today I have been plagued by terrible backache....
and to comfort me Richard told me i am beautiful now that i look like this:
Saturday 31 March 2012
baby bump
Help,
today I have been plagued by terrible backache....
and to comfort me Richard told me i am beautiful now that i look like this:
today I have been plagued by terrible backache....
and to comfort me Richard told me i am beautiful now that i look like this:
Pregnancy Jewels
This week has seen the appearance of another Friend that ispossibly going to stay with me for the last 3 months of the pregnancy....
Heartburn
I had never ever experienced it before and to be honest i do not think we like each other... it's really a pain in the stomach and makes working quite difficult.... but hey it comes with the package doesn't it?
Do not worry in 3 months everything will be over...
it might be, or it may be just substituted by extreme sleep deprivation.....
all in all it made me think about the past 6months and all of the joyous changes, and surprises i have encountered on this wondrous journey....
let's look at them together...
the most common "complaints" in the first trimester seem to be:
Morning sickness, Sore breasts & nipples, Period-like cramping, Indigestion, wind and bloating, Constipation and piles, Diarrhoea, Blocked nose and ears, Backache, Headaches, General aches and pains,Aching limbs
How did i fare???
Looking up at the list not too bad I was really affected only by Morning Sickness and blocked nose
....
4 months of regular throwing up.... nausea all day long,in the morning it was lovely waking up to run to the loo and hug the toilet while crying my eyes out ... during the day the same scene was repeated several times at work hoping nobody wold hear, or notice my red puffy eyes....
Thankfully everybody at work is really interested in me so nobody even bat an eyelid:P
On the blocked nose front I have not been able to breathe properly for the past six months, and in the morning i now resemble Darth Vader.... even at work somebody a few days ago asked
"Who on hearth is doing this heavy breathing???" It was me Babs Vader....
Second trimester???? (it gets easier they tell you, and to be honest it does....)
Common "complaints" are:
Displacement of the intestines, Kidneys problems, Bladder or Urinary Tract Infection, Round ligament spasm, Muscular pain, Indigestion, Gall bladder issues, Back Pain, Leg Cramps, Heartburn, Constipation, Darkening of the skin, bleeding gums, restless legs
and the list could go on ...
To be very honest i have been quite lucky, the only real symptoms i have been having are Constipation (or displacement of the intestines), constant peeing, some leg cramps in the morning (eased by a good bout of cat stretches) and a constant case of Sandra mondainites...(see video to the side)
All not too painful or bothering symptoms, but then this week the heartburn came and OMG it is not pleasant at all....
so what other amazing "friends" will i be welcoming during these last 3 months???
let's see:
swollen limbs from fluid retention (i can't wait to get cankles), leaking breasts (ooh the excitement), constipation, hemorrhoids(mmmmmmmmm fancy), insomnia and discomfort below the rib cage.
Only 10 weeks to go, and i hope i will be as lucky with the last trimester as i have been up to now.... to be honest i am not looking forward the commuting and the demanding staff at work, but hey....
Heartburn
I had never ever experienced it before and to be honest i do not think we like each other... it's really a pain in the stomach and makes working quite difficult.... but hey it comes with the package doesn't it?
Do not worry in 3 months everything will be over...
it might be, or it may be just substituted by extreme sleep deprivation.....
all in all it made me think about the past 6months and all of the joyous changes, and surprises i have encountered on this wondrous journey....
let's look at them together...
the most common "complaints" in the first trimester seem to be:
Morning sickness, Sore breasts & nipples, Period-like cramping, Indigestion, wind and bloating, Constipation and piles, Diarrhoea, Blocked nose and ears, Backache, Headaches, General aches and pains,Aching limbs
Looking up at the list not too bad I was really affected only by Morning Sickness and blocked nose
....
Thankfully everybody at work is really interested in me so nobody even bat an eyelid:P
On the blocked nose front I have not been able to breathe properly for the past six months, and in the morning i now resemble Darth Vader.... even at work somebody a few days ago asked
"Who on hearth is doing this heavy breathing???" It was me Babs Vader....
Second trimester???? (it gets easier they tell you, and to be honest it does....)
Common "complaints" are:
Displacement of the intestines, Kidneys problems, Bladder or Urinary Tract Infection, Round ligament spasm, Muscular pain, Indigestion, Gall bladder issues, Back Pain, Leg Cramps, Heartburn, Constipation, Darkening of the skin, bleeding gums, restless legs
and the list could go on ...
To be very honest i have been quite lucky, the only real symptoms i have been having are Constipation (or displacement of the intestines), constant peeing, some leg cramps in the morning (eased by a good bout of cat stretches) and a constant case of Sandra mondainites...(see video to the side)
All not too painful or bothering symptoms, but then this week the heartburn came and OMG it is not pleasant at all....
so what other amazing "friends" will i be welcoming during these last 3 months???
let's see:
swollen limbs from fluid retention (i can't wait to get cankles), leaking breasts (ooh the excitement), constipation, hemorrhoids(mmmmmmmmm fancy), insomnia and discomfort below the rib cage.
Only 10 weeks to go, and i hope i will be as lucky with the last trimester as i have been up to now.... to be honest i am not looking forward the commuting and the demanding staff at work, but hey....
Tuesday 27 March 2012
27 weeks pregnant
A quick quick update on where we are
....
