Life as it stands

I've not written in forever and ever for a number of reasons- firstly the cat chewed quite a few of the keys off my laptop, and whilst husband managed to reattach them, they've never been quite the same. Typing is a lot harder work than it used to be. I'm not sure if a new laptop is worth the investment since I intend on never, ever writing another essay again in my life, but I'm not sure that a tablet (I plan on getting a wee kindle fire to get me through late night breastfeeding) is the best thing for blogging on- anyone out there do it?

Secondly, I have been far too busy actually living life to hang around at the computer. Last weekend I went to the Getty Centre and a Dodgers game, went shopping, spent hours and hours in our swimming pool and cooked yummy food. This all seemed so completely out of the realms of possibility a few short months ago so I am embracing life as much as I can. Husband and I are trying to enjoy life as a trio (I'm including the cat, this is pretty sad, I'm aware) as much as we can. The next few weeks are totally full of amazing trips and activities. 

Tomorrow is Independence Day, which as Brits, we have no strong feelings about at all- it's sort of a non-event. It is a bonus day off for husband though, even if I personally find days off in the middle of the week really weird (America LOVES to have a random day off on a Thursday. So much more civilised to always have Mondays off like the UK.) The current plan is a long lie, pancakes, Wimbledon on TV then the parade on Main St in Santa Monica. We'll probably spend some time at the beach before heading home to find some fireworks. We'll eat chilli and nachos and avocados and try and find a virgin margarita somewhere. 

All the food focus comes from 2 main places- the most important one being that I am starving all the time. Yesterday I munched my way though a philly cheese steak the size of my head and ate all the potatoes with it without pausing for breath. My husband just looked on, aghast. This kind of behaviour is being actively encouraged by my rather wonderful doctor since I am struggling a little to gain weight. In a healthy pregnancy, 'they' want you to gain 25-30 lbs, having gained about 10lb by week 22 (ish). At week 18, I have managed to gain 2lb. I'm still 10lb off my pre-pregnancy weight. My doctor isn't concerned, I had horrible hyperemesis (her, very validating words) and lost 10% of my body weight- it's quite a lot. She thinks it will take me a bit longer to get on track. Until them, I have free reign to eat what I want. I had been focusing on replacing junk food with fruit and vegetables since all the baby books/blogs/pamphlets all focus on good nutrition, but now I have to eat junk food AND fruit and vegetables. It's going pretty well so far...

All this being said, the baby appears to be absolutely fine. I am getting pretty big- the bump is constantly growing, I think it gets biggest Sunday to Tuesday (husband thought I was insane, then came home from work last night and asked if it had got bigger since lunchtime, although that was probably the cheese steak...) and then spends the rest of the week recovering in its new home before spurting again the next weekend. I had a doctor appointment on Monday, which confirmed everything is growing right on track and it still has a perfect heartbeat of 155. Every time we get news like this I am ecstatic, I think after a miscarriage you really don't believe all these nice, boring moments will happen to you, that somehow everything will be a little harder than normal. We are just plodding along. It's marvellous. 

Tuesday is our anatomy scan, or BOY OR GIRL SCAN!!!! to give it the title is has in my head. I am beyond giddy at the prospect of seeing the wriggler again and finally giving it a decent pronoun. It's been nice to wait a little but I definitely could not go to the scan without finding out. I have so much admiration for those who have the patience and perseverance to not know. Especially the amazing friend who didn't find out because her husband wanted a surprise. I am, I'm sorry to say, not that nice to my husband. We are really struggling with names. We have a couple of potential boy names, and absolutely zero hope at ever finding a girl name. Honestly, I cannot think of anything I like enough to say fifty times a day for the rest of my life. That's before we add 'both of us have to like it' to the mix. I will write another whole post (eventually) on our fairly broad baby naming rules, but so far nowt is matching up on the girl side. On Tuesday I will either be jubilant that I don't have to think of girl names any more or issuing a desperate plea for help. The lady in the maternity clothes shop last night told me she's certain it's a boy, since I'm sitting really low. She is basically an expert, right?

Since it's the summer, and normal people take summer holidays, that's our plan for the next few weeks. Next Friday we are packing up the car and heading to Yosemite with some of husband's colleagues (including his lovely boss and his wife, whom I adore) for a weekend of wandering amongst giant trees, attempting to avoid being eaten by bears and staving off Hantavirus, which is kind of the reason we're going on the trip in the first place (husband's boss had booked the cabins for him and his friends, who all then cancelled when the area was shut for part of the year due to the discovery of Hantavirus in THOSE EXACT cabins. They've since knocked them down and built new ones. He thought it'd be ok and invited his work minions instead. We agreed since it's probably FINE now.) I'm so excited to visit that part of California. I can hardly wait.

We'll be back from Yosemite for 3 whole days before packing up the car again (let's be honest, it probably won't get unpacked to begin with...) and driving to Las Vegas. If you ever want a good laugh, I recommend telling your obstetrician that you are planning on driving through Death Valley mere days after it very nearly broke the record for being the hottest place on earth, ever. She looked like her head might explode. It was hilarious. Thankfully she then laughed since I am the same person who went on a transatlantic flight with Hyperemesis and gave us some really good tips on travelling safely and where to get the good cocktails.

This Vegas trip is particularly exciting since my bestie Jen and our awesome friend Bri are GETTING MARRIED. Now only a Scot would plan an outdoor wedding in the desert outside Las Vegas in July, but we are totally stoked to be part of it. A small group of our friends are making the journey out too, and it's the only time I would like to hang up my bump on the back of the bathroom door and head out for some serious partying. It's gutting that I won't be pounding back free cocktails and champagne and wine and feeling rough as a badger's arse in the blistering heat with my friends. But I get to be there. And that is the most important bit. 

Lord knows what I will wear, (apart from this, obviously) since I look (and feel) like I've swallowed a honeydew and I don't want to spend a fortune on a nice dress I will only wear once, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. After exploring the west coast a bit, our awesome friends then come to LA to hang out for 5 days. I am also super excited about this, if a little nervous the cat will bite their toes as they sleep, a new and interesting habit she's developed during this heatwave we've just had. Suggestions on a postcard for THAT one, please. Bump pictures to follow (ie once I've found the golden mix of good hair/bump day, good outfit and someone around who can actually take the picture for me.) as well as sparkling write-ups of these epic and awesome events to come. Probably. If I can fix the R key.