Does this Belly Make Me Look Pregnant?

Here we are at 34 weeks. Wow, how weird. It has really flown by. And yet when I think about last June 11th, when I found out I was pregnant, it seems like a lifetime ago. Now that I'm in the home stretch I can already tell I will miss being pregnant. It's a most magical time, you feel vulnerable yet stronger than ever before. People treat you so differently and you feel like you're doing something amazing...which you are! But I'm also incredibly anxious to meet this wonderful new person we have created, who got the hiccups 5 times yesterday.

I've started putting everything together for my hospital bag. Man, there's a lot you need! Or perhaps I'm over packing.

Everyone in England gets these little Christmas trees and puts them in the front window

Paulie cooking up some grub

I can tour the birth center in a few more weeks, they make you wait until you're 37 weeks along. I'm really hoping to give birth there as they have all the cool stuff like the birthing balls, slings, birthing pool and private en suite rooms. Paul and I have finished our antenatal classes, they were great. And the teacher was American so I caught every word. The nursery is coming together with just a few more things to do.


I've read about pregnant women going into "nesting mode" as they near the due date. And it's started happening to me. Basically you get this over whelming urge to clean everything from the gutters to the dogs butt. I found myself outside on my hands and knees scrubbing the bricks on the front walkway. A futile effort as they're covered in leaves and mud. I may as well have been trying to clean the dirt itself. After I had shampooed the carpet, washed the dog and cleaned the bathroom and kitchen from top to bottom (no, seriously) I felt a bit better but I still kept a basin with soapy water and a sponge in the bathtub just in case I found something else that needed my special attention. I'm very excited for tomorrow cause I'm gonna make Paul take the carpet shampooer upstairs so I can do the carpets up there! Oh happy day!


I have a question for all my yummy mummy gurus: are electric breast pumps worth the extra money? In the beginning I plan on expressing a bit so Paul can help me with feeding and then possibly more in six months time if I have to go back to work. Any tips? Seriously I need some advice *cough, cough...Gretchen*

Picture Post!!!

Belly Shot at 30 weeks

Beanie having a sulk. She got spayed and then just to add insult to injury the vet recommended we put a onesie on her after she got a hold of her stitches. Poor cone head.

Happier times with all her bits in her new Halloween costume

Me and my beautiful sisters (isn't black supposed to be slimming?)

Blarrrggg!!!

Halloween with Jenn and Lee

Halloween with Uncle DuWayne, Aunt Sharon, Jenn and Pops in the Pumpkin Patch

Feeling the alien inside move

Four year wedding anniversary with my "special" guy

Baby shower goodness

"Welcome back, Your dreams were your ticket out."

We're home, safe and sound if not somewhat disorientated. The first week was full of jet lag and hours and hours spent in the fracture clinic. My ankle is officially broken.

When I was about 15 or so I broke my ankle while walking down the max stairs. Ever since then I had a split in the middle of the ankle bone itself, you could feel where it broke and never healed properly. I found this to be the source of many heebie-jeebies when I forced people to touch the break.

They showed me the x-ray at the hospital and it was the exact same break as years before. Damn you, skankles! Just for this you'll be wearing those orange leg warmers ALL WINTER!!

They put a temporary plaster cast on it at the ER. That night I slept with a chopstick at my side for all those painfully urgent itches you get when you're wearing a cast, which I believe are like, 90% psychological. It's like having leg claustrophobia. After much waiting, bitching and moaning at the fracture clinic the next day, I got an aircast. Thank gawd!!! It's all plastic, Velcro and air bags. And it comes with a hand pump!

Whenever I get to leave the house, which isn't often, I have to use the aircast and the crutches. I look a mess. All big bump and hobbles. But it also gives me a one way ticket to sympathy town on the pity express.

Work called right after we got back and had a fantastic position to offer me at the same hospital I was working at before we left. I was temped to leave out the fact that I have a cyber foot but figured it might come up after it takes me 45 minutes to get to the bathroom and back. So I filled them in on the ankle situation and they kindly told me to piss off until after it's all healed. So I'm out of work for at least 3 more weeks.

