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1
I love Luci. She is a true researcher, who goes meticulously through all the data to try to truly understand things. And then when she explains it, she makes sure to provide her references, even in blog posts. Her latest post discusses how increased access to contraceptives increases abortions.
(BTW, she's not Catholic. I know there are some people who just think Catholics are crazy and believe this sort of thing just because "the Church tells them to" - not so, my friends! Intelligent people can come to these conclusions based simply on the social science data.)
2
I now feel the baby kicking! I read that I should first feel it between 18 and 20 weeks, and had been anxiously awaiting it. It happened just once in week 19 - my skeptical husband suspected I was just digesting, but I knew it was the baby! Then at the end of week 20 she was suddenly super active! It must've been all those good speakers at the TOB Congress motivating her.
My husband the scientist still hasn't felt it, though. Her movements aren't really sustained in the same place for long enough yet. How long did it take for your husband to feel the baby kick?
3
I informed my husband that our daughter had received a couple marriage proposals on facebook. He happily said we'd accept the one with the biggest dowry... until he remembered that it's the woman's family who provides a dowry! It's funny how we've had to rethink little things like this after somewhat expecting a boy!
4
Did you hear it's world breastfeeding week? I would've written all about the benefits of breastfeeding and such, but decided not to since I haven't actually experienced it yet. Anyway, in honor of it, this company is giving away free nursing covers with the promo code "Breastfeeding" (you still pay $10 shipping). H/T to Faith and Family Live.
This is the one I ordered - isn't it pretty?
5
I apologize again that my blog seems to have become mostly baby-centered. That's just all I think about these days (I can't imagine what it will be like once the baby's actually here!). Actually I do think about my dissertation, too, but I'm pretty sure you all would get tired of hearing me say "I finally talked to my adviser!" and "I'm revising the first chapter!" and "I fell asleep again while I was supposed to be working on my discussion chapter, because it is that exciting!" On the plus side, my adviser has pretty much said I can set a date to defend (ie to FINISH) for whenever I like - the end is in sight!
6
God has just outdone Himself lately. I've been praying for community for over a year now. I've experienced an answer to this in different ways, but was still really desiring community with women like me - my age, situation, outlook, religion, etc. Well this week He has just filled my cup 'til it's overflowed!
First I got to meet Joy and have lunch with her and her lovely daughter. Then I got to meet a great gal from our parish who's going to get me involved with the mothers ministry there. She happened to be due with her third baby in just a week and a half, and yet still gladly took the time to meet me - I have to remember to be willing to do that myself someday!
That in itself was enough, but there's more! I'm becoming better friends with several of our neighbors, and starting to attend prenatal fitness classes with one of them. And finally, one of my husband's old neighbors facebook friended me out of the blue and wants to get together, along with several other pregnant gals! I am just too thrilled with all these exciting opportunities for community!
7
I've been thinking more and more about parenting philosophies these days. It started with Kathleen's interview with Kimberly Hahn about how not using contraception keeps people from overparenting. I thought this was really interesting, because many people assume that the Attachment Parenting (AP) lifestyle that often accompanies NFP will lead to spoiling and overparenting. I know I did at first!
The other time AP came up was at a talk by Greg and Lisa Popcak suggesting how to parent explicitly as Catholics. Their premise seemed to be that everyone has a parenting philosophy of some sort, so you should be intentional about yours.
I imagine that our parenting will evolve as our family does, but it's interesting to think about it now, before we have children. I'm sure that, once the baby comes, there will be things that I laugh at for ever having thought, but I bet there will also be other things that I'll be glad I took the time to ponder beforehand.
Do you have any specific parenting philosophy?