Science Experiment

Well, it has been a while. Due to a combination of laziness, busyness and Desperate Housewives Season 2, I have not been able to keep up with this blog. Now is the time to get back on the horse and write about my recent developments.

I am now in the process of growing a baby. When I read about that in books which refer to pregnancy as "growing a baby", I just have to laugh. It sounds like a really cool science experiment that you would do in your backyard. Oh, if growing a baby could only be so fun.

"Matt" as I like to call "it" is due to make his appearance on or around March 1st. I do not know if "Matt" is a boy or a girl, but one day when I was imagining what a wonderful kid my child would grow up to be, I imagined a good looking Asian kid that looked like a "Matt." Suk says this name will not be acceptable since MATTO doesn't sound like a Japanese name, it doesn't have a chinese character to match, and it sounds like a tatami mat. Oh well.

So, Matt it is NOT. But for now, "it" needs a name and Matt sounds pretty darn good to me.

So, I spent the summer suffering from continuous bouts of morning sickness, which meant that looking at a computer screen was the last thing I wanted to be doing. Thus the lack of blog entries. Then, I also suffered from a lack of topics. Oh, what is a knocked-up woman to write about besides her pain and suffering, her nervousness and moodiness, and her general obsession with baby-growing?

I promise not to post scanned photos of my ultrasounds. (And I promise not to email them to friends and family as well!) Looking at these is like looking at one of those weird calendars that were popular in the 1990s. Okay, that must be the backbone. No, wait, it's the ribs. Is that an eye or the back of the head? Oh, god, what the hell...put that damn thing away. For those of you unfamiliar with Japanese customs, we ladies in Japan get to undergo ultrasound at every doctor's visit. So, I have about 5 little ultrasound photos so far. And, don't even start lecturing me about how dangerous it is. I trust the Japanese medical system especially when it comes to babies - they take that shit very seriously. You see, the difference is in insurance coverage. In the USA, they tell you it is dangerous, but actually, the insurance companies refuse to cover more than one ultrasound during an entire pregnancy. In Japan, they'll cover anything that involves a photograph!

Last week, Suk and I were walking around and I tripped over a chain fence. I fell forward and put my hands out to protect my stomach, but I was still managed to injure my legs, arms & boobs. I was worried about Matt, and since I still felt pain a couple days later, I went to the doctor. He did, yet another, ultrasound and found that Matt was still growing and moving strong. Now, everyone tells me to avoid falling. As if I need to be told that!

At work, I announced the baby-growing situation to my English department last week, and before that I let the vice-principal, etc. know. Immediately, they began the process of finding my temporary replacement, and they told me that, by law, I must stop working on January 1 (8 weeks before Matt's due date). I was shocked by this, especially since I won't be receiving a salary, but then I thought - what the hell? I might as well enjoy the time off. I also plan to take a year off after Matt is born (without salary) because I can. I want to take advantage of this despite the fact that due to an incompetent co-worker, our department will go to hell in a handbasket if he stays on staff. Oh, pray that the fool gets fired soon!!!! Anyway, on top of all this, I have been banned from taking business trips and from riding my bike to school. Of course, my doctor said that I am perfectly capable of doing these things as long as I don't start bleeding. Well, that said, my school bosses are not changing their minds.

On a bright note though, Suk and I purchased a car (finally!) and he suggested that I drive it to work every day. So, now I need to get my license in Japan, and we will be all set. (Although my principal did not like this idea either!) They are just being way too careful. I am not that fragile...although I do wish Suk would think I am a little bit fragile.

That is all for now. I would like to write a lot more, but I think I will save the MIL complaints for next time.