Out of work, stuck in the house, and told to stay off my feet. This sucks! I feel so useless, lethargic and bloated. I can't wait to get back to normal. I did get a new haircut though and that helped.

After we got back I was on an emotional roller coaster. I miss everyone from home, I'm not sleeping very well, I'm temporarily disabled and I don't know where I belong. I feel like I don't belong in either place. Portland isn't my home right now and England isn't my home yet. I have important pieces of who I am spread over two countries. With the most important piece about to be born. I feel like I must come to terms with where I am and who I am in this place very soon. Because the time to think of myself is almost over and I need to be strong now more than ever before.

So it's the dawn of a new era! No more moaning about missing Portland. I can't feel guilty about living here anymore. I love all my family and friends so much and I'm sorry I'm so far away from them. But we'll move back some day for sure. In the meantime this is home and we'll visit Portland as often as possible. End of story.

I will post loads of pictures from the trip soon. I must get another belly shot up cause it's ever growing and it gives me a different perspective on how big it is. Baby boy is doing fine and kicked happily through out the flights home.

My friend Amy just had a little girl a few weeks ago (congratulations Ames!!!!) and I remember reading in her blog about how she was getting kicked in the ribs and I thought "Oh wow! I can't wait for that to happen to me!" Well now it's happening to me all the bloody time and it's no picnic. But I love to feel him moving around no matter what part of my insides he's pummeling.

Good News Comes In Twos!

So I’m three weeks in with the NHS and everything is going great! I’m meeting new people everyday and getting to know the people I work with even better. I’ve been able to help almost every department in the hospital; doctors, nurses, psychiatrists and social workers. It’s amazing how down to earth they all are. Sometimes I don’t have anything to do and I get really bored, but I just go for a walk around the hospital, have a chat with the front desk staff or tease the head wound victims.

As you all know we had our 20 week scan last week. (Side note: I use to hate it when my pregnant friends would speak in weeks and not months! But now I get why, it’s the only way your doctors, midwives and the books talk about pregnancy. You get used to it. So in layman’s terms I’m 4 months pregnant, or half way through). The sonographer started by pointing out all the major bones: legs, feet, arms, hands, spine, skull and ribs. Then all the major organs: heart, brain, bladder, and kidneys. Baby is healthy and all parts are accounted for. She measured things and took some screen shots for us to take home. Then it was time to look for the really important bits. And even before she said “It’s a boy!” it was clear to see that it was definitely a boy! There was this little willy sticking straight up! (Is this going to be one of those things that when he grows up he’ll say “Mom! I can’t believe you put that online!! I’m so embarrassed!”?)

Of course I started crying, I always do when we get to hear or see the baby. The picture was so clear! You could see everything! What surprised me the most was how much he was moving around. I can’t really feel all his movements yet, he’s so protected in there, and I always picture him sleeping soundly. But actually he’s dancing around all over the place! I was so impressed with the first scan but this one was way better. He was just a little bug before. But now, only half way, and he’s so fully formed. I guess since all his bits are made we just have to work on growing him bigger now. That’s why I eat a Snickers bar after lunch everyday.

As most of you know I was totally preparing for a girl, I even had the name picked out. I thought I was born to look after girls; after all I have 4 younger sisters and a step daughter. So I just assumed it would be a girl. How daft. So I’ve been trying to wrap my head around the fact that I’ll be raising a boy. And thinking about what kind of boy I want to raise. Paul can teach him to cook and how to play guitar. I can teach him about insects and Dr. Who. That way he'll be a good mix of cool and nerdy.

We have a few boys names on the shortlist, but nothing’s grabbed us so far. It’s really hard to pick out baby names! I thought it would be fun, but there’s so much to it. You don’t want it to be something you just found on the internet, it must have meaning. I like names with a good story behind them. And I don’t like super common names. Of course there are boys names we like but it always turns out that either I know someone with that name (“Oh not that one! I knew a Patrick in high school who was a real prat!”) Or Paul just doesn’t like it, or one of our friends has a baby with that name already (“Isn’t Angela’s son named Charlie?”) So we’re really no closer to naming this kid. But I’ll let you guys know as soon as we agree on something.

