Luxx's Loony Bin: Second Hour in the Mad House

Welcome to the loony bin.


Bethlem Royal Hospital
The oldest institution for the mentally unstable, Bethlem has always had a rather notorious reputation, and gifted the English language with the word "bedlam."




The List of Links
Biblio Beau, the second home for all my reviews
Random Starter Thread
Future Readers
First Hour in the Mad House

Books Read in 2010 (100 Books. Major Event: Second Adjunct Position Obtained)
Books Read in 2009 (145 Books. Major Event: Birth of Second Monster)
Books Read in 2008 (61 Books. Major Events: Birth of First Monster, First Adjunct Position Obtained)
Books Read in 2007 (85 Books. Major Event: Finished my MA in English Lit)

I'm 32 on the intro list.

And here's the further madness I'm tracking this year:

List of Books Read in 2011

1. Expecting 411 by Michele Hakakha and Ari Brown. 1.1.11. ***
2. Mr. Monster by Dan Wells. 1.4.11. ****1/2
3. Home for a Spell by Madelyn Alt. 1.6.11. ****
4. Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. 1.7.11. *****
5. The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter. 1.8.11. ***1/2
6. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. 1.12.11. ****
7. The Darkest Kiss by Gena Showalter. 1.13.11. **1/2
8. Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy by Abigail Reynolds. 1.15.11. ****1/2
9. Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny. 1.18.11. *****
10. Trifles by Susan Glaspell. 1.28.11.

11. Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson. 2.5.11. ***1/2
12. Oedipus the King by Sophocles. 2.6.11.
13. Murder on St. Mark's Place by Victoria Thompson. 2.8.11. ***3/4
14. Murder on Gramercy Park by Victoria Thompson. 2.11.11. ****

Already? Wow!

From the last thread.. Happy Labor Day then, Luxx :)

Thanks, Stasia!

You are most welcome. lol

Ouch. I can't imagine being in labour for the next two days. That's enough to put me off kids for the foreseeable future!

I hope he has a great birthday on wednesday though. And that your next one comes faster!!!

Ha! Next one is a scheduled c-section, so I know he will!

And I wasn't in labor for the full two days - it didn't really kick in until dinner on the 17th. I think the mischief maker was just waiting for it to snow.

I had two emergency C-sections so I never had any labor at all. That fact does not distress me in the slightest.

Same with my mum. I was an emergency C-section and she said she never even had a braxton-hicks.

Yep, I never had a contraction of any kind either. Sounds like we have this childbirth thing all figured out :)

B came down to a c-section, and after much soul-searching and discussion with my midwives and two different OB offices, I decided to schedule Max.

Best decision ever. I had a very difficult time with B's birth because I'm (still) very pro-natural birth, but this really was the best decision for me and for my little family, and I have no qualms about going for it again!

Ummmm....Luxx? You might want to head over to Darryl's thread.

I said something about wanting "at least one" child - probably only one. Now he says he expects you and I to have at least 4 or 5 children a piece! ;) Thought you might have something to say about that!! ;)

(It all started when he posted that scary/funny post about life with children!)

Anyhow, back to your last thread - LOOOOVE the costume! If we lived closer I would ask you to give me sewing lessons!

*snort* One of the joys of scheduling a c-section is that I can nip that "4 or 5" in the bud then and there! This body - and this house - cannot handle more than three. ;)

I'll pass off my extra 1-2 to you. Surely you can handle it!

I lose track of Darryl's thread so quickly I'm sure I'd never be able to find the discussion myself...

Lol at the passing of the extra children! That's what my friends with 7 children say to me all the time. :)

Here's the thread:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/107250

Start at message #30 if you want to catch the discussion.

Thanks! I realized his thread wasn't up to 2,000 yet, so I was actually able to find it.

Four to five children. Yeah. No way in hell that'll happen for me. I know plenty of people that are pleased as punch with their large families, and I will leave them to it! But three has always been my maximum, and even that will change things I didn't plan on when we first started.

For example, I never expected to find a job I love, and the absolutely impossible task of finding affordable (and trustworthy) childcare for parttime work. MD has some of the highest childcare costs in the country, and I've been really lucky with family and friends so far. I don't think I could push it any more!

In an act of brilliant energy efficiency, I had twin sons (one 7.5 lbs, one 6.5 lbs) almost naturally. They were nothing like the horrors on Darryl's list but were funny, happy, sweet, mostly good lads. I'd do it all again in a heartbeat. They are nearly 30 now, big strapping men who have enriched my life beyond telling. If I hadn't been in my mid-thirties when I had them, Luxx, I would have had a third as well. You bring back such good memories with your photos and stories.

For both 1 and 2 Michael and I hoped for twins - I think it would have been great fun! However, with 3 we were happy to find just one baby - I think having twins after having two would have been a little too much for me personally.

I'm happy to hear that my thread brings back good memories of your men! "Mostly good" is all I really hope for - after all, every kid needs a chance to be "bad" once in awhile.

Hi Luxx! All the talk of having children is going right over my head so I'll just star your thread and try not to draw attention to myself. :)

#16 In an act of brilliant energy efficiency

rofl

Hi there sweetie!

Simply stopping in to see how you are feeling these days.

>20 Whisper1: - I'm just fine and dandy, thank you for asking! I hope you are getting plenty of rest and relaxation.

I stand in awe of anyone who can handle more than one pregnancy and consequently, more than one child! One pregnancy is definitely enough for me, and as much as I 100% whole-heartedly and unabashedly am absolutely in love with my little munchkin, one munchkin is enough too.

>22 scaifea: - It sounds like you've found your perfect happiness!

I am in awe of two major groups: stay at home moms, and those who are able to recognize their own happiness.

It took me six months at home with my first to realize that I could never be a SAHM, but I think it had less to do with the "mom" part and more to do with the "at home" part of that equation.

On that note, the semester begins on Wednesday, and I can't wait!

Amen to the start of a new semester. I look forward to learning what you are giving for assignments and the books to be read.

#23: Ha! Funny you should say that about stay-at-home moms and semester beginnings. Yesterday was my last first day of the semester - at the end of this academic year I'm leaving the glamorous (!) life of an academic to become a, yep you guessed it, SAHM!

#24 - The only new reading is The Island of Dr. Moreau, which I'm substituting for We Have Always Lived in the Castle (which went over rather poorly last semester). We'll see how that one goes! I am about to start The Ethics of Ambiguity with my AP student.

#25 - Wow, good for you! My mom was a SAHM, and as kids we absolutely loved it. It just didn't turn out to be the life for me. ;)

Of course, working as an adjunct is really the next best thing. This semester my schedule has me home by 10:15am on MWF, and I'll be gone from 10:30-1:45 or so on TTh (so I'll get an hour or so home before they even get up from their naps). I get the "brain time" I feel like I so desperately need (and the chance to wear heels), and I'm home far more than I'm not.

Adjuncting will definitely be a possibility after Charlie goes to school. My husband is an academic too, so there will be chances to teach as an adjunct at his school, which sounds really lovely.

I would have loved to be a SAHM. Unfortunately from a financial standpoint we could never afford it, so we did the next best thing - I worked nights while Kerry worked days. I have never regretted that decision although it has been hard on our marriage at times.

9.
Author(s): Louise Penny
Title: Bury Your Dead
Publication: Hardback
Pages: 371
Genre: Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: January 18, 2011
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

I have always found a kind of dignity in Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series, and Bury Your Dead is no different. The novel itself is one of introspection and personal awareness, as it forces two principal characters to exist as separate - suffering - entities. Despite a present murder, the true mysteries are those that occurred long ago, and the nearly academic nature of the primary mysteries become cathartic for Gamache and Jean-Claude as they strive to heal mentally from a terrible professional tragedy. At times, Bury Your Dead reads almost like a cozy mystery, as so much detection and consideration takes place in libraries and in the company of historical societies over more stereotypical interrogations. Gamache is shown to be fully human, though his standards reach far beyond, and Beauvoir is still as revolting as ever; as, I can only assume, he will continue to be.

Fever 100.4, miserable, will talk later xo

Poor Padre, I hope you feel better soon!

Luxx, I hope The Island of Dr. Moreau goes over better than the Jackson book!

Thanks, BDB! You were the one that inspired me in the first place; we'll see what they think in May.

Ahem. Today Mr. Brooks Dorian is three years old. Happy birthday, Brooksie Bear!

And a happy birthday to Mr. Poe as well.

