Thank GOD for Tim

I'm working from home today, watching Discovery Health while getting some design done. I have to admit to being one of those moms-to-be who is really fascinated with watching births, to try and gather as much info on what it will be like to actually give birth. Sure, I know every birth is a bit different and who knows what I'll go through. But I think the process of birth is so amazing that I just love watching them and cheering for the moms.

So, the show Birth Diaries is on, a show that follows parents from the third trimester or so to birth and the first few weeks at home. Today's episode features a woman having her second son who has the MOST JERKISH husband on the planet. It's like every moment on the show this guy gets worse, says or does something that makes him even more repulsive. First thing was his one-on-one interview with the camera in which he talked about how disgusting birth was and how there was no way he was going to look at his wife's vagina during birth. That he was so sick just thinking about it that he was contemplating not being in the room. Wow, what a winner. Because it's not about your wife being an amazing life force or anything, it's about you not having to witness the vagina in any other form than a sex object. Good job, buddy.

THEN the wife is one-on-one with the camera, talking about how she's worried she'll run over the due date. Why? Well because her husband has a bachelor party scheduled for three days after her due date and will be upset at her if he misses it. Then, cut to the husband talking about how he's so excited about this bachelor party, how it's his only chance to have a few beers with some old friends and how great it's going to be. WOW. First off, buddy, how is a bachelor party more important than your baby being born? And also, how dare you tell your wife that you are GOING to make that bachelor party, no matter what? Um, HELLO! The first few days after a baby comes are really rough and both parents are needed. Also, how is it fair that YOU, the father, get to do whatever you want while the mother has to be the baby caregiver? Just so wrong.

THEN... oh then. The delivery.

The husband is there in the room with the wife, her mom and her sister, looking so annoyed and rolling his eyes. He keeps glancing down at her vagina as she pushes and talking about how he's nauseous and going to be sick. He keeps on talking about how he can't handle this. THEN... his cell phone rings and he actually answers it! And who could it be, folks? One of his buddies calling to see if he'll make the bachelor party tomorrow. And what does he do? Talks to him! While the docs are saying, "here's the head...it's coming... just another push or so," this jerkface is talking to his bro on his cell about the party he might miss. UGH.

Honestly, this just makes me so glad I've got Tim. He's such a caring, awesome feminist husband who WANTS to see the birth, wants to be my companion and help me take care of our daughter. I am so so so glad I didn't marry someone like this guy.

Anyways, that's just a little rant. Dudes: being a father does not mean assuming some man-role in the house. It means being a co-parent, on equal terms with your wife and helping wherever you can. And the female body is awesome and amazing. You don't have to watch the birth and there's nothing wrong with admitting that you're a queasy kind of guy. But be supportive, don't complain during birth and try to be the best person you can.

the end.

Heartburn is Mean :(

Well, kids, it's that special time.

My uterus has now grown above my belly button and is, in turn, compressing my stomach. This means that I am now back experiencing the joy that is heartburn. I feel like no matter what I eat, I'm finding myself full of stomach funk and nastiness. I think I'm going to have to resort back to bringing coke and pickles to work so I can get through the day again.



This would be much less of a pain if I also didn't have extreme hunger, especially in the morning. I am like a little hobbit now, with my Breakfast and 2nd Breakfasts, finding that I'm primarily hungry in the morning and only eating my normal amount at night (still a bit elevated, since I'm now in the "growing 1 pound per week" stage.) I find myself extremely ravenous during the morning, eating everything in site, only to then feel really sick/reflux ridden about a half hour later. It's just not fair.

Dear Baby-

Please work your magic and try to help me not have so much heartburn.

Thanks,

Your Mom

PS- can we stop it with the cankles, too? I look like a grody old woman.

the name game

One of the questions that inevitably comes up all the time when you're pregnant is... "Do you know what you're going to name the baby?" It's done in kindness and is all out of the community desire to bring babies into the world in a loved and supportive environment, but it can be hard at times.

Tim and I had, originally, "known" what we would name a girl baby if we had one. For a few years now, we were really sold on one name that we both liked. Then, I found myself not being too hot on it for several reasons, one of which being that I worked with someone who had the name as her last name and it just seemed weird. Also, I have such a deep-rooted desire to be unique (for better or for worse) that I just felt like I wanted something new.

So we came up with a short list of names and started sharing them with friends and family. NOT so good idea. Mostly because, while friends can be supportive and awesome, family generally has a bit more invested and can lean towards the pushier side of things. For instance, having my mom outright say, "oh I HATE the name Olivia. I don't like it at all," was honest, but fairly inappropriate. I quipped back, with similar sass, "Watch it, woman. You're only selling me on that one more and more." I love my mom to death and know that she's just being her honest, blunt self. But lord, it's our kid!

So, in the end, we've decided to make a list of names and figure out what we're calling the gal after we've seen her. We're also making it clear to family that we're not really interested in any more negative feedback on names. If you ask to hear them, then be supportive of what we tell you or you're out of the name loop from here on out. Because it's our kid and she's gonna be named whatever we feel like anyways. We have no problem with people picking one or two from our list and saying, "I really like that one!" However, dissing one of our names is a no-go.

For fun, I'm going to use this post as a compiling place for possible names for the larva. Partly because I don't want to forget one and also as an archive for her later on... it's always neat to see the things you could have been named! Feel free to comment on ones you like.

So, without further ado..

THE LIST

Olivia
Delaney
Maya
Magdalene
Daveigh

Kick Monster

Our little miss is a bonafide Kick Monster. A few weeks ago, I kept wishing to just feel something and now I am afraid I am getting my comeuppance.

She seems to enjoy kicking me after several occasions: 1) when I've had a lot of sugar (which makes me feel a bit bad for getting her all amped up) 2) when I'm relaxed at home or trying to sleep and, most funnily/annoyingly 3) when I really have to pee. On the third occasion, I imagine her saying, "OMG! Go to the bathroom, woman! I've got little enough space here as it is without you hogging it all up with your bladder!"

It's ok, though. It's pretty damned cool!

I just called Tim and told him that he had to have a talk with his daughter about the fact that I am trying to get work done and am being distracted by her kicking episode. So I held the phone to my belly and he told her that Mommy was doing very important work and she needed to stop kicking for a bit.

It worked! See, already she listens to him way more than she does to me. So it goes!