We are entering the 3rd trimester
(scary times ahead)
The website tells us:
"Your baby now weighs nearly 875g and will probably measures more than 36cm from head to toe. His eyes open and close, he sleeps and wakes at regular intervals and he may suck a finger or thumb.
Sweet dreams, little baby! Some experts believe that babies begin to dream by week 27. Your baby's brain is certainly active now. The characteristic grooves on his brain's surface is starting to appear and more brain tissue is developing. You may be detecting rhythmic movements, which is simply your baby having an attack of the hiccups. They are common this week and throughout your pregnancy. A spell of hiccups usually passes in moments. The sensation for you may be strange, but rather comforting.
Since your uterus (womb) is now up near your rib cage, you may now find yourself short of breath if you haven't already. Starting now and continuing through the last three months of pregnancy, you may be plagued by leg cramps, hemorrhoids, varicose veins and an itchy belly.
If a blood test for your rhesus status found you to be rhesus negative (RhD negative) earlier in pregnancy, you'll probably be tested for antibodies this week or next. These may be present in your blood if your baby is RhD positive, and you'll have what's called an anti-D injection to combat the incompatibility. You may be offered a repeat injection at 34 weeks."
So indeed i am A- and the baby is + so guess what on Friday off we go to get the anti-D injection....
and this time i will have to go on my own
I am terrified of vaccination and needles in general...
will i survive the experience?????
....
We are entering the 3rd trimester
(scary times ahead)
The website tells us:
"Your baby now weighs nearly 875g and will probably measures more than 36cm from head to toe. His eyes open and close, he sleeps and wakes at regular intervals and he may suck a finger or thumb.
Sweet dreams, little baby! Some experts believe that babies begin to dream by week 27. Your baby's brain is certainly active now. The characteristic grooves on his brain's surface is starting to appear and more brain tissue is developing. You may be detecting rhythmic movements, which is simply your baby having an attack of the hiccups. They are common this week and throughout your pregnancy. A spell of hiccups usually passes in moments. The sensation for you may be strange, but rather comforting.
Since your uterus (womb) is now up near your rib cage, you may now find yourself short of breath if you haven't already. Starting now and continuing through the last three months of pregnancy, you may be plagued by leg cramps, hemorrhoids, varicose veins and an itchy belly.
If a blood test for your rhesus status found you to be rhesus negative (RhD negative) earlier in pregnancy, you'll probably be tested for antibodies this week or next. These may be present in your blood if your baby is RhD positive, and you'll have what's called an anti-D injection to combat the incompatibility. You may be offered a repeat injection at 34 weeks."
So indeed i am A- and the baby is + so guess what on Friday off we go to get the anti-D injection....
and this time i will have to go on my own
I am terrified of vaccination and needles in general...
will i survive the experience?????
Sunday 25 March 2012
L'ombelico del mondo AKA the Belly Button
... Since time immemorial I always had one fear... irrational, stupid, with no scientific foundation whatsoever .... but nevertheless a real fear ... some people are afraid of spiders, snakes, some people are even scared of owls....
and I? well except for cockroaches I .. I ...
I always thought
( rationally i know it is not true, but i am really terrified that it might happen)
that my belly button had no bottom .... yes a kind of Pozzo di San Patrizio where there is no end,
and i always had the fear that if i poked my belly button and went too deep i would reach my internal organs....
In my fear only a thin membrane protects me from spilling my guts out, so going near the belly button has always been a no no, as i might break something and it could all turn out poopoo (literally...)
...
and now...
and now as the bump is growing growing growing (2cm more a week it seems)
SHOCK AND HORROR
i can see the bottom of it...
I am havign nightmares about it...
I am waking up in the middle of the night sweating and trembling with my hands on my tummy convinved that the impossible has actually happened...
the belly button is inside out and the membrane that protects my interiors is broken and the guts are coming out....
Could i be more silly??????
Not really but it is really taken all of my courage to face one of my oldest fear and put one of my fingers inside the belly button and actually feel its bottom....
and EEEWWWWW it is disgusting..
I suppose the final test will be when i actually will have no belly button as the bump will stretch even further in the next 3 months......
and I? well except for cockroaches I .. I ...
I always thought
( rationally i know it is not true, but i am really terrified that it might happen)
that my belly button had no bottom .... yes a kind of Pozzo di San Patrizio where there is no end,
and i always had the fear that if i poked my belly button and went too deep i would reach my internal organs....
In my fear only a thin membrane protects me from spilling my guts out, so going near the belly button has always been a no no, as i might break something and it could all turn out poopoo (literally...)
...
and now...
and now as the bump is growing growing growing (2cm more a week it seems)
SHOCK AND HORROR
i can see the bottom of it...
I am havign nightmares about it...
I am waking up in the middle of the night sweating and trembling with my hands on my tummy convinved that the impossible has actually happened...
the belly button is inside out and the membrane that protects my interiors is broken and the guts are coming out....
Could i be more silly??????
Not really but it is really taken all of my courage to face one of my oldest fear and put one of my fingers inside the belly button and actually feel its bottom....
and EEEWWWWW it is disgusting..
I suppose the final test will be when i actually will have no belly button as the bump will stretch even further in the next 3 months......
