a ZANY idea....

Fran M: Add PEAS to the menu and make Wednesday nights WHINERS night with discounts on certain items.

Fran M: Okay, so it wasn't the most brilliant idea, but she was a scientist after all and not a marketing person.

Me: As she walked home, she again tried to decide who in her department would be EVIL enough to unleash the horrible germ on society.

Fran M: Was it Forrest GUMP, the weird guy in the fungus lab?

Me: Maybe it was BO WO, the strange oriental lab tech.

Fran M: You can bet your BA it was someone on the ROTA.

Me: She decided she was just going to FLAT out ask the ABO that worked on the night crew.

Fran M: She put on her best TWEEDS and got ready for work. She decided she would NOT rest until she knew who the culprit was.

Me: As she LET herself into the lab....

Fran M: She realized the germ had been released with the INIA that was in the lab last week. "AR we ever going to learn?" She lamented.

Scrabulous Buyout?

2008-01-23T17:52:00.000-05:00

Go HERE to read the latest on the Scrabulous saga...

Go HERE to read a very informative article discussing the copyright issues.

Random pics

2008-01-22T22:01:00.001-05:00

Go HERE to see some random pics off my camera. They range from the past 2 months to yesterday. Click "view as slideshow" for easiest viewing, and to see the picture descriptions.

Theme Scrabble: Fantasy/Sci-Fi

2008-01-21T21:20:00.000-05:00

Fran and I decided to play a "themed" game of Scrabble. Here is the transcript! It started out somewhat random, then evolved into a bit of a story line. Capital words are the words we played.

Heather M: the theme is fantasy/sci fi, justify each word if it's not apparent

Heather M: the noble night used to be a shepherd, and when his favorite EWE died, he went off to seek his fortune

Fran M: the alien bounty hunter kept a RAZOR in his boot.

Heather M: it looked like a child's TOY, but was really the key to saving the realm...

Fran M: no FEWER than FIVE knights had attempted to get through the thorns that surrounded Aurora's castle.

Heather M: "hey dude, i need some TIX to the intergalactic game tomorrow!"

Fran M: "yo! you from 'ROUND here?" said the alien bounty hunter.

Heather M: YEP, PA, i am from around here, as a matter of fact.

Fran M: the LANDING on the planet surface was very rough.

Heather M: oh no! The laser beam blasted straight through his CECAL cavity! intestinal crud is leaking everywhere!

Heather M: "do re me fa so LA ti do!"

Heather M: "AL, this is no time for singing! hand me the scalpel!"

Fran M: The dragon EGG was purple and about the size of a volkswagen beetle.

Heather M: "hey BUD, you gonna BE much longer on that commode? we have dragons to fight, let's get going!"

Fran M: Al took off like he had a BUR in his pants when he saw the dragon coming.

Fran M: Then he realized he had been paid a FIVER to get a picture of it.

Heather M: al and burt were best BUDS...but if al didn't stop LISPING when they were trying to sneak up on dragons, burt knew he'd get them killed

Fran M: If you're going to fight dragons (or just take their picture) you have to HONE all your skills.

Heather M: "LA LA LA"

Heather M: dude, we're going to have to WEAN you off of those happy pills the martians gave you. maybe we can put you IN saturn's latest rehab program..."

Fran M: Dude, wouldn't it be easier to just DROW the dragon?

Fran M: Man, you need to stay away from those Renaissance fairs, who talks like that?

Heather M: AW, while i was sleeping in the HAY, the evil wizard put a HEX on me

Fran M: The KORAI all bore a striking resemblence to DI. It really freaked her out.

Heather M: the troubadour went to all the local taverns, playing his UKE and listening to the tales of the dragon

Fran M: Al gave Burt a VEE for victory. He finally got a good shot of the dragon.

Heather M: he (the troubadour) had always heard that if you put some SAL IN your water, it would help you SING better. how fortunate that he just happened to have some in the pocket of his GI.

Fran M: the troubador is also a black belt? :-)

Fran M: Unfortunately, when he opened his mouth to sing, it came out as a YODEL!

Heather M: he told his mother he would STRIVE to do his best every time he sang, so this was a big embarrassment to him

Fran M: Oh, woe is ME, what will MA think of me now?

Heather M: SO he decided to call his JO for some extra one on one voice lessons

Fran M: A MOUE replaced his smile when his JO said she was going to charge him 200 SOU for the lessons.

Heather M: since they both were feeling so out of sorts with each other, they both called their MAS to have their QIS rebalanced

Fran M: The troubador's ma said, "Your QI is totally out of whack!" "IF you had listened to me and IF you weren't seeing that, that girl, you'd be fine."

Heather M: she continued: "i felt like my heart was TORN out of my chest when you started seeing her!" (she's a touch melodramatic)

Ed (the troubador) actually thought his girlfriend was a little wild also, but he thought he could TAME her.

Heather M: TA for the game Fran!

Save Scrabulous!

2008-01-20T22:33:00.000-05:00

Quoted from BBC News:

The threat to the hugely popular Scrabulous game has galvanised Facebook members into mounting a vigorous defence campaign.

In little more than a day more than 13,000 people have signed up to a Save Scrabulous group on Facebook.

Many have signed a petition asking Mattel and Hasbro to back down from their threat to have the game removed.

Others have bombarded the two toy makers with letters, e-mails and calls asking them to preserve the game.

The joint owners of Scrabble, Mattel and Hasbro, launched their action on Tuesday saying that the Scrabulous game was a "gross copyright and trademark infringement". The companies asked Facebook to remove Scrabulous.

Neither Facebook nor the Indian brothers who created the online word game have so far commented on the row.

On Facebook, Scrabulous regularly racks up more than 500,000 users a day and many of these have leapt to the defence of the game.

A Save Scrabulous group has been created on Facebook and in little more than a day more has more than 13,400 members.

Discussion on the group has been broadly critical of Hasbro and Mattel and many have called on the toy makers to "back off" and leave Scrabulous running. In comments many Save Scrabulous members said they would boycott Hasbro and Mattel products if the game disappeared.

Some said the decision to launch the legal action was "short-sighted" and could only damage their reputation. In one discussion thread more than 100 people said playing Scrabulous had led them to buy a copy of the board game.

