Lots of Goings On. Let me explain. No, There is too much. Let me sum up.

[netmouse]

As some of you know, my fiancé flinx and I are expecting a baby in August-- officially, August 31st. I am in my 13th week of pregnancy, just finishing my first trimester (so no, we don't know the gender yet), and this is my first fully public anouncement of it, though some people have noticed it mentioned in this month's Ansible in relation to our TAFF trip. So Yes, the appendicitis was even scarier for that, but, No, there were no problems, and the baby is fine.

Brian is working on a lab-based PhD at the University of Michigan (microbiology/immunology) of unknown duration--like most PhDs, it drags on, and in this case he is required to get published before defending, and he cannot control the timing of that--and he is unable to relocate to Ohio at this time without forfeiting that program. In light of the baby coming and the fact that my parents and extended family are all in Michigan, we have decided the best thing for us is for me to move back home and focus on preparing for the baby, which will be my/our first.

I have let the folks at work know that I will be leaving ARA/KAD at the end of the week, resigning in order to move back to my home town of Ann Arbor, Michigan, get married, and start our family.

This was not an easy decision, but it’s what we have decided to do.

So in between now and the baby coming, (probably in this order), we will plan our TAFF trip, I will move out of Ohio, we will go on the TAFF trip, get married, find a place of our own, figure out a delivery plan and choose a OBGYN and/or doula or midwife (recommendations welcome) and prepare for that, and no doubt in due course accumulate a bunch of new brightly colored plastic stuff with rounded corners and soft cottony stuff with animals and aliens on it such as one does these days for a new little person. I believe we have some classes to take, too.

We are actually just now chatting with Corflu and Eastercon/Odyssy folks about Programming, and it looks like some fun things are in order, so that's good. And being out of work and pregnant I should have lots of time to sort pictures and prep TAFF trip reports afterwards, though they might thus end up being overly chatting about side pregnancy things (apologies in advance).

I will miss being Scalzi's geographically closest friend and being in close proximity to the CFG folks, who have been awesome, as well as close to a couple other friends I've made down here, but we promise to visit, and you are all invited to our moving party, which invitation I will make more certain once we, erm, schedule it. :)

And it will be good to be living back among our Michigan peeps and family and close to a *pool* (I am frankly surprised how much I am looking forward to that. Yellow Springs has no indoor pools), and of course I am very much looking forward to moving in with my life partner and dear sweetie and starting this new chapter of our lives.

I feel like I should also mention that though Brian and I are both social hubs and have loads of friends (or perhaps because we are lucky to have so many friends but also have a lot of expenses and unknown changes coming up) we are currently planning to have a very small, fairly private wedding, hopefully followed later by a couple of receptions/parties in distant parts where we have other relatives and friends. So, um, we love you all but odds are you're not invited, and please don't take it personally. S'ok? Ok.

We do not know how long we will be in Michigan after the baby is born or where we will go next. That pretty much depends on what opportunities Brian finds and when he graduates. We'll keep you posted.


This has been your local neighborhood life announcement. You may now return to your regularly scheduled Tuesday evening activities.

Comments

[netmouse.livejournal.com]

:)

Thanks. The only class I definitely have in mind is an update to our training on baby and infant CPR and first aid. (Brian was an Eagle scout and I had training about 5 years ago but it's time for a refresher). I have some friends with babies so I might just make the rounds with them and see if they'll let me practice things like diaper changes and bathing the baby with live models instead of doing the classes with the dolls, but we'll see.

I also intend to brush up on my sign language somewhere along the way.

I was one of the youngest in the neighborhood and the youngest of my cousins growing up, and I didn't babysit much, so I actually don't have much experience with babies. However, as you say, generations of us have managed it somehow, plus I'm reading good references like The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy which give practical advise about getting prepared and handling newborns and such.

[danguyf.livejournal.com]

Okay, sure, infant CPR I can totally see. Our first son started turning blue once and I totally froze; my wife came charging out of the shower, scooped the baby up, and sucked the blockage right out of his mouth and then spit it next to the bed. It was Ripley-in-Aliens level badass.

Babies are surprisingly resilient. I scare old ladies by tossing mine head over heels in the air and then catching them by their ankles. (Never too young to start acrobatic training!) Which is to say: you have nothing to fear.

[cathshaffer.livejournal.com]

A breastfeeding class is really worthwhile if you are planning to breastfeed. It really helps with having realistic expectations and full of extremely practical tips like where to put your pillow and how much water you need to be drinking (lots). The best part of it is bringing your husband along, because husbands don't read the books, and yet there's stuff they need to know.

[netmouse.livejournal.com]

Good to know!

I've been reading sections of what I read to Brian, and he has actually read the parts of the first slate of reading the Doctors gave me that I handed him and is also subscribed to the same weekly emails as I get about the progression of the pregnancy. He's planning to be a well-informed, very involved dad. :) It's nice. The fact that he's a biologist doesn't hurt.

[cathshaffer.livejournal.com]

I mean no slight against dads. My husband is really awesome, too. But guys tend not to have the kind of interest in books about pregnancy and breastfeeding that women do, even if they are otherwise well informed and involved. So a class was a nice way to get on the same page. We also did a Bradley childbirth class, which was fun and we still keep in touch with one family we met there. But for the actual experience of labor, I'm sorry to say it wasn't that helpful.

[jinasphinx.livejournal.com]

Heh, we had the same experience (husband doesn't read as much as I do, classes got us on the same page). OTOH, it sounds like Brian is used to reading tons anyway. :) The one class I found really useful was the one on pain management in labor (the one where you practice the stupid breathing and they show you different positions). I'm sure you could get the same info from a DVD; I think Penny Simkin sells one. The breastfeeding class didn't help me with pain and a bad latch; what did help was a show-and-tell type appointment with a hospital lactation consultant when Nick was two days old. :)

And yay, glad you'll be together and have lots of family around too!

[silver-bits.livejournal.com]

Psst - I can always help with the sign language! Many welcome back hugs to all three of you!

[netmouse.livejournal.com]

awesome! I will definitely take you up on that!