Dear baby,
We are entering the third trimester and my, hasn't that gone quickly. Not so much for you, maybe, but for me, it's been quite smooth sailing.
Here are some updates on your progress. You are rather kicky these days, and last night it felt as though you were playing the drums on my stomach. Lovely! Perhaps you'll take after your mommy and be musical. Or maybe you'll take after your daddy and be athletic. Ideally, a combination of both. Hopefully, not a lack of either characteristic. Also, you handled yourself quite well after I took a spill the other day. Good job! We were pretty relieved to hear your heartbeat and a nice kick on the doppler.
Apparently at this stage you weigh just over 2 pounds. Coincidentally, I am now about 2 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight. I am happy not to have gained more, but I am not really thrilled about gaining weight in general. What can I say, I have body image issues. I hope you won't ever have that problem.
You haven't caused me to have any odd food cravings and I think generally, I have been eating fairly well. Unfortunately, I failed my glucose screening test, and I will have to attend a much longer test this week to determine whether or not I might have gestational diabetes. GD isn't really related to diet, more to family history and such, though of course if I had it, I'd have to modify my diet. Diabetes runs in your dad's family, not so much in mine, so if I have it, guess who I'll be blaming? That's right. YOU. But let us hope it does not get to that point. I'm not good with needles and such. Your father has already made changes to our meals, introducing more veggies and cutting out as much starch as he can get away with before I complain. He's a good guy. You'll like him a lot.
I think you're a boy, and your dad thinks you're a girl. I asked the dog what she thought but she just turned away when she realized I didn't have any food for her. Well, only a few more months until we find out who's right.
Since my last post, we've done a lot more to prepare for your arrival. We bought a high chair, not because you'll need one right away, but because it was a floor model on clearance. I love me a good sale. This is the high chair we bought. I like the animals on it, but it's too bad you won't get to look at them since you'll be facing the other way. We also bought a new glider/ottoman combo, again a floor model on clearance. Oh, and we got you a swing/infant rocker. We'll see if you are one of those kids who hates swings or not.
See you in 13 weeks!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
This makes me mad!
From my city's website regarding snow removal:
City crews maintain 310 kms of designated routes—all major thoroughfares and all bus routes—with up to 12 trucks, salting, sanding and plowing during snow storms, as well as clearing sidewalks in front of civic facilities and bus stops. ...
The City’s response actually starts before the snow begins to fall. Staff receive daily weather reports for the next 48 hour period. If snow is forecast, crews start working up to 12 hours ahead laying down salt on the roads to prevent ice build up. As salt becomes ineffective on its own with temperatures below –6 C, sand is added to the mix during colder periods.
(City's) side streets are not part of the 310 km of designated snowclearing and salting routes; to include them would require far greater resources than the City currently has, and (City's) typography, weather patterns and street design make that a less effective use of those resources. Typically, snow storms such as today’s occur about 12 times per season.
You have got to be kidding me. First of all, if you had driven around the major roads you would realize that they have BARELY been plowed. Four-lane roads have become two-and-a-half lane roads. The major roads we live near have definitely not been plowed. And also, 310 km? I am doubtful. And re: side streets - this is a city that was developed such that almost everyone lives on a side street. The subdivisions have winding, curving roads that isolate each subdivision from the main road. This isn't a city where a grid was laid down to determine the streets. Instead it appears one grid was laid down for the big roads, then they allowed a child to draw curlicues inside the grid to determine where the small roads would go. In other words, unless you live on a major road, you can't even get to and from your house in a big snowfall, because the city doesn't have enough resources, and doesn't consider the side roads important.
The last sentence kills me. Snowstorms like this 12 times a season and they are STILL unprepared. No fricking way. This city spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on useless stuff (millions on the Oval!) like beautifying the medians with flowers. And they must have to pay their city staff overtime to do it, since those folks work at night to plant. Roads are paved and repaved every few years regardless of whether we need it. City Hall is always nicely maintained. At Christmas, thousands of lights are strung up. I frankly think that these efforts are lovely and all, but spending a little more on snowplowing WOULD BE FAR MORE APPRECIATED. They could get a few Bobcats and drive them around some side roads - even if some of the larger side roads were plowed, that would give us all a headstart.
But no. Enjoy your flowers, people, that is, if the snow ever melts in time to plant new ones. Because of course! The City can only plant annuals, not perennials.
GRRRR.
City crews maintain 310 kms of designated routes—all major thoroughfares and all bus routes—with up to 12 trucks, salting, sanding and plowing during snow storms, as well as clearing sidewalks in front of civic facilities and bus stops. ...
The City’s response actually starts before the snow begins to fall. Staff receive daily weather reports for the next 48 hour period. If snow is forecast, crews start working up to 12 hours ahead laying down salt on the roads to prevent ice build up. As salt becomes ineffective on its own with temperatures below –6 C, sand is added to the mix during colder periods.
(City's) side streets are not part of the 310 km of designated snowclearing and salting routes; to include them would require far greater resources than the City currently has, and (City's) typography, weather patterns and street design make that a less effective use of those resources. Typically, snow storms such as today’s occur about 12 times per season.
You have got to be kidding me. First of all, if you had driven around the major roads you would realize that they have BARELY been plowed. Four-lane roads have become two-and-a-half lane roads. The major roads we live near have definitely not been plowed. And also, 310 km? I am doubtful. And re: side streets - this is a city that was developed such that almost everyone lives on a side street. The subdivisions have winding, curving roads that isolate each subdivision from the main road. This isn't a city where a grid was laid down to determine the streets. Instead it appears one grid was laid down for the big roads, then they allowed a child to draw curlicues inside the grid to determine where the small roads would go. In other words, unless you live on a major road, you can't even get to and from your house in a big snowfall, because the city doesn't have enough resources, and doesn't consider the side roads important.
The last sentence kills me. Snowstorms like this 12 times a season and they are STILL unprepared. No fricking way. This city spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on useless stuff (millions on the Oval!) like beautifying the medians with flowers. And they must have to pay their city staff overtime to do it, since those folks work at night to plant. Roads are paved and repaved every few years regardless of whether we need it. City Hall is always nicely maintained. At Christmas, thousands of lights are strung up. I frankly think that these efforts are lovely and all, but spending a little more on snowplowing WOULD BE FAR MORE APPRECIATED. They could get a few Bobcats and drive them around some side roads - even if some of the larger side roads were plowed, that would give us all a headstart.
But no. Enjoy your flowers, people, that is, if the snow ever melts in time to plant new ones. Because of course! The City can only plant annuals, not perennials.
GRRRR.
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