"Never played Scrabble until I played 'Scrabulous'," wrote Alexandra York. "This is the best application on Facebook and has brought Scrabble to many people who have never played before whilst allowing friends and family to enjoy the game in spite of living far from each other."

Jeff Wismer from Toronto wrote: "I completely agree however that their trademark has been hijacked and it's within their right to take action. They just have to make sure that action isn't shooting themselves in the foot."

Contact details for executives, customer service and complaint departments at the toy makers have been posted to discussion groups on Save Scrabulous.

Many members of the group posted information about the responses they were getting that the companies are being bombarded by concerned fans of the game.

The group now has over 43,000 members as of Sunday evening.

Daniel's Birth Story

2007-12-30T20:34:00.000-05:00

I wrote this when Daniel was 10 months old, and put it on a message board site I frequent. I decided I should move it over here, in case that board ever crashes, so I don't lose the story! Be warned, I wrote up everything about his birth, so don't read unless you're interested in the full details. This is more for my personal record keeping than anything!

Daniel Morgan was born at 9:25 pm July 21st, 2004 one day before his due date. He weighed 6lb 7oz and was 19 and 1/2 inches long. His APGARS were 8 and 9!

Let's see, the previous Wednesday I had my ob appt. and I was 1cm, 50%. (Ob only told me this later when I asked.) The next Monday I started having contractions. They were very far apart, and very irregular. I walked, waited, and was confused for the most part. I knew they weren't anywhere near regular enough to be more than BH, but then again I had not had any BH previously and these were 24 hours a day. They continued Tuesday and Wednesday.

I had an ob appt. that Wednesday at noon. Dr. Miller told me (later) that I was 2-3 cm dilated and 90% effaced. The problem was that for a couple weeks now Daniel wasn't cooperating on the NST's. He would kick all over EXCEPT when we were doing the NST! At one point I had to go into the hospital on a Saturday for one just to be sure all was well. It was. Anyway, they checked my BP which was high for me and had been for a while, did an NST, and then did an u/s. The NST was fine, he was reactive and had good kicks. My BP was fine that day too. The u/s showed him head down, spine to the left, and my amniotic fluid was a 2. She said normal was about 18 and I was dangerously low. She wanted to induce me. Right then.

(Pause for explanation: I was terrified of being induced. We had been taking Bradley classes, wanted to go totally natural for many reasons. Partly for the baby, and partly because I couldn't stand the thought of having a needle put in my back! I've never been in the hospital other than the ER twice, once for an ear infection and once for stitches to the top of my head (a loooong story!) So I wanted my birthing experience to be as non-medical as possible. I was so scared that if I was induced it would lead to all sorts of complications and I would either have to have an epidural or c-section.)

So I called Doug at work from her office, and he met me at the house. We live 20 minutes away from the office and then it takes 20 minutes to get to the hospital. Oh wait, I just remembered something! My mom was at the ob appt with me that day! I was glad, because she drove me home...I wasn't in shape to drive, too preoccupied. She dropped me off at home and went to her house 5 minutes away to tell Mary and get ready to meet us at the hospital. Meanwhile, I packed the car and called Beth, my Bradley coach, for encouragement. I had a sandwich and looked up any info I could find on low amniotic fluid, which wasn't much. Doug finally got home, and we headed to the hospital.

3:30 We arrived at the hospital and checked in. I had my vitals done, bloodwork done, and the hated belly moniter put on. I didn't want a moniter in my birth plan because I wanted to be free to move, but with pitocin I had to have it.

4:42They had to try for my pitocin IV 3 times! Actually, that was probably the worst part of the whole experience. The guy doing it was a friend of Doug's from the armory. I was nervous, and the first time he tried it in my hand I jerked my hand back. Jen (my nurse) tried next and didn't get it. Finally they called in another nurse, and she ended up putting it in my wrist as my veins in my hand were shot. I ended up bleeding all down my hand and on the floor. Good thing I wasn't watching it!

4:50 Dr. Miller (ob) broke what little water I had and headed out. I sat on the birthing ball with Doug in a rocker behind me pressing our rice sock on my back for counter pressure. I leaned my head on the tray that you eat from when in bed. We put it to a good height and braced it against the bed. The nurse came in every now and then to up the pitocin drip. I remember talking with Doug a little in the beginning but that was it. The contractions were painful, especially in my back, for the count of 5 exhales, then they would ease off. I found that if I kept my breathing controlled and relaxed and could make it through the 5 exhales, then the worst was over and it would ease off after that. That was my saving grace the whole time, that count of 5. At one point I was there on the ball, my gown open all the way down the back, when Doug's armory friend, the IV guy, came in to see how things were going. Oops, he got an eyeful. Served him right! Later I got so hot and sweaty on the ball that I stripped my gown half off...good thing he didn't come in then. Of course at another point I got cold and wanted a blanket.

The contrax got stronger, and the nurse suggested a beanbag on the bed. I draped myself over it with Doug up on the bed behind me putting his full body weight on his arms on the rice sock on my back. The nurse later told me I had back labor...no kidding! Poor Doug said his arms were smoked later.

7:59 The pain was getting pretty bad, but I was still able to relax myself through it. I asked the nurse to check on me. I was 6-7 cm and a 0 to -1 station. For a change of pace I tried to lay on my side as my knees were killing me. The position was the wrong one for me! I lost control of the pain and had to go back to the beanbag. What a difference just the position makes! If I'd had to be on my side the whole time, I don't think I'd have made it without drugs. Those first 5 breaths got much harder, and I started to have trouble focusing. I started rocking and tipping my pelvis down unconsciously. I soon started to feel like I was having convulsions, or whole body cramps during the first 5 breaths. I had no idea what was going on, until I started to realize I felt like I had to push. I didn't think I could be ready yet, since just an hour ago I was 6-7 cm! I had Jen my nurse come back in to check on me because I felt like I had to push so bad.

8:57She said I was fully dilated and had just a little lip showing. They had me go in to the bathroom to sit on the toilet and push while they got the bed ready. Doug came in with me. It felt so much better to push instead of fight the feeling! There was a med student, Beth, there, and some other ob in addition to mine (some kind of intern? I had no clue). She was African-American and had such an accent that it was very hard for me to understand her. Dr. Miller came, and sat with me on the bed. She had me push while she checked on me...that hurt! I was letting my breath out on pushes, and Dr. Miller had me focus on her and hold my breath during pushes. I could see him crown in the reflection from her glasses, and couldn't believe he was coming already! At one point the African-American doctor put her finger in me and pulled down while I was pushing, that HURT! I have no idea why she did that, and I was so po'd at her because it hurt so much.

