Due for what?

cute picture of Brian

So today is the day! dun dun dun... Due date! The doctors say that the baby should be here by today! Or should she... turns out in all the classes, reading, researching and everything; a due date isn't a real good judge of when the baby should be here. In fact, a baby can be born 2 weeks before or 2 weeks after this so called Due date. And some times the due date is completely wrong. So then, why do people get so hung up on it?  I think it's public pressure.

I personally haven't had a lot of public pressure. I think because everyone that knows us knows that we will do what we want. We try to stay off the grid (as Mike likes to point out - which makes me think of the Matrix). So I haven't heard a lot of this pressure but the things I have heard are: "Oh, you must be ready to pop!" (nopers!) or "You must be so uncomfortable." (double nopers!)  To me it feels like people just don't know what to say. And of course my degree takes over my head and I start analyzing why people do this...

Here are my rules to talking to a pregnant person:
1. Don't assume that you know how she feels. Cause you don't. We know each woman and baby are different.  So assuming will certainly make an Ass-out of-U and most likely embarrass Me (or the person your speaking with).
2. Don't assume you know her fears or plans or anything! You only know yourself and your fears, plans or anythings. So again don't assume.
3. Be supportive! No matter what this woman is about to go through a life altering experience. Support is needed.
4. Positive language! Even if you don't think pregnant women are particularly beautiful, women need to know that they are beautiful. Emotions, hormones and all those chemicals in her body are running like crazy. You don't want to make her cry.  So positive language is a key ingredient!

5. Save the horror stories!!!!  Everyone has got one or knows someone who has one. But save it till after she has the baby. Positive stories share away!!!

So if now your thinking... 'Well crap! What am I supposed to say now?' I would recommend and have loved when people simply ask me how I'm feeling.  It's simple, to the point. It shows they care. And it's easy to respond to.-------------And the answer is: Good!

---In the coming 11 to 14 days we will be welcoming Baby Rachanow into the world. We have lots of plans but plans are meant to be broken (as I learn with every yoga lesson plan I make). When she arrives I will be writing her birth story and I will let you know all those things you've been wondering about. We may need to compromise on our birth plan but no matter what our ultimate goal is to get her here so she can get on with her life. More fun info to follow----

Fall English Lesson

I bet you thought you knew English. You are so wrong! It feels like we are learning this language all over again and one encounter at a time. 

Did you know in England they call:
Diapers = Nappies
Vegetables or Veggie = Veg
Strollers = Push chair
Mutt (as in dog) = Mongrel
Crazy = Daft
Bacon = Rashers
Chips = Crisps
Fries = Chips
Trash = Rubbish
Trash can = Bin

The conversion rate right now is 1.6 pounds to the $1 US.  It is starting to get dark at 6pm. They don't go Trick or Treating here because of superstition.  So I hear. There are a bunch of Harvest type festivals though. They still do ghost tours too. Ghost tours are big tourist business here. Lots of people have died in England so I guess you can cash in with the tourists.  Which brings me to another fact, tourist season is in the summer so there are cheaper rates now if you come here.

English people do not like Pumpkins! They don't understand why Americans like pumpkins. They will carve them but they don't eat them! On a medium pumpkin here we paid 3pounds which equals $4.80 US. It was outrageous!

Here's a good picture of Brian enjoying the Fall. Mike keeps trying to tell him that he isn't going to be an only child in like a week but I don't think he understands. He's a good dog though.