Trying to Keep My Pants On

I’m sorry for yet another week without posting. I might as well stop apologizing, no? It will only get worse with the entrance of number two.

Can you believe I’m halfway through the pregnancy? I had my ultrasound a couple of days ago, and I had one of those prick techs who don’t say a damn thing. My next appointment with my midwife isn’t for a week, so I have some waiting to do. McHotty and I are pretty sure we saw a wee penis, but I can’t be sure. Will keep you posted!

I’m feeling pretty good, but have absolutely no energy. If I go out in the evening, it has to be something really fun where I can run on adrenaline (like the play last week with the gals). Otherwise, I’m done. But the nausea is finally gone, and I’m loving my food. Dying for sushi unfortunately. And don’t even get me started on my red wine. Oh, how I miss thee, red wine.

The whore-mones (as scarbie calls them) are kicking in, but I don’t have the energy to act on my urges. I’m having some crazy sex dreams, with all sorts of fellows (and ladies), including McHotty, Angelina Jolie, an author or two and the guy from The Wire.

I’m getting big, and I need to accept it and buy more maternity clothes. Yesterday I wore a sweater dress and non-maternity tights. The waistband of the tights was uncomfortable, so I rolled it down a little. I got off the streetcar at Queen to walk down to King, and halfway there the tights started falling down! I tried to keep walking and surreptitiously pull them up, to no avail. I eventually had to duck into a doorway and furtively yank them up (praying there was no one giggling behind the blinds).

Other than my waistline, I’m finding this pregnancy very much like the first. How did you find your second pregnancies compared to your first?

Perfect Proof

Last night me and several bloggy lovelies went to see nomotherearth in the East Side Player’s production of David Auburn’s Proof. I had a fabulous night. The play was excellent; the cast of four were all amazing, and our pal nomo was perfect as brisk and pragmatic big sister Claire.

Proof is a rich play that looks at family relationships, aging, the thin line between madness and genius, trust and faith. Unlike the mathematical proof of the play’s title, little of life is black or white.

The play runs until March 7, so get your tickets soon! Click here for more info.

In other news, we just got home from Quebec yesterday, and I’m still catching up. Recap and pics (and video!) coming soon!

On Book Communities

My book club met last night. This month’s book was the wonderful Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Guernsey is an elegant, epistolary novel set in 1946 at the end of World War II. It’s composed of a series of letters between London writer Juliet, and the members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie society, born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island. It’s charming and captivating, and it was a big hit with the club.


As much as we loved the book, our conversation wasn’t exactly scholarly or focused, which is fine by me. We were sidetracked by other important topics of conversation, including blogging, breasts, online vs real-life friendship, and “wank banks” (you can thank k-girl for coining the term). I love online book communities, but they’re no replacement for the real thing.

Speaking of which, I’m trying to contribute more to GoodReads these days (I’ve abandoned Library Thing in favour of GoodReads). I finally got around to installing the widget here--if you’re looking for book recommendations, take a look. I’m really trying harder to keep all of my communities up to date, but it’s a challenge. I also do Facebook’s weRead, and Indigo Community.

While I’m very negligent in reviewing books here, I do try to rate every book I put on my e-shelves. Sometimes I agonize over this a little, especially because I’ve befriended a lot of authors in these communities. Despite this visibility, I’m a little stingy with my stars. I reserve 5 stars for only my very, very favourites of all time, like Pride and Prejudice, and Blood Meridian. There are fewer than ten books on my shelf with 5 stars. I’m even miserly with 4 stars, reserving them for perhaps my top 10 of the year. 3 stars means I like the book (I probably quite liked it) but it’s flawed in some way, and it wouldn’t be fair to the 4-star books to rate it the same. I’m a big fan of the 3.5 star, which is possible in Facebook but not in GoodReads. So, I’m always in a quandary when I’m faced with a 3.5-star title on GoodReads or Indigo. If I don’t like a book, I don’t put it on my shelf at all (and I rarely finish books I don’t like anymore). What I really need is a tool that will update all of these sites at once.

Do you belong to a book club? An online community? Which one(s)? Do you rate the books? Are you liberal or grudging with your stars?