Power to the tummy.... LONG LIVE THE TUMMY
Baby Names
just because people have been thinking that we gave too much importance to this choosing of the name thing.... this si from Yahoo lifestyle
But Benedict's not the only authority figure to stamp down on one of the sillier by-products of celebrity culture. Various baby names have all been banned around the world for reasons of taste, decency or just plain daftnesss. So without further ado, we present out list of the top illegal baby names.
1) Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii (New Zealand)
New Zealand law bans names which could cause offence to a 'reasonable' person. Good thing too - the country is a stupid name hotspot. We found a couple from the islands who tried and failed to call their son '4Real', but nothing beats the ridiculous moniker above. It belonged to a 9-year-old girl before a judge had her renamed during a custody battle. 'It makes a fool of the child,' he said. It certainly made application forms a pain in the butt. Has New Zealand banned any other names? Oh yes. The judge listed some that were also blocked: Fish and Chips (twins), Yeah Detroit, Keenan Got Lucy and Sex Fruit. Number 16 Bus Shelter and Violence were allowed.
2) Venerdi AKA 'Friday' (Italy)
Maybe this is what the Pope was talking about. Back in 2008 a court banned an Italian couple from calling their child Venerdi (translation: Friday). The judges reckoned the name - taken from 'Robinson Crusoe' - would expose the boy to 'mockery' and was associated with 'subservience and insecurity'. The parents, however, might have the last laugh; they threatened to call their next child Mercoledi (Wednesday).
Has Italy banned any other names? Italian courts can step in 'when the child's name is likely to limit social interaction and create insecurity'. In Turin, Andrea was rejected (and changed to Emma) as it's a boy's name in Italy. Dalmata has also been rejected, as it means Dalmatian.
No, we didn't fall asleep on the keyboard. That is an actual name a Swedish couple tried to inflict on their son back in 1996. Apparently the name is pronounced 'Albin' (we're not sure how), and the parents chose it as a protest against Sweden's admittedly strict naming laws. Tax authorities must give their blessing to both first and surnames before they can be used.
Has Sweden banned any other names? Oh yes. Some favourites include Metallica, IKEA, Veranda and Q. Google was OK though.
4) Gesher AKA 'Bridge' (Norway)
Back in 1998 those nasty Norwegians threw a woman in jail (admittedly for only two days) when she failed to pay a fine for giving her son an 'unapproved' name. Eccentric Kristi Larsen said she was instructed in a dream to name her son Gesher (Hebrew for 'Bridge'), but the court were having none of it. Kristi did have 13 children already though, so maybe she had just run out of ideas.
Has Norway banned any other names? Undoubtedly, though in recent times they have replaced their list of officially sanctioned names with a general ban on monikers featuring swearing, sex and illnesses.
Unlike many countries which are gradually relaxing name laws, Malaysian authorities have cracked down on unsuitable titles in recent years. In 2006 government killjoys published a list of undesirable names that weren't in keeping with the religious traditions of the country – such as Cantonese moniker Chow Tow – which means 'Smelly Head'.
Has Malaysia banned any other names? Lots more Chinese efforts such as Ah Chwar ('Snake'), Khiow Khoo ('Hunchback'), Sor Chai ('Insane'). Malays should also steer clear of Woti, which means 'Sexual Intercourse'.
6) @ (China)
With more than a billion fellow countrymen, finding a unique name in China is difficult. Perhaps that's why one couple called their baby the '@' symbol – in Chinese characters it apparently looks a bit like 'love him'. Bless. Unsurprisingly, however, the authorities were less sentimental and publicised the moniker as an example of citizens bringing bizarre names into the Chinese language.
Has China banned any other names? The police have control over all names given to children because they issue identity cards, but details of rejections are not widely circulated.
Country living up to stereotype alert! Surprise, surprise the Germans are somewhat officious when it comes to baby naming laws. Regulation-loving Deutschland has an entire department (the Standesamt) which decides if names are suitable. Miatt was rejected because it didn't clearly show whether the child was a boy or a girl, but sometimes the decisions are somewhat arbitrary...
Has Germany banned any other names? The likes of Stompie, Woodstock and Grammophon were turned down, whereas the similarly strange Speedy, Lafayette and Jazz were allowed.
8) Anus (Denmark)
What is it about Scandinavian countries and name laws? The Danes are even tougher than the Swedes in this regard, with parents given 7,000-odd names to choose from by the government. Special permission is needed to deviate from the list, with ethnic names, odd spellings and even compound surnames forbidden. Luckily for him (we assume it's a 'he'), Anus was one of 250-odd names rejected each year.
Has Denmark banned any other names? Well, Pluto and Monkey had lucky escapes...
9) Ovnis (Portugal)
Before naming your child in Portugal, best consult this mammoth, 80-page government doc (and have it translated to English) that tells you which names you can and can't use. It's pretty strict (and random) – Tomás is OK but Tom isn't – and celebs can forget about the likes of Apple and Brooklyn, which aren't even on the banned list. Essex girls rejoice, however – Mercedes is allowed! Has Portugal banned any other names? There are more than 2,000 names on the reject list, including Ovnis - Portuguese for UFO.
