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I went to the AGI conference yesterday and Tuesday, and it kicked my ass. It wasn’t that difficult, truly, but the combined lack of sleep, driving, moving/walking/listening/conversing/absorbing really drained me. I haven’t been this exhausted since the START of my pregnancy (before I even knew I was pregnant we had a student portfolio review at BGSU and organizing that event exhausted me beyond belief and as soon as the event was over I literally crashed for that night and the entire following day and 1/2). I’m feeling that way again and need to just go die for awhile; it’s amazing what pregnancy does for your endurance!
This has been a crazy wonderful summer. Part of me is mourning the loss of the freedom that will come with the baby, but I know that life will change in a really positive way. In the interim, I’ve been exposing the baby (ok, so really, myself) with as much design as possible. Ethan should already be one design savvy baby, and hopefully, will continue to be! Here’s my list so that by this time next summer I’ll remember it all!
- co-organized AIGA Toledo Student Portfolio Review
- attended HOW Conference, Boston
- attended AIGA Leadership Retreat, Omaha
- co-hosted SWEAT Workshop, June
- AIGA Toledo DesignWhat? exhibition, August
- UseLess Toledo launch party, August
- co-hosted AIGA Toledo Marcia Lausen luncheon, September
- AGI conference, Chicago, September
Alas, I think my design adventures are going to be over for awhile (at least for non-local events) but I will reconvene next Fall at the AIGA Conference in Memphis!!!
Back to AGI for a moment: it was a wonderful 2 days, and I am thankful that this opportunity was made possible for students (and faculty)! It was also wonderful to get back to SAIC and see so many old friends. That was almost the best part (and that’s saying a lot considering that the speakers were all world-class).
But I am enjoying being pregnant. The start of school was very hectic, and I’m finding that 4 weeks into the semester things are calming down somewhat and I’m getting into a routine. Already I’m affected by Baby Fidler in that I can’t stay up too late and I have to have regular meals; two limitations that make me have to plan ahead (so… those are great for when I plan ahead, bad news for when I’m too “busy”). My goals are to get everything ready & set up prior to Ethan’s arrival. It’s amazing how that most of the time little Ethan is all I’m thinking about, and if something else forces my attention, Baby Ethan is still 50% in my thoughts. I haven’t been this infatuated with something since falling in love with Andrew!
The baby is really Ethan to me. But what if he comes out and he doesn’t look like an Ethan? What if, by the 10% chance, it’s a girl? Being pregnant is amazing in that it really requires a control freak like myself to just sit back and try to be patient.
I can regularly feel the baby kick (to the point if I don’t feel him I worry something is awry). And, on the intense kicks you can feel them from the outside. Andrew found this underwhelming but I thought it to be incredibly cool. This week (or next week– depending on which calendar & which midwife you ask) I will officially enter my 3rd trimester; the homestretch! At my 20 week ultrasound they said my due date might now be Dec. 28th… so I’m in the range of Dec. 28-Jan. 4th, though really once I get my final grades turned in (Dec. 21st), I’ll be happy!
I am planning on a natural birth at St. Luke’s hospital with a midwife & doula (and Andrew!). Truthfully, birthing naturally is not soley to prevent the drug interaction with the baby (though you should watch the film The Business of Being Born) as much as the selfish reason that I want to feel the endorphin rush after the delivery; a sensation women can have only after a natural birth. I also want to see if I’m strong enough… [so no horror stories of other births, please! I'm thinking positive!]