We’ve got a lot of work to do on the baby’s room. Actually its Maria’s room as well, which adds to the work. I want to make it comfortable for them both. We bought Maria a new bed on ebay. It’s one of those high beds with space underneath for drawers or a desk. The only problem is we had to totally dismantle the bed to get it in the car. And it didn’t come with directions. So I think we’re in for quite a puzzle. I also bought a ton of boys clothes on ebay. Mostly 3-6 months. We got 80 items for £30 and they’re all in great condition! I’ve been doing laundry for three days straight.

Now if you’ve made it this far through all that rambling you deserve to know the rest of our great news. We’re coming home for a visit!!! Paul and I will be in Portland from October 22 until November 7. We have a few things planned but I’d like to use this opportunity to organize a few other events.

1. Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze- Let’s get the old gang together for one last trip through the haunted corn maze. Who’s in? Rene? I know you’re down. Leah?

2. Dinner at Spag Fac- Baby wants some pesto dressing (and for Mommy to get better taste in restaurants) Cheesy, yes. But you can’t knock free bread. And it’s a bit of a tradition for Jenn and I. Everyone is invited! Just tell me if you wanna join us and I’ll let you know when we go.


Thank you so much for all your comments on my last post! It was so great to hear from you! And I had a good laugh reading them all. I'm so please that everyone is just as excited that it's a boy as I am!

Here's The Latest Picture Of My...

Son!!!

I can't believe I'm having a boy! I'm so happy I must have cried 14 times, just on the way home! I never in a million years thought it was a boy. Now that I know it is I'm so proud! I can't wait! Even though Paul and I have no experience raising boys, we can work it out. I know you have to be careful when diaper changing, but that's the extend of my knowledge. I'm really looking forward to the new experience! Well, I'm still in shock and I'm really hungry, so I will catch up with everyone real soon, as we have some more exciting news...stay tuned.

A boy! Wow!

Pregnant Temp...isn't that an oxymoron?

I’ve started my second week with the In-patient Neuro Rehabilitation Unit. And things are going great! I share an office with 1-6 people, depending on the day. I sit at a massive U shaped desk that wraps around the room. I mainly work with Julie who is a PA to a few of the doctors and a real kick in the pants. I do paperwork, filing, email checking, calendar fiddling and whatever else floats my way. I eat lunch with “the girls” everyday in the canteen. I leave happy at 4:30 every afternoon. Everyone is helpful and genuinely friendly.

The only problem is getting used to the fact that I this isn’t actually my job. I’m making phone lists for myself and personalizing my desktop, but why? I might only be here until the end of October. I’ve never temped before so I spose it’s all a force of habit. Get a job, make friends, settle in and start marking your territory with Post-It reminders, family photographs and Far Side comics, right? But I can’t do that this time. It's weird.

Things are going real good with the "scone in the oven" as my wonder twin Matt says. I've been feeling what I was pretty sure were kicks for the past few weeks. And then a few days ago I SAW a kick! That's never happened to me before, I thought. It must be baby and not just windy-pops! So I laid really still and waited for another. It was small but it moved! Of course I was alone and had no one to scream with delight to. But all the same, it was magical. These sudden dance moves were brought on by Lucozade, a fizzy sports drink. I must try that again when Paul is here.

I totally scored on ebay again. I got a practically new pram (stroller) & travel system. All for 25 pounds! Bargain! Oh and we picked up a posh changing table/bath for only 11! My god, I should go pro ebay shopper. I'll post a picture of the baby's room as soon as it's finished.

We have a big day tomorrow, hopefully. It's my 20 week scan and we might be able to find out if this is a girl bump or a boy bump. I can't wait! And of course I will tell you guys immediately! So watch this space!