10) Akuma AKA Devil (Japan)
Here's a name the Pope definitely wouldn't approve of. In 1993 a Japanese parent called his son Akuma (which literally means Devil). The authorities decided this was an abuse of the parent's rights to decide a child's name and a lengthy court battle ensued. Eventually the father backed down and junior got a new, less demonic name.
Has Japan banned any other names? Lots. Names must use one of the 2,232 'name kanji' characters decided by the government.
At
the start of 2011, the Pope declared war on parents naming babies after
celebrities, fruit or popular sports cars. In an address to parents,
the ever-progressive pontiff pleaded with worshipers that when thinking
of baby names, they should 'give your children names that are in the
Christian calendar'.
So Apple, Brooklyn and Ferrari are out, Francisco and Giulia are in. But Benedict's not the only authority figure to stamp down on one of the sillier by-products of celebrity culture. Various baby names have all been banned around the world for reasons of taste, decency or just plain daftnesss. So without further ado, we present out list of the top illegal baby names.
[Useful: The top baby names for 2012]
1) Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii (New Zealand)
New Zealand law bans names which could cause offence to a 'reasonable' person. Good thing too - the country is a stupid name hotspot. We found a couple from the islands who tried and failed to call their son '4Real', but nothing beats the ridiculous moniker above. It belonged to a 9-year-old girl before a judge had her renamed during a custody battle. 'It makes a fool of the child,' he said. It certainly made application forms a pain in the butt. Has New Zealand banned any other names? Oh yes. The judge listed some that were also blocked: Fish and Chips (twins), Yeah Detroit, Keenan Got Lucy and Sex Fruit. Number 16 Bus Shelter and Violence were allowed.
2) Venerdi AKA 'Friday' (Italy)
Maybe this is what the Pope was talking about. Back in 2008 a court banned an Italian couple from calling their child Venerdi (translation: Friday). The judges reckoned the name - taken from 'Robinson Crusoe' - would expose the boy to 'mockery' and was associated with 'subservience and insecurity'. The parents, however, might have the last laugh; they threatened to call their next child Mercoledi (Wednesday).
Has Italy banned any other names? Italian courts can step in 'when the child's name is likely to limit social interaction and create insecurity'. In Turin, Andrea was rejected (and changed to Emma) as it's a boy's name in Italy. Dalmata has also been rejected, as it means Dalmatian.
[Relevant: The origins of 10 British baby names]
3) Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116 (Sweden) No, we didn't fall asleep on the keyboard. That is an actual name a Swedish couple tried to inflict on their son back in 1996. Apparently the name is pronounced 'Albin' (we're not sure how), and the parents chose it as a protest against Sweden's admittedly strict naming laws. Tax authorities must give their blessing to both first and surnames before they can be used.
Has Sweden banned any other names? Oh yes. Some favourites include Metallica, IKEA, Veranda and Q. Google was OK though.
4) Gesher AKA 'Bridge' (Norway)
Back in 1998 those nasty Norwegians threw a woman in jail (admittedly for only two days) when she failed to pay a fine for giving her son an 'unapproved' name. Eccentric Kristi Larsen said she was instructed in a dream to name her son Gesher (Hebrew for 'Bridge'), but the court were having none of it. Kristi did have 13 children already though, so maybe she had just run out of ideas.
Has Norway banned any other names? Undoubtedly, though in recent times they have replaced their list of officially sanctioned names with a general ban on monikers featuring swearing, sex and illnesses.
[Relevant: Weird baby names from the 19th century]
5) Chow Tow AKA 'Smelly Head' (Malaysia)Unlike many countries which are gradually relaxing name laws, Malaysian authorities have cracked down on unsuitable titles in recent years. In 2006 government killjoys published a list of undesirable names that weren't in keeping with the religious traditions of the country – such as Cantonese moniker Chow Tow – which means 'Smelly Head'.
Has Malaysia banned any other names? Lots more Chinese efforts such as Ah Chwar ('Snake'), Khiow Khoo ('Hunchback'), Sor Chai ('Insane'). Malays should also steer clear of Woti, which means 'Sexual Intercourse'.
6) @ (China)
With more than a billion fellow countrymen, finding a unique name in China is difficult. Perhaps that's why one couple called their baby the '@' symbol – in Chinese characters it apparently looks a bit like 'love him'. Bless. Unsurprisingly, however, the authorities were less sentimental and publicised the moniker as an example of citizens bringing bizarre names into the Chinese language.
Has China banned any other names? The police have control over all names given to children because they issue identity cards, but details of rejections are not widely circulated.
[See also: The worst celebrity baby names from A - Z]
7) Miatt (Germany)Country living up to stereotype alert! Surprise, surprise the Germans are somewhat officious when it comes to baby naming laws. Regulation-loving Deutschland has an entire department (the Standesamt) which decides if names are suitable. Miatt was rejected because it didn't clearly show whether the child was a boy or a girl, but sometimes the decisions are somewhat arbitrary...
Has Germany banned any other names? The likes of Stompie, Woodstock and Grammophon were turned down, whereas the similarly strange Speedy, Lafayette and Jazz were allowed.
8) Anus (Denmark)
What is it about Scandinavian countries and name laws? The Danes are even tougher than the Swedes in this regard, with parents given 7,000-odd names to choose from by the government. Special permission is needed to deviate from the list, with ethnic names, odd spellings and even compound surnames forbidden. Luckily for him (we assume it's a 'he'), Anus was one of 250-odd names rejected each year.