I love that Brooks and Poe share their birthday! :)

Hurray, Happy birthday to Sir Books! :)

Found you :)

#34 - Me too! He was born at 12:01am, so I told everyone he was holding out for just the right date. ;)

Thanks, Stephen!

Happy Birthday to Brooks...and happy back-to-work to you, Luxx. It's a really big day in MD! Is tonight the Big Ball (sorry, I forgot the proper name) as well? Your dress is beautiful. I look forward to seeing it on you instead of a mannequin.

Hallo Luxx, been a while since I dropped by, so EXTREMELY belated congratulations on your future 3rd - July is a good month ;o) ...and, of course, happy new year and a very happy birthday to Brooks!

I'm kind of sad that We Have Always Lived in the Castle didn't go down well, as Shirley Jackson was one of my best discoveries of last year... Still, you've reminded me that I still haven't got around to reading The Island of Dr. Moreau, which I've meant to since reading The Invention of Morel the year before last (*makes mental note again*)

Happy Birthday Brooksie!!! From Crypto-Papaw. May your life be the opposite of Poe's, and your talents and success exceed his. *smooch*

Mildly human post-12 cups of coffee. The Scary Mean Ladies' Brigade intimidated me into making a fourth thread over here.

Happy Birthday, Brooks, from honorary Auntie Stasia :)

37- It's just so...appropriate...that you would have a child born on the birthday of a famous author...and one that you enjoy reading as well! :)

I loved the age of 3 in my two. Happy Birthday, Mr. Brooks.

Happy Birthday, Brooks! Now you're 3!!!!

You picked a good Mommy!

How times flies. Happy Birthday Brooks.

He says thank you to all! We're waiting on photos from Uncle Bo because a certain mommy was having too much fun just enjoying the company...

I was wondering Luxx, how do you post the picture in your reviews?

I use the regular {img} tag for html, and I use the address from the book's home page (under properties). Make sense?

No sorry I don't get it :-s

>49 mellymel171328: Find the cover, or picture, you want to post, somewhere on the Internet.

Put your cursor on the image. RIGHT click on the mouse. A box comes up with lots of options. Look for the one that says ""Properties." Click on that.

Another box appears. In that box, there is a section that says "URL:" Copy **ALL** of the information in the URL section, being sure to get the whole thing by click-and-dragging down to capture anything you can't see in the two or three lines always shown.

Come back to the place you want to post the image. Type {img src="URL PASTED HERE"}

Where you see "URL PASTED HERE", paste the URL you copied from the properties box. BE SURE TO USE THE QUOTES. And now for the tricky part: Where I used the braces (these dinguses: {}) you need to use the open and close pointy brackets (these dinguses: >).

DOes that help? It's not at all hard, but it's very, very picky, and won't show up unless you do everything right. Don't worry, you can always go back and try again! Nothing ever gets broken using this line of information.

#48 and #50 thanks for helping me out I got it figured all out. :)

Thanks, Padre. I'm really bad at this kind of thing. ;)

Well, gee golly, you have to be bad at something. So you're human after all. Rejoice! :)

*snort* I'm bad at plenty of things. I have a special gift for burning things in the slow cooker - figure that one out.

#54 That I haven't managed to do. I did manage to explode a pot full of soup and get the lid stuck to the ceiling though. That was fun to pick up.

It's ok, I cook food-in-a-box and a burn and undercook and do all sorts of things profound to it. Sometimes I even make it edible! :)

Happy Birthday to Brooks!

#57 - Thank you!

#55/6 - When I was pregnant with Brooks I set my stove on fire because I forgot I was cooking. Yup. Baby brain to the max. Thankfully, the only damage was smoke damage (I only set butter on fire, really), and it gave me great motivation to paint my first floor.

I keep hearing so much about baby brain... I told my husband, whose going to take care of the bills if I start to forget things? lol

So pregnant women are forgetful and have lots of sexy dreams? Hmm, I think I finally get the appeal now. :P

So Brooks is your child. Love the name. Happy birthday! :)

*snort* to Ms 9's ceiling-mounted soup lid, Crypto's burning stuff in a slow cooker (?!?), and the stove fire.

TDM's mother once forgot she was broiling our favorite sausage dish, red pepper heaven, because she was re-reading Molly Bloom's soliloquy from "Ulysses"...flames, smoke, operatic shrieking; good times! (I baking-soda'd the fire, and then bought them a fire extinguisher.)

#59/60 - I get very very forgetful. I read somewhere that a woman's brain literally shrinks (temporarily) due to a redirection of blood flow. I'm not sure if that part is true, but I know that I personally suffer from short term memory loss. I never forget the bills, though. ;)

And very sexy dreams.

#61 - Brooks is our first; he was named after my husband's WWII pilot grandfather, Frank Brooks. Granddad is actually the only family member who gets B's name wrong (calls him Brook). Max was named after Where the Wild Things Are. :)

#62 - I thought you were going to say she was reading Ulysses and fell asleep...

My only claim to "kitchen-fire-fame" was making cookies. I was busy whipping up the ingredients in the bowl and my toddlers were having a grand time watching me. I suddenly realized they were no longer paying attention to me but to something behind me. The oven. It was in flames but they never said a word - just got big, big eyes! I turned around and realized I had started the oven without checking inside. Tupperware cake container was fully involved!

Never got those cookies baked - what a holy mess! :P Melted plastic everywhere! Ron was not surprised when he got home. :P

Oh no!

I tried to bake a cake for a woman I babysat for, but had never encountered baking dishes/tupperware in the oven before. Thankfully nothing was permanently ruined!

Brooks would probably see flames and say "Happy birthday!" while blowing at them. That's what he does when I light my Yankee candles.

>63 London_StJ: She *adored* Joyce. Re-read Finnegans Wake annually, Ulysses every other year. *skritchskritch*

>64 -Cee-: ROFL I'm just lucky that, every time I've failed to check the oiven before crankin' 'er up, it's been pans, pots, or empty cookie sheets in there.

#63 "I read somewhere that a woman's brain literally shrinks (temporarily) due to a redirection of blood flow" - I think there's quite a lot of controversy about that (eg FOR and AGAINST)... I should point out that the latter has a lot more power to detect an effect, given many more people being tested - in my work, I wouldn't begin to trust a sample size of just 10. On the other hand, there's a lot of anecdotal evidence... ;o)

When I was living in halls at university, we managed to set the kettle on fire - quite an achievement given the kitchen surfaces were all flooded with water at the time.

Heh, it's probably something I read in the painful bit of What to Expect When You're Expecting that I waded through before tossing it aside.

Actual brain shrinkage? Who knows. I do know that my memory is crap during pregnancy, and improves again once I wean my babies, but that could just as easily be based on sleep deprivation. That, and my body reacts pretty poorly to hormone fluctuation, and I'm willing to blame pretty much everything on hormones. ;)

Thanks for the links!

I haven't had too many hormonal eposides.... I get weepy once in a while but other then that I am very normal... lol

I said that I wasn't very hormonal the other day and I got "the look".

*snort* I know better. Hormones have always been my enemy.

I didn't realize how greatly hormones influence my basic personality until I went off birth control for the first time; I had been taking the pill since I was, er, 14 or so. Which is also about the time my mother demanded I see a therapist...

Cue melodramatic counseling session. Cue debilitating week long migraines that hit just before my cycle every single month. Cue constant exhaustion and mood swings from hell.

I quickly put an end to the pointless "therapy," learned to deal with the physical symptoms, and beyond all reality found a loving partner who put up with my mood swings (trained in part by his upbringing, ha).

And then, I decided to go off birth control right before I turned 21. And the world turned upside down.

My migraines went from once a month to maybe one or two a year, lasting for two days instead of seven. My mood swings dwindled, and for the first time since I was a child I felt consistently happy and content.

A couple of months later we conceived Brooks, and I spent a delightful nine months on cloud nine (although I seemed to cry at the drop of a hat). And vowed never to take birth control ever again.

I was snappy and quick to anger when I was expecting Max, and I am again this time, but I can calm down more quickly because I know what's influencing my emotions, and I know that I will be able to chill out again in less than a year...

#69/70 - Weep and cry and rage away! You're busy baby-baking, so you get a little extra patience.

Fun - the top song on the US charts the day I was born was "Can't Fight This Feeling" by REO Speedwagon. You?

