Schmoodles 34 Weeks

The big day is drawing closer. We visited the ultrasound tech today for the fourth time. Schmoodles is doing well. His kidneys are within the normal range now. Further, he's already an estimated 5lbs 10oz and growing at a rate of about a half pound per week; so it appears that he is eating well. His heartbeat was 141bps which is also normal.

In addition to taking measurements, the tech was kind enough to snap some nice head shots of the Schmoodles. He has a plump little face now. He has Leslie's nose and my (upper) lip. Here are some more photos.

We were able to watch him as he moved around his little home. He seems to be quite content in there. He lifted his foot to his face and for a brief moment appeared to sit in a full lotus position. It won't be long now. Thanks for tuning in!

Fall Comes Early to the Midwest

The cold weather came early this year, and we've had lows in the 50's all week. We've even had frost overnight, which means that we had to pull in all the lovely tomatoes that remained on the vine. What you see in this picture are the fruits of Scott's hard labor all summer to breed the perfect heirloom tomato.

[View the tomatoes]

The gourds and pumpkins in the photo came from Kuipers Farm, which we visited last weekend for Elliot Kroyer's birthday. Despite the rain, mud, and cold weather, we all enjoyed watching Owen polishing the pumpkins before placing them in the wagon for Elliot to wheel around.

The biggest bump in these photos is our rapidly growing baby boy. He's getting bigger every day and is rapidly filling my belly. His movements have changed from kicks to more of a shuffling movement in my belly. He's even passed the stage of doing benchpresses against my rib cage. I'm guessing that means he's getting too big to fully stretch out his little legs. Over the next few weeks he'll double in weight, but only grow another few inches in length. We just can't wait to meet him.

[View the Schmoodles at 31 Weeks]

The Schmoodles First Political Rally

How did The Schmoodles happen upon his first political rally? Well, it all started the weekend following The Schmoodle's baby shower. We ventured out to Rockford, IL to share the morning with Althea, who had stayed the week to visit with extended family. We had a lovely lunch at the Anderson Japanese Gardens, apparently the largest Japanese Gardens in the country. Highly recommended. Good food, great company, and a very relaxing stroll through the waterfalls and a beautiful environment.

[View the Anderson Japanese Gardens]

After we dropped Althea off to catch her plane, Scott and I decided to drop in on a local Rockford NAACP rally that was being held in honor of a young man, unarmed man who had been shot and killed by local police in a nearby church a couple of weeks before. The newspaper stated that the Reverend Jesse Jackson was set to speak at this march, and it was fortuitous timing to get to partake in such an activity.

So, we made our way down to downtown Rockford and fell into step only a few rows behind the Reverend Jesse Jackson and fellow protesters in the march. The Reverend Jesse Jackson gave a short talk that focused on the need for justice, regardless of race matters. He encouraged Rockford citizens to get registered to vote, to be known as leaders in their community, to demand that their public servants reflect the same racial diversity as their community, and to stimulate their economy or ask for assistance in doing so. Overall, it was a balanced and inspired talk. We were awed by the event and the gravity of our proximity to one of the great social justice leaders of our time.

Along the way, we were asked to volunteer to lead NAACP marches/activities in the Geneva area, so we can look forward to sharing more of these experiences with The Schmoodles as he grows older.

[View the Rockford NAACP March]

The Schmoodles Heartbeat

We found ourselves growing impatient during the long weeks between doctor's visits, waiting to hear The Schmoodles heartbeat and know that he is doing well. So, in order to keep an ear on our little one we got ourselves a fetal doppler. The doppler allows us to hear his heartbeat, hiccups, and movements while he's still in Leslie's belly.

At night, before bedtime, we usually spend some time talking to The Schmoodles, singing "Sur Le Pont D'Avignon", or reading him a Dr. Seuss book. So, that's when we sometimes check in on him with the doppler.

Over the length of his gestation, his heartbeat gradually slows. When he was just a tiny one, his heartbeat was around 177 beats/minute. Now it is down around 144 beats/minute. We find it soothing to listen to him, so we thought we would share it with you too.

Listen to The Schmoodles Heartbeat