I Hate Keeping Secrets

Wow, I’m amazed how many of you read the 25 things to the news at the end! In case you didn’t (and I wouldn’t blame you) I finally ‘fessed up to being 16 weeks pregnant. Can you believe I didn’t blog about it for this long? I was actually tempted to hit the keyboard as soon as I peed on the stick, but I wanted to tell a lot of people in person. I think it’s kinda tacky to announce this kind of news so publicly without filling in close friends first; besides, I prefer real hugs over virtual ones any day!

And by saving the news, I’ve also spared you from 3 months of whining. This pregnancy is EXACTLY like the first—exhaustion and nausea for the first trimester which abruptly ended with the start of the second. This time, I turned the corner in Acapulco. How can you be exhausted when you’re lying around drinking virgin pina coladas all day? This is the other reason we left Cakes at home--I expect it’s the last solo vacation for a very long time.

To my great relief, Cakes is happy about the news. She keeps giving my belly (yes, it’s already getting big) hugs and kisses. Unfortunately, she “only wants a sister”. We’re having the ultrasound on the 25th, so we’ll have plenty of time to prepare her if we see a penis.

I’m overjoyed about this pregnancy, but I can’t tell you how much I dread giving birth. The nightmare from the first time is still so fresh, I actually feel light-headed if I think about it too hard. I’m trying to do things differently this time: I have a mid-wife instead of an OB (but I’ll deliver in the hospital); I’m going to leave work a month early. Statistically, it is unlikely for placenta acreta to strike twice, but I can’t help but worry.

I’m also nervous about leaving work. Like everyone else, the publishing industry is being hit hard, and I’m worried about my job. I’m thinking about coming back after nine months—McHotty really wants to take pat leave, and I don’t want to be out of the loop for long. But you only get this time when they’re young once—I already feel sad about Cakes starting JK in the fall.

Has anyone else returned to work early? Any regrets?

25 Things Regurgitated From Facebook

Hey, I'm light on material.

1. I am just starting out on my third career and have finally found the perfect fit.

2. I sometimes wonder how successful I’d be today if I’d got it right the first time, but I try not to dwell on that.

3. I want to write a novel before I die (me and just about everyone I know).

4. I read about 100 books each year. I scored 132 on the 1001 list.

5. I was a terrible, rebellious teen, and if Cakes is even half as bad I’m in for many sleepless nights. Good thing I don’t believe in karma.

6. I also don’t believe in god, fate, miracles, ghosts, or soul-mates.

7. Though I don’t believe in soul-mates, my husband is pretty close to perfect, and I’m grateful for him every day.

8. I seduced my husband. After years of looking love in all the wrong places, I moved in to the apartment next to McHotty's in a big old house in Peterborough. Within two weeks I was having a drink in his living room. Within two years he proposed.

9. I like to party. I also love to be alone. I could use more of both these days.

10. I smoked for twelve years, until McHotty convinced me to quit (it was a deal-breaker for him). I still miss smoking every now and then.

11. I’m never happier than when I’m in the water and the sun.

12. I’m saving for a sailboat. It will be a long time.

13. I’m the first one in my immediate family with a university degree (paid for by myself over many years, one course at a time).

14. When I first started grad school I was very intimidated. Not for long.

15. When I’ve had a few drinks I’ve been known to: dance on furniture, karaoke, play air guitar, otherwise make an arse of myself in front of people.

16. I think I’m meant to be some kind of performer, but I just haven’t found my talent. That is my hope, anyway. Maybe I’m just a talentless attention-seeker.

17. The older I get, the less tolerant I am of other people. This is particularly apparent when I’m travelling--I think most of the tourists are assholes, forgetting that I too am a tourist.

18. I do not suffer fools gladly. I also can’t stand arrogance, passive aggression, rudeness, bad grammar, and people who are always late.

19. I wish I could afford to travel for at least a month each year. Some day I will.

20. I never liked kids until I had one.

21. I’m still not really interested in children, except for Cakes, my niece and nephew, and my close friends’ kids.

22. In the month after Cakes' birth I was hospitalized twice and received three blood transfusions.

23. I have never been more terrified, and it was a life-altering experience.

24. I resolved to never have another child (and it almost wasn’t an option).

25. I changed my mind—number 2 is due July 25.