Weakly

First, thank you so very much for all the good wishes. I read them and wept as I have not wept since I discovered that I had already drunk the last mini-V8 in the pantry. But those, of course, were tears of fathomless sorrow whereas the ones you elicited were tears of affection. Also, plunging sodium levels.

I promised myself that I would not post anything until I had something to write other than: I FEEL AWFUL. So what you are listening to right now is the sound of the wind whistling through my computer. I've said it before and I will say it again, nausea trumps everything. My god I am sick. And yes, my OB forced a Zofran prescription on me after noting zee pounds, I 'ave lost zeem; and yes, I tried it one afternoon and yes, I was able to stagger out to my book club that night and back again which constitutes a small miracle. However, I don't know. For some reason I am not interested in taking it regularly. It is possible that I find the feeling of being hangover, stuffed in a smelly sack, tossed into the trunk of a very small car and driven very fast through the streets of Le Mans reassuring. Maybe I am a martyr. Possibly I don't really DO all that much in the first place so a few weeks of not DOING it will hardly make a difference. Whatever the reason I have decided to just slog through it as best I can (Julia: Drug-free Excluding Lovenox and Folguard since Wednesday, 2006) relying solely upon my unsinkableness and:

1. GUS (Grown Up Soda) Dry Meyer Lemon Soda - WOW! They also have a dry gingerale. WOW! I repeat.

2. Saltines with peanut butter (which seem to be giving me a slight rash...)

3. Odwalla Nourishing Food Bars - "Food Bars". I will leave you to draw your own conclusions.

Finally, Patrick has taken to doing impressions.

Last night he went, "Rrrrrrrrrrrrwwwwwwwrrrrrrr! Gkkkk! Gkkkk! Gkkkk! That is Rusty throwing up." Then he said "Uhhhhhhhhhhhnnnnhuhhhhhhh! Gkkk! Gkkkk! Gkkkk! And THAT is Mommy throwing up." He beamed around the table expectantly and Steve obliged him by applauding. I excused myself.

Hope you are well. Patrick has no school this week and Steve is traveling. I believe the time has come to stock up on children's videos- suggestions?

Comments

[uberimma]

Hey, I get to be first!

The first season of Muppets on DVD.

[Julie]

Last Tango in Paris. Then he can work on his Brando.

[Sami]

First off - glad that zippy decided to behave. As for the nausea - uhmm take the zofran every now and then - I think that while Steve's traveling that may be a good idea- however I have been known to give idiotic advice before.

Now since Patrick is doing impressions - I'm with the first poster of the Muppets on DVD - I think that will work with his quirky sense of humor and yours as well. Otherwise uhmm as someone without kids and a huge disney collection I don't have a whole lot of room tot alk, though Bambi II was cute. Especially when Flower found his inner strength.

[Angela]

MC loves the first season of Fat Albert.
Loves it. Bonus: It comes with a CD filled with songs featured in the first season. When we're not watching Fat Albert, we're listening to Fat Albert.

Also, and more importantly, good luck with the Zofran. It saved me.

[Lisa V]

My kids didn't see Tango until 2nd grade Julie, but yeah Patrick is advanced.

I never took anything for my morning sickness. It was reassuring. Like my own little 24 hours retching ultrasound.

[Lisa V]

Serious suggestion - the new Electric Company DVD.

[BeenThere]

Any of the Zaboomafoo (sp?) videos. My son loved them for years. I didn't mind watching them with him either--they're not dumbed down and can be funny. If you don't have one, may I recommend a netflix.com subscription. They have everything, you typically get the videos within a day, and you never even have to leave your house. No late fees either.

[terri c]

Food bars? That is a desperate situation you have over there... As for recommendations for Patrick, I am thinking either children's Valium (surely they have it?) or a gift of a full mechanic's tool set and the component parts of a Volkswagen. Good luck next week...

[Kay]

Chicken Little
Matilda
Robotz
Shark Tales
Shrek
Monsters, Inc.
Ice Age
Wizard of Oz
Wallace & Grommit

We watch all of these in rotation - sometimes Five. Or. More. Times. In. A. Row!

[Mir]

My video recommendation is anything that comes with a side of Zofran, Martyrgirl.

Also Veggie Tales, as around Patrick's age was when my own were completely veggie-obsessed.

[Lisa M.]