9:25 His head ws starting to come, and I had only pushed for 25 minutes! His head came out, and I could look down and see. I couldn't believe it! Another push and he was out and put on my chest. (I wish they hadn't wrapped him in the cloth, skin to skin would have been better especially as he was a little cold.) Dr. Miller waited for the cord to stop pulsing and Doug cut it.

He was crying great, was nice and pink with a perfect head. Of course he came out so fast he had no chance to turn into a cone head! His APGARS were an 8 and 9. I think he only lost points because he was cold.

I was surprised to find that it didn't hurt to deliver the placenta.

I had no episiotomy, and had 2 small tears: one inside the labia and one at the bottom of the birth canal. She stitched me up which stung some. I had the shakes while she stitched. (Wonder if that made it harder for her? ) I remember my nurse Jen was pressing on my belly to help the uterus contract back down, and I was laughing at how jiggly it was. Another nurse tried to help me latch him on, but we weren't that successful at first. This was the same nurse who came in while I was laboring and said "What's that weird tribal music?" (We had Native American flute music playing). I didn' tpay any attention to her at the time. We stayed in the delivery room for an hour with Daniel, then I was wheeled to maternity while Doug went with Daniel to the nursery. Jen brought me some warm blankets with my wheelchair, and I remember saying to her "I love you! You're my new best friend!" I was so cold, and the blankets felt wonderful.

We passed the nursery on the way to maternity, and mom, Mary, Dad and Pat were all waiting in that hallway to see Daniel. Mom was funny, she saw me and hugged me and said she was so glad to see me and see that I was ok. She told me she was more concerned about me than the baby at that point...there's a mom for you!

Daniel pooped right away in the nursery, but his temp was cold so he had to stay there a while. Doug stayed with him. In retrospect, I wish I had done skin to skin, I think that would have warmed him right up. He warmed up enough for Doug to give him his bath, and then had to warm up a little more before they brought him back to me.

12:15 Doug finally brought Daniel to me. Daniel stayed with me, Doug went home for some much needed sleep. I stayed awake looking at Daniel in the bassinet and wrote his birth story. Not long after he came into the hospital bed with me, and has been in bed with me ever since! We coslept in the hospital. The nurses saw, but didn't say anything.

I had a very sore bottom and tailbone, and took some Tylenol for it. The labor was 4 hours and 43 minutes total, with only 25 minutes of pushing! Not a bad way to do it in my opinion.

Here is Nick's birth story.

Largest Known Star

2007-12-21T21:46:00.000-05:00

This is very interesting, especially if you have a passing fancy for space stuff. If you only see the earth at first, wait a bit...

Largest Known Star

The Best Teacher I Ever Had

2007-12-21T21:39:00.001-05:00

Best Teacher I Ever Had

by David Owen

Extracted from Reader's Digest (Asian Edition), April 1991, pp. 47-48.
(From: Dr Leong Hon Wai, ISCS, NUS; To: All my students;)

Mr. Whitson taught sixth-grade science. On the first day of class, he gave us a lecture about a creature called the cattywampus, an ill-adapted nocturnal animal that was wiped out during the Ice Age. He passed around a skull as he talked. We all took notes and later had a quiz.

When he returned my paper, I was shocked. There was a big red X through each of my answers. I had failed. There had to be some mistake! I had written down exactly what Mr. Whitson said. Then I realized that everyone in the class had failed. What had happened?

Very simple, Mr. Whitson explained. He had made up all the stuff about the cattywampus. There had never been any such animal. The information in our notes was, therefore, incorrect. Did we expect credit for incorrect answers?

Needless to say, we were outraged. What kind of test was this? And what kind of teacher?

We should have figured it out, Mr. Whitson said. After all, at the every moment he was passing around the cattywampus skull (in truth, a cat's), hadn't he been telling us that no trace of the animal remained? He had described its amazing night vision, the color of its fur and any number of other facts he couldn't have known. He had given the animal a ridiculous name, and we still hadn't been suspicious. The zeroes on our papers would be recorded in his grade book, he said. And they were.

Mr. Whitson said he hoped we would learn something from this experience. Teachers and textbooks are not infallable. In fact, no one is. He told us not to let our minds go to sleep, and to speak up if we ever thought he or the textbook was wrong.

Every class was an adventure with Mr. Whitson. I can still remember some science periods almost from beginning to end. On day he told us that his Volkswagon was a living organism. It took us two full days to put together a refutation he would accept. He didn't let us off the hook until we had proved not only that we knew what an organism was but also that we had the fortitude to stand up for the truth.

We carried our brand-new skepticism into all our classes. This caused problems for the other teachers, who weren't used to being challenged. Our history teacher would be lecturing about something, and then there would be clearings of the throat and someone would say ``cattywampus.''

If I'm ever asked to propose a solution to the problems in our schools, it will be Mr. Whitson. I haven't made any great scientific discoveries, but Mr. Whitson's class gave me and my classmates something just as important: the courage to look people in the eye and tell them they are wrong. He also showed us that you can fun doing it.

Not everyone sees the value in this. I once told an elementary school teacher about Mr. Whitson. The teacher was appalled. ``He shouldn't have tricked you like that,'' he said. I looked that teacher right in the eye and told him that he was wrong.

David Owen, Condensed from Life (October '90). Time and Life Bldg.

Portraits

2007-12-09T13:45:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the sideways one, I don't have the time right now to fix it!

New Pics

2007-11-20T16:40:00.001-05:00

Laziness here, follow the link for a few new pics.

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8BcsWrlm4asd0¬ag=1

Personality Test

2007-11-07T21:53:00.001-05:00

Make and Take

2007-11-04T12:43:00.000-05:00

My mom and I went to the local "Make and Take Gourmet" yesterday, and had a blast! We made 8 dinners each to go into our freezers. I'm so thrilled, because now I don't have to do all the prep work for dinner after school, I just take it out and put it in the oven. Plus, I didn't have to mess up and then clean up my own kitchen!

