Gavin is teething. He’s not even 3 months old…and this has been going on, I believe, for at least 2 weeks.

Yikes.

From Real Clear Politics: Is Obama Using Bush’s Playbook?

In late 2006, before this presidential election cycle picked up speed, conventional wisdom dictated that the winning campaign had to follow the model that then-Governor George W. Bush had used in 2000 and the Bush campaign perfected during his re-election bid in 2004. On the Republican side that assumption was clearly incorrect. On the Democratic side, the campaign of Senator Barack Obama has embraced the Bush-Rove construct and added its own unique features to it.

What?

Reading on, I discover how they’re similar: they both happen to run successful campaigns. Yeah, that means they’re soul brothers. Really, truly, it does. What.ever. It’s beyond annoying that this is what passes for political analysis in the press.

More thoughts on it, but unlikely I’ll blog it. Something about having two kids at home seems to preclude much blogging anymore other than short burst. And I’m considering grad school…am I insane?

Happy Mothers’ Day to all!

From my Google widget:

I believe in looking reality straight in the eye and denying it.
- Garrison Keillor

Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.
- Philip K. Dick

Heh.

Heather Armstrong managed to capture just how I often feel about my 3-1/2 year old princess:

That sweet little baby has turned into a sweet little girl, and believe me, there are days when I want to glue a bucket to her head just to muffle the whining, and then position her so that she’ll walk blindly into a wall, but on days like today, I understand that she is and always will be the best thing that has ever happened to me.

(emphasis added)

Okay, maybe I’d skip the glue. Just sayin’.

I’ve actually given my husband grief before about how he described Hillary Clinton. To his credit, normally, he attacks her methods and character, not her gender!

Zuzu at Feministe does a fabulous job of explaining why it is harmful to women for people to launch misogynistic attacks on Senator Clinton. Well said. As one commenter on the post also said, I dislike Ann Coulter, but that doesn’t mean I don’t cringe when someone’s argument against her is calling her a “tranny.”

I participate in an online forum related to T-Tapp, and I’ve gotten accustomed (okay, acclimated) to the fairly high percentage of people who somehow think it’s absolutely necessary to wear their religion on their sleeve (in a signature line that is; religion-related posts are verboten). Yesterday, a couple folks on a thread where I’ve participated for a long time got onto politics — specifically singing from the FAUXNoise songsheet. After reading one final post that seemed to imply that the poster had swallowed the “Obama is a Muslim” koolaid (and what if he were? So fucking what?…anyway), I’d had enough and posted a brief request to cease and desist the political talk.

Okay, I wasn’t entirely innocent. I also asked one person to kindly clarify what she’d meant by “the whole ‘Hussein’ thing” (as in, the terrorists will be thrilled if BHO wins…wha???).

Anyway, a moderator posted next, more firmly insisting on NO POLITICAL TALK. She also cleaned up my post (dang, that’s embarrassing, especially since I almost deleted that part myself, duh), along with the one I quoted. She missed the ones on the previous page, but eh…whatever. In response to this verbal spanking, one of the original political-talk people replied thusly:

Allison & (other person who thanked the moderator for stepping in) -
My humble apologies if you have been offended by discussion on this thread of current issues in our country. While I don’t apologize for WHAT I said - I am sorry you and possibly others were offended at the personal opinions that leaked into our thread. I actually had thought during my typing “you know I wonder if we shouldn’t just use personal email for our thoughts on this issue to each other”

To the moderators - my bad…it won’t happen again. Please don’t lock this thread on account of some of us who are passionately opinionated/concerned about the current issues of our times.
As I did say in my last post…enough said.

(emphasis added)

A couple points:

1. Dude, if you’re not actually going to apologize, please don’t pretend. “I apologize for your being a sensitive wussy” is NOT an apology. Just STFU instead, and you’ll come across as having just a leeeeetle bit more integrity.
2. Just because you don’t have the netiquette to realize that posting political views (as if they’re *obviously* what *any* sensible person should believe) on a non-political forum is a rude thing to do, that doesn’t mean you’re the only person who’s passionate about what’s going on in our society. It just means you’re the socially stunted and rude person who cares.

I’d love to flame this person, but you know, I like the FITNESS-RELATED info I get on this forum. She’s not worth it.

Shortly after Gavin turned one week old, I *thought* it looked like he was trying to smile — not a reflexive smile, but an honest-to-goodness social smile. “Nah, couldn’t be,” I thought. “Surely it’s just gas.”

