Mommy Brain

In honor of Labor Day, Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer posted a meme about - what else? - labor, of course! Here are my answers.

How long were your labors?

Natalie - 9 hours
Noah - 11 hours
Jonathan - I can’t remember. I was induced in the morning, went in for an emergency c-section in the afternoon. I’d have to look in his babybook for the exact time.
Josiah - 0 hours - C-section

How did you know you were in labor?

Natalie: When the nurse had cranked the pitocin up high enough that I started having contractions. I went from no contractions to minute-long transition labor contractions every two minutes. Not fun.

Noah: When I woke up with contractions. I was able to sleep in between them for a couple hours, then I was up.

Jonathan: When the pitocin kicked in - pretty much same deal as with Natalie. Only I knew what to expect. Shudder.

Josiah: Scheduled c-section.

Where did you deliver?

At the hospital. Natalie was in Vancouver, Washington, the rest here in Colville.

Drugs?

Oh, yeah. As much as they would give me.

C-section?

Two. Jonathan was an emergency c-section. He had the cord wrapped around his neck twice. I labored all the way to 10 centimeters, then when I started pushing, his heartbeat disappeared. Very scary. Josiah was a repeat c-section. Since I had a history of pre-eclampsia, my doctor didn’t want to try a VBAC.

Who delivered?

Dr. Ahern, an OB/GYN in Vancouver delivered Natalie. Dr. Bacon, our doctor here in Colville - and pretty much the best doctor in the world - delivered the other three.

I saw this at The Bayer Family Blog, and thought it would be a good post for when I can’t think of anything else.

1. Sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen?
Kevin’s favorites are Battlestar Galactica, Psych, Firefly, or Band of Brothers

2. You’re out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?
Thousand Island

3. What’s one food he doesn’t like?
Peas. Neither of us like peas, so you won’t see them in our house.

4. You go out to the bar. What does he order?
Well, we’ve never gone to a bar together, but at New Year’s he likes to have a Kahlua and Cream.

5. Where did he go to high school?
Rex Putnam High School in Milwaukie, Oregon.

6. What size shoe does he wear?
Six.

7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be?
He already does - he collects computers.

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich?
Turkey wrap: sundried tomato wrap, smoked turkey, havarti cheese, lettuce, tomato, ranch dressing.

9. What would this person eat every day if he could?
Steak.

10. What is his favourite cereal?
He hardly ever eats cereal, so I have no idea.

11. What would he never wear?
A speedo. I would say a tuxedo, but since our 11-year-old daughter is already planning her wedding and Kevin would do pretty much anything for her…

12. What is his favourite sports team?
He doesn’t really follow sports, but he’ll cheer for the Seahawks with me. Or else.

13. Who will he vote for?
Oh, what a loaded question. We’ve had so many conversations, and neither of us have decided yet. I really do need to write that post that’s rambling around my head.

14. Who is his best friend?
I am!

15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn’t do?
He hates it when we’re arguing and I get sarcastic. Not that I do it very often…

16. How many states has he lived in?
Two - Oregon and Washington.

17. What is his heritage?
Our last name is Austrian - that’s all I really know.

18. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake?
Chocolate Crazy Cake with homemade chocolate buttercream frosting.

19. Did he play sports in high school?
Not at school - I think he played on his church’s teams, though. Maybe softball and basketball?

20. What could he spend hours doing?
Playing Call of Duty online.

Let me know if you play along.

Meg posted one of the most interesting memes I’ve ever seen, so of course I had to play along.

Bold those you have tried.
Strike through those you wouldn’t eat on a bet.
Italicize any item you’ll never eat again.
*Asterisk any items you’d be interested in trying but have not yet.
Underline anything you eat regularly (more than once a month-ish).
?Questionisk any items you’ve never heard of (there will be a lot of these!)