This is what I made:

Anniversary Chicken
Beef Stroganoff
Berry Baked French Toast
Cheesy Pizza Casserole
Chicken Divan (we're heating this one up tonight)
Chicken Enchiladas
Italian Herb Crusted Pork Chops
Three Cheese Manicotti

I think I'll go again sometime in January!

Brothers

2007-10-23T22:08:00.001-04:00

What Kind of Nerd Are You?

2007-10-20T16:20:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-18T20:53:00.000-04:00

Wilard Wigan

2007-10-13T21:10:00.001-04:00

Wilard Wigan is an artist who creates works of art in the eye of a needle. Go here to check it out, pretty amazing!

10 Books That Every Child Should Read

2007-10-10T21:46:00.000-04:00

There is a list here of the 10 most amazing books that the author thinks every child should read. Have you read them all? Here's the titles only version, go to the link to see the full list.

1- Charlotte's Web (read many times)
2- Miss Osborne the Mop (haven't heard of it)
3- Where the Red Fern Grows (read)
4- Pippi Longstocking (read once, wasn't hugely into her)
5- The Borrowers (read and LOVED)
6- Little Men (did not read)
7- The Mouse and the Motorcycle (read a few times)
8- The Giver (read in college for a class)
9- Island of the Blue Dolphins (always wanted to read, never did for some reason)
10-Hatchet (know of it, did not read)

Ron Mueck, Hyper-Realist Sculptor

2007-10-04T21:25:00.000-04:00

Wow. Amazingly, creepily, fantastically life-like. Click here.

The Amazing Skidboot

2007-09-25T21:49:00.001-04:00

A video about Skidboot, an amazing dog!

Social Experiment, Black vs. White

2007-09-21T22:28:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since I've posted any interesting finds across the internet. Here is one I came across tonight. A high school girl made this film, which recreates a social experiment first done over 50 years ago. Young children are presented with identical dolls, one black and one white. They are asked which they prefer, or which is the "nice" doll. Sadly, the results have not changed in 50 years.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1537573613487300290

Brotherly Love part 1

2007-09-11T21:13:00.000-04:00

We were all reading stories before naptime. Nick was actually looking at the books, which I thought was very cool!

Brotherly Love part 2

2007-09-11T21:10:00.001-04:00

Daniel wanted to give Nick a bottle, so I pumped for him to be able to do that. The thing is, Nick was already full, and didn't really want much to do with it! Daniel didn't know that though, he was just thrilled to "help".

The Next Head of Microsoft

2007-09-11T21:06:00.000-04:00

Here's Daniel with his "new" computer setup. It's one of my old computers that has pretty much been stripped of programs except for pre-school stuff.

Babblers and Books

2007-09-04T20:57:00.000-04:00

I created a group over at www.goodreads.com for those of us who play the game Babble and are interested in books. Feel free to join! If you don't want to join the group, but would like to be on my friends list, find my profile within the group and ask to be my friend.

New Pics

2007-08-21T21:55:00.001-04:00

Who dropped and broke the baby?

My Personal Post Partum Diary

2007-08-19T21:53:00.000-04:00

Ok, this is sort of more for me than anyone else out there reading, so you can feel free to ignore it! In fact, unless you're pg and interested, please do ignore! I just wanted to kind of keep track of what is happening when post partum. Somewhat for me, and somewhat for a pg friend of mine.

Sat, Aug. 11- 162.5 lbs, false labor pains all day
Sun, Aug 12- more false labor, then real labor started 2pm-ish, delivered 7:41
Mon, Aug 13- 150 lbs, went home less than 24 hours later
Tuesday night into all day Wednesday, milk started coming in
Wednesday-Friday, engorged, settled by Friday
stitches got sore at this point, more of a reaction to "Always" brand than anything, switched brands, got better
Sunday, August 19th, 145.5 lbs
Monday, August 27th, 144 lbs, had my two week midwife check in appt. No exam, just an office visit.
Monday, September 4, 142.5 lbs, and I fit into my size 10 shorts now!

What is a Boy?

2007-08-17T20:15:00.000-04:00

This was on the wall at the pediatrician's office today, and I thought it was so perfect! The receptionist kindly gave me a copy.

What is a Boy?

Between the innocence of babyhood and the dignity of manood we find a delightful creature called a boy. Boys come in assorted sizes, weights, and colors, but all boys have the same creed. To enjoy every second of every minute of every hour of every day and to protest with noise (their only weapon) when their last minute is finished and the adult males pack them off to bed at night.

Boys are found everywhere-- on top of, underneath, inside of, climbing on, swinging from, running around, or jumping to. Mothers love them, little girls hate them, older sisters and brothers tolerate them, adults ignore them, and Heaven protects them. A boy is Truth with dirt on its face, Beauty with a cut on its finger, Wisdom with bubble gum in its hair, and the Hope of the future with a frog in its pocket.

When you are busy, a boy is an inconsiderate, bothersome, intruding jangle of noise. When you want him to make a good impression, his brain turns to jelly, or else he becomes a savage, sadistic jungle creature, bent on destroying the world and himself with it.

A boy is a composite-- he has the appetite of a horse, the digestion of a sword-swallower, the energy of a pocket-size atomic bomb, the curiosity of a cat, the lungs of a dictator, the imagination of a Paul Bunyan, the shyness of a violet, the audacity of a steel trap, the enthusiasm of a firecracker, and when he makes something he has five thumbs on each hand.

He likes ice cream, knives, saws, Christmas, comic books, the boy across the street, woods, water (in its natural habitat), large animals, Dad, trains, Saturday mornings, and fire engines. He is not much for Sunday School, company, schools, books without pictures, music lessons, neckties, barbers, girls, overcoats, adults or bedtime.

Nobody else is so early to rise, or so late to supper. Nobody else gets so much fun out of trees, dogs and breezes. Nobody else can cram into one pocket a rusty knife, a half-eaten apple, three feet of string, and empty Bull Durham sack, two gum drops, six cents, a slingshot, a chunk of unknown substance, and a genuine supersonic code ring with a secret compartment.