If Steve is away I would plan on having some Zofran around, just in case, ya know? I was minimally functional between eight and nine weeks, but 10-20 kicked my ass sideways. And unless Patrick is up to preparing all of his own meals, you never know what smells might push you over the edge.

Is Patrick into trucks or other big, loud machines? If so, try the Mighty Machine series. Mighty Machines at the harbor, airport, etc. Not obnoxious at all and I actually found them pretty interesting. And, because they are produced in Canada, the DVD can be played in either English or French. So, even if Patrick doesn't like big machines, he could at least be tutoring all of us in French by next weekend.

Good luck this week.

[Karyn]

My 4 year old has loved "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat starring Donny Osmond" (it must always be said this way, too) since about age 2. Friends of mine have sworn by Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, etc.

I just rented The Rescuers for my daughter and she loved it, although a bit frightened at times. Muppets are good, too!

I hope you can slog through the next few weeks as best you can. Good Luck!

[Jo in Boston]

Kipper. (The videos not the fish).

[Owlhaven]

The Incredibles is a major favorite over here, if ya don't have it yet...
Mary, mom to many

[victoria]

I don't know how easy it is to get ahold of, but BBC had a CGA documentary called Walking with Dinosaurs. It is narrated by Kenneth Brannagh, and is really great. My oldest (not quite a Patrick but pretty darn close) loves that dvd to death. I wish you continued sickness, and all that it brings!!

[Lala]

Luna bars, not for Patrick but for you. The lemon flavour is not bad at all. Probably available at REI or your favourite health food store. I also took a meal replacement called Spiru-tein, mixed with milk, it gives you the RDI of vitamins and tastes pretty good, available at GNC.
Good luck darlin'. Steve will be back soon, I'm sure.

[victoria]

Just checked Amazon.com and they have the series, as well as a later one on just the Allosaurus. Ben L.O.V.E.D. that one. It tells the story of Big Al and his life, interpreted from the bones that they found in 1999. I really enjoyed it too.

[anne nahm]

Yay for the queezies update!

[Marsha]

Hmmm...maybe not so much with the canning for the now? Working on the tutorial anyway.

For video, we've had lots of mileage out of the "There Goes A BullDozer/Airplane/Train/Police Car/Other Vehicle" series. They're live action, which my boy loved, and appropriately didactic for little guys who already know almost everything.

[Cherith]

I am impressed that you have the Zofran yet choose not to take it. I don't exactly understand that...seeing as how I would rathter loose a limb than ever suffer severe "morning" sickness again....but hey! My hat is off to you! I hope your week goes well.

[Christine]

Electric Company. We got it for Max for his upcoming birthday. For Max. Really.

[sally]

OH! OH! OH! Pick me!
Ready?
Pee Wee's Playhouse!!! They're freaking fantastic.

[Celeste]

Toy Story and Toy Story II.

[andrea]

It's hard taking meds when pg isn't...there is always that "what if". I am still so happy for you!!

My 5 year old loves Max and Ruby and Little Bear, both Nick shows.

Feel better soon!
a.

[tracey]

I don't have any video recommendations. I just wanted to say I'm so glad you are still so sick ! I love how pregnancy turns everything on its head. Take care.

[Amy P.]

My daughter loves _Here Come the ABCs_ by They Might Be Giants. She's only 2, but there are some pretty smart-funny lyrics in them. I have both the DVD and the enhanced CD, which has computer junk on it (though I confess I have yet to try it).

I don't know if your doctor would be cool with this, but my OB told me only to take the Zofran when I needed it - that I didn't need to take it all the time. But then, my nausea was very predictable, like clockwork. Regardless, be well.

[kate]

Oh bugger, I'm in Australia and you're over there... but here we have Hi5, who manage to keep the current generation of children immobilised brilliantly... they're currently touring in the UK, so maybe their stuff is available in the States??

[Melissa]

Scholastic DVD storybooks - it looks like they're called "Scholastic Video Collection"

[sozzled]

I second (or 3rd?) the suggestion of the first season of the Muppter Show. They have me laughing so hard I cry.

[Anita]

You son is HYSTERICAL!!!!

That is so, so funny!

I'm sorry you're feeling so sick, but I'm so excited, too. I think it's a Very. Good. Sign.

yay. but yak at the same time.

[Moxie]

For Patrick, absofrickenlutely The Electric Company. He's totally ripe for it, and it's 20 episodes.