By 10 days old, I believed it — the kid was trying to smile. Now (at 2 weeks today!), I have no doubt at all, and even caught a smile at his daddy in photo form:

Precocious, much?

Mike earlier told me that he’d informed Maya she didn’t need fruit snacks — she needs food that will help her grow.

Just a minute ago, Maya started talking about her hot cocoa:

It’s good for me. It makes me grow.

I commented to Mike, “hey, she was listening…”

…it makes my NIPPLES GROW!

THANK YOU. The ENFP drive-to-authenticity in me cringes with each specious claim Senator Clinton makes.

Greg Craig, former director of the Policy Planning Office, U.S. State Department sent out this memo today:

When your entire campaign is based upon a claim of experience, it is important that you have evidence to support that claim. Hillary Clinton’s argument that she has passed “the Commander- in-Chief test” is simply not supported by her record.

There is no doubt that Hillary Clinton played an important domestic policy role when she was First Lady. It is well known, for example, that she led the failed effort to pass universal health insurance. There is no reason to believe, however, that she was a key player in foreign policy at any time during the Clinton Administration. She did not sit in on National Security Council meetings. She did not have a security clearance. She did not attend meetings in the Situation Room. She did not manage any part of the national security bureaucracy, nor did she have her own national security staff. She did not do any heavy-lifting with foreign governments, whether they were friendly or not. She never managed a foreign policy crisis, and there is no evidence to suggest that she participated in the decision-making that occurred in connection with any such crisis. As far as the record shows, Senator Clinton never answered the phone either to make a decision on any pressing national security issue – not at 3 AM or at any other time of day.

When asked to describe her experience, Senator Clinton has cited a handful of international incidents where she says she played a central role. But any fair-minded and objective judge of these claims – i.e., by someone not affiliated with the Clinton campaign – would conclude that Senator Clinton’s claims of foreign policy experience are exaggerated.

(…continued)

Craig continues with details of HRC’s (non)involvement in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Rwanda, and China.
Read the rest here.

So, who the heck is Greg Craig? I know that since the post/link is to an Obama blog, I wanted more detail. I’m an Obama supporter for sure, but that doesn’t mean I’m willing to just take anything without backup. A quick Google search gave me a *powerful* summary from blogger David Mixner. It’s good enough that I’m copying almost the whole darned thing. Visit Mixner’s blog, please, though — give the man some traffic!

Now, I know that Greg Craig is not a house hold name and you might be scratching your head and saying, “Who the hell is Greg Craig?” You shouldn’t feel bad if his name is not on the tip of your tongue. But his desertion of the Clintons for a fresh voice should be major news. Just review his relationship with the President and Senator and you will know why this is a big deal.

Greg Craig has known the Clintons since they were at Yale. In fact, some claim that Craig personally introduced Bill and Hillary. He has known them for nearly four decades as both a personal friend and a counsel to the President. During the impeachment trial, Craig served as White House Special Counsel and defended the President in the proceedings before the United States Congress. He was that close to the President.

In addition, Craig was a senior advisor to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, building on his years as an advisor to Senator Kennedy on defense and foreign policy issues.

The man is not a lightweight. In addition to the President of the United States, he has represented Alexander Solzhenitsyn, The Washington Post, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and Elian Gonzalez’s father, who sought the return of his son to Cuba. A prolific attorney, he has built a portfolio that includes some of the most high profile clients and cases in Washington.

He is the ultimate FOB, or “friend of Bill,” and a consummate Washington insider. He would be among those you would expect to immediately support Senator Clinton. Having been their friend, lawyer and confidant for all this time, his early endorsement of Obama is astounding. And yes, Senator Obama is a powerful and charismatic candidate, but you can be sure there is more in play than just Craig being inspired by the good Senator from Illinois.

On another note, my darling opinionated husband (good thing we happen to agree most of the time) has started a community blog on the Obama site. I was glad to hear that, because more people than Maya (3-1/2), baby Gavin (6 days), and I should hear his thoughts on strategy.

Or, as Maya likes to say (over and over again), “Welcome to the world, baby Gavin!”

Gavin made his appearance at 3:47am March 5th, after very short, very intense labor and birth at home. Let me tell ya…total labor time (from first contraction until actual delivery) of less than 3-1/2 hours made for some mighty powerful work! Whew. We’re all doing well.