Has Denmark banned any other names? Well, Pluto and Monkey had lucky escapes...
9) Ovnis (Portugal)
Before naming your child in Portugal, best consult this mammoth, 80-page government doc (and have it translated to English) that tells you which names you can and can't use. It's pretty strict (and random) – Tomás is OK but Tom isn't – and celebs can forget about the likes of Apple and Brooklyn, which aren't even on the banned list. Essex girls rejoice, however – Mercedes is allowed! Has Portugal banned any other names? There are more than 2,000 names on the reject list, including Ovnis - Portuguese for UFO.
10) Akuma AKA Devil (Japan)
Here's a name the Pope definitely wouldn't approve of. In 1993 a Japanese parent called his son Akuma (which literally means Devil). The authorities decided this was an abuse of the parent's rights to decide a child's name and a lengthy court battle ensued. Eventually the father backed down and junior got a new, less demonic name.
Has Japan banned any other names? Lots. Names must use one of the 2,232 'name kanji' characters decided by the government.
Saturday 24 March 2012
Baby Names .... the Quarter Finals
Saturday, the sun it's shining outside...
some misguided people will think it hot,
(22 degrees maybe make it hot at the north pole) but here i think it barely qualify for short sleeves
but here in the Canziani- Chiesa house hold we are preoccupied with much more important issues than the heat and what to wear ... we are deciding on the name for our child
(can i please say unborn child, i was told it is cold and callous to say that but i really think it warm and fuzzy...)
It is a very important decision, something that will shape the future and possibly the personality of this new human being for all of his/her life....
Modern studies attributes a lot to names, so much so that Freakonomics dedicates a full chapter to talk about how names can shape a person, it is easy to go crazy, I must admit Gandalf and Galadriel did seem very appealing ... but further analysis make them qualify for early child abuse....
So we started our own name championships...
we are now up to the quarter finals, the names still in the run are as follows (we start with girls,because let's face it LADIES FIRST :P)
so, let's think about them ...
Cordelia ... she is not going to be a vampire slayer assistant so possibly a no ... but i really like the name.... (Richard in the back ground ..) "not even my gran ma would choose such an old name... she is not an 80 year old woman....
so on to the next name...
Giulia .... lovely name, i can see flowing red hair fluttering in the wind, green eyes and then suddenly, out of nowhere "tu ha le puppe a peraaaa" is playing through my mind, damn Francesco Nuti and damn Caruso Pascoski .... Giulia is gone out of the race ... forever
Amanda....
Amanda.... lear???? Ok ok she was a muse for the rolling stones, but mostly people thought she was a man... not something you want your child to carry through... so no Amanda.....
Penelope ... it only conjures images of a poor woman doing a tapestry for about 10 years, waiting for a man to return ... OMG ... no please if it is to be a girl make it so that she will look at man with the right amount of lust and contempt, not like a lap dog waiting for one to appear on the door to make her "a woman" or any of this macho bullshit..... so i take it is a NO...
and there we have it.... our four names for the semifinals.... 12 weeks to go ... time to think and ponder... these are the possibilities for girls:
Gordon ... mmmm like Richard's Grandfather, would be very traditional to use it for the nephew... love the sound of it... but Gordon's Gin??? Gordon Brown??? Gordon Ramsey???
mmmm the more we say it Gordon Chiesa does not sound appealing at all .... so Gordon is gone, no gin for our baby :P
Thomas ... Thomas Chiesa, this si one fo Richard's favourite and to me it is only Thomas the tank Engine .... no, i do not like nor want Thomas Chiesa... OUT of the RACE...
Julian ... Again would have the family connection (Richard's second cousin is called Julian and he is AMAZING!!!!), but .. but .. OMFG what if it turns out to be as idiotic as that famous Julian????? THANKS, but NO THANKS ... and then is sounding so so so roman... NO NO NO Julian is out as well.....
Frederick .... i can't find anything wrong with Frederick... Frederick Chiesa .. Frederick.. Fred... Freddie...No, i can't stomach the idea of Freddie Chiesa ... sounds like a bad footballer ... images of football on a sunday and subsequent soccer mums' activities NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
so we take Freddie out of the race, which leave us with the possible names for boys:
some misguided people will think it hot,
(22 degrees maybe make it hot at the north pole) but here i think it barely qualify for short sleeves
but here in the Canziani- Chiesa house hold we are preoccupied with much more important issues than the heat and what to wear ... we are deciding on the name for our child
(can i please say unborn child, i was told it is cold and callous to say that but i really think it warm and fuzzy...)
It is a very important decision, something that will shape the future and possibly the personality of this new human being for all of his/her life....
Modern studies attributes a lot to names, so much so that Freakonomics dedicates a full chapter to talk about how names can shape a person, it is easy to go crazy, I must admit Gandalf and Galadriel did seem very appealing ... but further analysis make them qualify for early child abuse....
So we started our own name championships...
we are now up to the quarter finals, the names still in the run are as follows (we start with girls,because let's face it LADIES FIRST :P)
so, let's think about them ...
Cordelia ... she is not going to be a vampire slayer assistant so possibly a no ... but i really like the name.... (Richard in the back ground ..) "not even my gran ma would choose such an old name... she is not an 80 year old woman....
so on to the next name...
