Hatches and Ports

We are sad to say that we have not had much quality time to work on the new boat. Blame it on my pregnancy, blame it on lack of money, blame it on the cold...but we just haven't been making as much forward progress as we had initially hoped. Such is life.

Finally, we decided to take a road trip down to Rhode Island to visit the previous owners, and to purchase some of the extras that they have for the boat. We decided it was time to buy the hatches and ports!

We keep going back and forth - do we paint and then put hatches (and ports) in, or vice versa? There are reasons for each way. Painting first makes more sense, but the boat is outside and covered with a sketchy shrinkwrap system. Lack of hatches in that condition is just asking for an accidentally wet interior. However, Justin thinks he can make the shrinkwrap last long enough to get the decks painted and then put the hatches in as soon as possible after that. We just hope the weather and the baby cooperate and that paint can happen sooner than later.

We had a very nice visit with Henry and Birgitta and packed all the hatches into the car. The Bomar hatches were purchased brand new ~30 years ago, and they still had the paper over the lexan to protect them from scratches! We wanted to see what they looked like underneath, so we picked away at the corner of the paper and tried to peel it, and...the paper was stuck. I mean really, really stuck.

We knew that you have to be careful with lexan, as it scratches very easily. We tried to just pick away at the paper with a fingernail until it came off, but we would have been doing that for a month! Also, when we did get the paper to come off, it left a terrible gluey residue on the glass. We were actually quite worried that this layer was basically baked right into the glass, and that these ''brand new'' hatches were going to look terrible when we were done.

Well, finally we found that some soap, hot water, and elbow grease really got the stuff to come off of the glass, including the residue. It all came off in layers - first the paper, then the glue, then the residue. We spent quite a few hours working on them together, but it was nice to sit down and work on a boat project together, to make good progress, and to see some beautiful hatches underneath it all.

Heating up the soapy water.

Peeling away at the gubbus.

Beautiful!

Almost There...

Pregnancy has been far different than what I anticipated it would be. Morning sickness was worse, but bearable. Being large bellied is something I often forget about, until I knock something over with it or can't squeeze myself through a tight space...or roll over in bed. Actually, rolling over in bed has been one of the hardest things for me about pregnancy, and it's certainly nothing to complain about.

I'm 33 weeks now, and the countdown is on! I'm due next month! Next month, we will have our little boat baby here to cuddle and comfort. Knowing that we are *so* close now, time has come to a standstill. I try to keep myself busy - I've been working a lot (yay money), handwashing cloth diapers (they need to be pre-washed to get fluffier), spending quality time with Justin, watching movies, and reading/preparing for childbirth. And yet, time stands still. I'm actually thrilled that I have to go to see the doctor once a week, because each visit reminds me that another week has passed.


And still, I'm 33 weeks! I still remember so distinctly being 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 20 weeks, 30 weeks...and now 33. Time IS passing. We have our last Bradley class on Monday. We meet with our doula on Saturday. Most of our "to do" list has been crossed off. I've started packing for the hospital even! People always say that the 1st and 3rd trimesters creep by, and I completely understand. I was so sick the 1st trimester that I really thought it would never end, but the 2nd was far more enjoyable and full of so many firsts. I even went into the 3rd trimester with hope that it would go by just as quickly as the last, but 30 weeks hit and the standstill had begun.

I imagine labor will be the same way, especially if it is long. One of the big things that I keep thinking about my labor is- how will I pass the time?

Doctor Visit Update

We had an early appointment this morning, and over a foot of snow last night! We were prepared and got up extra early. It was a good thing because it took quite some time to get there.

I am enjoying the new hospital quite a bit. Some reasons are simple, some are more complex, but overall they just make me feel much more comfortable. One of the simplest things is that all of the doctors, nurses, etc. always point out all of the restrooms to me, even if they know I've just used one 20 minutes prior! I always need to go, and it's such a nice touch. They probably snicker as I go in at every single opportunity, but I truly appreciate it.