A boy is a magical creature-- you can lock him out of your work shop, but you can't lock him out of your heart. You can get him out of your study, but you can't get him out of your mind. Might as well give up--he is your captor, your jailer, your boss, and your master-- a freckle-faced, pint-sized, cat-chasing, bundle of noise. But when you come home at night with only the shattered pieces of your hopes and dreams, he can mend them like new with the two magic words--"Hi Dad!"

by Alan Beck

Pictures!

2007-08-14T21:11:00.000-04:00

Moments after birth. I was wearing a flesh colored bra, I'm not naked here! Eek!
The brothers meeting for the first time. The little panda was Daniel's gift to Nicholas.

Nicholas Logan

2007-08-13T22:25:00.000-04:00

He's here!

Nicholas Logan was born on August 12th at 7:41pm. He weighed 7 lbs, 3 oz and was 20 inches long. I'll add a picture here as soon as I have a chance to!

Short birth story: I had false labor all day Saturday and Sunday. It finally settled into active labor Sunday afternoon, and we headed into the hospital. I arrived and was 3-4 cm. After only about 2 hours, I had the ob check me again, and I was almost fully dilated! During labor I was so focused on relaxing that Doug couldn't even tell when I was having contractions. The ob said it was a "silent labor." (Not pain free mind you, just silent! LOL! I went med free.) He broke my waters, and 15 minutes of pushing later, Nicholas Logan entered the world. He scored 9/9 on his Apgars, and is just perfect! We got to come home less than 24 hours later, and it's great to be home.

Nicholas Logan's Birth Story

2007-08-13T21:20:00.000-04:00

This is the long detailed version of Nicholas' birth story.

He was due Saturday, August 11th. I was very big, hot, tired and ready to be done by then. My primary midwife, Elaine, was going on vacation that day, and the secondary midwife, Jolene, was so new to the practice that she didn't have hospital priveleges yet. They did tell me that she'd be able to be there for the birth however, which I was grateful for, just not to do the actual "catching."

Saturday during the day I started having false labor contractions. These were basically the same as regular contractions, but they weren't in any kind of pattern and were all over 10 minutes apart. Had them all Saturday, Saturday night, and Sunday morning. Sunday morning, I thought they were regular to every 7 minutes or so, and called my mom to come over and watch Daniel. Wouldn't you know it, after I got out of the shower, they stalled out! Went back to being very far apart again. So mom went home, and I tried to rest.

I took a nap that afternoon, or tried to, but they started getting strong enough that I wanted Doug to provide some counter pressure on my back. (Doug and I had been trained in the Bradley birth method, for any who are curious, which is strong on husband-support and relaxation techniques.) Doug started timing them for me at 2pm, and they were regular again to every 7 minutes or so. We called mom back over, puttered around at home a little bit to make sure, and headed into the hospital around 4ish. I had not been able to reach Jolene on her pager, so called the office to let them know I was coming in. The doctor on call said he wasn't even sure Jolene's pager was working yet, but to come in and get checked out to see if this was it.

When we got there, we were checked into the room around 5 I believe. The doctor came in to check me around 5:20. Now, I was very nervous about having a complete stranger instead of my midwife, and a male at that. But the first words out of his mouth were "I was a former Bradley instructor" and I knew we had the perfect match! He was totally on board with our birth plan. I was hooked up to the monitor, and he checked me and said I was about 3-4 cm, so get comfy. (We actually ended up switching rooms at this point, as I wanted one with a jacuzzi labor tub instead of just a plain shower. The staff there was so accommodating!) We did notice that the contractions were much closer than 7-8 minutes. I think I was able to relax once I was in the hospital, oddly enough, as I had been nervous about making it there in time based on Daniel's quick birth.

Once in the new room, I tried out the tub first. I had heard great things about laboring in water, but found for myself that I wasn't able to keep a handle on the contractions while in there. So I got out, and tried walking around some. That worked a little bit, but still wasn't the best position for me, as I couldn't get myself to relax. Finally around 6ish I decided to try laying on my side on the bed. (This was a position that totally did NOT work for me when I was laboring with Daniel!) Doug sat in a chair beside me, ready to provide pressure on my back. I started to realize that I actually didn't want him to do that, as it was distracting me more. So he backed off completely and just basically sat and watched me. (And scarfed down half my tuna sandwich they had brought for me earlier, I might add!)

As I lay there, I just kept telling myself in my head "Don't fight the contractions, let your body do what it needs to do. Relax, work with it." I did that for every contraction, and totally concentrated on staying relaxed, to the point where Doug was only able to tell I was having contractions once or twice. Otherwise, I basically looked like I was sleeping. He later said he figured we'd be in for a long night of it, just based on how quiet I was.

(Now, I'm not saying that the contractions didn't hurt, because they did. However, once I decided to stop fighting them and work with them, it was much easier to get through each one. There was only a small time for each one that was hard, and once I got through that time, I knew it would get easier.)

After a while, I started to realize that I was feeling a lot of rectal pressure at the end of each contraction. I felt this for about 3 contractions and was thinking of having a nurse check on my progress just as my new nurse came in. The ob also came in at this point to check on me. I believe this was around 7:20ish. The nurse asked me how I wanted to be monitered, for 10 minutes every hour or 15 minutes every 2 hours. I chose the second, and chatted with her calmly in between contractions while she hooked me up. The ob asked how I was doing, and I told him about the pressure and asked if he'd check my progress. He said sure, as it had been about 2 hours since he'd last checked me. (Remember, that was 3-4 cm.) So he checked, and said I was almost complete, with only a little anterior lip left! I had basically not even noticed transition, practically slept myself through it. The ob said he could break my water for me, and the resulting pressure of the baby's head would probably start me pushing soon. I was very much in shock that I had gone to almost complete in 2 hours, and asked him to clarify again exactly what would happen if he broke my waters. I said "So I'm past transition? I didn't even notice it!" He told me there was such a thing as a silent labor, which I guess is how you would describe what I had been doing. (Doug later said the ob looked a bit surprised too when he checked me.) I decided to go for it. He said they'd get some things ready first, and would be right back. While I was waiting, I was chatting with the nurse again, and I remember asking her if it was normal for me to be chatting with her like that. She said she wouldn't describe it as "normal" but she's known for it to happen before!

