The Boxer

consultant
noun [C]
1 someone who advises people on a particular subject:
a management/financial/computer consultant
a firm of public relations consultants

2 UK a specialist (= doctor with special training and knowledge in a particular area of medicine)

3 A breed of patronising asshole who really deserves to be kicked in the bollocks at regular intervals thus ensuring the smug persona is kept in check

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The hospital visit went pretty well and if Bean decides not to appear before, then the misses is booked in for Induction next Saturday (18th).
The scan showed Bean is healthy but the sad thing is that we struggled to tell what was what at this late stage. I love looking at Bean on the ultrasound and marveling at the seemingly impossible sight of our little miracle.
A still expects to be told that there is no baby there and it's all been a mistake.

Measurements are all just above average to initial fears of a whopper have been allayed. Bean should weigh something like 7lb 11oz.
The sonographer, maternity assistant and midwife were all very friendly and a pleasure to deal with.
The consultant on the other hand was feckin eejit. Why do they have to speak like you are a dribbling moron? Needless to say I had to put him straight and the remainder of the consultation was very matter of fact. I know I shouldn't be surprised or angered but man they get on my tits with the way they treat you.

If there is any news over the weekend then I'll keep the blog updated.

Take care everyone
Px

How do you sleep?

4am - "sorry I didn't mean to scare you"

I must have looked terrified being woken by the slightest of touches by A.
Thing is I've been sleeping so very well the past few weeks. You could say that my sleep is more akin to hibernation. Today though we were both awake at 4 and not getting up to catch a flight.

The misses has been having sh*t sleeping patterns and rarely gets more than 3 hours at a time. As she commented yesterday "if the bodies way of preparing you for sleep deprivation is by depriving you of sleep then how does that stack up?"

We are going to see a consultant at the hospital tomorrow and may need another scan to check everything is ok. Don't think there is anything to worry about but if there is the slightest concern then rest assured I will blow it up, keep it inside and worry like Mr Worrier winner of last years biggest worrier of the year competition.

Happy/excited and just a little scared!!

Somebody told me

2 weeks to go and the evil hormones have kicked in!! Poor A she is fed up and has a bad foot, is suffering from a severe lack of sleep and the British Summer has finally arrived. I'm doing my best impression of a good supportive husband and so far so good. I think I'm getting to grips with this whole thing.

I'm so very excited now and everyday feels like christmas eve.

The 'Travel System' arrived yesterday. In the old days they called it a pushchair but in an effort to justify the high cost and generate interest from the male of the species they came up with the masterstroke of calling it a 'Travel System'.

It's brilliant, pram this way, do a bit of pushing pulling and un-popping of buttons and hey its a pushchair. The car seat also clips straight into the frame. It also has an assortment of attachements, rain cover, warm foot cover (small and large), sun blind thing and a couple of other bits to keep me amused. The car seat fits well and with practice I think I'll manage to get the process down to 7-10 seconds like the Ferarri F1 pit team. Sh*t, never thought I'd be so happy to have a pushchair/travel system.

Baby Bean is getting big and indications are that it'll be around or above the 9lb weight. Looks like another scan is required as the baby is gonna be big. All the bags are packed, we have 4 in total. 2 for Bean, 1 for A and 1 general bag with the camera, video camera, sweets & snacks, medical notes, lists...
My mate also advised me to put a pillow in the car with a change of clothes, man its like going on vacation and every bit as exciting.

My head is being fixed by the head doctor and everything is much more positive.

Everlong

Hello, I've waited here for you....

So we are at 36 weeks and hopefully I'm just a short time from meeting Bean.
It feels as though it has been an extraordinarily long time coming from those first steps on the IVF trail. Not for a moment has the feeling of doubt left me. We are so close and still can't believe how well it is going.

The misses is in great health and everything is ready and waiting. Everything remains crossed and it's difficult no to get carried away and allow myself to get too excited.

Ain't got no....

Nina Simone, wow what a woman what a voice.
Me and the misses took a short trip down to North Cornwall and I duly loaded the iPod with some new material. I'm unsure if it was the mood of the music or that I was felling very relaxed and open but every song that blasted out made me want to cry. Cry in a good way I was sort of euphoric and filled with energy during one song 'Ain't got no/ I got life'.
So I now have 3 songs to pick me up when I'm low!!

33 weeks down and gradually the misses is getting a little more uncomfortable and finding it difficult to sleep most nights. The kicking and moving seems to increase when I'm chatting or singing which I'm taking as a positive!