I managed to start a fire in my grandmother's oven when I was about three, playing with the knobs when there were pots or something being stored inside. Not quite as novel as getting a lid stuck to the ceiling, but I thought it was exciting that the firemen came.

Yeah, Luxx. I didn't want to toot my horn for 'inspiring' you, but I'm rooting for the students taking to The Island of Dr. Moreau.

#73 - Hey, if the firemen came then you beat me! Very exciting ... and probably terrifying for your grandmother.

#74 - I hope they do!

Last night was the Poe celebration!

Costuming:


Westminster:

The last photo is blurry because my friend was shivering so badly! It was 18 degrees when we left.

The show was lovely, but it came with bad news: Baltimore City is threatening to close Poe House in June of 2012. They've told the museum (which is actually very successful with fundraising) that they have to be self-sustaining by that time or they'll be closed. And if they close Poe House, Philadelphia may very well win their fight to have Poe exhumed and moved North. :(

Wow, you look stunning and the costume is magnificent!! What a great event it looks. Fingers crossed the museum will be able to become self-sustaining. And I always think it's so disrespectful to exhume someone just for publicity or notoriety. When did we stop respecting people?

The costume looks great! (That's quite a bump you have already!)

Sad news for the museum, but at least if they are already successful with fundraising they will be in with a chance of becoming self-sustaining.

Luxx, you are glowing!
What a cool evening - Did you leave roses for Poe?
We have Poe's in the neighborhood who say they are somehow related but it was told to me at one of the neighborhood parties so either I or they were just imagining the whole thing.

lunacat got it right..

"Wow, you look stunning and the costume is magnificent!! "

Love the pics

>76 London_StJ:: Ah, those are the pictures I've been waiting for. I loved the last one. The "shakiness" and eerie lighting captured the mood of the evening.

I hope those threats about closing the museum result in a big donor coming forth and saving Poe from exhumation (if that is even the proper word)...maybe disinterrment? Philadelphia would be a long trip to make in your ballgown.

Thanks everyone!

I'm hoping that some strides will be made once the news goes public. After all, the city's football team is called "The Ravens." The association has always irked me, but maybe the franchise will step up and give something back? After all, their mascots are even three ravens named Edgar, Allen, and Poe!

>82 London_StJ: Seems unlikely to happen unless SOMEone who is eloquent, interested, and tenacious steps up to the plate and starts a kerfuffle in the local paper; that would imply SOMEone literate and witty, too; oh, and a member of a revered social group, say a MOTHER, would make the media that much more interested in applying public pressure to the Ravens.

*Very Significant Glower*

Perchance, would there be a person like that, someone who, oh I don't know, maybe even made her own Poe costume permaybehaps, around these parts?

*Highly Significant Pause*

Hello dear, how are you today? Feeling as energetic and full of fight as with previous adventures in maternity?

#83 - Oh, I plan on starting a small fuss. My favorite radio station is actually "the home of the Baltimore Ravens," so I'm going to contact the morning show and see if I can't get them to say something. And then there will be letters a plenty to officials and such.

The weather has me feeling a bit low, actually; I simply don't function well when I'm cold, and all I want to do is curl up under a cold blanket and sleep it away. Instead, I'm drinking hot tea, feeding a wild craving for broth-based soups, and trying to work up the energy to get some work done that I need to turn in tomorrow morning.

And how are you, Padre dearest? Are you feeling better? I'm about to pop over to your thread to see for myself.

I definitely associate Poe with Baltimore and can't imagine him being anywhere else!

Why does Philadelphia feel they have a claim to him? I don't know much about Poe, as you can tell!

He lived in Philadelphia for a few years and wrote some material while there. See here.

Luxx, you are stunningly beautiful and incredibly talented. How wonderful that your gene pool is continuing on and on!

Yup! You made the right choice in costuming... stunning!
You look beautiful... nice job sewing!

#76. Wow. Just beautiful.

I just want to say... WOW. I want your dress. WANT!!! It's beautiful and you look positively radiant. :)

Lovely, just lovely. Poe = Baltimore. Definitely.

#88 - Linda, I need to keep you around for grumpy days. You are really too sweet for words.

#86/7 - Thanks for grabbing that, Stephen!

#91 - And now it's destined to hang in my closet for years and never be touched again, like so many of my (non-Renaissance) costumes. I was actually just thinking that I should put my maternity "Renaissance" garb up on Etsy or something. I'm certainly not going to wear it again.

And thanks, everyone! I'm already mentally planning a new gown for the Cask of Amontillado wine tasting that the Poe society holds in the catacombs in the spring. I may not be able to partake more than a sip, but I can go and feel fabulous.

Examples of the "maternity" bodices I'm considering ditching:




I have one in red flames, one in embroidered green, one in white satin, one in black cotton, the black one above, and one in faux fur. Er, I think that's it. And the knowledge that I will never again go "bare belly" to faire. ;)

Luxx, you may sell the dress. But the cape you could always wear. I have a cranberry one that I love to wear. You look gorgeous.

Oh, I couldn't sell the dress. And I now have three cloaks, none of which I will ever get rid of! I have a black velveteen/satin cloak I lend to friends when they need one, a black velvet cloak with a green satin lining that I love, and the wool/fur cloak I just made for faire.

I need a garb closet.

I love the pictures, Luxx! Thanks so much for sharing them.

I do hope EAP gets to stay in Baltimore.

It always looks uncomfortable to me for women to go bare-belly while pregnant. Somehow that protuberance looks scarily unsupported unclad. Ridiculous, I know, the same muscles hold it up under clothes as over, but....

EAP does NOT belong in Philly, of all ridiculous places. Baltimore should blush and cringe as a body politic that the discussion is even mooted! Go slay 'em, Crypto!

At least they won't be going bare belly in the weather you are having! Brrr!

#99 - Ha! I go bare belly in any weather, if I can stay home! When I had B I spent the last three or four weeks (in January) in pajama pants and sports bras, because it was what was most comfortable. The same went for Max. I'm just not a fan of anything that is going to make me look bigger, and at 36 weeks there are only so many things that will actually fit.

Jammy pants are The Bomb no matter what. I live in them. Thank all the holy things you can think of that I don't need a sports bra, though. I know I do.

Oh, and sweats. Love 'em.

Can't do sweats - I don't like the elastic around my ankle. But I love big flannel pj pants, and I always buy them way too big so that I can walk on them instead of wearing socks.

PJ pants and camis are my loungewear of choice until the belly gets to big. ;)

My partner hates pj pants, so I tend to steal any that are gifted to him. He's a good 9 or so inches taller than I am, and more than double my weight, so they always fit just like I like 'em!

As was said earlier, you look great and the dress looks great! Now I want sewing lessons...

That dress is so awesome! You look great in it.

Oh, so so beautiful!!
And the dress isn't too bad either... :)

#103 - I don't know the names for stitches and things like that, but I can throw stuff together! I love stitch-n-bitch parties, too, although I no longer have friends that sew. :(

Man, those pictures have compliment staying power! Thanks, guys.

Wow, pajama pants and sports bras and bare bellies everywhere. This is no place for an innocent young man to be spending his time!

*Remains firmly seated in chair*

#107 - If anything can scare someone away from procreation for a good while it's certainly my belly in the third trimester.

>102 London_StJ:: I am currently at the computer wearing my husband's overlarge sweatpants (thin material though, and no elastic around the ankles... ick!) and his sweatshirt. They are enormous and I love them. Of course, he'll probably want to wear them once he gets home, but... I was here first? o_O

Lux, rotfl re #108!!

Let me see if I understand -- your migraines got worse on the pill? That is def. what happened to me; I know have a perfectly miserable week or so during PMS with migraines, but otherwise they are more manageable than when on the pill. I may be the only late 40-something praying for menopause!

LOVE the dress. Must hire you to make something for me for when I have these pesky black tie events that require long dresses that I don't own and hate shopping for because they're all bias cut and sequiny and (for me) unflattering.

No black tie events for me, but the need to periodically wear big girl clothes, suits and starched blouses.

A meeting with the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences this Thursday means I need to be sure all is in order, ie no coffee stains or powered donut sugar on my sleves.

There was a time awhile back when I gave a presentation thinking I was so grown up and spiffy, only to realize that the silver foil that the dry cleaners placed around the buttons on the cuff of my suit were still in place and shining for all to see.

But, I kind of like the fact that I'm not perfect and I've learned to go with the flow.

@ Linda...lolol perfection is over rated!