After some preparations, and one more contraction which the ob said pretty much brought me to completely dilated, he broke my waters. After that he said go ahead and push if I felt like it. Now, I had been very calm and relaxed up to this point, but for some reason, during pushing, I didn't know what the heck to do. Being on my side didn't work, being on my hands and knees didn't work. I just didn't have control anymore. I finally asked Doug to come sit behind me on the bed so I could lean back against him. I also told myself again to stop fighting my body and work with it and push with it. I think some of my problem was I still couldn't believe it was "safe" to push! Anyway, I finally started to do some honest to goodness pushes, and was totally the opposite of how I was during labor. Instead of being silent, I hollered like a banshee! Not an "OMG this hurts!" kind of holler, more like a primal, karate chop, force be with you holler. What can I say, it seemed to help me push! Doug said if he'd had more hair on the back of his neck that it would have stood up. After a few pushes his head was out, and I recall saying "Oh good, the rest will be easier right?" It pretty much was! Nicholas Logan was fully delivered at 7:41pm August 12th, less than 3 hours after we entered the hospital. They put him on my chest right away while the ob stitched up my old tear that had reopened and the placenta was delivered. He scored a 9/9 on his Apgars! We did try to nurse not long afterward, but it was awkward and he wasn't ready. He and I did much better with that a little bit later.

(I'll update this later with Daniel's first visit with his new baby brother.)

The next morning, the pediatrician said Nicholas looked great, and he was fine with him going home with me whenever I was ready. Boy was I ready! The room, while lovely, had not a single soft surface in it. The bed was basically 2 inches of foam padding on plywood, I swear. When the ob came in to check on me, he said I could go home whenever I wanted to as well. So we spent the morning doing paperwork and other final tests. I need to bring Nicholas back in Wednesday morning for another PKU test and to have his cord clamp removed. We went home around 2pm, less than 24 hours after arriving! It is so good to be home now. Nick is doing great, he's very mellow and seems to be a champion nurser already. My dad and stepmom and mom are taking turns providing us with dinners this week, which I HUGELY appreciate! (Thanks guys!) Doug has the week off, and I'm looking forward to getting to know this new little guy. Daniel is too! I'll have to post more later about how "big brother" is adjusting. (Very well, I might add.)

The Brickery

2007-08-11T21:18:00.000-04:00

This site has instructions for every possible Lego kit you can imagine! A great place for ideas on new things to build with your Legos too. The Brickery.

From their homepage:

We have the fastest growing collection of LEGO manuals on the web today. If you have lost the building instructions to one of your LEGO sets or are just looking for something new to build have a look in our Building Instructions section.

Still Here, Still Pregnant

2007-08-10T16:52:00.001-04:00

Title says it all.

39 weeks, 4 days

2007-08-07T10:42:00.000-04:00

I had my midwife appointment this morning. I haven't dilated much more than last time. She said I'm about 1.5 cm, 50% effaced, and -1 station. We decided to not do the membrane sweep right now, as I'd rather be closer to 3 cm before we try that. Elaine agreed with that, said it's better to let my body do what it needs to on its own time. Besides, I have a feeling if we'd done the sweep today, with such little dilation, all I'd get out of it is some pain and cramps and no labor. So on to my massage this afternoon, and more waiting!

Update: My massage was wonderful as always. It's so nice to lay on that pregnancy pillow face down, and for an hour not feel the weight of my belly. She did some acupressure points for me, which was interesting. We'll see if it does anything!

The Ultimate Guide to Free Books

2007-08-05T20:23:00.000-04:00

This is very cool. It's a list of websites where you can get your greedy little paws on books in all sorts of different ways. There are links to free downloads to your mp3, places to trade with other book lovers, short story podcasts and many more interesting sites.
Best Places to Get Free Books- The Ultimate Guide

Can You Guess What This Is?

2007-08-02T18:46:00.001-04:00

The answer is now in the comments!

38 weeks, 6 days

2007-08-02T18:21:00.000-04:00

I had my midwife appt. this afternoon, and things are going well. No action yet baby-wise, as I'm only about 1cm dilated, but that's ok. I got to meet the new midwife, who is I think younger than me, and is very sweet and gentle. Elaine, my primary midwife, said they both will be unavailable from 7am to 11pm Saturday, so not to have sex (HA, right!) until Sunday, just in case. There will be a female OB from the office on call though. My next appointment is Tuesday morning, where we'll check on progress and possibly do a membrane sweep, depending. Then that afternoon, I get my next massage. :)

Stay tuned!

Still Here, Still Pregnant

2007-07-30T07:43:00.000-04:00

I've heard from a few friends that they've tried stalking me to see if I was still pg. Yup. 38 and a half weeks today. I have a prenatal massage appointment tomorrow again, yay! Then Thursday is my midwife appointment. At last week's appt. I had an u/s to check on my fluid levels, and everything was thankfully normal. (Daniel ended up being induced due to dangerously low levels.) Other than that, not much going on. I will do a post here when the baby comes, so my stalkers will know!

Time on Your Hands?

2007-07-23T21:52:00.000-04:00

So, you think you have extra time on your hands? That's nothing compared to this guy! Check him out....

(Star Wars Cantina Band is my favorite one so far.)

Pirate Kidds

2007-07-18T20:51:00.000-04:00

Renfield and Evanonut's work of art: Pirate Kidds

Travel Blog

2007-07-18T20:39:00.000-04:00

My dad, stepmom and two nephews (step) went on a tour across the US a few weeks ago. Patrick, one of my nephews, is an amazing photographer. Here is his travel blog about the trip, with some stunning photos accompanying it. It's a work in progress, so is not quite finished yet.

Muppas's Travel Blog

Punctuation Marks

2007-07-16T19:28:00.000-04:00

Ever wonder where ? ! = & # and $ came from? Check this site out for a brief history lesson on punctation marks.

Secrets

2007-07-16T11:37:00.001-04:00

I've mentioned the Post Secret website before, but felt it needed another mention for this postcard published this week. :)

And for another perspective, go read this, on "Harry Potter and the Death of Reading." I'm not bashing HP at all here, just found both items to be interesting!

No Cash

2007-07-13T15:00:00.000-04:00

One more entry from the previous website, only because it illustrates me and Doug perfectly. I had to put it here to show him later, as I'm sure he'll be glad to know he's not the only cashless man out there!

