It's a boy!

We found out yesterday that we're definitely having a boy. I know some ultrasounds aren't very clear, but our little exhibitionist turned around and flashed us so clearly that D & I saw the outline of his testes & penis well before the nurse pointed them out.

So yeah- Damian Orion is due on February 2nd.

I won't pretend that I'm not a little disappointed- I've always wanted a daughter, and known for years that my first child would be a girl, but these results also weren't a surprise because I've been dreaming for months about the baby and he's always been clearly male-sexed.

Of course, this means that the vast majority of the clothes on our registry will be coming off. Between my friends and my next-door neighbor, we're going to be giving away clothes!

Registry advice needed

We have two different registries up now:

Our primary Amazon.com registry with everything we currently want

and the Target registry my relatives requested since they don't like online shopping.

However, Target's site is currently being infuriating, so here's no link at the moment.

Parents, please take a look through these and tell me if there's anything you couldn't live without that we've missed, or something there that you just never once used.

Be aware that the following items are missing because we've been told we're receiving them as gifts already:

• A pack'n'play
• A breast pump
• Dr Bronner's Natural Flow bottles

Lastly, please don't start shopping yet, unless it's for the stuff we'll need no matter what, like diapers. There's still some stuff we'll be receiving from friends that may come off the registry before we formally release it.

There was a lot of screaming...

I have the terrifying and amusing feeling that I may be having a conversation similar to this in February:

Snagged with pleasure from The Devil's Panties (It's not Satanic porn, honest)TM

Please?

Ok, I get it. My body is building another whole human being and that's a lot of work.

I also probably don't eat enough, so my body is probably pulling from its own (meager) stores to do it.

I get it.

But can I please stop feeling exhausted, vulnerable, and needy now?

Mrr?

Mississippi Ballot Initiative Would Define "Personhood" at Moment of Conception, Potentially Outlawing Abortion, Birth Control, and Emergency Contraception

So does this mean that in the ~10% of spontaneously aborted pregnancies, the mother could be charged with manslaughter because her body rejected the embryo?

Au Pairs & Biligualism

Obviously, this is wayyyy out of my current budget, but it's something I've been giving thought to.

I'd like to raise our child at least semi-biligual... and I'm not talking about episodes of "Dora the Explorer". I speak rudimentary German, and the research seems to show pretty strongly that bilingual children develop greater neural pathways for things like reading, critical thinking, art, etc.

Moreover, we're going to need childcare and I'm not wild about most daycares. There are a few great ones, but they're wildly expensive and rarely bilingual-friendly.

Does anyone have any experience with au pairs or thoughts regarding them?

Bragging on D for a few minutes

Yesterday was my birthday. I'm 27 years old.

10 years ago, I figured I'd be married, have a house, a career, and kids.

I guess I'm running a little behind, but I'm on track.

Anyway. On to the bragging:

D spoiled me from the moment we woke up to falling exhausted into sleep, asking almost nothing for himself.

He made me biscuits and applewood bacon, which we had with my favorite tea blend and his Mamaw's homemade pear preserves.

Then we did a few things around the house together before he took me to the Yellow Daisy Festival at Stone Mountain, where he wandered with me all afternoon looking at local crafts.

(No, this wasn't quite the monumental sacrifice it would be for some guys... D was as into some of the blown glass, stoneware, furniture, and food as I was!)

We left there and killed a couple of hours wandering around Whole Foods, getting an early dinner and trying goat's milk ice cream for the first time- surprisingly good, once you get used to the richer taste, and a healthier option for ice cream cravings.

He cooked, cleaned up, drove, opened doors, and generally was a perfect gentleman all day. It was glorious.

Finally, it was time to see "The Help", which was both enjoyed, and finally I went home to a leisurely massage and being tucked, boneless with pleasure, into bed.

I am very spoiled, and very, very lucky.

Thank you, D.