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. ?Baba ghanouj
11. Calamari
12. ?Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. ?Aloo gobi
15. *Hot dog from a street cart
16. ?Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. *Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. *Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. *Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. ?Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. *Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. ?Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. ?Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. *Cognac with a fat cigar (Just the cognac, please.)
37. *Clotted cream tea
38. ?Vodka jelly
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. ?Phaal
44. Goat’s milk - I don’t even like cow’s milk!
45. *Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. ?Fugu
47. ?Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. *Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin - I don’t like most seafood.
51. Prickly pear
52. ?Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. ?Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal - I prefer the cheeseburgers, though.
56. *Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8 ABV
59. ?Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. ?Sweetbreads
63. ?Kaolin
64. ?Currywurst
65. ?Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. ?Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and ?blini
73. ?Louche absinthe
74. ?Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. ?Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. ?Lapsang souchong
80. ?Bellini
81. ?Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. ?Pocky
84. *Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. ?Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. ?Criollo chocolate - with the word chocolate in there, I’m tempted.
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. ?Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. ?Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. *Lobster Thermidor - lobster is one of the few seafoods I like.
98. Polenta
99. *Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

I’m thinking I’ll have to do a whole other post after I look up all the ones I haven’t heard of! Be sure and leave a comment if you know some of the ones I am clueless about. And, let me know if you play along.

Saw this at Meg’s and decided to play along.

Accent: Growing up in Washington State, I don’t have one. Pretty generic American, I guess. Though I pick up accents, especially when I’ve been watching a lot of BBC. Noah could always tell when I’d been watching Monarch of the Glen - he said I talked like Lexie.

Breakfast or no breakfast: Definitely - and I must have protein. I like the low-fat breakfast Lean Pockets with eggs and sausage. Or toast with peanut butter. And coffee, though I’m not supposed to have it because of my GERD.

Chore I don’t care for: I’m with Meg - any type of housework is low on my list of favorite things to do.

Dog or Cat: Neither - I’m not much of an animal person. And, we have a small house and four kids…

Essential Electronics: Laptop, MP3 player, and PDA.

Favorite Cologne: I used to wear Nokomis, but I don’t wear any perfume any more. On men, I like Cool Water - but my hubby doesn’t wear cologne, either.

Gold or Silver: Silver.

Handbag I carry most often: Burgundy purse. Usually accompanied by a tote full of books.

Insomnia: Occasionally - usually hormone related.

Job Title: Just one? Homeschooling mom, freelance writer, chief cook and bottle washer.

Kids: One daughter: Natalie, 11. Three sons: Noah, 10; Jonathan 8; and Josiah, 6.

Living Arrangements: A very small house that we’re trying to sell so we can move into something bigger.

Most Admirable Trait: Compassion. I’m also a good listener, I think.

Naughtiest Childhood Behavior: Most of my naughtiness occurred after I was no longer a child, at least technically. I did skip school once, but I got caught. Oh, and once I got my driver’s license, I used to sneak the car out at night for junk food runs with my sisters. My parents slept through just about anything. Oh, and I got drunk on champagne at a wedding at which I sang - but it wasn’t my fault. That’s enough true confessions for now.

Overnight hospital stays: Five days for Natalie’s birth, but I was only considered a patient for two. I stayed three more nights in a “parent room,” because Natalie was in the NICU. I can’t remember if I stayed for one night or two with Noah’s birth. Four nights with Jonathan’s birth - an emergency cesarean. One night with Noah when he was 17 months old and had croup. Three nights with Josiah’s birth - a repeat c-section and tubal. One night for gall bladder surgery.

Phobias: Spiders, crossing old bridges in the car. Oh, and I’m not so hot about heights, either.

Quote: My favorite, or something I say? One of my favorites is on the header image above. I say “crap” more often than I should.

Reason to smile: My kids can always make me smile.

Siblings: Three younger sisters: Andrea, Debra, and Marni.

Time I wake up: On a weekday, 6:30 or 7. On weekends, I like to sleep in until 9.

Unusual Talent or Skill: Unusual? Hmmm… I can alphabetize words really fast.

Vegetable I Refuse to Eat: Peas. Shudder.

Worst Habit: Procrastination.

X-rays: My ankle twice, but it was just sprained both times.

Yummy Stuff: I’ll go with Meg’s answers: Chocolate, Cheesecake….

Zoo Animal I Like Most: Like I said, not much of an animal person.

I tag Sheila at Dodging Raindrops, Eileen at Books and Hooks, Karen at Praise the Lord and Pass the Prozac, Lisa at The Funny Farm, and Lawanda at Lovin’ Life.

Natalie tagged me for two different memes, so here goes:

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

The closest book is The Host by Stephenie Meyer.

Her face was a mass of wrinkles, all of them turning down into angry lines. But there was something familiar about the features behind the lines. Melanie made the connection between this ancient face and another, smoother face in her memory.

And the second meme:

If you could change your name what would it be? When I was younger, I might have wanted to change it, but I like it now.