And now for the Belly Shot! So forget all about my going on and on about looking fat. I'm way past that now. I look amazing! It's a proper bump now! I'm so proud.

Still no ass.

See ya tomorrow!!!

You know you're pregnant when...

you keep putting your underwear on inside out, but you don't bother fixing it right away cause that would involve bending over.

Bump and Batman

Holy crap, it's September. When did that happen? I'm feeling really good and all is well. I had a little probelm a few days ago and had to go to the hospital. I wasn't panicing until I did some self diagnosis online, always a bad idea. And then I had a bit of a cry and called the midwife the next day. It was just a girlie problem, pretty common, nothing everyone wants to hear about. Just know (Mom & Pops) that bump and I are happy and healthy.

I finally got in with NHS! I'm officially a Grade 3 temp now. My first assignment will be at the Moseley Hall Hospital starting next Tuesday. Which is a beautiful campus very near our house. I'll be doing your average admin work and getting paid weekly...very weakly. (Ha!) But it's all worth it for the incredible flexibility and various job opportunities. I'm really looking forward to starting! I'm just not sure how much longer my work trousers will fit. I may have to invest in some maternity clothes soon. But I have to wait until that first check.

Mainly because I blew all our money buying baby things on ebay. I was left home alone last week and went ebay mad! Ya know how it is when you snag one thing last minute style and then you just want more? I spent like 100 pounds (I still have no pound sign on my laptop) and had to make a full confession to Paul the next day. But after the buyers remorse it was like Christmas!!! Waiting everyday to see what the post man would bring, I'd open up my package with glee and say "Oh I forgot I even bought this!". I got a baby bjorn, external frame backpack type carrier, the cutest newborn sweater ever, a little white robe, a tooth pot, fetal heart monitor, a nighttime bottle warming system, loads of newborn clothes, a pair of Osh Kosh B'Gosh overalls (because what kid doesn't look absolutlety adorable in those??), a cot bed that turns into a toddler bed and a playmat. Personally I think I did very well for my hundred quid. There are a few things I want to get new, for instance the breast pump, but I don't mind lots of used stuff cause it's so cheap!

Side Note: Dontcha just hate it when you're alone in the house and you've got a bad case of the windy-pops, and since you're all alone you crack one off and fill the room with death. Then the doorbell rings. Oh no! It's the handy man to repair the oven! Shit! And since our front door opens right into our small reception room (the scene of the incident) he's forced into the gas chamber of doom. And try as you might to rush him straight through to the kitchen, he's not having any of it and taking off his shoes at the door! I'd watch it mate, those might be melted by the time you get back.

My new craving this week is Salt & Vinegar Hula Hoops:

These are a British classic. They fit perfectly around your finger tips (like an olive).

I haven't had any comments on here in ages. So I think it's just you and me blog. And I gotta say, I watched the original Batman last night, the one with Michael Keaton and Kim Basinger. Now Michael Keaton in this film certainly isn't what I would call "sexy", what with the jeans pulled up to 1989 and the fuzzy hair. But something happens to his mouth when he puts the Batman mask on. All I can say is MEE-OOW! I may be pregnant and married but could someone please break me off a piece of that?

Belly-Week 17

So remember how I thought I was oh so fat before? Yeah, well I think I might have overreacted a bit cause now I'm REALLY fat!!! But, like, for reals this time! Check it out...

Pay no attention to the underwear on the radiator. From this picture it looks like this baby is taking everything it needs from my bottom, cause my ass is gone! Or is it that it just pales in comparison to the belly?

So I'm 17 weeks now, hooray! Almost half way there! I'm feeling really good, tired but good. I'm showing so much that I can finally wear my belly as a badge of honor. I can't wait till I start getting the good seat on the bus. I certainly get the good seat in the house. It's my new (to me) pregnancy chair! I love it! It's only for pregnant ladies, no puppies or husbands are allowed. Not even guests can sit here. Most of them don't want to after I tell them how I got pregnancy all over it and they might catch it.