Great news over at 'Pattycake' & 'Gills blog, please pop over and offer them some encouragement. It really means a great deal to get a kind word, I know that I have benefited.

Well we're heading into the final stages and I hope to update a little more frequently.

Take care
px

Tellin' stories

I am preparing for the very serious business of fatherhood by taking note of some highly recommended literature. In other news Bean's room is coming along very nicely and I have some pictures available here.

The misses is 31 weeks into this adventure and the Doc said that the baby is likely to be around the 9lb mark. Both she and Bean are healthy and both have been advised to take things a little more leisurely. Bean is quite active and likes to party into the wee small hours, can't think where that comes from........Around 5am I can pretty much guarantee the smell of fresh toast wafting from the kitchen as Bean orders another snack from room service. Baby Bean also seems to enjoy ice cream, breakfast cereal, oranges and spicy food (especially Indian).

I'm doing a little better and have strted to deal with my problems by talking it through with a profesional. It's a long road but I'm in a really positive mood.

Little Bear

30 weeks and all is well. Bean is a real livewire, moving, hiccuping, punching getting feet stuck in the misses rib cage.
We still can't believe how lucky we are.

We've managed to decorate the baby's room and it is begining to fill with nappies, clothes, bedding and assorted stuff. It really is happening.

Hope you are all doing well
p x

Karma Police

Everything is good with the misses and Bean, however...

Struggling with motivation to update the blog at the moment as everything should be so right but its all so wrong. Need some time to sort myself out.

Take care and I hope to be back soon x

Hey, turn that music up......

Bean is a lively little one, I have been trying to ensure that good tunes are being heard by Bean.
So far not a fan of Depeche Mode or Bloc Party, Does like some fast paced Funky House music and Scott Matthews.

Till there was you

Where to start? So much has happened and so much of it pretty boring.

Bean is doing really well. The 22 week scan showed that Bean is approx 1lb 6oz and growing at the end of the scale. There seems to be no doubt that he/she will be a monster. My poor misses......

The scan also showed a profile shot and you can clearly see hands, feet, spine, heart and sadly for Bean a nose as pointy as mine. I'll try and add the latest scan picture later on tonight.

The misses is well and enjoying the unseasonably good weather we are enjoying in the UK. No rain and 15 days of temperatures in the 70's. She has an ever increasing bump and I can feel bean moving about. It is a fantastic feeling.

Oh and we decided on a boys name yesterday which came with no arguments and no discussion, it just sounded right which is pretty cool. Girls names however are proving a little more tricky.

Roadtrippin'

Tonight we begin a 1000 mile roadtrip to see some family. Today we are going to begin from london and down the evil M4 motorway to Wales.
A's brother moved there last summer with his wife and our 2 beautiful nieces. We found out last week that they are also expecting a new arrival in October.
It is a beautiful part of the world despite the fact that the girls have picked up a Welsh accent! I always manage to corrupt them in a few hours. Before we leave them on Monday I'll have them talking like Londoners which will annoy the sister in law.

On Monday we drive from Wales to Scotland to stay with A's aunt and uncle in the Border region. Again it is such a beautiful place and the misses' family make me very welcome. Whilst she has to sit around drinking tea and chatting with the aunt's I get to go to the pub and get hammered with the male folk or play some golf.

I'll be back after Easter and hopefully we'll have an updated scan and an update.
Take care
Px

Kick

Bean is becoming quite lively, the misses feels these little sensations many times during the day and they are becoming stronger.
I have been desperate to feel a kick or elbow or headbutt for the past 10 days and I have managed on one occasion to feel a bump against my hand.

We still are so very excited and cautious. A is doing very well and in excellent health.

Take care p x

Strange brew

Everything has been going well this week for the Misses and Bean.

The nightly trip to the toilet and countless hours of being awake are beginning to give the misses a little grief but on the whole she is still very healthy and we are still so very thankful.

Tomorrow is St Patrick's Day and an important date in our calender.

First thing tomorrow we trade in my Sporty 2 door German coupe for a not so sporty 5 door German car. I have promised not to sulk.

Then it's breakfast at me Ma's with the family and the afternoon will be spent at one of my Uncles house with a hundred or so family members, kids, dogs, friends and Guinness.

