Wednesday! And there’s a Dicebox page, or the large part of one. (permalink)

There are a few reasons for me not to have gotten a full page done. And here’s one; I said I had lots to report last week, which is true, but can really be summed up in one statement: I’m pregnant.

Say hello to our now and future daughter:

This picture is from her landmark 20 week ultrasound yesterday (she has all her organs, we’re so proud!) Her ETA is October 31st.

This is my explanation for my somewhat erratic Dicebox updates, unanswered email and lack of internet presence. Well, along with the day job and other factors, the Kid just added another obstacle. And will probably continue to mess around with my schedule and plans for the near future.

I actually first suspected I was pregnant when Kip and I were enjoying a spectacular lunar eclipse in February. My cycle is reliably 26 days in length and January’s cycle began before the last full moon. True, work was heating up, as was getting ready for the Stumptown Comics Fest, so there was a stress factor–but that usually makes me early, not late.

But I was feeling bloated and pre-menstrual in general and so assumed things would begin to flow any day now; I bought some nice chocolate in anticipation. Ten days later I realized these chocolates were as of yet uneaten.

I bought my first pregnancy test. In my life. And was a bit stunned when I got a positive result immeadiately. Kip’s reaction: “Goodness.” In fact that was his reply to the next five things I said. I think he was stunned too.

The thing is, after trying for about six years (or not trying to not try) and getting certain results from certain medical tests, we had decided that a homegrown kid was not going to happen for us. We had started to talk seriously about adopting in the near future–the consequence being me getting knocked up, naturally.

I remember talking to Patrick at the beginning of February about how I thought I might be developing a food allergy, cause I felt lousy after every time I ate. A trend that continued with a vengance throughout my first trimester–I was pretty much nauseated every waking moment to lesser and greater amounts. Never got physically ill, but then, I wonder if it would’ve been a relief if I had.

The most frustrating and near unbearable first trimester symptom was how I was compelled to go to bed at least two hours early every night–nevermind needing to have a bit of a lie-down as soon as I got home from work. This rather sucked as I count on these hours after work to get things done. This is what was lead to my rough updating of Dicebox beginning the end of February throughout March and the beginning of April. And is one of the many reasons why the Kid is so grounded for the first three years.

By the way, Dylan begged me to amend my statements of having “a touch of the flu” in regards to delaying a Dicebox update to “a touch of the pregnant.” She’s known for a while, and has been entertaining me with the odd visual jokes which were well timed for those days I felt particularly oppressed by the fertility of it all. A prime example of Dylan humor is below:

Ah, my little parasite.

I have to admit, I’m not a pregnant personality, in fact, I’d outsource if I could. I never had a biological clock–where as the ticking of Kip’s can be quite loud times. Well, really, more accurately, his desire to raise children.

All that said I am feeling pretty good about it these days. I’m finding the whole process absolutely fascinating (as well as valuable writing research). The ultrasounds delight me, the BIG needles of the CVS and Amniocentesis, not so much. I’m having issues with my ever mutating and disobedient body but am looking forward to meeting the Kid and working with Kip to help her adapt to this world.

But actually, the real reason that there’s not quite a page of Dicebox this weekend is that Kip and I went back this east this weekend. Initially to visit my Mom and see MoCCA again, but it quickly expanded into an event packed family weekend in New York City, what with my brother and his wife and daughter coming to town as well as Kip’s folks being in NYC for a Leica conference. Which was great fun, if a little crazy. Mom scheduled a lot of touristy activities that I never did in twenty years of living an hour away from NYC–the pictures here give a hint of all we did that weekend. (Not pictured, seeing the musical the Lion King, which was everything I heard it was: amazing puppetry, effects, costumes and performances. As for the story, well… )

We did get some time to see MoCCA as well as David Byrne’s installation, Playing the Building. Also a quick trip to the Met for the disappointing Super Hero Fashion exhibit and a more satisfactory ramble through some of the more permanent exhibits. And it was in the ancient Egyptian section that I found my patron fertility goddess:

She looks as thrilled as me about the entire process.

Oh Isis-Aphrodite, hear me in my ennui…