I have my 20 week scan on September 15th. I can't wait! Hopefully we will find out the sex then. I should start feeling the baby move soon as well. I'm even more anxious for that. But this is the earliest I should feel it, and first time moms usually have to wait longer.

I made my first big baby purchase. I bought a moses basket at Babies R Us. It's terribly unisex and oh so cute! Seeing it every time I go in that room is getting me all excited and nervous about having a baby in the house. It's going to be so weird. It's hard to imagine what it will be like. It's easy to get carried away with worries and anxiety. But I'm really looking forward to the addition to our family.

I had my interview with the NHS and it went very well! It was an easy interview even though I had two tests at the end. I had 20 minutes to put loads of note cards in order of reference number or name and then type out a hand written letter in the correct format. Pshh...piece of cake. I noticed that on the back of all the note cards were little numbers lightly written in the corner, so the person checking how you did only had to see if the numbers were in order. Did I cheat? Nope. What kind of behavior is that for a mom?? So I'm just waiting on my references to go through and then I should be able to start.

I'm looking forward to getting back to work (WTF? Never thought I'd hear myself say that!) It will be nice to have some extra income for all the baby crap we gotta buy. And we're looking to move house before the baby comes. This place is great for just us, but not appropriate for a baby. The stairs are super steep, rickety and loud enough to wake a sleeping infant. The boiler is in Maria and the baby's room and is really loud when it's on, which it will be all winter. The bathroom is pretty trashed with a few safety concerns, such as wall tiles on the floor which are cracked and could really cut your foot up. The carpet is so cheap and not even installed properly. And the backyard is just not big enough. So we're keeping our eyes peeled for a new place to rent around this same area.

Paul, Maria and I went to Warwick Castle the other day. It's an 11th century medieval castle on the river Avon. It's been repaired many times and is in great condition. It's a very popular tourist attraction in Britain and it's said to be haunted!

This is only one half of it!

Top Ten Things I Miss About Portland

(besides my friends and family, cause that's a given really)

1. Drinking beers with my friends on a porch in summertime, just shootin' the breeze for hours.
2. Getting Stumptown coffee on a Sunday morning, then crawling back in bed to read the Sunday comics.
3. Spag Fac dates with Jenn.
4. Getting lost in the corn maze & picking berries on Sauvie Island.
5. Sleepovers at my Mom's with my sisters.
6. Making movies with Rene.
7. Eating sushi and drinking sake at Kappaya.
8. Rollerskating at Oaks Park.
9. Driving over the bridges and taking in the view that never gets old.
10. Bloody Marys at The Space Room.

All you Portlanders know what I'm talking about. Enjoy what you have there, it's a lot. And don't you think for one second that we're not moving back someday. Cause we are.

Damn, now I'm super homesick! I miss you all so much! Love you too!

Looking, Learning, Moving On

I've never really been self conscience of the way I look, well not since I've been an adult anyway. I can usually pass by people without getting much of a second glance. I might get the occasional cat call from some slimy guy in a Trans-Am. And yeah, I'm slightly tall but not freaky tall. And the odd pimple will make me hide my face in shame. But basically I'm just your average brunette blessed with legs for days, petite feet and natural red high lights :)

So it's been a new experience for me being scrutinized by strangers in the street. They look at my belly as if to say "So what's the deal here? Are you, like, fat but only in the stomach area? Or are you pregnant? Cause you look like an orange between two toothpicks"

I always figured there must be an awkward middle stage of pregnancy where you're showing but only a little and you just look really bloated. Well, I was right. So my answer to this problem is to walk like what I think pregnant women walk like. I stick my belly out as far as it will go. I waddle a little and swing my arms. I hold my back and look put out. I think it's working.

I've been buying a few things here and there for the baby. It's hard trying to buy for both a girl and a boy. I've ended up with lots of white and yellow items. Here's what I've got so far:


My friend Erin was kind enough to give me her old maternity pants. I don't think I'm quite ready for them yet.

"I lost 46 pounds in three days!"

Here's your latest belly shot. Let's all compare it to last weeks, shall we?