Grown up clothes? .. do not like!

oh and
I have a couple of pairs of sweat pants with no elastic on the ankle..
none with..

#109 - Sounds perfectly comfy! I steal t-shirts, too.

#110 - Yes, my migraines were about 1000x worse on the pill. My doc actually prescribed estrogen patches at some point to try to help, but no luck. The only thing that worked was going off hormonal birth control entirely, and I'm never going back!

And I hate sequin, so you'd be safer with me!

#111 - On Friday one of my students actually tried to warn me about leaning against the chalkboard I had just scrawled on, and I just laughed and said it was inevitable I'd end up a chalky mess, so I don't fight it.

One of the reasons I love my job is that it gives me an excuse to wear something other than jeans; I love dressing up and wearing high heels, but they're not exactly toddler-friendly.

#110 Don't want to burst your bubble, Suz, but I continue to have occasional migraines into my 60s. Thought that would go away??? :P The good news is... the headaches are less frequent and less debilitating.

Hi Luxx! You seem to be doing so well with your pregnancy! I guess you were made for motherhood! :)

Anyone who wants to wear practical, comfy clothes all the time needs to move to MAINE! Turned out to be one of the unexpected perks of this lovely state. Will never forget trying to negotiate Portland's cobblestone sidewalks in heels my first day of work. I learned quick!

I never really had bad headaches during my cycle but then again I would go a year and a half without a cycle. The times I did have it I would be in such pain towards the end of it that I end up taking many many hot baths and downing pain relievers. I am usually a very mild mannered and level headed person but my husband cringes if I don't have a cycle in at least six months. I got lucky my cycle was restarting itself Dec and thats the cycle I got pregnant on. :)

I wanna scrap your pics!

You also remind me of when a friend and I were wandering Baltimore on foot trying to find Poe's home. We rounded the corner and ran into a basketball team. I don't know if they were actually that but these guys were tall!! And one of them said in a faux scared voice, "Oh!! Whiiiiiite people!" LOL One of the gang, not the speaker, said, "it's over there."

Guess they all knew there was only one reason for us to be there! :)

#116 - That's hilarious. There's been a lot of revitalization in the area lately, and some of the homes are just beautiful, but I still don't think I'd want to move there myself. One of the girls I went with lives there and I loved her house, until she told me about someone breaking in and stabbing her roommate's boyfriend. Hhmmm. Baltimore.

Luxx, you are just delicious in your garb, you clever puss. The whole ensemble together is to live for. Good luck with keeping Mr. Poe right where he is.

Just waving as I head through the threads, Luxx :)

Wow - that outfit is amazing (and, of course, you look very lovely)! I am in complete awe of someone who can make something like that. I struggle with buttons. ...although I did back a cuddly toy penguin to my own pattern for my niece very recently and it actually turned out pretty well. If about twice as big as I had intended and a little lopsided ;o) The penguin is almost bigger than the baby.

Life Update:

Max has apparently been walking in secret (I caught him walking across a room yesterday when no one was looking); before he would only take 2-3 steps in play. Today he walked the length of the house when I walked in from work. Score walking Max.

We introduced B to successful potty use this week, and he spent a mildly successful afternoon in underwear. The potty training will be intense this weekend. Send me happy thoughts, please.

Reading schlump. I'm in the middle of The Beetle (Victorian gothic I had never heard of), Beastly, and Inside the Victorian Home. Nothing is overly appealing right now. I accepted a brand new class fifteen minutes before it started, so I'm scrambling to learn a new textbook and write a new syllabus to keep ahead of my students.

/update

10.
Author(s): Susan Glaspell
Title: Trifles and "A Jury of Her Peers"
Publication: Literary Anthology
Pages:
Genre: Drama, short story
Acquisition: Work text, read once a semester
Date Completed: January 28, 2011
Rating: Unrated

Go, Max!

Yay Max! Boo hiss on the reading schlump...

I keep meaning to read Beastly! I've heard mixed reviews about it, and the fact that it didn't pull you out of the reading slump has me a bit concerned...

And *yay* for Max!

And *ack* for accepting a class 15m before it started! How did you manage to teach the first class at that rate? Very calmly and with many deep breaths, I presume :)

I'm about a week late, but I love your outfit for the Poe celebration!

Also, it's hilarious that Max has been walking in secret.

#125 - The original professor actually led the first class while I stood on the sidelines, and I finished up with an introduction to some of my general course policies and contact information. I only just finalized my own course syllabus, and I emailed it to my class this evening. Hooray for technology!

As for beastly ... I'm finding it difficult to work through the narration itself, and I'm picking up on far too many nitpicky details. One thing that really bothers me? The fairy responsible for the change morphs from a rather dowdy figure to a perfectly glamorous one before laying the curse. Because, you know, she's not vain herself.

I think it's more my own frame of mine than the book. Hopefully I'll be able to return to it with gusto.

#126 - Thanks! And now that the cat's out of the bag he's working on his balance so he can outrun his big brother.

Just wanted to add a belated "Wow" to your dress & cape photos. They're absolutely gorgeous! I'm amazed at your talent, Luxx. Glad to hear you're feeling well, and I hope the potty training adventures are going along nicely. Have a great week!

#127 I can't decide if I want to read Beastly. I have every intention of going to see the film when it comes out in March (feel free to enjoy the trailer and the abs that go with it) but that's the result of my combined love for Beauty & the Beast and teen angst. Maybe I'll wait until you've finished it and then decide.

I think the trailer is actually feeding my distaste for the book so far. I love reading supernatural young adult movies, and I'm interested in the retelling of classic fairy tales, but Beastly feels like a shallow and obvious undertaking.

Murder on Astor Place has been much more satisfying so far.

Just dressing up the place.

Now there's reading to be done.

Priceless !

Yup! Looks like another little boy monster on the way!
Cute pictures! Fun expressions!

Heh, people like to come up with all sorts of guesses based on my belly shape. The truth? I carry exactly like my maternal grandmother (all in front, and a bit bullet-shaped at the end), and she had two girls and a boy.

That said, my guess is boy, too. Just based on my track record.

ETA: We find out March 1!

A cousin of my father's was looking forward to having a little girl of her own from the time she was 9 or 10. She got 5 boys in a row...

Bravo on the walking; fingers crossed that the potty training takes hold. Lots of milestones!

I love those pictures, Luxx! Thanks for posting them.

I need a superlative for "adorable"...anyone...?
xoxo

I need a superlative for "adorable"...anyone...?

"Luxx's family?"

Heart melting pictures, Luxx. Thank you for sharing with us. Brooks is becoming a young man. Glad to see that Max still has those pinchable cheeks!

How are your classes going? Did your students like the TC Boyle story? I'm disappointed that the snow and extreme temps closed down the university for a few days this week. I do love going to school. ;-)

Lovely photos!

I know what you mean about Beastly - as fluff goes, it's fine, but... Just don't read A Kiss in Time, there were a lot more irritants...

I must not be in the mood for that kind of fluff. I want to see the film, and I'll try to read it before then.

Donna, we won't get to Boyle until March, but I'm hoping to read the whole collection beforehand. The semester is off to a good start, even if it's not as stress-free as I thought.

The monsters send peanutbutter kisses to all!

Wonderful pictures as always! You look great, and the boys are little heartbreakers.

Everyone thought I was a boy in the womb, based on the way my mom was carrying me, and based on my heartbeat. (Most people only found out at birth, back in those days, lol...) Well...to state the obvious...I wasn't a boy! Surprises still happen, although less often these days I guess.

I've also noticed a growing trend in people choosing NOT to know their baby's sex until birth. Maybe it's cyclical, and some people are going back to the old fashioned ways once again.

When they paused outside the operating room for Mama's C-section to put out their cigarettes, she told the surgeon, "If it's a girl, don't wake me up."

I don't think she was kidding.

My mum was so convinced that I was a girl that when the nurse woke her up after the C-section and told her she had a girl, she groggily replied "well, of course. What else would she be?"

#143 - That would put your family at three girls, right? I think I can understand where she's coming from. Life just doesn't produce Little Women.

#142 - Old wives tales for gender are hilarious. Ooo, I'm going to go try one now. *Snort* The "needle trick" just predicted "boy, boy, girl." I'm going to try it a few more times to see if it's consistent. ;) I'm still guessing boy, because I don't believe in girl babies.

Boy, boy, girl, boy. Ok, this thing's broken.

Boy, boy, boy, but I put it down before it officially stopped because I jerked my hand.