(click photo for more pictures)


Gavin Leopold
March 5, 2008 3:47am
8 pounds, 0 ounces
20.5 inches long
14 inch head

Full birth story beneath the fold.

Read the rest of this entry »

Seems about like Mike. (via xkcd)

Note to self: Flu (I’m hovering around 101F right now) and late pregnancy? Ugly, ugly mixture. Baby wants me to eat. I can’t stand the thought of food.

On the eve of my primary, this seems entirely appropriate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Miscellanea:

The return of my lost posts is coming soon, thanks to Kate who found the text of them via bloglines (whew).

We’re somewhere in the middle of moving, spending our third night up in Los Alamos tonight, but with piles o’ stuff to still move from Santa Fe over the coming weekend. At least we did our truck/furniture moving on Saturday, when the sun was shining. Since then, about a foot of snow has fallen!

During today’s visit with my midwife, she estimated that baby boy is probably about 6-1/2 pounds by now. Get that? 5 weeks before his “due date,” he weighs more than Maya did at birth. Stretchhhhhhhhhhhhh.

As of this moment, there’s no way we’re moving to Vienna. Considering that our living room is filled with plastic containers — ones which we were sorting and packing for an overseas move — this is a big, big deal.

I don’t feel like going into the reasons for now, but we’re staying put probably until the Summer, and figuring out some way to move to the Denver area instead. Am I crushed? Nah. At this point, I’m so exhausted from the drama that has dragged out for five months, that I’m simply relieved to have the decision-making power back in our hands.

Harrumph. Huh…my uncle asked what we’re doing for Christmas, and I realized that I have NO FREAKIN’ IDEA. I thought we’d be frantically packing to be ready to load a shipping container bound for Europe. Guess not.

Sometimes, I have to look back at the title of this blog. “It is what it is.” It’s not just a pithy statement that was prominently overused on the first season of Top Chef (yes, I love Bravo’s reality series). It’s a profound way of looking at life and learning to not only accept, but embrace the life I have.

This was in an email this morning on a yahoo group re: birth that I frequent:

You never know what unexpected benefits may come from something
going differently than you’d hoped. So thinking that way may allow
you to relax and enjoy the whole process more - and may make for a
MUCH happier holiday season for all involved.

This email was in response to one gal’s concerns about having family present for her child’s birth — family whom she’d rather not have in the room. Birth doesn’t stress me out. While Maya’s birth wasn’t pain-free, it also wasn’t traumatic in the least. It was fantastic, really. But when I applied these thoughts in a broader sense, a lightbulb went off.

My response:

(name),

Just realized I should tell you — I thoroughly enjoy your posts. This last bit is especially helpful to me now, not about birthing, but simply regarding our lives. In July, we learned that my dh was getting a job offer that will move us to Europe. The formal offer didn’t finally arrive (hooray bureaucratic nightmare) until just before Thanksgiving, and now we’re eagerly/anxiously awaiting their response to our counter to their (typical) low-ball salary. Since I’m due in March, this feels like a time-bomb ticking; I’m not willing (and DH agrees) that we won’t move after mid-January, when I hit 32 weeks. Of course, the organization is dragging out their acceptance/formal plans now, so we’re … antsy … to say the least.

Anyway, it’s so often been true in my life that the unplanned and unexpected can transform into something fabulous. We may move to Europe. We may stay put. We may move somewhere entirely different. Whatever happens, our lives will work out. Thanks for the reminder!

I hit 32 weeks pregnancy on January 15th. Moving somewhere else in the US after that wouldn’t be a big deal at all. Moving to another country, where I don’t even speak the native language? Now THAT is a stressful thought. It’s good to remind myself that we’re doing everything that we need to do, and that whatever happens, we’ll be fine.

Stressed much?

On a semi-related note, I had an OB appointment on Monday and (no surprise, as I feel rather whale-like) measured about 2 weeks ahead of my estimated due date. They packed me off for an ultrasound to be sure all was well, and, as I expected, everything’s fine. Baby is simply big. He’s roughly 2 pounds, 5 ounces at this point, and approximately 15-16 inches from head to foot. On top of that, I’ve got lots o’ amniotic fluid, so yeah…my belly’s big. Since I have little torso room to speak of, that translates to a baby sticking WAY out in the front for my 26 weeks. Mike’s a big guy. We’re likely to have a big baby. No “big” deal.