Yeah, no doubt, it's bigger. But I did eat half a carton of ice cream last night. And not to be cliche either. I really and truly wanted ice cream. And Paul had to go to the store specifically to get it. Oh gawd...I'm in a sitcom.

Side Note to all my yummy mummies out there: I am having the most vivid dreams lately. And many in one night. Is this a common side effect to being pregnant?

I got two really terrific books in the mail this week. The first one is from my oldest friend in the whole wide world. It's awesome so far!

I'm scared. Very scared.

The second is a baby book from Ebay. It was only 7 pounds, which is about $3.50. What a bargain. And it's got bears in it (yes Rene, it's neither boy nor girl but bear)

This is definitely a book from Britain!
-"What's a Prime Minister, mommy?"
-"I have no freaking idea, sweetheart"

But really I bought it for the illustrations and the pockets it has for keepsakes. They are really cute and include little insects. I'm a sucker for anything with a dragonfly!


But not everything we buy these days is for baby. Just yesterday Paul bought himself a new shirt! Unfortunately it was this one.

And anyone who knows him can see that he's wearing it in an ironical way. But everyone else thinks he's an idiot.

In other news...We planted some old potatoes in a chest of drawers we found in the street. And we harvested the first one last week! I was so excited that they actually grew. Here's the first and only potato to come out so far:

Paul took this blurry photo. Let's just say that empty bottle of Becks was not alone.

We went to Liverpool again for a few shows (Jules Holland & The Australian Pink Floyd). Paul's work put us up at a really shwanky hotel, in a great suite. We took some photos but they don't really show you how cool the room was (kitchenette, big bathroom, recliner couch). But there are loads of orbs in the photos! I counted 15 in one of the shots. Ya gotta click on the pic and make it big to really see them all. Weird....

Keep feeling fascination!

Love, Sher

I'm Back And I'm Bloated!

I'm so sorry for the less than brief hiatus! Please forgive me. I hope I haven't lost you all for good! But I return with lots of news, photos and happiness! For those of you who haven't heard yet, I'm pregnant! And I couldn't be more excited! I'm 12 weeks and three days today!

Now I'm fully aware that turning this into an "Everything Baby Blog" won't be all that exciting for some of you. And filling posts with stories of sore boobs, a growing belly and hospital visits isn't going to contribute much to the greater online community as a whole. But TOO BAD!!! Cause this blog is about to get babyfied and that's not even a word! I will still tell you all about our cool trips, new recipes, Beans, job hunting and all that crap, I promise. But due to popular demand I will also be sharing all the grody details of my pregnancy with you! So here's a recap of the last month and how this whole baby thing got started.

Since I have three years to wait until I can start school, Paul and I thought it would be a good time to try for a baby. I began to research fertility online and kept running into this statistic: "90% of all couples will try for a year to conceive. Only a very small percentage will conceive on their first try." So I stopped drinking caffeine, kept up with all my vitamins, watched my diet very closely and took careful note of when I was ovulating (yeah, you're gonna get all the nitty gritty details...well, not all of them!) And when the calendar had a big red heart on it we knew it was baby making time! Then whamo! It happened the first time we tried! Much to Paul's surprise I'm sure, as I've been filling his head with drastic (and probably made up) online statistics! But I think this baby was just waiting to appear and of course Paul's got some strong swimmers! He made me write that :)

So Paul leaves town for awhile for work and I'm playing with the puppy and noticing that every time she runs across my boobs it kills!! A few weeks later we go camping and I'm about three or four days late. Which isn't that uncommon for me especially during times of stress and I had just gone through that grueling interview for the science museum. As we're packing up our stuff on the last day of camping I told Paul that I was late and he was so excited! I told him it might just be a fluke and not to get his hopes up, but after seeing how happy he was I really wanted it to be more than a fluke! The next day I went to the doctors office and picked up a pregnancy test, cause they're free there! I wanted to take it right then! But knew I had to wait until the next day for the morning wee with all the hormones in it. I hardly slept all night, I was so excited and I just knew it would be positive! So I got up really early and peed on the stick and then burst into happy tears and woke up Paul with the good news.