The other money-related argument is about cash. That's cash, specifically. Despite the fact that Margret's earning power is comfortably twice mine, she never has any cash. If you can conveniently pay by cheque or credit card, that's fine, but otherwise it's, 'Miiiiiiiil - have you got any cash? Only, I haven't and I need to go to the hairdresser's/pay a builder/have The Mob carry out a hit for me.' Every time - Every. Time. - I go to the cashpoint she'll appear within minutes with her nose wrinkled up pleading, 'Got any cash?' I'm just a courier; cash is only ever in my wallet for the walk back home from the bank - I think that the second I key my PIN number into the ATM machine it texts her phone. The result of this is that now I never have any cash, because Margret has it. Except, she doesn't. Margret is chronically cashless to the size of two people.

Need a Laugh?

2007-07-12T22:30:00.000-04:00

Came across this tonight:

Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About

Here's a teaser:

Nothing keeps a relationship on its toes so much as lively debate. Fortunate, then, that my girlfriend and I agree on absolutely nothing. At all.

Combine utter, polar disagreement on everything, ever, with the fact that I am a text-book Only Child, and she is a violent psychopath, and we're warming up. Then factor in my being English while she is German, which not only makes each one of us personally and absolutely responsible for the history, and the social and cultural mores of our respective countries, but also opens up a whole field of sub-arguments grounded in grammatical and semantic disputes and, well, just try saying anything and walking away.

Examples? Okey-dokey. We have argued about:

-I eat two-fingered Kit-Kats like I'd eat any other chocolate bars of that size, i.e., without feeling the need to snap them into two individual fingers first. Margret accused me of doing this, 'deliberately to annoy her'.

- She wants to paint the living room yellow. I have not the words.

- Shortly after every single time Margret touches my computer, for any reason whatsoever, I have to spend twenty minutes trying to fix crashes, locked systems, data loses, jammed drives, bizarre re-configurations and things stuck in the keyboard. There then follows a free and frank exchange of views with, in my corner, 'It's your fault,' and, in hers, 'It's a curious statistical anomaly.'

-See if you can spot the difference between these two statements:
(a) "Those trousers make your backside look fat."
(b) "You're a repellently obese old hag upon whom I am compelled to heap insults and derision - depressingly far removed from the, 'stupid, squeaky, pocket-sized English women,' who make up my vast catalogue of former lovers and to whom I might as well return right now as I hate everything about you."
Maybe the acoustics were really bad in the dining room, or something.

-She keeps making me carry tampons around - 'Here, have these, just in case.'
'Oooooooh, why can't you carry them?'
'I've got no pockets.'
Then, of course, I forget about them. And the next time I'm meeting The Duchess of Kent or someone I pull a handkerchief out of my pocket and shower feminine hygiene products everywhere.

The blog entry appears to be ongoing, which means it's actually incredibly long. However, it's also incredibly funny! So I've bookmarked it for myself, and will be going back to it on those nights I wake up at 3am with nothing better to do than pee and then stare at the backs of my eyelids for what feels like an eternity. At least this will keep me giggling while I'm trying to convince myself it's time to go back to sleep!

PG tickers

2007-07-12T07:13:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine is pregnant, and I want to keep track of her with a ticker, so here it is.

Light Graffiti

2007-07-04T20:37:00.000-04:00

Here's an interesting find tonight. Time-lapse photography and glow sticks to create "Light Graffiti."

Communication Skills

2007-07-02T20:55:00.000-04:00

Ever have to reply to an e-mail more politely than you'd like? Ever bite your tongue so hard it hurts? This link is for you! Communication Skills

Lego Artist

2007-06-30T22:58:00.000-04:00

Daniel and I love Legos. However, I don't think we'll ever quite get to the skill level of the guy who created this!

Lego Artist
(click for more pics)

Senior Drivers

2007-06-24T21:39:00.001-04:00

Sitting on the side of the highway waiting to catch speeding drivers, A State Police officer sees a car puttering along at 22 mph. He thinks to himself, "This driver is just as dangerous as a speeder!"

So he turns on his lights and pulls the driver over. Approaching the car, he notices that there are five old ladies -- two in the front seat and three in the back -- eyes wide and white as ghosts.

The driver, obviously confused, says to him, "Officer, I don't understand,I was doing exactly the speed limit! What seems to be the problem?"

"Ma'am," the officer replies, "You weren't speeding, but you should know that driving slower than the speed limit can also be a danger to other drivers."

"Slower than the speed limit?" she asked. "No sir, I was doing
the speed limit exactly -- 22 miles an hour!" the old woman says a bit proudly.

The State Police officer, trying to contain a chuckle, explains to her that"22" was the route number, not the speed limit.

A bit embarrassed, the woman grinned and thanked the officer for pointing out her error.

"But before I let you go, Ma'am," said the officer, "I have to ask... Is everyone in this car OK? These women seem awfully shaken and they haven't muttered a single peep this whole time."

"Oh, they'll be all right in a minute, officer. We just got off Route 119..."

Father's Day Gift Ideas

2007-06-14T19:22:00.000-04:00

Wow, you lucky people! 3 days of posts in a row, can you stand it?

My dad just sent me this link to the Top 10 Weirdest Father's Day Gifts. Hmm, should I get him the gas powered blender, or the pocket radiation detector?

Beaches - Otto Titsling

2007-06-13T21:56:00.001-04:00

We were talking about this on Babble tonight. Enjoy!

Zoo

2007-06-12T22:02:00.000-04:00

I'm cheating tonight, and just posting the link to our pictures from our early Father's Day trip to the zoo with my dad.

Shutterfly, click on "view pictures"

Daniel had two rides on the merry go round, and was a little unsure but had a great time once he got used to it. I bumped the autofocus/manual focus setting on my camera, so some of my favorite animal pictures were very blurry and wasted. Others came out well.

LOST - John Locke - Speed Painting by Nico Di Mattia

2007-06-08T20:47:00.001-04:00

Even if you don't watch "Lost" this video is amazing. It goes from a very basic sketch to almost photographic quality. Mesmerizing.