What is your pet’s name (it can be a webkinz or a real pet)? When I was growing up, I had a cat named Fluffy.

If you could change your pet’s name what would it be? I don’t know - she was a short-haired cat, so Fluffy didn’t exactly describe her, but I was only 5 or so at the time.

What is you brother or sisters name? Andrea, Debra, and Marni

If you could change their name what would it be? I wouldn’t change their names, but I do have nicknames for them: Ange, Deb, and Marn or Lynner (her middle name is Lynn).

Let me know if you want to play along.

1. Where is your cell phone? burgundy purse
2. Where is your significant other? downstairs, gaming
3. Your hair? brown, thick
4. Your mother? wonderful Grandmama
5. Your father? terrific Papa
6. Your favorite thing? reading, quiet
7. Your dream last night? broken house
8. Your favorite drink? cinnamon latte
9. Your dream/goal? publish novel
10. The room you’re in? living room
11. Your hobby? reading, blogging
12. Your fear? losing child
13. Where you want to be in 6 years? goal weight
14. Where were you last night? right here
15. What you’re not? disciplined, industrious
16. Muffins? pumpkin spice
17. One of your wish list items? book shelves
18. Where you grew up? Sedro Woolley
19. The last thing you did? baked pizza
20. What are you wearing? t-shirt, capris
21. Your TV? fading fast
22. Your pets? no, thanks
23. Your computer? love it!
24. Your life? busy, blessed
25. Your mood? hungry, anticipatory
26. Missing someone? three sisters
27. Your car? “new” minivan!
28. Something you’re not wearing? shoes, socks
29. Favorite store? Barnes/Noble
30. Your summer? moving, maybe
31. Like someone? hubby, kids
32. Your favorite color? deep purple
33. When is the last time you laughed? Slings/Arrows
34. Last time you cried? talking, sister

From Carol at Magistramater. If you want to play along, consider yourself tagged!

Today was just what I needed. Kevin and I and the boys drove up to Trail, B.C. to swim and play at the Aquatic Center. (Natalie is spending the weekend with Grandmama and Papa.) We stayed for about three hours. I swam for an hour and a half, showered, and then sat and read until Kevin and the boys were worn out and starving. We went out to eat where I had some very yummy stuffed mushrooms (so not on Weight Watchers ). A quick stop at Tim Horton’s for coffee and then the ride home, during which I managed to doze off in spite of drinking a large Tim Horton’s with two creams and two sugars.

The kids are now getting some game time in, Kevin is dozing since he had to stay awake to drive us home, and I’m going to watch the second half of Anna Karenina. I bought the version with Sophie Marceau and Sean Bean (!) a while ago, but have been saving it until I had finished the book. I watched the first half last night while Kevin was gaming, and it’s just okay. But it is Sean Bean, so I will force myself to finish it.

Karen tagged me to do the Seven Random Facts Meme, so here goes:

~ I love the beach, but hate the ocean - the underwater part of it, anyway. I hate movies that feature underwater scenes - Finding Nemo is about the only exception. Those underwater aquariums - where the water is all around you and you can see all those fish and sharks swimming around - make me freak out, which Kevin discovered on our honeymoon. Guess I’ll never go snorkeling.

~ I have only lived in one state - Washington. I’ve lived in the northwest corner, southwest corner, and we now reside in the northeast corner.

~ My daughter and I are planning to participate in NaNoWriMo this year.

~ I was a theater major in college and acted and/or sang in several plays, including A Comedy of Errors, Love’s Labours Lost, The Water Engine, Once Upon a Mattress, The Hostage, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Steel Magnolias.

~ I am a very light sleeper, which is why Kevin has spent the last several weeks sleeping on an air mattress in the living room while he gets over a sinus infection that makes him snore louder and more continuously than usual.

~ I can read anywhere, anytime, no matter how noisy or busy things are around me.

~ I have a really bad habit of interrupting people - especially my husband. He hates it.

I saw this at Can I Borrow Your Book, and decided to play along since I have nothing else to post at the moment.

Here are the directions:

Another (5) Book Meme

1. Take five books off your bookshelf.
2. For Book #1, quote the first sentence.
3. For Book #2, quote the last sentence on page fifty.
4. For Book #3, quote the second sentence on page one hundred.
5. For Book #4, quote the next to the last sentence on page one hundred fifty.
6. For Book #5, quote the final sentence of the book.
7. Make the five sentences into a paragraph.

