It's being to look a lot like Winter

It's really wintery now. It's snowed on and off everyday since we have been back alternating from those huge flakes and conglomerants to just the lightest dusts. Today John is doing his next to last school thing, an economics test. The only thing left is his Russia test, Forestry in Russia that is. We really need to head to the grocery store this afternoon, but first I have to clean up the main room before Pauliina comes. Pauliina is a coordinator of the Masters Program and is bringing over baby stuff she found in her basement. We're grateful for her generousity and I'm exited to see what she has.

I'm kind of working back wards in time, but last night I accidently stabbed myself in the foot with a knitting needle. Ouch! It got me between the toes as it got caught it my sock as I stepped. I don't know how it really happened, but it's sore now.

Yesterday afternoon we had another appointment with Virve. And basically no news is great news. Blood pressure was good. I gained 400 g, which is maybe a little low, but not concerning to her. The uterine growth is still perfectly following the curve. The head of the baby is lower than it was last time she felt it, which I think was a couple of appointments ago, since she has had a student with her. John asked if she could tell, by feeling, how big the baby is. She guessed it would be born around 3.4 kilos, that's about 7.5 lbs for those of you who are not brushed up on the conversion factor. The average here is about 3.6 at birth.

We learned more about the hospital. We will take a tour on the 27th, if nothing happens before then of course. We plan on going before Christmas too, to at least find where we would go and look around. We talked about how long the hospital stay is: two days minimum, and about when John can visit: all the time. We talked about when to go to the hospital and the kinds of time limits they place on labor. Unlike the US in which many hospitals try to follow the 1 cm per hour giving I think a max of 12 hours for first timers, Finland really doesn't impose a schedule. The only hard line really is that after the water breaks they will give you 18 hours before starting antibiotics.

I don't know about hospitals in the US, but she was saying that after the baby is born, the midwives will bring the mother and father juice and sandwiches. While I am in the hospital, I get 5 meals a day, that's snacks counted as meals. With a vaginal delivery, you share your recovery room with a max of 3 other people, with a Cesarean you would get a single.

This appointed lasted a lot longer than others. I had questions, John had questions, and she spent a lot of time answering them. I think we walked in at 3:45 and walked out at 5:00 or 5:15. I remember when I got home it was almost 6. I really like that we laugh a lot with Virve. I'm not sure what about anymore, but it's fun. We talked about cord care and what kind of things we would need on hand at home.

Well.. That's about all for now. As I have been writing, I have been watching out my window as a little girl totters around in the snow. Now she's interacting with a little yippy dog. You know how little kids stand motionless for a little while and then all of a sudden start walking directly toward something? I could tell it was going to happen with her and the dog. She stood watching as the adult tried to say hi to the dog and pet it, and then all of a sudden went straight for it.

I better start cleaning up, but I just wanted to say one more thing. We got a blender! I've been enjoying smoothies and milkshakes and I blended some soup yesterday which I will eat for lunch. I'm so excited to make creamy things! I need to buy ingredients now. We are out of yogurt, strawberries, bananas. And I need to think of what kind of soups I want to make and freeze. Are "cream of" soups bad to freeze? Does it do something funny to the milk? Or, should I make the soup without milk, freeze it, and add it when reheating? I'm excited to make some more split pea soup, not that I need a blender. Cookies are in order too, but people are departing fast so I don't think we'll get to do baking together or a cookie exchange. Oh well! I'll need some more healthful cookie ideas so I can not feel too guilty about snacking on them in January. Ideas?

I know comments don't always work but you can always email me, emilyholzer@gmail.com if you have something to say. I love hearing from folks! On to crafting and cleaning and my steeping tea!

Love, Emily