People like the show!

The Alaska Experiment seems to be really popular. Lots of folks watching (over 2 million per episode) and lots of blogs going on. They even aired The Alaska Experiment marathon last week in response to the great demand! The official Discovery blog about the show is here. The website should have our video and written journals up soon.

Discovery is so pleased with the show that we've been doing follow up interviews and filming. There are three more new episodes left to air on Tuesday nights so keep tuning in!

The Alaska Experiment previous episodes can be seen on-line at video.discovery.com. The show is also going to start airing in the UK on May 26. It will be cool for some of my foreign friends to watch. Here's more info.

Some folks are wondering why we did it:
Was it to be on TV and get our 15 minutes of fame?... Well, I can honestly say that we actually wished we could have done it all without the cameras. But it has been great to have our families and friends take a look at what we learned while living in that wonderful land.
Was it for the money?...NO, there was no money, no new car, no million dollar prize at the end. For us the reward was an incredible outdoor experience of a lifetime that we got to share together.
Was it for the challenge?...Sure. We all get so comfortable living in this "world of conveniences" that we thought we'd put ourselves out there and find out if we could survive without running water, electricity, television, internet, and all the things we take for granted in the modern world.
Was it to get closer to each other?...Yes. Even though we've been married for 12 years, it's amazing how much more we learned about each other when we relied on each other for survival. The lack of outside distractions allowed us the chance to really communicate and understand each other's feelings so much deeper than ever before.

Whew! Anyhow, yes it was an incredible experience that we will remember for the rest of our lives. And we hope that it will inspire others to REALLY get away from the madness of the lifestyles we have created in our fast paced lives. Take a break from work, from TV, from internet, from telephones, and enjoy the environment in which you live no matter where you are. Maybe not for 3 months, but for 3 days or at least 3 hours.

We are half way there!

Week 21 of 40!!!

Last week I had a Level 2 ultrasound and an amniocentesis. These tests were suggested by my doctor mainly because,,,,well.......I'm old. Oh, come on!?! Okay, I admit, I'm 35 but I feel like I'm 25. And when I'm flying over the handle bars of my bike, I feel like I'm 12! But whatever, I guess my eggs are 35 years old so I took the tests.

Level 2 Ultrasound
This special type of ultrasound gave a very specific glimpse of Little Tyke. (But no, much to my Mom's dismay, I did not find out if LT is a girl or boy!) LT weighed in at 11 oz. and looks to be taking shape nicely. S/he was doing the "Macarena" in there and didn't stop moving the entire time. Even the technician was giggling at how much LT was moving around. I guess s/he already likes being on camera! :)

LT's heart had all four chambers pumping strongly and the kidneys, bladder, stomach, brain, and spine all looked good. My amniotic fluid levels, the location of the placenta, and the fetal heart rate also looked good.

I could have sat there all day and watched my Little Tyke but the show was soon over and the next test began.

Amniocentesis:
A small amount of my amniotic fluid was removed from the sac surrounding Little Tyke. The sample of amniotic fluid (less than one ounce) was removed through a long, fine needle that was inserted into my uterus through my belly! Yikes, sounds freaky huh? Well, since I was already feeling a bit queasy from my never ending morning sickness, I decided not to look at the giant needle that was going into my belly! (No anesthesia) The fluid was sent to a lab and tested for certain genetic defects. Thanks to God everything was normal.

So far it looks like all my puking hasn't affected LT at all and s/he is progressing nicely. They say Little Tyke can hear me now and some outside sounds as well. So I've taken up the guitar so I can play for LT. Greg says LT is probably covering his/her ears when I practice but I'm guessing now is the best time to play for LT since s/he probably doesn't know good from bad yet! :)

My progress report:
1. NO the puking hasn't completely stopped! It appears I'm in the 15th percentile of women who continue to have morning sickness past the first trimester... oh lucky me! I'm still on Zofran to control the puking when it gets absolutely unbearable.
2. NO clothes to wear! Yes, I bought some maternity clothes and I wear that, but how many times can I wear a "hawaiian flowered potato sack" over my shoulders?
3. I can't breathe! LT is starting to take up a lot of space in there and it makes it harder and harder to catch my breath, even when I'm sitting still!
4. I can't sit still! Sitting upright is starting to get uncomfortable. I had to pre-order my first Mother's Day present....a rocker/recliner that will allow me to recline comfortably with my growing belly.
5. I can't hold it! When I gotta pee, I gotta pee and damn I gotta pee all the time! Good thing I have lots of experience going in the bushes! Be careful if you invite me to your house and the WC is "Ocupado." I might be outside watering your lemon tree!

However, feeling Little Tyke's kicks and punches inside my belly make all of that other stuff worth while!