Ooo, something else:

You have a 43% chance of having a boy.
And you have a 56% chance of having a girl.

And Here's Why...
You are carrying the extra weight out front, so it's a boy. The way you carry is based on your own body type, and has nothing to do with the gender of the baby.

The hair on your legs is not growing any faster during your preganacy, so it's a girl. I shave my legs everyday, so I don't know if this really counts

Boys are carried low. You are going to have a boy. Guess on my part, because we found the heartbeat low at my last appt

Sleeping in a bed with your pillow to the north indicates that you will be having a boy.

Your feet are colder than they were before pregnancy. You are having a boy. It's February, and October/September are warmer than February

You prefer the heel of a loaf of bread. You are having a boy. I don't prefer either, but I don't mind the heel. Only extremes were allowed

Dad-to-be hasn't been gaining weight along with Mom-to-be, so it will be a girl.

The maternal grandmother doesn't have gray hair (dyed or natural), so a girl will be born. Her hair has been the same dark brown for all three

You didn't have morning sickness early in pregnancy, so it will be a boy. I felt nauseous a few times and got sick once, but I'm still hesitant to call it morning sickness.

You are not looking particularly good during pregnancy. Therefore, it must be a girl, because girls steal their mother's looks. Do they come back?

Your chest development has not been very dramatic during pregnancy. You should expect a boy. Heh, true for the first two

Since the sum of the mother's age at conception and the number of the month of conception is an odd number, it will be a girl.

You are craving sweets, which means that it is a girl.

You have been craving fruits, so it is a girl.

Your baby's heart rate is 140 or more beats per minute, so it's a girl. My boys were both around 158-168 the whole pregnancies. I'm an unapologetic coffee drinker.






I'm having fun with these.
"If you are the first born, you will have what your mother had but starting with her second child." Birth order in our house: Girl (me), Boy, Boy

"List of 51 pregnancy old wives tales: Your baby’s sex revealed!" B is ALL ABOUT this baby

You don't believe in girl babies?? for yourself only, or is this a general rule?? LOL!

I don't believe that girl babies are produced in MD any longer. And if a girl is born in MD, she was conceived in another state.

18 boys out of the most recent 19 births, including my own.

#146 Hilarious! I love all these old wives tales, some of those are sooo peculiar (and may I say "You are not looking particularly good during pregnancy" - given the photos you've posted, rubbish!)

I work in genetics, but I still have a colleague (a staistician), who believes that if someone hangs her wedding ring on a strand of her hair over the palm of her hand, we can predict how many, and what sex, her children will be. People are strange ;o)

...but, genetically, there is a bias towards any baby being a girl - only a very tiny bias (something like 52% vs 48% - I'd have to double check to be certain) - just because the Y chromosome is tiny and carries very little info, so boys are more prone to sex-linked genetic disorders than girls, who have an extra X chromosome to balance things out and more likely to be miscarried (early on I hasten to add). It's not a very big bias though. Anyway, it's all down to your husband ;o)

It seems to be a yearly trend with the people I know:
2008: 3 boys
2009: 2 girls
2010: 5 girls
2011: looks to be a boy year

If I'm not mistaken, there's a biological advantage to female sperm. Aren't female sperm supposed to be "heartier" than male?

I've heard a lot of theories about conception and the health of the partners involved influencing the gender of the child. For example, if the male partner is in poor health (in a number of different ways) he's more likely to produce a female child. Likewise, the further away from ovulation the, er, genetic material is delivered, the more likely it is to conceive a girl because those are the guys that can hang in there.

Statistically, a couple is much more likely to produce a child of the same gender if there are already two (at least, that's what I've heard). Granted, statistically speaking, geeks are much more likely to produce boys, so that double-confirms my guess. Personally, I don't think nature runs on statistics, but it's an interesting way to look at things and analyze the data!

150 - The last girl in our circle of family and friends is my oldest cousin. She's ... 16. She has two younger brothers, we have two 5/6-year-old cousins , and all of our friends have boys. The one girl offspring was produced by a couple living in VA. ;)

Meanwhile, in my mother's family, the line is running out! Her grandparents had one girl and five boys. One died childless. My grandfather had 1 daughter; my great-uncle Syd had 2 girls. The daughter (my great-aunt Lillian) had 2 daughters. My great-uncle Howard had FOUR daughters. Only great-uncle Herb had sons. Only one of them had a son. And that son has now had -- a daughter. *Waving farewell to the Burchell name and lineage...*

Sorry, that just makes me giggle. ;)

My maiden name is Cohen, and there's no way that's going anywhere, even if our whole line turned to girls. I don't mind perpetuating my unusual married name, which is why I took Mike's name to begin with.

I love the bemused look on Max's face (the photo immediately above you). It's such an adult expression on a little face.

Oh but it was so much more fun in those days when we swung the ring over the stomach. Now it's all sonograms and medical determination ;-)

My grandparents had three boys and a girl. (All of which she wasn't able to carry to term. Which could be the cause of the infertility in my family?)

My father had the only biological children with me and my brother.

My aunt couldn't have children the only child she concieved was stillborn at 15 weeks.

My three uncles have never had children (I really don't know the reason behind this fact.)

My brothers wife hasn't been able to have children.

It took me seven years to concieve my first child. I wasn't exactly trying in my first relationship before my husband but we didn't use protection. It took me and my husband close to a year and a half to have our first.(The one I am carrying I have no other children.)

So thus my children are the only one left in our line by blood and they aren't even going to have my fathers last name. :(

#145: Life just doesn't produce Little Women.

I beg to differ with that one. My Aunt Janet had 8 girls before she had a boy.

My hubby is also very good at making girl babies. Out of his 6 children, 5 are girls.

And yet sometimes.....life does balance things.

My maternal grandparents had four girls, and my grandmother came from a line of girls, so it was assumed that my mum and aunts would be more on the girl bias.

The 4 daughters produced 5 boys and 4 girls.

However, the next generation is so far strongly girls: 3 girls to 1 boy.

The boy/girl ratio in my family is nearly perfectly even, at least on my mother's side. My grand parents had 2 boys, 3 girls. Of the 3 girls, one had 2 boys, one had 2 girls, and my mom had 1 of each. :)

You are not looking particularly good during pregnancy. Therefore, it must be a girl, because girls steal their mother's looks. Do they come back?

I think you answered that question wrong! :P

>156 mellymel171328: - Give them his name some other way! Brooks (our first) is a last name, and I have a cousin named Baxter, which is his mother's maiden names. Could work as a middle name, too. I know it's not the same, but family names are important to my partner, so I get the urge.

>157 alcottacre: - Oh, I'm not talking about a world of little girls - I know people can end up with 10 girls. I was thinking more of the way they get along. ;)

>159 Ape: - I'm having a pretty rough winter.

#160: Ah, OK. That makes sense then!

11.
Author(s): Victoria Thompson
Title: Murder on Astor Place
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages: 288
Genre: Historical cozy mystery
Acquisition: Recommended by leperdbunny
Date Completed: February 5, 2011
Rating: 3.5 stars

The unusual blending of genres is what first inspired me to pick up Victoria Thompson's Murder on Astor Place: historical in setting, interesting choice of occupation for the female protagonist (midwife, as opposed to the so-common librarian or shopkeeper), and a delightfully scandalous mystery. The protagonist, Sarah, is instantly sympathetic, if her involvement in the actual mystery is stretched a bit far (but such is the case with most cozy mysteries, so I would not call this a weakness). The mystery itself is dizzying at times, but well-paced, and the resolution is completely satisfactory.

However, I did have to take off a full star for unnecessary discrimination and judgment. In the final scenes (the all-important revelation), the suggestion of homosexual acts is used as a marker of complete and utter depravity for a specific character - the final poisoned cherry on an abhorrent cake. This detail does absolutely nothing for the development of the antagonist, nor does it have any place in the plot or resolution. It's an ugly moment in the novel that lead to my instant disappointment. Really, the resolution is itself moving enough without this added "degradation."

Still, this one detail is my only complaint, and I don't necessarily think it speaks to the body of Thompson's work as a whole, so I'll certainly be seeking out the other books in the series.

#162: I enjoy the Thompson series, Luxx, so I hope you continue to do so as well.

160: =( *hugs*

>162 London_StJ: Oh dear. Sexual depravity, tut*tsk*tut. How very repellent to find that hateful prejudice alive and well in modern books.

