Just wanted to give kudos to my friend Julie Leung for the piece featuring her in the Bremerton Sun! I also need to thank her for giving my site address as well. Thank you! I made the paper too:) Bloggers of Kitsap unite:)
Daily Archive for November 30th, 2004
Baby appears healthy. At my 19 week check-up I asked the doctor about the baby\’s movement. I expressed concern because I felt the baby often, but not necessarily daily. I\’ve had 2 other pregnancies, but can\’t remmeber a thing (and can\’t find where the few little bits o\’ info I did jot down). She told me that by week 28 it would be more regular…
By week 21, Paul was able to feel Baby. At first we called it bean, then lima bean, now I am at a loss. At just over a foot in length and maybe a pound and a half, I don\’t have a cute little \”pet\” name. I often call the baby \”shim\” because we don\’t know the sex (decided to keep the surprise a surprise!). Shim — a combo of \”she\” and \”him\”. Even if we knew the sex, we\’d still be in a similar spot - no names yet! My baby name books are somewhere in storage. We\’ll figure it out:)
I am now at 25 weeks and I feel the baby every day. The baby was about 23 weeks (not 28) when the daily flutters emerged:) Now I wonder if the little one EVER sleeps! I feel \”shim\” when I am sitting or laying, and in the last few days, if I\’m standing still. I am even experiencing some Braxton Hicks contractions.
I had a check-up yesterday, and the heartbeat was at 142. I won\’t say what my weight was:) My doctor encouraged me to get a maternity belt. I didn\’t need one in the first 2 pregnancies, but every pregnancy is different and this is #3! It\’s amazing what a woman\’s body goes through to nurish and grow a life within. It\’s hard work, but I feel privileged and blessed to do it. In each pregnancy, feeling the baby move has been my favorite part of being pregnant (though sometimes very uncomfortable as they get bigger!). The baby is running laps as I type, reminding me of the road ahead. Joel and Livi were pretty active too, come to think of it, they still are… hmmm…
What does a family do when your kids just plain despise the cruise line\’s kids program?
The family swims. The family eats lots of soft serve ice cream (24 hour pizza and ice cream!) The family spends more money and plays at the arcade. The family takes a nap every day - despite Robin Leach. The family eats more ice cream. The family is in bed hours before the late-night buffet — though mom is pregnant, the need to sleep and have children be silent is often a bigger monster than the need to devour obscene amounts of food!. The family spends more money for cookies because we are tired of ice cream, and \”food for miles\” is really only pizza, ice cream, and longer meal hours. The family walks about the ship and looks at the map to see our progress. The parents get exhasperated, the kids get bored, and we spends more money on an in-room movie.
I\’ve never heard anyone complain about or dislike a cruise. Maybe we are just difficult. Maybe we had impossible expectations. I am exceedingly thankful we were able to go. I know we\’d always reget it and build it up if we didn\’t. There were good things too, even great things! I\’ll get to them later, when I have access to the pictures I want to post…
Alright. I knew Carnival was a Vegas-style cruise line. According to all the reviews I read — it is considered the most like it of all the cruise lines. However, it was less expensive and had a \”great\” children\’s program \”.
I had forgotten how \”non-Vegas\” we are! I write this to remind myself when times get tough and I think I want to get away… I write this to testify to anyone who reads this. Of you like Vegas, gambling and $1 and inch gold sales, cruise Carnival. If you like the voice of Robin Leach (the cruise director soun ded just like him) seeping into your room via the hallway speakers as early as 8 am on port days and as late as 10:30 pm every night…. cruise Carnival! If you like being reminded over the PA about the activities of the day (you may not like reading the paper of the activities) they put in your room every night - published much like a newspaper, cruise Carnival! If you like many, many reminders about BINGO games, you know where to go…
The trip seemed kind-of like a week-long blind date. I saw pictures and knew he was handsome, but when I sat down to get to know him, he was just different enough from me to make it awkward and a bit uncomfortable at times. Paul and I can\’t say we\’re not cruise people, but we\’re pretty sure we\’re not Carnival cruise people…
Did I mention hidden costs??? Just becasue we paid 2 months ago, didn\’t mean we paid… gratuity automatically added (talk about taking the wind out of your sails!!!), shore excursions, $2 bottles of water being sold as you head out the ship on your shore excursion, $10 burgers and fries on shore excursion ($40 for a family of 4!!!), internet access - it\’s obscene what they charge,and in-room movies cost money too!
In order to get to \”Camp Carnival\”, the children had to go through the Spa Deck. The elevator stopped there, and the camp was the next flight of stairs up. The families had to pass the spa display in order to get the \”Camp Carnival\”.
