Thought provoking Times article

Great evil took place in that cellar | Alice Miles - Times Online

I totally agree. It is so easy to overlook those every day tragedies that are in our power to change.

In honour of April Fool's Day

The Top 10 Historical Hoaxers - Times Online

Start the day with a chortle.

Chattering baby

About a month ago, Michael was barely saying a single word. I was a little worried, although not unduly, because his development elsewhere was spot on. All of a sudden, he started chattering and now has about 20 words. It really is a pleasure to be able to hold simple conversations with him. One such conversation over dinner went as follows:

Me: (brightly) Michael, can you say "spoon"?
Michael: (a little forlornly) No...

Priceless. Before all of these precious first words get lost in the mists of time, I want to make a note of them. Michael can currently say the following:

Banana
Spoon
Cup
Xinx (our youngest and most adorable cat)
Cartman (I have a plastic, talking Cartman that I received as a present about a decade ago)
Baby
Hi
Bye bye
Igglepiggle
Upsy Daisy
Haahoo
Stomp
Eye
Ear
Nose
Head
Hair
Hat
Balloon
Ball
Boots (from Dora the Explorer)
Red
Digger

I'm sure I've forgotten some but this is all my memory can dredge up for now. Phil and I are very proud of Michael.

Going wild in the aisles

Over the weeks, I've been making a list of the things we need to buy for Baby O. I hadn't bought anything on the list until today because I wanted the 20 week scan out of the way first. Fortunately, the list is quite small because we have virtually everything we need for a baby boy. I'm glad we didn't sell anything. The list is as follows:

Buggy board
Close Baby Carrier
Portable changing station/bath
Mattresses
Summer swaddling cloths
Muslin cloths
Changing bag

As you can see, we bought two items on the list today. We went to Baby-Dump in Roelofarendsveen. Having gone through the agonising process of buying everything that first-time parents need (and a good deal of things they don't), I was watching the expectant parents with a cynical eye. I found myself tutting at the extravagant claims made about supposedly leak-proof beakers and trying not to smirk at the poor sods who were being sucked into buying the insanely expensive Bugaboo. Alas, I still managed to walk out of the store 170 euro lighter, despite my smirking.

Scan pictures

These are my two favourite scan pictures. Here is Baby O waving to us. It is a lovely clear picture.



















This is the profile picture. He has the same button nose as Michael. What a little cutie :o)

Back from the scan

All is well with the baby! Hooray! The scan was even more detailed than last time which was just fantastic. The sonographer went to great pains to tell us everything she was checking for as she did it. It was a colour ultrasound so we saw the blood flowing through the chambers of the heart. It truly was amazing. I'm totally in awe of the technology used. Every organ and limb was examined and measured. The baby was awake and bouncing around - not surprising really since I ate some cheese to ensure that they would co-operate with the sonographer. Cheese seems to be the thing that gets them jumping - with Michael it was apple juice and chocolate. The sonographer told me that I have an anterior placenta (at the front, rather than at the back which is more common). That explains why I can feel only little kicks that don't move the stomach. The baby is also lying transverse which explains the unsual pointed shape of my bump.

Ok... no point in keeping the secret any longer. I'm having another little BOY! He will from now on be known as Baby O. We'll have to start thinking of a middle name to go with the first name we have chosen for him. Lucky thing we have 20 weeks to work on it. Considering the fact that he will have all of Michael's clothes, which will be size-perfect for every season (both August babies), there was no excuse for my spending 70 euro in H&M on gorgeous little baby clothes. I couldn't help myself! I'm a sucker for teeny tiny dungarees. Michael had very few newborn outfits - mostly he just had sleepsuits. I wanted Baby O to have a few items of clothing purely for him.

All in all, a fantastic day. I am so relieved and happy! I'll post some scan pictures in a while.

Scan later today

It's my 20 week anomaly scan later today and I have to confess to being quietly terrified. I'm not going to be convinced that all is well with the baby until I hear it directly from the sonographer. I'm a member of a couple of baby forums and there has been some very sad news of late from ladies who were due around the same time as me. It is very hard not to be affected. I also find it difficult to believe that coughing virtually constantly for 3 weeks can have done the poor little bugger any good.

The one thing I am excited about is that, if the baby co-operates, we should find out the sex. Last time, I was 100% convinced that I was having a boy. This time, I'm not really sure. If I had to guess, I'd say another boy. I'll have to wait and see. I've warned Phil that his credit card will be in some danger if it is a girl because I intend to go wild in the aisles in the H&M baby girl department. I don't normally approve of pink - isn't pink just something that happens when you put a red sock in the wash with a white load?? - but I may be prepared to revise my opinion.

Watch this space, and if you're so inclined, cross your fingers for us that everything is ok with the baby. Thanks x