The misses will then gallantly drive us to our friends house where we will be having more Guinness and a BBQ. I will be mostly singing Irish songs for the entire hour journey along the motorway. Fortunately I have an excellent voice.

Sunday will be spent in recovery and I'll be booking my liver in for a service first thing Monday.

Have a great weekend and I hope you enjoy the link below.....

http://www.guinness.com/gb_en/StPats2007/dance.html?UID=AC7142

The Fields of Athenry

Hello Bean part 2.

Well today was great for two reasons.

Number 1 reason for a good day was that we got to see Bean again. Manda has a very very cool friend who brought us a session at a private clinic for an ultrasound scan. It was even more special as neither of our Mums had ever seen an ultrasound scan of their kids (my ma had 3 boys and m's mum had a boy and a girl) so there we all were in this private clinic m's mum & dad, my ma, me and manda. Into the little room we went and Bean appeared in a matter of seconds. It was great to see the grandparents faces as Bean moved to and fro. Elbows, feet and and face came into and out of focus and there were "oohs" and "ahhhs" from all. What an event it was I'm so pleased that they got to see Bean.

The 2nd reason is that Ireland beat Scotland in the Six Nations championship. It is a big deal to rugby fans in northern Europe and I'm a Paddy whilst the misses is a Scott. The Irish managed to win by a point but the victory means bragging rights for another 12 months.

Eireann go Brach !

Low lie the fields of Atherny,
Where once we watched the small freebird fly.........

Hi Brenda

I did take a picture but it was really rubbish. It was a small white crescent in a sea of black, so I thought I'd borrow this beautiful picture.

I hope you are well and thank you for stopping by to read my nonsense.

Bad moon rising

Wow, Last Saturday evening me and the misses were lucky enough to witness a lunar eclipse.

These beautiful moments are difficult to see from the UK as 52% of our days are overcast so I was delighted to have such a clear sky on Saturday.

Whilst we were outside I could hear some kids (it was late about 11.30pm) and they were delighted to be outside at such a late hour. It got me thinking and I hope to bore my kids silly (I or my peers did not appreciate Science or History until I was in my mid twenties), drag them outside in the middle of the night and say "hey look at that, isn't it marvelous?" I expect Bean to shrug shoulders and say "s'alright".

The very fact I can picture this makes me feel cautious but ultimately optimistic.

Sorry, this post does not make much sense and I'm not even sure if it has a point.

But that is why we have bloggs right?

MIA

Need to do some catching up, so lets start with the good stuff.

The misses is doing just fine. Last Friday we had another midwife appointment which went really well. Bean has a very strong heartbeat and well, so far so good.
The midwife was really lovely and a pleasant change from the witch we encountered on our first visit.

Everyday that we get further into the pregnancy we continue to count our lucky stars. Not for a single moment have we taken this for granted. The misses is feeling much better during this stage of the pregnancy but has not had any wired cravings yet other than a new found desire to drink an illuminus fizzy orange drink call Tango oh and this weekend I smell like chocolate milk apparantly.




I've been not so good and as usual, hid it from the very person who can help me most. Anyway had a chat on Saturday night and I do feel much better.
I don't want to explore it too much today 'cos I feel good. I know I need to get a couple of things out of my mind.

"I wander hopelessly trying to think about me
But I’m trying to forget the things that dwell on me
Sitting on a horse to the wind and sit in my comfortable tree
Mesmerised by the beautiful sky sit thinking where I wanna be
I'm gonna sleep with the peaceful moon again until the sun bleeds through
my eyes
I’m gonna wait until the morning comes to wipe the sleep out from my eyes "

Scott Matthews - Dream Song

The wonder of you

Hello

Back again after some blogger account trauma.

So, hows it going? Since I've last been able to blog an awful lot has happened in 3 weeks. Most importantly we had our 12 week scan.

Bean is doing just fine and whilst I play it cool with the misses, Inside I was desperate to hear that everything was OK. A lot of people pin so much significance to the 12 week scan that you can't help but be dragged along with the feeling that after this point it's ok or not ok.

My outward inertia belied the feeling of fear beneath my seeming cool exterior. To say I was shitting myself is an understatement.

For me all I wanted to hear from the the team at the hospital was that everything is alright.

I was so delighted I can not describe the feeling. In actual fact I have not articulated this to A and the first time she Will know about it is about 10 minutes after I post this.

Sorry I said feck all hon, I just didn't want to add to your worry.

Ok so without further a do, ladies and gentleman please say hello to Bean.