Giulia .... lovely name, i can see flowing red hair fluttering in the wind, green eyes and then suddenly, out of nowhere "tu ha le puppe a peraaaa" is playing through my mind, damn Francesco Nuti and damn Caruso Pascoski .... Giulia is gone out of the race ... forever
Amanda....
Amanda.... lear???? Ok ok she was a muse for the rolling stones, but mostly people thought she was a man... not something you want your child to carry through... so no Amanda.....
Penelope ... it only conjures images of a poor woman doing a tapestry for about 10 years, waiting for a man to return ... OMG ... no please if it is to be a girl make it so that she will look at man with the right amount of lust and contempt, not like a lap dog waiting for one to appear on the door to make her "a woman" or any of this macho bullshit..... so i take it is a NO...
and there we have it.... our four names for the semifinals.... 12 weeks to go ... time to think and ponder... these are the possibilities for girls:
But what if it is a BOY ?????
Considering old wife tales it might well be a boy (more to come on another post)... So Where were we with the boys' names????
mmmm the more we say it Gordon Chiesa does not sound appealing at all .... so Gordon is gone, no gin for our baby :P
Thomas ... Thomas Chiesa, this si one fo Richard's favourite and to me it is only Thomas the tank Engine .... no, i do not like nor want Thomas Chiesa... OUT of the RACE...
Julian ... Again would have the family connection (Richard's second cousin is called Julian and he is AMAZING!!!!), but .. but .. OMFG what if it turns out to be as idiotic as that famous Julian????? THANKS, but NO THANKS ... and then is sounding so so so roman... NO NO NO Julian is out as well.....
Frederick .... i can't find anything wrong with Frederick... Frederick Chiesa .. Frederick.. Fred... Freddie...No, i can't stomach the idea of Freddie Chiesa ... sounds like a bad footballer ... images of football on a sunday and subsequent soccer mums' activities NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
so we take Freddie out of the race, which leave us with the possible names for boys:
MMMM still 12 weeks to decide on a name... i hope it is going to belong enough, we are going to take some time on these names and do proper research.... and we will see...
will keep you posted
:)
Saturday 17 March 2012
Baby Girl Names - Gli ottavi di finale
Well earlier this week we had our first look at names and reduced the boy names to the quarter final,
let's see if we can do the same with the Girl names...
When choosing the girl's name we were adamant we would not have a pinky pinky Disney Princess kind of name (may the gods forbid that our daughter will live a life of pink and think her primary purpose is reproduction and cleaning),what we are looking for a strong confident woman who does not need to flutter her eyelids to get what she wants type of name... So here we go with the selection, where we were last week and where we ended up at the end of the ottavo di finale:
Unfortunately (or fortunately) these names have not made the cut:
Lucrezia - the only thing i could think of the first time Richard proposed the names the cat of a friend ...mmm not bad i thought and then BHAM ... Lucrezia Borgia came up to my mind... Medieval whore, no thank you...
Hermione - so so so cute but tooo Harry Potter possibly overused, and she is a bit annoying...(as my daughert she will be VERY annoying)
Valentina - could not see the Valentina Chiesa thing happening... and then Richard reminded me of this Valentina ... another soft porn heroine???? NOOOOOOOOOO
Edwige - immediately my mind goes to Edwige Fenech and although she did star in many of my favourite movies she is just another big titted sex object ...so another NOOO
(man choosing female name is so much harder that choosing male names)
Ermengarda - only one word came out of Richard's mouth ...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Sakura - A name form my childhood, where all of my favourite manga and cartoons had a Sakura, usually a quite funny and rock'n' roll characters... but Richard went with the same arguments of the Akira situation... so my little baby girl will never be in Naruto , nor in Lamu' , or in any other cartoon :(:(
What we are left is as follows:
Next week we go to the quarter finals......
let's see if we can do the same with the Girl names...
When choosing the girl's name we were adamant we would not have a pinky pinky Disney Princess kind of name (may the gods forbid that our daughter will live a life of pink and think her primary purpose is reproduction and cleaning),what we are looking for a strong confident woman who does not need to flutter her eyelids to get what she wants type of name... So here we go with the selection, where we were last week and where we ended up at the end of the ottavo di finale:
Lucrezia - the only thing i could think of the first time Richard proposed the names the cat of a friend ...mmm not bad i thought and then BHAM ... Lucrezia Borgia came up to my mind... Medieval whore, no thank you...
Hermione - so so so cute but tooo Harry Potter possibly overused, and she is a bit annoying...(as my daughert she will be VERY annoying)
Valentina - could not see the Valentina Chiesa thing happening... and then Richard reminded me of this Valentina ... another soft porn heroine???? NOOOOOOOOOO
Edwige - immediately my mind goes to Edwige Fenech and although she did star in many of my favourite movies she is just another big titted sex object ...so another NOOO
(man choosing female name is so much harder that choosing male names)
Ermengarda - only one word came out of Richard's mouth ...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Sakura - A name form my childhood, where all of my favourite manga and cartoons had a Sakura, usually a quite funny and rock'n' roll characters... but Richard went with the same arguments of the Akira situation... so my little baby girl will never be in Naruto , nor in Lamu' , or in any other cartoon :(:(
What we are left is as follows:
Thursday 15 March 2012
Master of my own Bladder
Thursday 17.35, Victoria station ...
