for only a moment

I finished this book a few days ago. I keep thinking it will get out of my head, especially since I’m reading another book already. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is written like a memoir of a stately, elderly Chinese woman. Lily is born to a poor family during a time when daughters are not valued and a woman’s status is entirely dependent on how many sons she gives birth to. She is an extra mouth to feed. Her entire worth depends on marrying well and bearing sons. Her mother, following the cultural practice of the time, binds her feet  because small feet are prized and will enable Lily to marry above her family’s status. The story isn’t really about foot binding, at least not by itself. The way it’s written really is beautiful. The relationships the girl forges and the dissolution of the most important relationship is hauntingly sad.

Anyway, I finally had to look up the practice of Chinese foot binding because I know nothing about it.  I don’t know what to say about it now, having read about it and seeing pictures. It’s not so different from the high heels women willingly wear in our modern society. Vanity is a powerful force.

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In other news, I had more braxton-hicks contractions tonight. We went to meet Clint’s parents at the bowling alley. I went, thinking  the dull discomfort I’d been feeling would go away once I was in the company of other people. It didn’t. It seemed to get worse first. I was wondering whether I should go to the hospital or not. I decided to come home first, to see if putting my feet up helped calm things down. The contractions are not regular, but they do hurt. And between them it hurts too. I thought maybe I was dehydrated, but I drank a lot of water. It didn’t help. Putting my feet up on the couch did help for a while, but now my back is aching again and the weird sharp tight pains in my abdomen are coming back. We’ll see what happens. I don’t look like I’ve dropped, but I have to pee a lot. I did a bit of research about false labor vs. true labor. I still think this is false labor. It hurts more than I remember it hurting with Hannah. With her, my water broke and they had to give me medicine to start the contractions. By the time the contractions felt like bad period cramps, they were giving me the epidural because they thought the medicine to start the contractions would make them hurt too much. Plus there’s that "blessed forgetfulness" that accompanies giving birth, so I don’t remember the pain. Now though, I think I’ll have a little snack and change positions. Maybe that will help.

Oh–ordered carpet for the playroom and our room. Installing Thursday. Our house is starting to look like we’re having another baby. A new carseat, the amby bed, and eventually, I’ll get some more stuff down for Clara to wear after she’s born. 

New Christmas 2006 Photo Galleries

Click the link above to see all the photos. I will post a few faves later.

because we haven’t opened all our presents. My parents got here last night. Woo hoo! We’re having Christmas with them and letting Hannah open the rest of her presents sometime today or this evening. I have tons of pictures to download from the camera and upload to the internet. Stay tuned and check back for those.

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! 

Had contractions all day today. They’re not evenly spaced, nor can I tell when one starts and ends. My body is just practicing. I was fully hydrated all day so it’s not that. It probably Doesn’t help that I worked all day then went shopping for 3 hours. I was in a state when I got home. I’m not done with my shopping, but I’ll have to try again tomorrow. I went to bed around 9 and just woke up now, 12:43. It was a nice nap. I’m still tired. Not as much sleepy as exhausted physically.

Is there any other news I need to tell you all about? The amby bed got here. Haven’t opened the box. Can’t wait to do it though. Clint is painting trim for the playroom. When he gets it up, we (and by we I mean him and my dad) will move furniture into the playroom. Then I can set the amby bed up in there too. I will be glad to have some physical sign in our house that Clara is coming. It will make it more real. Right now it seems sort of like it’s in my head…well, and in my belly.

Finally got all my christmas cards addressed, stamped, signed. Just have to mail another stack. And then there’s always a couple more that I think of sending or I get another address of a friend or family member. If we know you, and you don’t get one by  the end of next week, chances are I don’t have your address. Send it to me if you would like a card. I’m sending a picture of Hannah by the tree with each card. It’s a cute one if I may say so myself. There are also probably a couple I missed. I just thought of one right now. Sorry Leslie. I will get it in th7e mail soon. The 7 is from Clint. he wants me to get OUT of the way. See ya’ll later.

Still have Christmas shopping to get done. I’m trying to think of something to get a babysitter. There are two women (besides Grandma) who help take care of Hannah a lot that I’d like to thank with a special gift. I am going to have some time Friday to shop, and the Saturday to clean. We may have a few guests Saturday night so I’d like to have the house neater than it is right now. I would like to tidy up in the evenings. But again tonight, no energy. I actually felt quite bad until Clint got here. I laid down and slept for an hour and a half while he bathed Hannah and played with her. I’m amazed how he can get stuff done around the house while keeping an eye on her. I can…but I get flustered easily when she gets into something. Gotta go put her to bed now. Maybe more later.