I told my Mom and Pops the same day cause I was too fired up and had to share the good news with the people I knew would be most excited. But I had to wait a few weeks before I told anyone else. I couldn't wait the three months most people do. I hated making up stories about phantom cramps that kept me from parties. I hated lying to my friends at the bar "Oh yeah, this is totally a vodka tonic. NO!! You can't have a drink of it!" But we had to find the right time to tell the appropriate people here in England before we could broadcast it to everyone else, hence the absence from my blog. So the word is out now and I'm so relieved to be able to discuss everything with my friends.

If you have heard any of my stories about the bizarre things Paul's mom says to me then this will sound familiar. Paul told his mom over the phone a few weeks ago about the baby. I assumed the next time she saw me she might say congratulations or something similar. Oh no. The next time she came over to our house she said nothing about the baby except: "You'd better be careful that the dog doesn't get into the cot and eat the baby." WHAT!?!?!?!?!? Oh. My. Gawd. The woman is bat shit crazy and probably should not be allowed to wonder freely on the streets. In all seriousness though, I did get my feelings hurt. I wanted her to show me some sign of warmth or happiness. When I pictured what it would be like telling my family that I was pregnant I didn't really imagine warnings of possible baby consumption by Yorkshire Terriers. Now you have a little more insight into the twaddle that I have to deal with here.

But demented and unbalanced mother-in-laws aside I'm doing very well. The first 10 weeks were full of nausea and naps. Now I've dialed into my body a bit more and I know not to go more than four hours without eating or I turn into the pregnant bitch from hell. I try to lay down each afternoon for an hour or two just to recharge. My stomach is already big! Which really freaked me out until my Mom told me she was showing by three months as well. Just see for yourself!

Jeez! I've seen smaller stomachs on pot bellied pigs!

But the real star of the show of course is what's inside the belly! Here's the Doonlet (thanks Xea!)

Hi Baby!! For those of you who can't tell the brain from the butt: the baby's on it's right hand side, spine at the top, head on the right, hand in the middle, knee bend and leg under bum on the left hand side. Seeing the baby for the first time was indescribable. I can only call it amazing and the best day of my life so far. To me it already looks perfect and oh so cute! And thank god there's only one! All the bits are in the right places and my new due date is January 31st. But I have a feeling she/he will wait until February to make an appearance.

Other things have been happening. I did some work with Paul in Liverpool, a great city! So clean with a lovely cathedral. I worked all last week at the University of Birmingham, here in our city:
I was dressing the graduates in their caps, gowns and hoods for the ceremonies. It was hard work being on my feet all day, but I made some good money. The campus was beautiful!

We went camping in Wales recently and it was so much fun! The Welsh landscape is entirely different to England. More mountains, different plants, architecture and language. All the signs are in Welsh and English.

I found this beautiful working farm which also had camping pitches and horse trekking. It's called Bwlchgwyn Farm. Seriously. I have no idea how to pronounce it but it was lovely. And there was no one else there! Click on the pics to super size 'em!

Here's the view from our campsite



Maria and I went on a fantastic two hour horse trek down to the beach

What AM I doing with my ass here???


Safety first!


Here's some artsy-fartsy shots

Another view from our campsite

On our last day in Wales we took a trip to Portmeirion, an Italianate resort village, which is where The Prisoner was filmed back in the 60's. If you're not familiar with The Prisoner you suck, get off my blog! No, I kid. It was a great program and you should get it from Netflix. Unfortunately no doggies are allowed in Portmeirion, so these shots are noticeably Bean-free.

This is the village center

This is the best looking man in the village

What's with the little sperms on the gate?


Paul in the Dog Cemetery


I get the oddest looks in these wellies, don't know why

Trying to escape the imaginary "Rover"

Well, that's all for now but I promise to update my blog regularly with loads of baby news and belly photos. Love and Kisses to all!