Book # 1 - Discovering the Writer Within: 40 Days to More Imaginative Writing by Bruce Ballenger and Barry Lane.

You have always thought you could be a writer.

Book # 2 - The Best American Short Stories 2007 edited by Stephen King.

As if summoned by the noise, the birds appear and land on the pins, sucked into them in some way I cannot imagine.

Book # 3 - Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy.

“I hope I may have the honor of calling on you,” he said.

Book # 4 - The Softwire: Betrayal on Orbis 2 by PJ Haarsma.

“You are to confirm the rumors that the female is with child,” he said.

Book # 5 - Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick.

It was a small victory to be sure, but in the winter of 1677 it was the best that Benjamin Church could do.

And the resulting paragraph:

You have always thought you could be a writer. As if summoned by the noise, the birds appear and land on the pins, sucked into them in some way I cannot imagine. “I hope I may have the honor of calling on you,” he said. “You are to confirm the rumors that the female is with child,” he said. It was a small victory to be sure, but in the winter of 1677 it was the best that Benjamin Church could do.

Let me know if you decide to play along!

I’ve seen this several places, most recently at My Own Little Reading Room. The idea is to write your memoir, with one catch: you can only use six words. I have been thinking about it off and on - how do you distill an entire life into six words? After much pondering, I decided simple was best. Here’s what I came up with.

Wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, reader.

Want to play along? Let me know, so I can read yours.

I’ve always liked watching Inside the Actor’s Studio hosted by James Lipton, and the best part is the questions he asks each guest at the end of the interview. Someone has turned those questions into a meme, which I saw at Books on the Brain.

1. What is your favorite word? susurrus, scrumptious, vivid

2. What is your least favorite word? “Like” when used in place of said. “I was like, ‘Duh!’ You know?” Ugh. Or the word “just” thrown into a prayer. “Lord, we’re asking that you would “just” be with us…”

3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Books and music.

4. What turns you off? Whining. Being only half-listened to.

5. What is your favorite curse word? I try not to curse, but I’ve been known to say “crap” every once in a while. My typing teacher used to say “sh-aving cream” - drawing the “sh” sound out for a long time, of course.

6. What sound or noise do you love? Rain. Josh Groban’s voice. Silence.

7. What sound or noise do you hate? The fake crying sound my kids make when they’re mad at each other and trying to get my attention. Teeth scraping on a fork.

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Writer, bookstore owner.

9. What profession would you not like to do? Anything in the medical profession. I’m much too squeamish, and I wouldn’t want to be that responsible for other people’s health.

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? After “Well done, good and faithful servant” - I suppose, “Here’s the library!”

Let me know if you play along!

I saw this at Quoth the Maven, and thought it would be a good way to continue my week of meaningless posts.

Full name: Carrie Eileen Kitzmiller.
What are you most afraid of?: Biggie: losing a child. Not-so-biggie: Spiders.
What is the most recent movie that you have seen on bootlet?: I don’t know what bootlet is. If they mean “bootleg” - I don’t.
Place of birth: Bellingham, Washington
Favorite food: Pizza.
Natural hair color: Brown. With more and more grey every day.
Ever been a Neat Freak?: I can hear my mom laughing all the way from her house. Um, no.
Ever been skinny dipping?: Mom, close your eyes - yes.
Love someone so much it made you cry?: Yes.
Ever been in a car accident?: Yes - and it was completely my fault. Thank God, no one was hurt. Except me - but only minor bruises and sore muscles.
Croutons or bacon bits?: Can I have both, please?
Favorite day of the week?: Friday.
Favorite restaurant?: Stefani’s Oak Street Grill. After years of only mediocre restaurants in our little town, we now have a restaurant with delicious food and wonderful atmosphere.
Favorite flower?: Dutch Iris.
Favorite sport to watch?: Football.
Favorite drink?: Non-alcoholic: Pepsi. Alcoholic: Colorado Bulldog.
Favorite ice cream?: Cherry Garcia or Chubby Hubby.
Warner Bros. or Disney?: Either - I love movies.
Ever been on a ship?: Does a ferry count?
What color is your bedroom carpet?: Don’t have a carpet in the bedroom - hardwood floors.
How many times did you fail your driver’s test?: None.
Before this one, from whom did you get your last e-mail?: Andrea, who’s working on a little secret project for me.
What do you do when you’re bored?: Read.
Bedtime?: 10:30 or 11:00.
Favorite TV shows?: House, Bones, Lost, Heroes, Jericho, and Life. If there are any other TV shows with one-word titles, chances are, I’ll like them.
Last person you went to dinner with?: Kevin - last Wednesday as an early Valentine’s Day celebration.
Park or zoo?: Parks are better for sitting in the sun and reading while the kids play - and I’ve never been much of an animal person.
Favorite colors?: Purple and dark green.
How many tattoos do you have:? None.
How many pets do you have?: None.
Which came first, the chicken or the egg?: The chicken, of course.
What do you want to do before you die?: Visit Ireland. Write a book.
Have you ever been to Hawaii?: No.
Have you been to countries outside the U.S.?: Canada and Mexico.

