Curious Onlookers

It is a week before classes are to start, and apparently Bif is making Mom appear "different." That seems to be the word curious folk (e.g., Mom's two secretaries, co-workers, and musician friends) are using to begin to gently inquire about the apparent weight gain, and/or to deny that they participated in the gossip train. Pre-pregnancy pants are no longer fitting and shirts are starting to question their vertical positioning. This is especially noticeable when Mom tries to eat her pre-pregnancy portion of pasta. It has nowhere to hide now.

Unbonus marks will be given to the first student to ask Prof. Mom in front of the class why she looks "different." The male student that outright asked "um, well, um, are you pregnant?" (though not in front of the class) last February has just registered for one of her courses this semester.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow, Back the Next

Mom went for her $6 haircut at the Hairdressing School on campus the other day. They do a good job but wow does it ever take a long time! Somehow the 18-yr-old cutter took an hour to do a regular chop of about 5 inches of thin, fine hair. (Normally, a hairdresser would make $180/hour cutting Mom's hair because it usually takes 10 minutes).

After Mom refused some post-haircut product due to smell-sensitivities, the hairdressing instructor said that now's a great time to try out a short 'doo, since hair grows so quickly when one is pregnant. If head hair grows at the same rate as leg hair (0.5 cm/week!!) then perhaps Mom will be spending another $6/hour soon.

Nanaimo, the retail capital of BC...

and yet, only two options for maternity clothes shopping: The Bay, which had maybe 8 different pieces of clothing to choose from; and WalMart (no thanks!). Of course, there's Value Village, but what's to expect of them when there's a lack of parent stores in the community to feed the hand-me-down stores. Starting to wonder if most expectant Moms in this community wear expectant Dads' clothing. Or make the trek to Victoria.

So Mom, who is struggling to fit into all but 3 pairs of her pants these days, picked through the maternity clothes retail dreggs and after a frustrating session (because after all, shopping is her favourite pass-time) she ended up buying regular dress pants a size too large figuring they'll last another two months. After that, another HUGE thanks to Auntie Trish for donating her wonderful and varied collection of maternity wear. Mom had some of the pant lengths altered at the tailor yesterday.

Summer travels - Quadra Island

Dad and Mom on a 4km hike through salal-dominated rainforest.

August 18th, 2006

Working Mom

Well, Mom told her Chair and Dean at work today. The Chair was a bit surprised, despite being warned last Spring that maternity leave was likely to happen at some point during the 2007/2008 academic year. Of course this baby had earlier due date ideas. Anyway, he forgot to mention the word "Congratulations." The Dean was thrilled and subsequently started coaching on how to be a witch, which she jokingly said you have permission to be if a) you're pregnant, or b) you're a Dean.

Oh, and correction to the previous post about Daycare.....Mom phoned the Daycare on campus, who said they don't at all take any children under the age of 2.5. This leaves us with essentially two options: one parent stays home from work or the grandparents move in. Thanks for the (heavily taxed) $1200, Harper, but this is by no means a national solution to Child Care. Not even for low income families.

Week 12 Observations

• The morning sickness is definitely not over
• Yoghurt smoothies are really good
• Mom's belly button looks different (due to too many yoghurt smoothies or to some internal organ displacement?)
• The Powers That Be at work need to know soon...
• Conservative Minority, hear this: we must phone a daycare (to get on a waitlist for March 2008) prior to even phoning a midwife. Daycares in BC are only allowed ONE child under the age of 30 months.

Drum Roll Please

And so it begins, the second trimester. Couldn't be soon enough! Apparently we're still in the danger zone for another couple weeks, but like the doctor said, the statistics are on our side. We can start telling the World.

Summer travels - U.K.

Mom and Bif at Lydford Castle (a notorious medieval prison).

July 30th, 2006

Why "Bif"?

Most couples name their unborn child, right? For us, it was a contest between Bif or Darth. Not as funny as some of the ones we've heard in the past (e.g., Yoda, Fetal-dee), but enough of a conversation stopper to keep the real names we're thinking about just between us.

Friends and relatives abroad have been requesting a webpage or blog so that they can receive news as the pregnancy progresses, so we will endeavour to regularly post commentary and the occassional photo. Bif, who is due to make his/her appearance on February 22nd 2007, will be the first child in the next generation on Mom's side and the first cousin for Katie & Stephen (i.e., third grandchild) on Dad's side.

At present, the first trimester is nearing its end. Bif is probably around 1.5 inches and has fingers, toes, eyelids, beginnings of ears, and beginnings of bones. Mom has had a rough go with morning sickness the past 4 or so weeks, enhanced by jet lag on the trip to the UK. Dad has been a great help, but is currently fighting off a seemingly never ending chest cold. Bif's first ultrasound was taken at 6 weeks, which we'd post but there's not really anything to see in stillshot at the size of a grain of rice. Seeing that little heart beating was grin- (Dad) and tear- (Mom) inducing though.