Today was the first nonstress/biophysical profile test. They had two ace bandages that they wrapped around my belly, and two sensors that tuck underneath. One sensor measures the baby's heartbeat and the other measures for any contractions I may have. Her heartbeat went anywhere from the 120s to the 160s, and every time I felt her move is when it went high. The doctors left us alone and after 20 minutes, they came in and said that everything looked and sounded perfect.

Totally unflattering picture of me with the belts on, which look far more uncomfortable than they really are.

Next, I had my ultrasound. They are continually monitoring the velamentous cord insertion, and said that it showed no signs of change today. I don't think they were necessarily expecting any change, but they want to keep a close eye on it regardless. The succenturiate placenta also looks the same.

They also wanted to do an estimated fetal weight today, since a VCI baby oftentimes shows signs of growth restriction. They simply take a few measurements (they actually took a couple of measurements of her head) and say that she is weighing in at roughly 4 lbs. already, which is spot on for where she should be. I was glad to hear that she wasn't too small OR too big, and it obviously means that the placenta and cord are doing what they're supposed to be doing!

Baby weighs as much as this tub of Red Vines. mmm, licorice.

Since things looked so spot on, they were a bit more relaxed about having me come in for the rest of the nonstress tests/biophysical profiles. Initially they wanted me to come in twice a week, but now I just have to come in once a week, and they were able to set them up so they generally go along with my other appointments.

A couple of random things about our visit: they were able to see a little bit of hair on the baby's head! I won't be surprised if they are someday able to have colorized ultrasound machines and will be able to tell you the color of their hair. Seems strange that they can even see as much as they do already. Also, the doctors called her a 'wild child' and were in awe of how much she was moving around! This can only mean one thing - Justin and I better enjoy our sleep while we can. It's really a shame that you can't stock up on it before birth. And last - she was head down, just as I thought! She's beginning to prepare to make her way into the world!

Overall, a perfect visit, and 32 weeks tomorrow! Time is flying now.

-Jenny

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Justin here, just wanting to add some quick notes about the boat in the cold weather recently. It has been like a real winter here! Jenny and I are both from Michigan and we are used to weather much colder and snowier than what Boston has had since we've lived here. This year Boston has finally pulled out all the stops to give us an honest to goodness winter. :) We love it!


This weather certainly adds some interesting aspects to living on the boat. We've never had more than maybe 2 inches of ice in the marina, and even that was only in around a-dock where there is least water movement. Well last week we got a foot of snow, then it got to sub zero temperatures for the first time since we've lived here. The ice was a good 4 inches thick and the marina wasn't able to get their ice breaking tender in because it was too small and light. The movement of Madrigal swaying on the dock lines had kept he ice a couple inches from the hull and created sort of a safety pocket so that the ice didn't try to squeeze or crush. --then the wind kicked up as last night's nor-easter blew in.... We started rocking and suddenly our 2 inches of wiggle room between the ice wasn't enough. We would SLAM into the ice and everything would shake and rattle. It was really creepy, but our lines were just tight enough that it wasn't really doing any damage. Just making an awful racket and being a little scary. Our paint at the waterline might be a little worse for wear, but I doubt it.




And then there was the bilge pump hose issue... During those two days of sub zero temps the hose leading out of our main bilge pump froze over. It runs in a convoluted path from amidships to the transom and overboard above the waterline. Well, in the course of that run there are some ups and downs. The valleys created by the downs always have a bit of water in them. In the worst spot possible--of course-- the hose froze where it has to dip down to go under a bulkhead below the cockpit between two lazarettes. ugh. It took Jenny and I over 3 hours with pans of hot water, a hair dryer, space heaters, a steel wire snake, and a lot of contortions to get the dang thing warmed up and moving again. Now we know: if it gets down to zero, we have to let some of our cabin heat back there!

And through it all, we stay so toasty warm in our comfy little boat.

That's all. Otherwise it's just been fun in the snow!

-Justin