More drama

I received a bill in the mail from the idiot Birmingham people. So I called them and Medicaid too and after talking to six people it turns out the wrong due date for my baby was entered and that's why my medicaid is screwed up. So all I have to do is bring my new proof of pregnancy letter to my social worker and it will get fixed. I was considering not even going back to UAB but the lady I talked to was so nice that I am reconsidering. I just really hope that it doesn't take 4 hours and that an actual dr really does see me.

You're probably wondering about Medicaid and the Maternity services that Alabama provides. All pregnant women are guaranteed a special kind of insurance called Pregnancy Medicaid which is done through the Small Wonders Maternity Program in AL so they can have the best prenatal care available and to have healthy babies. Blue Cross/Blue Shield does not cover pregnancy and I can't get other insurance because I have a birth defect. So Small Wonders covers me at least until my husband gets in the navy which I hope is soon. Small Wonders has a lot of classes like a breastfeeding class and they have WIC (which most people are eligible for even Military families) which is like getting coupons for free cereal and juice once a month. After the baby is born, you get a set number of coupons for baby formula and jars of food. Now, please enjoy this picture of a baby trying to grab a spoon.

Tetris Heart Blanket

I'm in the planning stages of making a baby blanket.  It's going to be based on the famous Tetris heart cross stitch which looks like this:

Except I'm going to make it be one complete heart to snuggle up my baby in.  I'm choosing girly colors like pastel pink and lavender.  I need to take a field trip to Montgomery to look at yarn to pick out the best colors.  I'm using Caron Simply Soft as its inexpensive and 100% acrylic, which means it's machine washable and I believe is better for sensitive skin. I worry that since babies can't have honey or many other foods because of potential of allergies, it's best not to use animal fibers. Most baby yarns are expensive and consist of chenille or cotton, or even bamboo silk yarn.  Which is fine, just that cotton and bamboo don't stretch.  I want this blanket to be stretchy and snuggly.  Each pixel of the tetris pieces is going to be made of granny squares. I've been experimenting with square sizes and should have one picked out by tomorrow.

May be gay alien.

This was found on a bathroom wall. It answers basically every question I've had about Robert Pattinson.

Headphones!!

I did ask for headphones for my birthday. Not for me, but for my baby. I want them to like stretch over my belly to provide a surround sound experience for my baby. In the meantime, Mom gave me a pair of old airline headphones to try. Unfortunately one one ear works but I'm still using them until my birthday.

I decided that the first song I wanted my baby to hear would be "Major Tom" by Shiny Toy Guns. So I turned on my ipod and placed the one working ear to my belly. Upon hearing the music start, my baby's whole body shifted itself towards the music. It started moving and bubbling excitedly. When my baby moves or swims, it creates a bubbling sensation in my lower belly. If it gets too close to the surface, it will starting kicking or hitting, and it can hurt occasionally. Like Saturday when it kicked me in the lung. That hurt. Anyway when I played the music and a few more Shiny Toy Guns songs, I moved the headphone piece across my belly and each time the baby followed the music. Which makes me glad that it has such great taste in music and that it can hear well. I'm going to try a few more bands and see how it responds.

On another plus note, I have spent countless hours campaigning for a Disturbed Rock Band (or Guitar Hero, it really is the same company no matter how much the people on forums whine). Now a couple of their songs are available for download for the Rock band pack starting June 3. I believe that they are "Indestructible" and "Inside the Fire". Nice, but still waiting for "The Night" and plenty of other songs that showcase their talent. I can't think of a better way to celebrate their 10th anniversary.

Which brings me to my new dream of GUITAR HERO MUSE!!!!! The newer Guitar Heroes also have drums included, which would be perfect for Muse (or System of a Down, but they don't have enough songs to warrant their own video game. However, if I could just download "Question" I would be extremely happy). You can download "Hysteria" for Rock Band, but I've always enjoyed playing Guitar Hero more. Also you can download several of their songs already on Guitar Hero. Bonus: You can play as Matt on Guitar Hero 5!! Adorable!

Birmingham Sucks

I have been waiting to get my baby's heart checked out since March 2nd. The only notice I got was forwarded from a wrong address the day after the appointment. I don't understand why they didn't call me like a normal dr would. Today we left the house at 6:00 am to make it to Birmingham before 9:00, which was when my appointment was. All I got in the mail was an appointment card that said 1500 6th ave. That was it. So we drove around and found the 6th ave parking deck and walked into the hospital. We couldn't find the Women's Dept and we ran into a dr. She was very nice and called the women's dept to see where they were located. Turns out they were on the 10th floor of the new Women and Infant Center, and the dr. led us to it. It was so pristine and beautiful and it was amazing that anybody could afford to be treated there. So obviously I wasn't.

After traveling to the 10th floor, I was informed by a receptionist that the address on my card was wrong and was actually for a clinic 4 blocks away. And it wasn't called the Women's Dept. It was a research center for people with difficult pregnancies. Of course no one told me this either. So we went back down 10 floors to the street and walked 4 blocks down to a dirty overcrowded clinic. Out of 50 women there, I was the only married one. And I waited for 4 hours there until I was seen by a doctor for ten minutes. Only to be told that 16 weeks is too early to check the baby's heart and they needed to schedule a new appointment. Oh, they also said that the baby had 50% chance of inheriting my heart conditions. No shit! I could have figured that out. I have a heart defect. Brian does not. Ergo, 50% chance. Thanks, Genius Doctor.

I went back to the receptionist and she said she will mail me an appointment card. I told her the whole problem began because they mailed it to the wrong address. But she still insisted on mailing it. Which means I won't get it. But I have a real ultrasound coming up and a prenatal visit with my real Dr. So I am definitely not going back to Birmingham for any prenatal care.

Puerto Rico enters statehood - possibly 2011

     Last week me and Brian were discussing what it would be like to have 51 states in our union.  First off, we would have to change our flags and it would look uneven.  But the real question is can we afford another state?  This question has come to my mind after reading a CNN report Monday morning after the US's impending purchase of Puerto Rico.  Not only that, they are comtemplating renaming the territory after our president in honor of his recent Nobel Prize win.  So if the territory of Puerto Rico does enter statehood, it will be renamed Obamaland.  This decision was not taken lightly and was not meant to detract from the rich Hispanic heritage of the island, it is simply meant as a welcoming gesture from the United States and to begin to assimilate them into a more English-oriented society.
     The main reason we are adding Puerto Rico as a state is because the citizens already enjoy many of the benefits.  For example, they get Social Security, the US military protection, US control of commerce and transportation.  They do not pay the same taxes and do not vote yet receive many of the benefits hard-working tax-paying Americans get.  So it is only fair.  Another great reason to include Puerto Rico into the statehood is because we will get a lot of money in return.  Not only does Puerto Rico have a bustling rum business and tourist industry, we will see a great deal of benefit by adding 3.96 million taxpayers to our country.  The more I think about it, the more I can see that adding Puerto Rico as a state is very beneficial, for ourselves and for our economy.  Here is the link to the CNN reports concerning Puerto Rico/Obamaland's bid for statehood: CNN Report