Commuter Territory ....
station packed, chances of getting a seat on a train 60%
...the next train home is at 17.47..
.
DO i have time to go to the loo???Toilets in Victoria Station are not very inviting, they cost 30p, they smell, and usually not very clean..
... do i really need to go??? ...
Oh come on it is only 40 minutes nad then i am home, i do not really need to go
......
AAAa...aaa...AAAA..aaa... AAATTTCCHHHHOOOOO
....
????
....
OMG i just almost peed myself!!!!
quick visit to boots for a tena lady pack and a pair of horrible disposable knickers
train lost ... dignity lost ...
I am not anymore the master of my own bladder , i won't be able to sneeze, cough or laugh for the next 3 months without thinking of the consequences...
immediately acquired Baby on board badge
I had been toying with the idea since the beginning of the pregnancy, but this has lierally been "la goccia che fa traboccare il vaso" a colorful italian expression equivalent to the last straw, only involving water, adrop and a vase that is full and overflows....
At least form now on when i will pee myself, throw up in the bin, try to faint people should look at me with compassion and not like if i am the scum of the earth....
Baby Boy Names - gli ottavi di finale -
Here we are with the first of our Ottavo di finale, the first selection of names to be scaled down...
... we start with the Boy Names ...
Last week we had a load of names, and this week we eliminate some of the names and we tell you why...
Follow our murky and crazy brain in the quest for the perfect name for our imperfect baby
(after all is a micia and micio production so she/he will be awesome but definitely not perfect....)
Let's remember where we were last week and see why the name we took out lost their battle:
Leonardo - I really could not stand the name and I have to say i blame "The big bang theory " for that ... it has nerd in it... and then people would call him Leo ... and how dreadful that would be...:P
Richard II - what did Richard the second do???? ... .... exactly .... nobody even remembers Richard the second... he could not be the lion heart and he is not going to give a speech about the winter of our discontent.... and then if he will ever go to America they will call him JR ....(starts to play in my mind)
Edward - Do we really even need to discuss this.... Edward.... Twilight... expressionless, lame, boring, dull and winner of the saddest vampire of all centuries award ... do i really want my son to look like if he is about to take a dump...all the time????????? So another Veto from me....
Akira - Veto from Richard... to quote "are we fricking Japanese????" "WTF Akira Chiesa?????" "Not a chance on earth" ... so no Akira... our baby will not bring Armageddon to the world nor he will become Testuo - the iron man... ( I was hoping)
Tarquin - We love this name, but let's face it, we are never ever going to be able to afford Public school so unless we want our baby to be bullied forever this is not the name for us.... can you see Tarquin strutting his stuff in Peckham???? Well we could not either...
Edmund - No reason in particular.... but we could not even like it anymore... and then he will have to climb Everest or do something crazy like that.... so Edmund did not make the cut...
We are left with the eight names for the quarter finals:
Next week we will eliminate more names....
... we start with the Boy Names ...
Last week we had a load of names, and this week we eliminate some of the names and we tell you why...
Follow our murky and crazy brain in the quest for the perfect name for our imperfect baby
(after all is a micia and micio production so she/he will be awesome but definitely not perfect....)
Let's remember where we were last week and see why the name we took out lost their battle:
Leonardo - I really could not stand the name and I have to say i blame "The big bang theory " for that ... it has nerd in it... and then people would call him Leo ... and how dreadful that would be...:P
Richard II - what did Richard the second do???? ... .... exactly .... nobody even remembers Richard the second... he could not be the lion heart and he is not going to give a speech about the winter of our discontent.... and then if he will ever go to America they will call him JR ....(starts to play in my mind)
so NO NO NO to Richard the second
Edward - Do we really even need to discuss this.... Edward.... Twilight... expressionless, lame, boring, dull and winner of the saddest vampire of all centuries award ... do i really want my son to look like if he is about to take a dump...all the time????????? So another Veto from me....
Tarquin - We love this name, but let's face it, we are never ever going to be able to afford Public school so unless we want our baby to be bullied forever this is not the name for us.... can you see Tarquin strutting his stuff in Peckham???? Well we could not either...
Edmund - No reason in particular.... but we could not even like it anymore... and then he will have to climb Everest or do something crazy like that.... so Edmund did not make the cut...
We are left with the eight names for the quarter finals:
Sunday 11 March 2012
Baby Names
A - "Stop asking"
A - "We are not going to tell you"
A - "Yes we do have the names..."
Q - "but if you do not know the sex how can you have a name???? AH HA.... you know the sex but you do not want to tell..."
for the millionth time
A - "NO WE DO NOT KNOW THE SEX, NOR WE WANT TO KNOW IT. WE WOULD NOT LOVE THE BABY BETTER OR MORE DEPENDING ON ITS SEX"
Q - "So the names??? do you have 2 names??"
I lost count of how many times we have this conversation, and every time i am so so excited that people are actually interested in what we have chosen, on the fact that so many people want to be part of this amazing experience we are going through...
We do have the names, we like our names and we would love to shout them... but .... have you ever notice how whenever a friend or someone you know chooses a name for a baby you immediately think about how not nice It is and how can it be changed by mini bullies at school???