>160 London_StJ: Smooches because I have no practical means to hand to make your rough winter smoother.

Oh, winter is just rough on my skin, that's all. ;) I was talking about the "baby girls steal beauty" myth; winter makes me feel crappier than baby hormones. I'm doing pretty well, even on my cranky days! But thanks for the love.

Seeing the pics of your little monsters reminded me of How to Potty Train Your Monster, an absolutely adorable kids book I bought my sister for my nephew. If you haven't run across this book yet, it is definitely worth hunting down, it is very cute!

That looks adorable! It'll make its way to our house sometime in the near future, I'm sure. B's been doing pretty well, but there are still a few bumps to work through.

12.
Author(s): Sophocles
Title: Oedipus the King
Publication: Literary Anthology
Pages:
Genre: Greek Drama
Acquisition: Work Text
Date Completed: February 6,2011
Rating:

Another work reread, and another constant favorite. My students and I always have a good time with Oedipus Rex.

But ... any bets on how many actually turn up to our 8:00am class? Or, heck, my 9:00am class?

OOO, Sophocles! He was The Divine Miss's drama teacher!

#169: And I must say, he taught her well :)

I had to study Oedipus the King in high school and found it interesting but not one I'd re-read. However, I thoroughly enjoy the episode of Buffy where they do a scene from Oedipus even if you have to suffer through creepy puppet to get there. :D

I had to laugh at the 'girls steal their mothers looks' comment. I had never heard that one until recently - someone with 5 children said that whenever she was pregnant with a girl, her face got more puffy/distorted, and with the boys, her face was thinner. It blew my mind. Is that really true or did it just seem true to her?? I wonder...

The grossest myth I heard was about how to make sure your babies have a good complexion. I'm afraid to post it - don't want to gross out anyone...

Luxx: Well then, I'm glad you are well. I know I'd be quite distressed if I had an avacado in my belly! ;)

The grossest myth I heard was about how to make sure your babies have a good complexion. I'm afraid to post it - don't want to gross out anyone...

You can always post it on my thread... :P

suffer through creepy puppet to get there. Heh, I'd have to suffer through a bit more than creepy puppets. ;) I know plenty of Buffy fans, but I'm just not one of them.

I think a contemporary Oedipus fan would certainly have to find a certain "type" appealing; I have read plenty of classic works that I likewise found interesting but not worth a reread, but I'm a very big fans of wicked people in literature, and Oedipus really fits my bill.

173 - Gross away! Now I want to know. Trust me, no matter what you have to say, the realities of pregnancy, childbirth, and child rearing are far more gross. ;)

I gained 35 pounds with B and 40 with Max, and I was certainly puffy everywhere, although I never notice my puffy face until I've lost the baby weight again.

13.
Author(s): Victoria Thompson
Title: Murder on St. Mark's Place
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages:
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 8,2011
Rating: 3.75 stars

Murder on St. Mark's Place is the second cozy mystery in the series by Victoria Thompson, featuring midwife Sarah Brandt and he unlikely partner Frank Malloy. The novel delivers more on character development than actual plot, but Thompson's humanizing efforts set the stage for future interest. The "mystery" itself is highly predictable from the go, but the novel itself is no less enjoyable.

The grossest myth I heard was about how to make sure your babies have a good complexion. I'm afraid to post it - don't want to gross out anyone...
I bet I know that myth! I had a co-worker, Esther, from the deep south and she had so many southeren (as she used to say) beliefs we would just sit there with our jaws flung open.
I didn't try the complexion myth but I did listen to her and got married on the upswing, meaning between 10:30 am and 11 am for example.

I'll let book angel explain since she brought it up.

How many more days until we know if the duck is a boy or girl? I am reading to start helping with the name picking out thing now! :)

Speaking of names, Luxx, this morning I heard my favorite song by the group Bread...Of course when I listened to "and Aubrey was her name", I thought of you.

All good wishes to you!

Luxx, my goodness. I sat down to try to catch up on 'a few' threads and have only managed yours...too many interesting topics! I knew I was having a girl from the get-go--of course, I didn't tell anyone because I was afraid I was wrong (and I didn't want to jinx myself, hee)--but Willow was always a 'girl' presence to me. She's about an non-girly as you can get these days, so it tickles me that she so strongly resonated as female in the womb!

Your regency dress is beyond fabulous, and the cape! I swoon.

We're also in the midst of potty training around here...just had to buy a second potty because Willow has been tossing her first around the living room and cracked it. She thinks she's the Hulk, or at the very least a redneck--we have redneck games near here and one of the events is toilet tossing. I do believe she's in training! Luckily, the potty was always empty when she threw it; unfortunately, that's because she hardly ever uses it! Sigh. Sending effective potty training thoughts your way!

(And look, I didn't even mention a book 0_0)

#180 - Ok, I seriously think I made your cornbread recipe for dinner the other night. Either that, or there's someone on allrecipes with your screen name.

Brooks was NOT ready the first time we tried potty training. Not at all. This time we tried the "all or nothing" method ("go straight to underwear, do not pass go, do not collect 200 pullups), and after a day and a half the successes outweighed the accidents. We still have accidents, but they fall in the two predictable categories: poop and naptime. The first is an especially hard one for boys, apparently, and the second is frequent, but not everyday. Good luck with Willow!

#179 - How sweet! :-*

*Gasp!!* Oh my gosh, we must rush Luxx to the hospital. She has an ONION in her belly! Oh dear oh dear oh dear oh dear, no one could survive that amount of toxicity! Oh, poor Luxx, however did you get an onion in there? You didn't eat it, did you!? Oh no, let's call poison control while we're at it!

I'm pretty sure I could eat an onion like an apple. MMmm, raw onion. Deliciousness in layers.

14.
Author(s): Victoria Thompson
Title: Murder on Gramercy Park
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages:
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 11,2011
Rating: 4 stars

I am now three books into Victoria Thompson's Gaslight Mysteries series, and I've settled in rather comfortably. Once again, Thompson manages to find a fairly believable reason for a midwife to find herself involved in a murder investigation, although that reason is becoming more and more the attention of a certain detective. Like previous books, much of this mystery really isn't one, but I will admit that it held a nice surprise for me at the conclusion. I've already started the next book in the series, and I look forward to following more adventures concerning Sarah Brandt and Frank Malloy.

That Thompson series sounds like it might be interesting. *adds to wishlist*

Love the photos at #131.

I've got to catch up with you on the Victoria Thompson mysteries!


glitter-graphics.com

They've been a great distraction.

We've never made a big deal out of Valentine's in our house, but just being able to sit down together yesterday was wonderful. My FIL was rushed to the emergency room on Sunday and was given a 35% chance of never making it out, so my husband has spent all of the last two days in the ICU with his father. Yesterday he showed some promising progress, so we're optimistic.

Oh man. Now back to work. Have a lovely day, everyone!

How dreadful, Luxx, about your FIL. Must be quite a scare for you and your hubby. Do so hope FIL recovers fully and life gets back to "normal" for your family. Whatever that is in your very busy life! :}

Hope your FIL continues to show 'promising progress" .

Thanks, guys. :)

Adding my prayers for your FIL too, Luxx.

So sorry to hear about your FIL! I'm hoping and praying that the progress continues for him.

Sorry to hear about your father-in-law. Hope he continues to improve.

I'm sorry to hear the news about your FIL, Luxx, but I hope that the optimistic forecast continues to hold true.

oms and white beams for your FIL, Luxx. I hope he proves them wrong and rallies 100%.

Thanks for the support, everyone. He was initially admitted because of internal bleeding (caused by conditions diagnosed in December, for which he ignored medical advice...), but they think they got a handle on that - they were taking him off his meds today to make sure everything is back in working order. The hospital is going to keep him until Friday at least, but today he was cognizant for the first time since Sunday, and the docs and his family were able to discuss some important issues. Full recovery is going to take a huge commitment on his part, but he seems to recognize that.

Recovery in general is going to be slow and grueling, but no one is throwing mortality around anymore, and I think there is a little improvement everyday.