Logic Problems

2007-05-30T21:55:00.000-04:00

I used to love doing those logic problems where you use a huge insane looking grid to figure out which people lived in what color house and in what order on the street, etc. Someone at Babble pointed this site out to me:

http://www.puzzles.com/projects/LogicProblems.html

It's just like the paper and pencil kind, except it's online. You can check the boxes right on your screen, and get a confirmation when you've solved the entire puzzle correctly. New puzzles are posted monthly. Enjoy!

Still Here

2007-05-29T21:29:00.000-04:00

I'm here, just been lazy lately! I do have some pics to upload at some point...I'll try to do that soon. Thanks for giving me a poke Nancy!

Nerd, Geek or Dork?

2007-05-16T15:23:00.001-04:00

Your Score: Pure Nerd

69 % Nerd, 34% Geek, 34% Dork

For The Record:

A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.
A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one. A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.

You scored better than half in Nerd, earning you the title of: Pure Nerd.

The times, they are a-changing. It used to be that being exceptionally smart led to being unpopular, which would ultimately lead to picking up all of the traits and tendences associated with the "dork." No-longer. Being smart isn't as socially crippling as it once was, and even more so as you get older: eventually being a Pure Nerd will likely be replaced with the following label: Purely Successful.

Congratulations!

Thanks Again! -- THE NERD? GEEK? OR DORK? TEST

Link: The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test written by donathos on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Male Ring Necked Pheasant

2007-05-07T20:25:00.000-04:00

Ha! I finally got the bugger! This guy has been tormenting me the past few nights. Doug would tell me he was out in the back yard, and I'd go stalking him with my camera, only to either not find him at all, or to see the dust off his tail feathers. The first one shows off his brilliant feathers. The second clearly shows why I've had trouble catching him once he decided to run! And the third is pretty much typical of the past few nights, seeing him blaze off into the distance.

Room Progress

2007-04-29T21:22:00.000-04:00

Well, the baby's room is slowly progressing. It's funny how much I've had to do in other rooms though, as I get it ready! This weekend was all about moving all the baby things out of Daniel's room. I got closet organization systems for both Daniel's and his brother's room. This morning, I cleared out Daniel's closet to prepare to install it, only to discover that it desperately needed to be painted before I could do anything else. It was a dirt/mud/gray paint, with white where the old shelf supports were. There were also tons of test drill holes. So this morning was all about painting. Then after his nap, Daniel and Doug went outside for the afternoon/evening, while I installed the new hardware, and loaded up his toys and clothes. My arms ache, but it's done and I love it! I'll tackle the baby's room another weekend...

The Hubble Deep Field Video

2007-04-28T23:20:00.001-04:00

This is a fascinating video that helps put the actual size of our universe into perspective.

Daddy's Helper

2007-04-21T21:12:00.000-04:00

(I apologize for the white on the tall pictures. I don't know what's up with Blogger, it's never done that before to my pics.)

White Glop

2007-04-16T13:40:00.000-04:00

This is the result of our spring snowstorm. Heavy, wet, gloppy. We lost our power for a few hours this morning as a result. Daniel was in the backseat, telling me to duck, the tree branches were so low. The last picture is of a power line, and how encased it was.

My Little Easter Cheeseball

2007-04-16T13:38:00.000-04:00

Tax Day

2007-04-15T16:08:00.000-04:00

In honor of it being April 15th.

Babble

2007-04-13T20:47:00.000-04:00

Thanks to herinfernallady for this great poster! She told us you can make your own poster at this site: Motivator, create your own custom poster.

The Pastor's Business Card

2007-04-09T22:29:00.001-04:00

A new pastor was visiting in the homes of his parishioners. At one house it seemed obvious that someone was at home, but no answer came to his repeated knocks at the door. Therefore, he took out a business card and wrote "Revelation 3:20" on the back of it and stuck it in the door. When the offering was processed the following Sunday, he found that his card had been returned. Added to it was this cryptic message, "Genesis 3:10." Reaching for his Bible to check out the citation, he broke up in gales of laughter. Revelation 3:20 begins "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." Genesis 3:10 reads, "I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid for I was naked."

Stroke Identification

2007-04-09T22:03:00.000-04:00

This came from an email my dad sent me. Good stuff to know.

STROKE IDENTIFICATION:
A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within three hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke . . . totally. He said the trick was having a stroke recognized, diagnosed and then getting the patient medically cared for within three hours, which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE:
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions: (Note, they start with the first three letters of "STRoke.")

S *Ask the individual to SMILE .
T *Ask the person to TALK , to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE. (Coherently) (i.e. . . It is sunny out today)
R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS .

NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out their tongue. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke.

If he or she has trouble with any one of these tasks, call 911 /ambulance immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer

2007-04-08T20:07:00.000-04:00

I've seen these books in the stores for a while, but had actually steered clear of them because I thought they were just a Harry Potter knock off. The other day, I was in the kid section with Daniel while he was playing with the train table, and they caught my eye again. As they had the first 3 books in the series for $9.98, I decided to give them a try. Who am I to pass up a bargain?

Well, let me just say, it is not a Harry Potter knock off! Yes, it deals with sprites, dwarves, leprechauns, and other fantasy figures, but there the resemblance ends. The leprechauns are actually LEPrecons (Lower Elements Police Recon officers), the fairies use nuclear powered battery pack wings, and the lead character, while a young boy, is a brilliant criminal mastermind. The book is a light quick read, but is very engaging. I highly recommend it to either a fantasy fan, or a young adult/children's literature fan. Enjoy!

Natural Easter Egg Dyes

2007-04-03T21:31:00.000-04:00

These eggs are created by pressing a leaf or flower onto them with a stocking and boiling them with onion skins. Very beautiful!

Onion Eggs

(Go to the link to see the beautiful pictures.)

She adds some more comments on technique here. Also scroll to comment # 29 for yet another variation. Finally, look here for other colors made using natural dyes.

April Fool's Day

2007-04-01T21:57:00.000-04:00

I found an interesting article at Wikipedia about the current April 1st, 2007 hoaxes in all forms of media. Enjoy!

Say What?

2007-03-31T21:57:00.000-04:00

While reading up on week 21 of pregnancy at my favorite site, "Pregnancy Week by Week", I came across this line:

After about pregnancy week 21 you may start realizing that your baby is hiccupping in utero. This is a very common albeit somewhat unusual occurrence. (Italics mine.)

Come again???