People made other DVD suggestions at my Ask Moxie about TV:
http://moxie.blogs.com/askmoxie/2006/03/qa_television_w.html

Also, email Very Mom. She had hyperemesis with her first two pregnancies but in her third started taking some crazy vitamin (no drugs, just vitamin) that completely eliminated her vomiting. A Christmas Miracle, indeed.

[Miz S]

Oh my, Julia. I'm very happy that the throwing up continues unabated. Yay for you and Zippy. I have no video suggestions because my girls are all grown up and watch things like The L Word and Sex in the City. I'm out of touch with the wee ones and what they like to watch. But if I were your neighbor I would come and play with Patrick and fold your laundry and bring you tea.

[christie]

Barfing is good, barfing is reassuring, barfing means all is well....oh God I hope you don't barf for 9 months.

I'm thinking you need to get Patrick videos of college level math courses, he'd probably have them memorized by the weeks end. (unless you can videos of various species puking for him to study....he'd probably keep the entire neighborhood amused for months)

Good luck!!!!

[Dana]

oh sound so ugggy, so sorry you are feelign so bad! no vid recommendations but lots and lots of good wishes to feel better. hang in there!

[Leslie]

Videos that won't make you want to jump out a window if you hear/see them 400 times:
Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius (I have actually recorded episodes from tv (Nickelodean), edited out the commercials and burned several dvds for my 3 year old. He LOVES Jimmy. And my husband and I get a chuckle out of him too. In the not-so-pirated world though, Schoolhouse Rock is HUGE. And I second the Toy Story and Toy Story 2 vote. Last but not least on the list of my son's current faves is Dinotopia. It was a mini-series combining live action with cg dinos. It's about 6 hours worth of dino action. For anyone with a dino-head like my little guy it's FAB.

Sorry about the morning sickness (or is it all day sickness?) but keep it up!! I mean that in the BEST possible way...

[Susan]

My sons were out of school last week, and my husband was also gone. We had many hours of fun (read: rest for Mommy) with Winnie the Pooh and his Heffalump movie, and Springtime with Roo, which is an Easter retelling of A Christmas Carol (Easter Bunny Easter, not Jesus Easter, which would be weird). The boys also loved the Tales of Winnie the Pooh (I think that's the proper title--it's Disney's bastardization of the Milne stories). Finally, there is Piglet's Big Movie, which is very sweet and long enough for you to have a nice lie-down.

Good luck! And really, I hope you feel better, and the Little Embryo that Could keeps going.

[Brandee]

Gee, list of movies:
1. E.T. the kids love it, and it's got a speak and spell in it!!
2. Zofran
3. The Neverending Story (though might be a smidge scary)
4. Zofran, Part Deux
5. Fraggle Rock
6. The Zofran Strikes Back

Also, might not want to keep eating that peanut butter due to your clear possible allergic reaction. Also? Take your zofran.

[marion]

Children's videos? Aside from Electric Company (and is Zoom! available on video/DVD?), I got nuthin'. But the GUS sodas are da bomb. I love the dry ginger ale especially, and am very happy that someone else is drinking it, because I feared I was the only one. Readers: If you like your drinks on the less-sweet side and are not a huge fan of the taste of artificial sweeteners, hie thee to a Whole Foods or elsewhere and search out the GUS.

[Judy]

The 300 mark - impressive.

I somehow doubt Daniel's taste in movies with translate well to Patrick, so I'll refrain from suggestions.

Have you tried the protein shakes for expectant Mom's (think ensure, but geared at expectant and nursing Mom's)? They might be a good drug free way of keeping on zee pounds. They have them in my OB's mini fridge (her new office has great grab-em free-bees), and I have to admit that I indulged one day even though I don't need any help keeping on zee pounds.

I find french fries settle my stomach as well. Yeah, nothing like french fries and a regular coke. I knew a vegan that was fat. Seemed impossible to me (boggled the mind), but then I found out that she ate french fries - regularly.

So happy for you! Keep us posted. And, if you need something to write about how posting the pork and Asian slaw recipe? Perhaps you could assign Patrick the job of typing it in for us? Might keep him busy for 30 minutes.

Judy

[Dillygirl]

No news (other than barfing) is great news! As you know, we're all rooting for this little one and it's SO exciting to hear that everything is going well. :)

As for the videos, my hubby and I just saw "Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were Rabbit" and it was not scary in the least bit because of how hysterical and creative it is (and the little bunnies are SO cute). Or, for a classic non-animated movie, "Milo and Otis" is always great. Also, "James and the Giant Peach" or "The Iron Giant" are wonderful and imaginitive movies for kids.