15.
Author(s): Victoria Thompson
Title: Murder on Washington Square
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages:
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 16,2011
Rating: 4 stars

Her neighbor's son Nelson is not someone Sarah Brandt would expect to need to advice of a midwife, but when he requests her professional opinion on a personal matter she agrees to help - and to keep the circumstances of that help from Nelson's mother. However, when the subject of that initial meeting leads to Nelson being suspected of murder the whole catastrophe is brought to light - with plenty of "dirty linen" being aired in the process. Murder on Washington Square leads readers from likely suspect to likely suspect while slowly developing a devilish intrigue masterminded by someone who is best described as a "character." I am, as usual, dumbfounded by the intelligent Sarah Brandt's slow uptake on several very important details, but it seems she is forever doomed to play damsel in distress at important moments, the better to display the concern and adoration of her favorite detective. Murder on Washington Square is another satisfying mystery in the Gaslight series.

16.
Author(s): Victoria Thompson
Title: Murder on Mulberry Bend
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages:
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 17,2011
Rating: 4 stars

No one cares for the poor when they're alive, and they certainly don't care when one of them turns up dead unexpectedly. However, an emotional jolt catches the attention of Malloy, and an unexpected link to Sarah Brandt sends Malloy to her door, seeking reassurance. Of course, Thompson's protagonist can't help but work for an underdog, and soon Brandt is on the case, wading through Italian slums and finding herself running between high society and fanatically religious institutions. Murder on Mulberry Bend is consistent for the series, which is just what I'm looking for.

I really enjoy the Victoria Thompson series. I've got one or two that I need to read to get caught up in my stash. So many books, so little time.

(((Luxx's FIL)))

#195: today he was cognizant for the first time since Sunday

That is very good news!

One little boy child, ah ha ha




TWO little boy children, ah ha ha








THREE little boy children! Ah ha ha!

Aww yay, a matched set! I'm so happy for all of you!

Congratulations on boy #3! That picture of his feet is too cute.

The top two are actually feet pictures; the tech took three or four because she had a thing for his feet. She also kept coming back and saying, "and there's his hiney!" The last picture is his profile.

Everything is just as it should be! I love this appointment for that reason - not only do we get to find out the baby's sex, but we get to hear really great things like, "Strong, four-chambered heart, two legs, two arms," and the reassurances that the chances of Down's and spina bifida are almost nill.

Congratulations! I love the pictures.

OH! And I wanted to share a story from our appointment:

For a regular ultrasound appointment a tech takes all of the images for the doctor, and then the doctor in the office comes back to take a live look and make sure everything looks healthy. He said that everything looks great, "except that it's a boy," (with a sly grin at Michael), and went to wash his hands.

Well, that's when he spotted my shoes. And went gaga over them.

He took one look and told me how great they were, and then he and the tech joked about his very conservative wife ("STUPIDLY conservative!" he said), and how he once told her that there's no good time in life to wear sensible shoes.

He then told Michael that he's a lucky man, and I shared my own anecdote of the day: my students also remarked on my shoes this week (each of my classes, two different pairs of shoes, actually), and my response is always the same: "Shoes fit, even when you're pregnant. I like shoes."

The doc also brought in another tech to check out my shoes, and she told me that they're pole-dancing shoes (apparently great for a strip-aerobics class).



ETA: Thanks Jasmyn!

Luxx, I love how you gave us the good news about another boy-child in your life. The baby-toes pictures were amazing. Congratulations to all of you. Can we start working on a name for Monster #3? I'm reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. What do you think of Phaedrus as a name? ;-)

WOW! Look at those shoes! I have never owned a jazzy pair of shoes like that in my life. What fun I must be missing out on!

I've always loved shoes, but I didn't start, buying a bunch until late in my pregnancy with B/recovering from pregnancy. It was all downhill from there!

Some girls are always in it for purses, some go nuts for sunglasses and small accessories; I'm undoubtedly a shoe girl.

And now the great name game can indeed begin! My tops-of-the-moment:

Fitz
Fitzwilde
Fitzmichael
Oscar (called Ozzy)
Solomon (called Solly)

For the record, the big two's formal names are Brooks Dorian and Maxwell Henry, called Brooksie and Maximus.

I love the ultrasound photos of the newbie's feet! And mom's shoes are stylin'.

Luxx gets my vote for the coolest mom on LT.

ETA: I vote for Oscar.

I admit I couldn't walk in those shoes. Has nothing to do with wanting to be conservative or dull -- just balance!! I do like Fitz. or Oscar. Not sure about Solomon. I'd imagine a little old man sitting down in a Florida rest home, somehow.

Wow, 3 boys, someone is going to have their hands full!

210 - Maybe, but I'm going to have three of anything I'm kind of thankful it's boys!

209 - I think thirteen years of dance lessons went a long way in helping me be comfortable in heels. I took tap, among other things, so I had to learn to balance.

208 - Oscar is on top right now! Actually, it's the one that Michael isn't rejecting outright, and we just sat down in front of the bookcase to throw out names. He suggested Byron, which won't work for me (I had a friend named Byron growing up), but that lead him to Gordon, and lead me to Oscar Gordon. We've also been giggling over Oscar Feynman all evening. This is fun!

And thank you. :-* I'm wearing super hot thigh-high boots to a ballet tomorrow afternoon... Maternity doesn't have to be frumpy!

Darling Boys all three. I love your style. Please never leave it behind 8-)

Wonderful photos: those tiny baby feet are amazing.

(Is it terrible of me to admit I couldn't work out what they were until I scrolled down and read the comments, and then it was obvious?)

Glad everything is as it should be. :)

Love the shoes, too. (Not that I could wear them: heels I don't mind, but I can't do platforms. They look gorgeous, though.)

Great news, Luxx! A boy - all parts looking good - and ONLY ONE!

Mom's looking good too - gorgeous shoes. I can't wear those anymore. Your turn!
Sweet feet all around! :)

213 - Making sense of ultrasounds takes experience. Even when she showed us the very male parts I refused to say anything until she confirmed it, because I didn't want to trust my own eyes.

214 - YES! Only one! The tech actually found a surprise twin earlier that morning, which stopped my heart for a second. *Whew* One monster at a time, and rounding out with three sounds just perfect to me.

We're all scheduled up for a July 13 delivery. I'm really excited about the date; Brooks was due on the 13th and was born on the 19th, and Max was due on the 13th and born on the 9th. I finally get my "13th" baby!

Congratulations, Luxx, Michael, Brooks and Max!

I love the pictures of the baby feet too :) Oscar Michael Fitzwilliam has a nice ring to it, don't you think? lol

Thanks, Stasia! Michael actually spent the first three months of his life in an oxygen tent, so we've always been thankful for our big, fat, healthy babies.

I'm so stoked - I just made myself a tank on spreadshirt.com with one of my favorite quotes: The world must be peopled! (Much Ado About Nothing)

The quote is right across the belly, of course, and they had a "longer" tank option that'll work nicely as a maternity shirt.

So. Stoked.

Congrats, Luxx! From the one-girl household over here, three boys sounds amazingly foreign and intimidating to me :). Babies are so much fun!

It's funny how you adjust to what you have, isn't it? With all brothers and mostly male friends, a household of boys has always sounded comfortable, no matter how "girly" I myself may be.

I told my mom today, and she literally cried because she was so excited.

Oh, how sweet about your mom.

I hope you post a picture of your new shirt! :)

Thanks for sharing your great news with us! And, I must add, your great shoes. LOVE THEM. I need more non-sensible shoes... though admittedly I'm more of a boots gal myself. I do love ridiculous boots.

Ooo, I'm a boots gal, too. Lately I've been into thigh-high styles. I received these for xmas (and I wore them today!), but I bought these before I realized my mom scoped out my wishlist (I didn't want to spend the money on the Guess boots myself, but apparently they fit my mom's holiday budget),

Right after I had Max I treated myself to these and these, although my thighs have never ever been that thin...

These are the most comfortable boots I've ever worn. I've worn them to death, and I still run around in them.

I could go on and on and on mooning over shoes, but I won't. For now. But boots of all shapes and sizes make up the bulk of my collection - I even got married in white gogo boots!

congrats on your good news!

Thank you!

Is it just me or are those in utero feet a good size? Is there any indication that this lad is a large baby, Luxx? And as a mother of twin boys, I so heartily concur about the pure fun and energy of boys. I had a few names narrowed down but it wasn't until I saw their actual faces that I knew surely who they were.

Is there any indication that this lad is a large baby, Luxx?

They seem like big feet to me, too, but the tech said there's no way to tell about the feet right now. I tend to have big boys: B was 8 pounds 13 ounces at 41 weeks, and Max was 8 pounds 11 ounces at 39 weeks. Max also has much larger feet than B did at the same age. Both came out hairy.