But, that means I got pictures!

This particular clinic offers 3D/4D in addition to the typical sonographic images. Pity that little guy really didn’t feel like showing his face. The songographer thought this was a muscle-man pictures. To me, it says Moooommmmmm…leave me alone! Five more minutes!

He was, however, perfectly happy to flash us his nether-regions again, assuring us that the sonogram in October was in no way mistaken about gender. Look, ma! I’m a BOY!

I love profile photos. This also gives you an idea of how little guy likes to flex his feet and push on me. All. the. time. And, for the record, I think he’ll have Mike’s nose.

Toward the very end, Baby Boy finally moved his arm/elbow down just enough that we got a shot of eyes and nose.

After sending this to my moms’ group, I realized, DUH…I should post it here, too. If you get a chance to see a movie, do this one. Really.

I keep forgetting to RAVE about this movie to you guys! Mike and I saw it on our anniversary (go figure, a day away from Maya, and we still went to a kids’ flick), and we BOTH were just about rolling the whole movie, and preggo-emotional-me, I cried at the end. I loved, loved, loved it.

If you’ve been (forced to watch) exposed to your basic Disney animated flick at ALL, go see it. Seriously. We actually bought the soundtrack while still in Colorado, and have listened to it nearly daily since then.

Here’s another review, from a feminist standpoint — I totally agree with her.

Via the Humanist Symposium, I found one of the clearest and most concise descriptions of natural human morality that I’ve ever read. Here’s a bit:

Our concept that there is such a thing as right and wrong is hardwired into us by our evolution. We have a sort of universal “moral grammar”, but not a universal “moral language”. For instance: The notion it is wrong to harm an innocent person is universal, but specific notions of who is innocent and who is not innocent are far from being universal.

Read the rest here. As a non-theist who frequently hears from family that it’s “impossible” to find morality without God, this makes so much sense to me.

We’re having a boy, folks.

Last pregnancy, my skin was smooth and glowing. This time, I’m breaking out and oily. Oh, and I have extra hairs on my chinny-chin-chin.

Last pregnancy, I craved all-sugar-all-the-time. This time? Chicken. Bring me the chicken, darn it.

Last pregnancy, I got wide, and my belly grew low. This time? Well, I’m still getting wide (sigh…darned hips and thighs), but my belly is way the heck up near my ribcage. Let’s not discuss how much I weigh now at 21 weeks. The idea of piling 19ish pounds on top of that scares the bejesus out of me. Oddly, though, I feel great. I mean really, really great. And I love the belly enough that the butt and thighs are just annoying tag-alongs.

As different as everything is, and from the hint I got from intelligender, I had an inkling that this just might not be another girlie-girl. Nah. It’s a boy-boy-boy.

Gee, ya think? There was no room for questioning at this ultrasound. Not only did baby boy show the goods, he showed ALL the goods (seriously, we could see scrotum), multiple times. “Hi! I’m here! I’m HAPPY!”

He’s developing at a pretty normal pace, too, which relieves me and my fears of “what if this kid has a noggin as big as his dad’s?”

Looks pretty cozy in there, to me. I wouldn’t mind a recliner like that.

Since learning (three weeks ago, sorry to be so late) that this is a he-baby, we sorted through Maya’s piles (and piles) of baby clothing and packed a 30+ pound box to ship to Iowa to Mike’s sister, who’s having a girl next month. No, we haven’t decided for sure whether this will be “the end” for us, but why let all those cute things just sit unused? The universe will surely reciprocate should we have another baby girl down the road. And for this one, friends have given me stacks of boy duds to start with. And, of course, we *had* to buy a few new-to-this-baby items, just because we could. Who knew that boy clothing could be so fun?

We still don’t have timing on the move to Austria. Our last update was mid-October, that the Director General of the IAEA had signed off the paperwork, THEN it was going back to personnel, and THEN it would be sent to us. Maybe by Thanksgiving we’ll have details? Whatever, Mike knows that if we hit mid-January (32 weeks) without a move, I will seriously look at moving to Colorado until after the baby’s born. He says he will NOT let that happen.

So, that’s what’s up here…we’re still preparing for a big move in the December/January timeframe, but getting yanked around about the details. We’re told this is quite normal, and to expect things to move VERY quickly once they finally get us the paperwork. Wait and hurry-up.