Let me know if you play along.

Lisa at Kentucky Woman tagged me for a Hoopla. I don’t think I’ve ever done a Hoopla before.

(1) Post the rules on your post before you answer the questions.

(2) List one fact about yourself using each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name use your maiden name instead.

(3) When finished answering, tag one person for each letter of your name.

My middle name is Eileen.

E - Education - I homeschool my kids.
I - Ireland - I will visit there before I die.
L - Latin - The kids and I are learning Latin together.
E - Evergreen - I live in Washington, the Evergreen State.
E - Eggplant - I hate it.
N - Nephews - I have six.

Whew - that’s a lot of “E”s! If you are looking for something to post because you can’t think of anything else, consider yourself tagged.

Natalie tagged me for this book meme. The idea is to choose your favorite book, and write a 30-60 word review of it, then tag some other bloggers. Since I know some people don’t like to be tagged, I’ll just say that if you want to do it, you’re it!

My favorite book (one of them, anyway) is Trinity by Leon Uris. Trinity is the story of Connor Larkin and his best friend, Seamus, and their families. Connor and Seamus become involved with the Irish Republican Brotherhood’s struggle for freedom from Britain. The writing is wonderful, the characters are strong, and I learn something new about Irish history every time I read it.

Meg at Get In, Hang On tagged me for this book thing:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

The nearest book is Vanity Fair:

“Damn Mr. George, sir. Am I master of the house? DINNER!” Mr. Osborne scowled.

Not a very revealing quote. Except, maybe, about Mr. Osborne’s personality.

Okay, I tag Kris, Lisa, Andrea, Eileen, and Natalie.

I don’t have an iPod, but I do have an MP3 player that has a shuffle feature, so I am going to play along with this fun meme I saw at Praise the Lord and Pass the Prozac.

Here are the instructions:

1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. Press forward for each question.
3. Use the song title as the answer to the question.
4. NO CHEATING.

Q: What does next year have in store for you?
Show Me the Way to Your Heart - Sara Evans

Q: What does your love life look like next year?
Cinema Paradiso - Josh Groban

Q: What do you say when life gets hard?
Blessing in Disguise - Christine Dente

Q: Song that reminds you of good times?
Tim McGraw - Taylor Swift

Q: What do you think when you get up in the morning?
Never Going Back Again - Fleetwood Mac

Q: What song will you dance to at your wedding?
Already married, but here’s the song that came up: Bold Riley - Kate Rusby

Q: Song that reminds you of your first kiss?
Bless Me Indeed - Mercy Me

Q: Your favorite saying?
No One Like You - Barlow Girl

Q: Favorite place?
I’ll Take Care of You - Steven Curtis Chapman

Q: Most Missed Memory?
Starts With Goodbye - Carrie Underwood

Q: What song describes your best friend?
The Sleepless Sailor - Kate Rusby

Q: What song describes your ex?
The First Cut is the Deepest - Sheryl Crow - ha!

Q: Where would you go on a first date?
When God Fearin’ Women Get the Blues - Martina McBride

Q: Drug of choice?
The Power of a Moment - Chris Rice

Q: What song describes yourself?
Let Me Go - Susan Ashton

Q: What is the thing you like doing most?
The Maze - Taylor Hicks

Q: The song that best describes the president?
China Grove - Doobie Brothers

Q: Where will you be in 10 years?
Only Getting Started - Steven Curtis Chapman

Q: Your love life right now?
Scribbling in the Sand - Michael Card

Q: What is your state of mind like at the moment?
Whiskey, Yer the Devil - An Dochas - lol

Q: How will you die?
Heaven Knows - Kathy Troccoli

That was fun - let me know if you play along!