Michael is about 6'4", and both of my little brothers hover around 6'1-3", so there's a good chance my kiddos will always be on the bigger side.

I have three sons..and a daughter. Perfect! for me..
I love having the boys as much now that they are men, as I did when they
were babies. Same with my daughter. Whatever we get is the best!

Sorry to be away so long...I already posted on the 'baby' thread that I'm so thrilled about your 3 boys!

Anyway, you wanted to know the baby myth. My poor uncle Tom was subjected to this by his mother, who then tried to force my aunt to do this to her firstborn. She refused.

GROSS BABY MYTH:
(This was years ago when everyone used cloth diapers.) You take the baby's very first pee diaper and rub it all over their face. Baby will have a beautiful complexion for the rest of his/her life.

... no thanks.

Wow. That's ... interesting.

Told you it was gross!

There is so much to love about your thread, Luxx.

Cute pics of Max and Brooks
The precious U/S feeters!
Mom's funky shoes!
My vote is for Oscar, too!
Yup, that's the myth I was thinking of, BookAngel. (I did not do it either)
Hope FIL is coming along.
Congratulations to you, Michael, Brooks and Max - the new little guy just doesn't know how lucky he is to be planted with such a great family.

>228 BookAngel_a: Ya...think I'll be passing on that myth as well. But isn't interesting to hear about what people used to think actually worked?

Woot! A two-minute conversation with Amazon support scored me a new Kindle. I told them, "My battery lasts about 6-8 hours" and they said, "You'll have a new device tomorrow."

228: Haha, how utterly illogical. The only reason I can think of for that being remotely reasonable, is that something somewhere in a newborn digestive system having some beneficial effect that is only there during the first 'pass.' But with maternity wards and all, not sure if most mom's get the 'first pass.' Not to mention the digestive system is...'used,' prior to birth.

Rather silly. :)

234 - I managed to pass on every single hospital diaper when I had the first two monsters. ;) Maternity nurses spoil new mothers.

17.
Author(s): Victoria Thompson
Title: Murder on Marble Row
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages:
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 22, 2011
Rating: 4 stars

Oh yeah, that's gross!
Let me assure you... I never did that diaper thing. Both of my daughters are in their late 30s and still have beautiful complexions.

I have a terrible complexion ... but I feel comfortable blaming genetics, and not my mother's squeamishness. Ew.

Babies are gross enough on their own - I have no intention of upping the gag-factory!

My biggest surprise as a brand-spanking-new-mom: Exorcist Poo. Oh yes.

>222 London_StJ:: I looooove them!!! Aww man, I wish I had pictures of mine... I tend to get them from the most random places... I admit that I'd love to have a pair that come past my knees, but I haven't dared that yet, so I am very jealous of your Christmas boots... :)

>228 BookAngel_a:, 234: it's probably the urea, which is still used in many skin care products today...although usually from horses. I think if most people really knew what's in the goop they put on themselves, they'd be giving a lot of stuff a pass.

#239 - My OCD manifests itself in collecting information and household organization. In this case, that means keeping photos of all of the shoes I own. Yup.

I don't think Michael knows that.

I haven't been in here in so long that I won't even pretend to catch up, just come and present a *smooch* to my dear Crypto!

241- We are all very thankful that you enjoy photo documentation. :)

Ooh, so does this mean that you are spending any bits of spare time organizing before baby arrives? I suspect if I'm ever pregnant, organizing will be my form of "nesting".

organizing will be my form of "nesting".

I've cleaned and organized every closet in the house, and was just searching for better shoe storage. The kids got a new toybox to help keep the living room clean, and I'm constantly at work on any disorganized nook or cranny...

242- :-*

keeping photos of all of the shoes I own.

I remember you saying you take pictures of everything, but I am now officially impressed. :)

244- Yep, about what I suspected...although you probably enjoy searching for new organization ideas even when you're NOT pregnant, don't you? The pregnancy just brings out the intensity, I would guess.

That's one of the few things hubby and I disagree on. He likes to leave everything spread out, in the open on desks, chairs - wherever - until he's finished with it. He's a visual person and if he doesn't SEE it, he forgets about it.

I love to have everything PUT AWAY in its perfect spot...preferably in pretty containers that match our decor. And this is the NON pregnant me! Pregnant me, I think, would have everything put away and LABELED, too! Oh, and I bet I would throw away a lot of stuff too...hopefully nothing important.

246 - My partner ... is not a neat individual. He sees no reason to use the trashcan for non-foodstuffs, so he leaves scraps of paper everywhere. He thinks I'm nuts for organizing bookshelves, and before we were married didn't see the point in even finding a place to put things.

He's great at doing the dishes, though.

Unless it's the living room, the kitchen, or the bathroom, I'm with Mister. They need to be clean and tidy because non-resident people use them. Otherwise, whatever. And I categorically *refuse* to alphabetize books on shelves. This ain't a liberry.

You horrify me, sir!

Oh god. Just ... oh god.

If he finally gets an office of his own (so, really, if we ever manage to sell our current house) he's free to wallow in his clutter. I just need to be able to close the door and never never have to enter.

I can't find my books if they aren't organised (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, art, collections, signed editions, etc.) AND in alphabetical order in each section. The form follows the function.

Maybe opposite attract. I have been married to a leaver abouter lo these many years. I'm the tidier and the finder, he's the fixer and the builder. It works beautifully for us.

I'm the same way with my books. I'm less neat with his books (which is one of the reasons why our books are separated), and I don't say anything when he leaves stacks of books around. I do end up doing a sweep and throwing away the billion scraps of paper and junk he leaves on top of his computer cart once every couple of weeks, but I leave the inside of his cart alone, because I can close the doors.

In the past I wouldn't touch any of his things. But a year after moving into our current home I grew frustrated with his office-full-o-boxes, and decided to unpack for him, since I knew he'd never do it himself.

What did I find?

A box full of garbage. Literally: big gulp cups, hotdog containers, crumbled papers, napkins, etc. Nothing, er, perishable, thankfully, but garbage all the same.

He had moved this box of garbage from his bachelor apartment to our newlywed apartment and then on to our new home, where it sat unopened for (literally) a year. Once I made this discovery I decided once and for all that house organization is my job, and his space cannot be entirely free of it.

Of course, now that we have children neither of us has an office anymore, and having little people around makes it all the more important to make sure the bits and pieces of life are collected.

my poor hubby is the tidier, finder, fixer and builder LOL No wonder we've been having trouble! ;->

My books, however, are very tidy. :)

18.
Author(s): Kresley Cole
Title: A Hunger Like No Other
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages:
Genre: Supernatural Romance
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 24, 2011
Rating: 3 stars

The cover for this supernatural romance pretty much says it all. Except, of course, that she's the vampire. Despite its band of female warriors, Kresley Cole's A Hunger Like No Other is not one for progressive thinkers looking for an enlightened gender balance; the first sexual scene is essentially abuse (but it's ok, because they're kind of soul mates anyway, so she really did want it). Still, I'm not going to pretend that I have high standards for this genre, and A Hunger Like No Other is still better than others I've read of late, so while I wouldn't actually recommend this book to anyone else, I will be pursuing the second in the series.

*Still, I'm not going to pretend that I have high standards for this genre*

priceless. I have the same thing, different genres :)

>252 suslyn: All successful couplings I know of contain one messy and one tidy. It's like electrons and protons. Nothing happens without one of each.

Crypto my darling dear...how many posts are there now? What course of action does that suggest to the wise and good netizen?

19.
Author(s): Ken Kesey
Title: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Publication: Paperback
Pages:
Genre: Fiction
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 24, 2011
Rating: Unrated

One Few Over the Cuckoo's Nest is the first novel I teach in one of my lit and comp classes, and it always inspires interesting discussions related to the history of psychiatric care, the condition of mental institutions, gender relations, stock characters, and the ways in which Kesey works to manipulate literary standards to share his own personal views. I'm no longer going to re-rate texts I use every semester, but I will continue to recommend Kesey's most acknowledged work to any who have not yet had the pleasure.

Padre, I planned to draw out the thread a bit just to push back for the mental anguish your house description caused me. ;) But I think you're right - opposites certainly attract, and it's worked well for us!

254 - My take on it is that I read junky fiction for junky fiction, and I not for intellectual development. ;)

I read junky fiction for junky fiction, and I not for intellectual development.

ditto

Kind of like Richard and the cheeseburger: sometimes you just have to read junk food lit.

Another hour in the loony bin.