Snowbound Herpetologist

Well, I've been quite slow on updates recently, mostly because husband has spent the last month in Peru.  That means that I have been a) a solo parent, b) a pre-tenure professor who is teaching a class for the first time, and c) pregnant all by myself for a month.  I have decided that any two of these could be manageable, but all three together is pretty bad.  It works as long as everything "goes right," but the major problem is that there is literally no buffer available if something goes wrong.  Even something simple like missing a bus can throw a major monkey wrench in getting the things done that you need to get done, like the daycare pickup or making a morning meeting on time.  The only reason I have the time and space to write this blog entry right now is that Maya is doing something nefarious in my office (being very quiet, answered "No" when I asked her if she would tell me what she's doing) and I just don't have the will to go check beyond that

Good news from this morning's anatomy scan!  First, new baby is still looking very healthy, with all measurements falling between 19 and 20 weeks (today I am 19w2d by LMP, 19w5d by early ultrasound/OPKs).  All measurements on both heart and brain look great, the latter reassuring since I spent a month in Zika-land and returned only 8 weeks before conception. We saw her open her mouth and swallow/yawn, wave her arms around, and otherwise look generally pissed off that the tech kept pushing on her with the wand.  Again, her girl bits looked like girl bits, so we're feeling quite confident that we should go ahead and pick a name for her.  Also, the tech couldn't find any remnant of the SCH, so I guess I'm cleared to do things like yoga again!  I'm going to wait to actually sign up for a class until I talk to my midwife next week (and I still might opt out of all down dogs, eek), but maybe I can now feel safe enough to empty the (literal) mountain of pads out of my purs

So first thing's first, in case any of you are worried about us - I have officially gone 20 days in a row with no bleeding!  Not even spotting!  Hopefully, that means that the SCH is completely gone, but I still have 2 more weeks before the anatomy scan when I'll know for sure (I couldn't get an appointment until 19 weeks).  I am up to walking an average of about ~3.5 miles a day, although I go quite slow and I'm still too scared to do yoga (inversion still seems like a bad idea).  Overall, I am feeling more optimistic and *definitely* looking very pregnant. One thing that has been fun so far about pregnancy is how it makes me nostalgic, especially for food from my yesteryears.  Salsa from my favorite taqueria in San Francisco, salad from my favorite pizza place in New Mexico (ok, and some green chile pizza, too, yummmmmmm), veggie sushi from my favorite place I went to in grad school - I crave them all.  Cravings are definitely stronger this time around, although per

Well, yesterday was mostly good news, and a little bit of (not unexpected) bad news.  The good news is that the baby is growing very well, measuring 3 days ahead of schedule, with a strong heartbeat of 156bpm, which I think is exactly what Maya's was at her NT scan.  New baby's NT measurement was a wonderfully low 1.4mm, and the basic gross anatomy check looked perfect.  They did more brain hemisphere shots than they did with Maya, which was kind of fun.  We got one clear look at her girl bits, and indeed, they do in fact look like girl bits.  Overall, she was active and moving - so fun and beautiful to watch - and completely gorgeous. Awww, isn't she CUTE?  I think that so far, she looks identical to Maya, actually :) Now to the bad news...so I definitely have an active bleed (called a subchorionic hemorrhage, or SCH).  I knew something has been "different" (read "wrong") about this pregnancy because I've pretty much spotted through most of i

Just a super quick post with more information coming after the NT scan tomorrow.... Genetic testing (we did MaterniT21) says: chromosomally normal, and a GIRL! I'm in (happy!) shock on multiple levels, and so, so excited!

Well, good early news!  I'm almost 9 weeks with baby #2 - we had an early ultrasound this week because I had some (very minor) bleeding earlier on, but there's a strong heartbeat and everything looks good so far (and there's definitely only one baby in there, which is also great to hear).  We still have a ways to go before we're out of the woods, so we're not "announcing" or anything, but here's the very first fuzzy image of our new bean (I think it's a view up the baby's butt, so pretty unrecognizable): Meanwhile, I am, as expected, quite sick and otherwise feeling pregnant.  I will say, however, that being at home for the barfy period is LIGHT YEARS better than doing manual labor in the Tanami Desert, which is what I did the last time.  I haven't lost an ounce (compared to the nearly 10 lbs I lost last time), I've been able to take a few naps, and otherwise been enjoying the luxury of air conditioning.  So on the whole, I'm h

In contemplating a second pregnancy, I made the mistake of hunting down the handwritten journal I made during weeks 4-8 of my pregnancy with Maya while I was doing field work in Australia.  I had no access to books or internet while I was gone, so I literally wrote everything in the back of a field notebook.  I have transcripted the entries here for your *enjoyment*: 3 April 2013 - 4w0d Officially 14 dpo (minus half a day for the time change)!  Two positive tests, no sign of period.  No sore breasts, and no awesome pregnancy boobs :(  Biggest complaint: BUSH FLIES. Earlier: was dizzy days 5-10 dpo, but much better now.  Overall, I have felt great, although it’s not super easy acclimating to the temperature change.  I am a swollen balloon and can’t get my wedding ring off. 4 April 2013 - 4w1d Third positive test!  No longer ambiguous, line is much darker.  Slight nausea all day, but overall, all is well!  P.S. It is hot. 5 April 2013 - 4w2d Uber

Fantastic news all around -  we had an excellent and productive trip to the Amazon, I got the promotion to tenure track (still in the negotiation phase, but the offer is official - YAAAAAAY!), and my masters student successfully defended.  It took a couple weeks, but Maya has completely forgiven us for our long absence (she was pretty mad about it), and I've headstarted two whole flats of seeds for my garden this year, including a bunch of aji amarillo peppers so that I can make the Peruvian delicacy huancaina upon harvest :)  Life in our household is happy and vibrant! However, there are two things that weigh on my mind: 1) the insane increase in productivity/efficiency that I'll need to shoot for if I'm to get tenure here, and 2) the decision about whether or not to have another child.  Make no mistake, the first child didn't seem like a choice (in a good way).  If I couldn't both be a professor and have one child, then I didn't want to be a professor.  A s

Just so everyone doesn't think we're dead.... I have been inexcusably incommunicado lately, but there's a reason - well, several reasons, actually!  Husband and I (and a field crew of 8 additional people) are headed to the Peruvian Amazon in exactly one week (Maya is going to her grandparents' house).  We will be gone for a month, followed immediately by a job interview for me to be promoted to a tenure track position, which will be HUGE if I get it.  Cross your fingers that I don't come home with half my face eaten off from leishmaniasis, which would make for one hell of a memorable job interview :)  Thus, I am simultaneously trying to prepare for a brand new field research program with all brand new equipment (that I don't know how to work well yet) *and* prepare a job application, which is due before I leave.  Oh, and I have to organize everything with the house, the child, and the cat to be without my attention for a month.  Even the little things are star