Can't wait to hear about all of the great quality time you'll be spending with Patrick. He's such a precocious kid.

[MFA Mama]

That Spiru-tein stuff isn't half bad, but I never took it while pregnant, and might I just add TAKE YOUR ZOFRAN and might you consider the Zofran, please? Works wonders, really. And so glad the "damned thing" (still can't believe I said that, will have to start blocking out pattern to cross-stitch that onto something, just in case...continues to behave...am wishing for a cucumber and planning to slip some into my neighbor's garden, cuckoo-bird style, and snatch them at dawn thanks to your mention of them. So glad my days in your shoes are over and that can just be a harmless eccentricity of mine. Woot on no school for Patrick--less laundry for you, more time to lie face-down on cool surfaces.
Get that boy Finding Nemo and Monsters Inc. and whatever else Pixar has out there...he'll probably be making his own short films in time for the 2009 Academy Awards...

[margalit]

Barfing... man I so feel for you. I'm praying that it stops after the first trimester. Really praying.

Try Luna bars. They actually taste fairly good, at least way better than the Odwalla ones do. Some of them are better than other ones, but I can eat them when nothing else will stay down.

For videos, smart kids usually like videos that are a bit more mature than age appropriate. I'd go with:

Finding Nemo
Toy Story
101 Dalmations (not the cartoon, the one with glenn close)
Incredibles
Wallace and Grommit (the movie and the shorts)
The Muffet Movie
Free Willy
Air Bud

are all films that my son liked when he was about 3-4.

Stay healthy.

[Lena]

That is so like you: you find the projectile vomiting reassuring. I would do the same thing.

Glad to hear everything is staying the same as it should be!

And maybe that rash is from laying on the floor while eating crackers with peanut butter?

[Kristin]

I am convinced that I wouldn't have lived through the last 3 weeks without Zofran. I had lost 8 pounds in about 3 days from the nausea, and honestly have only had one bout since then (and I've now been zofran-free for 4 days!) I don't take it unless I feel bad, but really- take it! The way my ob put it to me when I scoffed at puting any "drug" in my body... "it is MUCH safer to take the meds than to let yourself get as dehydrated as you obviously are."

Good luck- and hope you are feeling better soon!

[SheilaC]

We love Kipper the Dog, very funny. Also the Wiggles (Australian children's musical group), and Winnie the Pooh movies. (Not into Disney movies because of scary scenes, and not Pixar either.) We also like the Mighty Machines, though not a whole hour at a time. And we like Scholastic Books videos, e.g. stories by Kevin Henkes. And we love the video series of The Busy World of Richard Scarry.

Can you do online catalog searches at your local library, and request videos and books? Then they will have them all waiting for you to pick up.

I hope the nausea improves so that you can function when you need to. Wishing you all the best,

[Emily]

Julia, why are you still in the book club for goodness sakes?! Everyone knows that book clubs are just an excuse/cover-up to drink with other people. I thought you would have ditched the drinking club way back when you found out you were pregnant. Besides watching people drink is not fun.

Here are my children movie picks: Babes in Toyland, Neverending Story, Princess Bride, Home Alone 1 & 2, The Little Mermaid, and The Little Rascals.

[Jennifer]

I'm amazed no-one has yet suggested the Magic Schoolbus DVD. My boys (who bracket Patrick in age, if not intellectual ability) love it and will watch it for hours. It's scary the way they now know more than me about the inside of a car, though. There's a few boxed sets which you can buy from Amazon.

Good luck for the week..

[katie]

Some fabulous British children's shows you may not have seen:
Roobarb and Custard (there is a new series on at the moment. But perhaps don't watch the animation when you are nauseous).
The Clangers
Bagpuss
Creature Comforts (not strictly for children - made by the Wallace and Gromit people fairly recently)
Trumpton/Camberwick Green
Mr Benn
Magic Roundabout (there is also a new version with newer voiceovers)
Ivor the Engine
ah...nostalgia...

[Slim]

Singin' in the Rain
Ralph's World (Yeah, Ralph. Enjoy the irony, there.)

[marian]

My Neighbor Totoro.

He'll watch it thirty times and you'll still like it!