3/10 Narrative

I guess I could apologize for my absence - but you probably didn't even notice you missed me! To clear up any confusion, I am not the type of person who doesn't post because things are going badly. I tend to post more than ever in tough times. I think I have simply reached that horrendously busy period of doing a PhD that everyone talks about. I thought if I planned right that it would never come, but here it is.

And I keep getting involved in extra things - like starting a prospective study on what body fat range is healthy for women based on development of morbidity and mortality (yep, this blog does give me some ideas).

Now what is this about 3/10?

It sounds like a terribly difficult time signature for a song. In fact, I can't find an example of a single song that was written in 3/10.

Everyone talks about John 3:16. But what about John 3:10?

"This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister."

Ever get the feeling that The Bible is a bit harsh and anachronistic? I mean who can do "what is right" all the time?

The Lorax and Natty turned 3 and 10 respectively this last week. When I think about the line from the Bible verse about loving your brother and sister, then I am as convinced as ever that these two are God's children. There must be something about being seven years apart and step siblings that unites them. I personally grew up with constant sibling rivalry, but it is almost completely absent with Natty and The Lorax. I get tears in my eyes thinking about Natty moving back to the US this summer. What will they do without each other?

Here is a picture from The Lorax's celebration.



Is my child a south paw? (do you see the useful animation tricks one learns as a PhD student? - time not wasted!)


Speaking of loving your siblings, my very own sister was just accepted to the PhD program in Cognitive Sciences at The University of Minnesota. Feel free to congratulate her here :).

I guess it has been a long time since I have talked about the pregnancy or running.

Almost exactly a week ago, I started feeling the baby kick. That is more than 4 weeks earlier than I started feeling The Lorax. People say it's because you remember what it feels like, but I am convinced the nerves around the uterus become more sensitive after the first birth - I mean I don't think I could have been confused about what this feeling was the first time around.

Since I am oh so scientific, I believe one can tell the gender of the baby by how they kick. I was convinced The Lorax kicked like a boy before the scan and now I think this one kicks like a girl. Of course, if it is a boy and he goes on to become a soccer player, he'll be so mad about this post :).

In other news, I am slightly worried about my blood sugar. I haven't checked it, but I am peeing way more than I should and in large quantities! Besides that, eating sugar makes me feel absolutely lousy (multiple birthday parties with cake = multiple panic attacks following sugar bolus). I have now almost completely given up on sugary foods and I feel much, much better. I am going to do a fasting blood sugar on myself one of these days, though I know pregnant women are supposed to do the oral glucose challenge for gestational diabetes, I'll certainly get an idea if something is wrong if my fasting is up. (BTW, you don't get tested for gestational diabetes here unless you meet certain criteria, which apparently I didn't meet and would have refused anyway - but alas).

My weight gain is a little less than 6 lbs so far and is exactly where I was with The Lorax at 16-17 weeks, and this is with really not making a conscious effort to be a specific weight; it is all seeming so genetic (though certainly exercising has kept the weight gain to a healthy amount). I gained the first 5 lbs in the first 12 weeks and then 1lb the last 4-5 weeks (exactly like I did with The Lorax). So FINALLY this week I am below the IOM guidelines for weight gain and thus know I am on track to a nice pregnancy like the last. (I simply can't stand the thought of gaining much more than last time - everything went so well, and it took a few months to get back to my prepregnancy weight anyway. So I'm saying 16 lbs is the limit again!).

My big running news was that I ran a 31 km (19.2 mile) hilly trail run last weekend in 2:58! This would even be acceptable for me on a non-pregnant day! I ran with a group of guys from Næstved and it certainly was the group that inspired me to pull it off.

And I have finally found the shoes that will save my pregnant hips from injury!!!



Minimalist, fast shoes with killer tread for trail running! Watch out Chippewa 50k participants - prepare to get preggo-chicked!

Finally - SR is travelling with Natty and The Lorax to the US for two weeks at the end of June (when I am 33-35 weeks pregnant) and I am really on the fence about whether or not I should go. According to the airline, it is acceptable. But I am feeling wussy. It will just be really weird because I will already be on maternity leave - add no work to being completely alone and I might just go nuts (or love it). The worst part is this is my chance to say good-bye to Natty before her move back to the US. Any advice?

Running song coming (once I get home and check the music library!).