Naked lady\’s hiney. \”Tasteful and classy\” — that\’s what the guy at the desk at the spa called it as he brushed his hand over the image, egging me on as I suggested this was inappropriate for children to see. The big poster was brought behind the doors after the first night (never saw it, but hubby did). However they did manage to keep out 2 stacks of this flier - on the table that all FAMILIES had to pass in order to get to the children\’s program. He then chided me, even taunted as my daughter (who wouldn\’t go into the childrens program) wandered beyond some obscure point in the lobby and he egged, \”You\’d better stop your daughter from going over there if you don\’t want her to see something even more inappropriate - the men\’s locker room is over there.\”
The picture was tasteful considering the potential picture one can take… however… If I want to see a naked butt, I want to choose the times I see a neaked butt. I don\’t want it sitting there in a place I need to remember to NOT look. But that arguement is silly compared to the fact that CHILDREN could easily — without effort– take a peak. I remember as a child how utterly horrifying it was if my underwear elastic showed. I remember feeling so embarassed. I even remember taking great care to hide my bra straps, and I was older then!
Present day, the style is to show as much as possible, skin and thread. Have we have become so numb to the introduction of less modesty that the \”tastefully\” photographed naked body should not be hidden from our CHILDREN? My kids never noticed (5 and 2), but at what point do they? At what silent point in their innocent souls do the images begin to take effect and begin to numb their sense of modesty, rob their innocence? Why are adults so eager to take away this innocence - which protects and allows a period of childhood bliss? Children don\’t need added burdens (to flower with age), life brings plenty when the time comes.
The man said they would keep the flier out, but keep it upside down. That was all I felt I could expect. Of course, it seemed one would often be flipped right-side-up. oh well, I was on a ship, too far from land to swim, so I couldn\’t protest and leave….
We chose the Carnival cruise line for our anniversary getaway because it was the least expensive and their children\’s program takes children at age 2, and they do not need to be potty trained. I read many reviews and it seemed Carnival was one of the best cruises for children.
To their credit, the program was organized and they had many fun things planned. It was safe, the parent who signed in the kids was the only one who could sign them out. They did not allow parents beyond the gated sign-in point (which proved to be a big issue for us), and they gave out beepers to reach you at any time (proved to be an issue once more!).
They emphasized at the orientation that their program was NOT a childcare program. Oh really. It didn\’t say that on the website. It touted all the experience and education the workers had, but never eluded to the fact that one should sign-up your child(ren) according to the different activities planned. They encourage parents to only bring their children according to the themes each child would enjoy. Sounds acceptable, but…
Because it was \”program\” based rather than \”childcare\” it proved difficult for them to comfort the child that needed some \”encouragement\” (like mine did). They said that they had a program to run and didn\’t have the resources to comfort or help a child adjust (despite having 3-4 adults for 12 kids - good ratio, and the cruise had very low attendance for kids). I realize I can sound like an insensitive parent, neglecting the \”needs\” of my kids, allowing them to cry. But you know, I \”stay at home\” and give them plenty of time. Mama needed a break (Daddy too), and the way we saw it — we were paying for it… My kids didn\’t understand, but they needed me to have a break too!
To make matters worse, the policy was to not allow parents past the gate — safety. Alrighty, but how many 2 year olds just let ya pass \’em over, no questions asked - especially in a new, strange place??? We were finally allowed 2 times, and it was helpful in getting Livi \”warmed up\”.
Our overall experience with Carnival Cruise Line\’s \”Camp Carnival\” — we were made to feel like we were \”bad parents\” for wanting to leave our kids in their very special, highly acclaimed kids\’ program. On the very first night during orientation, before we had taken the kids in, we already felt like we were mean and neglectful. It almost felt like they were discouraging us from utilizing the program. They tell the story of many parents leaving their children for hours on end, and the kids not wanting to return. Geese, from the way they tell it online, that\’s how the kids would want it! Funny little twist.
We just wanted a nice balance of family time and down time. We ended up getting some of both, but we really could have used a bit more down time… with a lot less guilt.
Oh the way one can build up things in one\’s head! We headed out for a much needed 12 day vacation on Novemeber 10th. Our itinerary: day of travel, 2 days Disney World, 7 days Caribbean cruise, 1 day kickin\’ it doing nothing in Florida, and another day of travel. We all needed to get away, and it needed to be a trip away, not a trip to visit people. However…
The reason we planned and blew a bunch of dough on a cruise was……. (drum roll please) — childcare! This was our 10th anniversary celebration, so… a little bit-o-family, and a little bit-o-quiet time. HA. Silliness, pure silliness. My advice, don\’t put all your eggs in one basket (astounding words of wisdom, I know).
The kids did NOT want to go in the \”highly acclaimed\” kids program. \”Camp Carnival\” wasn\’t the haven of bliss described… at least not for my precious little ones… I need to start another post for this one…
I hate it when I can\’t sleep. It\’s not due to caffeine too late last night. It could be that we had 11 teens over last night and I still haven\’t wound down!!! Nah… the reason I woke up in the first place is because of my cold. The reason I am still awake is either because I am so stinking excited about a house we just put an offer on, or I am freaking out about the offer we just put on the house. Are we spending too much? Is the location too far out? What if we close before Christmas - how will that work? Will we get what we need from the sale of ours?
So, instead of continuing to toss-n-turn, I decided to get on the computer to click-n-clack… I hope I can get a few hours of sleep in before the kids wake up!
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