Photos: Big News and Turkey Day

So, on September 10, Kevin and I woke up early and ...


Our long-awaited moment had arrived! Months of prenatal vitamins, herbal fertility tinctures (thanks, Emily), acupuncture, and ... well, you know ... fun finally paid off.

I think about 10 days after we took this photo, I started experiencing nausea, the beginning of about 3 months of nearly nonstop "morning" sickness (more like every-waking-hour sickness), which kept me from work and just about any kind of social life. My pregnancy super-nose meant that I was extra-sensitive to smells, many of which could set off the nausea. I couldn't cook, I couldn't wash dishes, I spent most of my time on the couch, clutching my stomach.

Kevin has been brilliant. In addition to working on his dissertation, he has been handling all the cooking, all the cleaning, and the multiple trips to Whole Foods and take-out restaurants to feed his demanding and finicky wife.

On Halloween, during the 11th week, we had our first ultrasound to screen for certain genetic problems, which showed that our fetus is developing normally. We have decided to call our little one "Bean" until birth.


The ultrasound was an amazing, moving experience. We could see Bean moving around, plus we could both see and hear the heartbeat.

The following week, we took a photo of my just-visible baby bump:


So petite!

I'm now in my 16th week, and Bean has apparently grown remarkably. I am, sort of, visibly pregnant now. Just the other day I was standing in Whole Foods, rubbing my tummy, and a woman asked me, "So, what does the baby want to eat?"



I've noticed that winter clothing makes it more difficult for strangers to correctly answer the question, "Is she pregnant, or just fat?"

Early this month, we got a glimpse of our future. Kevin's childhood friend from Gainesville, Jeremy, came through Los Angeles on a visit back home to the U.S. Jeremy now lives in Australia with his wife, Barbara, and their baby, Ceanne. (All photos by Kevin except where noted.)


Ohhhhhhhh, look at that face! We had brunch at the French café, La Conversation.


Here's the group (photo by yours truly). Jeremy and Barbara decided to recruit Kevin for politics. Okay, well, no. Apparently, there's a Labor Party member (and good guy) named Kevin Rudd who ran for Prime Minister in Australia, so they brought (my) Kevin some of his campaign stickers. And he won! 'Cause clearly, oh-seven is the year for Kevin.

Finally, Thanksgiving came around, and Kevin and I did a family tour up in NorCal for Thanksgiving week. We started in Sacramento with my dad and my grandmother. My father, ever ambitious, happily kept adding dishes to our early (Wednesday) Thanksgiving: turkey, rice pilaf, stuffing, cheese boerags, sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, gravy, and a Tofurkey and stuffing for Kevin. And TWO pumpkin pies. We cooked enough food for at least twice our number.


Here's Dad checking out The Belly.


Scary how much we look alike, no?

Then we headed down to the Bay Area to Kevin's step-sister's place in Berkeley. We had Thanksgiving Day proper with Meagan and her son, Charlie; Kevin's other step-sister, Caitlin, her husband, Neal, and their 4 1/2-month-old, Colton; Kevin's moms, Pat and Sue; and the family of Meagan's roommate. And some friends. All in all, we had 13 adults and 3 children. Chaos? Mmm, maybe a little.


Meagan and Charlie. Have to love Charlie's pumpkin halo.


Sue and little Cole. Cole has the most penetrating gaze I have ever seen on a baby! It's like his eyes look into your soul. I got him to smile at me a couple of times — such a cutie. And isn't that jack-o-lantern hat the most adorable thing you've ever seen?


The next morning, Charlie had a bit of an early birthday with his grandmas. Here's Pat helping with the unwrapping.

Although Charlie is now 3, he still has a bit of the Terrible Twos going on. His knee-jerk reaction to most questions — Do you want to eat some cheese? Do you want to go pee-pee in the potty? — is a very clear, "No, I don't want to!" The big exception to this was the query, "Do you want to go to Train Town?" Charlie is OBSESSED with trains, so we got a resounding YES.


They do a great job with the details at Train Town. Look at this round house! I should have had Kevin stand by the trains for this photo so you could get a sense of scale — I think he would have been taller than the archways.


Charlie got to ride all kinds of trains, from this coin-operated version to the realistic steam-powered train that goes in a 30-minute loop around the grounds. When I say steam-powered, I mean that the train actually runs from steam generated in a boiler, fueled by a wood or coal fire.


The train makes a stop at a mini-town complete with schoolhouse and church, which also features a petting zoo with sheep, goats, and one very, very shaggy llama. Charlie is in a phase where animals scare him, so he kept to the town side.


Charlie had quite the exciting transportation day!

After Train Town, Kevin and I moved to our friend, Kaushal's house. In what is becoming a Kaushal tradition, he prepared a feast for us.


Here's our friend, Bridget, with this gorgeous arrangement of unusual fuschias.


Dinner ended with chocolate-covered winter strawberries. The sugar kind of went to everyone's head.... I kept out of the fray to document the madness.


You could see where this was going. (Photo by moi.)

The following day, Kevin and I made our way to the South Bay to see my grandparents. My grandmother's birthday was on the 19th, so we had a belated celebration at an Asian fusion restaurant called Straits.

Back at their house, we showed them photos of other family events and travels on our computer. Then we stayed up until 11 or so — long past their bedtime!

The next morning we all had brunch together, then Kevin and I hit the road back to L.A.


Here we are at the house.


So during my months of nausea I sometimes found myself unable to read. Bored with TV, I decided to take up crocheting again. My Aunt Shamie taught me when I was 8 or 9, and I made blankets for my dolls. I tried again during college, but I couldn't stick with it to complete a project. So I've started again, this time a blanket for my baby made of merino sheep's wool and super-soft alpaca. (I can only crochet flat things, not hats or booties or anything.) My friend, Haan-Fawn, has become my crocheting guru. She taught me two new stitches, which I am combining on the baby blanket, a square stitch and a beautiful one of scallop shells.

FYI, Kevin and I have decided to keep the sex a surprise until birth. We know that, no matter the sex, we do not want anything in pink!

Now that I am in second trimester, life is improving. I can eat more or less like a normal person. Because, you know, doesn't a normal person eat every two hours or so? I am returning to work, and now that I can be open about the pregnancy I am also meeting up with friends again.

I'm looking forward to 5th month, when I should be able to start feeling Bean move around. Stay tuned!