So we have decided not to tell you, not to tell anyone, not even the baby knows as we have made our decision long before it could start hearing what is going on outside his domain (season of the tummy).
However we would like you all to be part (even if just as a spectator) of the process that we followed to make this terribly important choice....
we started off with something like this:
And then i remember one of my favourite movies, Aprile by Nanni Moretti where he and his wife are expecting a baby and they need to decide on a name so they go through a process of elimination very similar to a sport's tournament ...
So we begun by writing down all of the names we wanted
Names for boys included :
Edward, Edgar, Edmund, Henry, Harry, William, Charles, Andrew, Philip, Alexander, Arthur, Francis, Frederick, Laurence, Lucas, Tarquin, Humphrey, Percy, Cecil, Quentin, Tristan, Victor, Godfrey, Winston, Pierce, Maximilian, Duncan, Theodore, Bartholomew, Julius, Clarence , Quentin
Names for girls included:
Beatrice, Francesca, Camilla, Elizabeth, Victoria, Cordelia, Miranda, Eleonora, Georgiana, Madeleine, Alessandra , Helena, Penelope,Diana, Amelia, Harriet, Clarissa, Audrey
ETC ETC - believe you me we had a lot, A LOT of names
and by the power of VETO we brought it down to 16 boy names and 16 girl names and from there we just did the "Ottavi di finale", the "Quarti di finale" the "semifinale" and the "FINALE"
so i thought every week i will just post the results of our Name Matches....
this week I SEDICESIMI DI FINALE
(i have chosen to represent me and Richard with characters from Hello Spank, I am Micia and Richard is Torakiki)
so with no further ADO
And
See you next week to see who went trough to the "OTTAVI DI FINALE"
A - "We are not going to tell you"
A - "Yes we do have the names..."
Q - "but if you do not know the sex how can you have a name???? AH HA.... you know the sex but you do not want to tell..."
for the millionth time
A - "NO WE DO NOT KNOW THE SEX, NOR WE WANT TO KNOW IT. WE WOULD NOT LOVE THE BABY BETTER OR MORE DEPENDING ON ITS SEX"
Q - "So the names??? do you have 2 names??"
I lost count of how many times we have this conversation, and every time i am so so excited that people are actually interested in what we have chosen, on the fact that so many people want to be part of this amazing experience we are going through...
We do have the names, we like our names and we would love to shout them... but .... have you ever notice how whenever a friend or someone you know chooses a name for a baby you immediately think about how not nice It is and how can it be changed by mini bullies at school???
So we have decided not to tell you, not to tell anyone, not even the baby knows as we have made our decision long before it could start hearing what is going on outside his domain (season of the tummy).
However we would like you all to be part (even if just as a spectator) of the process that we followed to make this terribly important choice....
we started off with something like this:
And then i remember one of my favourite movies, Aprile by Nanni Moretti where he and his wife are expecting a baby and they need to decide on a name so they go through a process of elimination very similar to a sport's tournament ...
So we begun by writing down all of the names we wanted
Names for boys included :
Edward, Edgar, Edmund, Henry, Harry, William, Charles, Andrew, Philip, Alexander, Arthur, Francis, Frederick, Laurence, Lucas, Tarquin, Humphrey, Percy, Cecil, Quentin, Tristan, Victor, Godfrey, Winston, Pierce, Maximilian, Duncan, Theodore, Bartholomew, Julius, Clarence , Quentin
Names for girls included:
Beatrice, Francesca, Camilla, Elizabeth, Victoria, Cordelia, Miranda, Eleonora, Georgiana, Madeleine, Alessandra , Helena, Penelope,Diana, Amelia, Harriet, Clarissa, Audrey
ETC ETC - believe you me we had a lot, A LOT of names
and by the power of VETO we brought it down to 16 boy names and 16 girl names and from there we just did the "Ottavi di finale", the "Quarti di finale" the "semifinale" and the "FINALE"
so i thought every week i will just post the results of our Name Matches....
this week I SEDICESIMI DI FINALE
(i have chosen to represent me and Richard with characters from Hello Spank, I am Micia and Richard is Torakiki)
so with no further ADO
See you next week to see who went trough to the "OTTAVI DI FINALE"
Saturday 10 March 2012
Recipes for Pregnancy
A very very quick update today as i am convincing myself i won't need the toilet on my way to the Tate Modern
(Yayoi Kusama)
This week we witnessed the beginning of the mood swings
Yesterday evening on my way home i was crying like a fountain on the train
.... people looking funny
... me eating apples with tears literally streaming down my face
it must have made for an amazing "look at that poor woman" gossip
the other event that is worth of mentioning this week is that, if even only for a few moments, another pregnancy myth has come true....
strange food combinations
It must have been Wednesday, 5pm .. ish
I was wondering through the staff canteen and i started to feel a bit peckish...
i looked around and only 2 things tickled my fancy.
So i came up with this quick and easy recipe, clearly a gourmet recipe that you can all recreate in the privacy of your own homes...
Take 5 spoon of cottage cheese
about 7 spoonfuls full of Jalapenos peppers (possibly pickled ones)
Spread on 2 slices of brown bread - Toast until carbon looking - eat with disgust (but i promise i could not stop eating)
mmmmm the joys of pregnancy, let's see what other delicacies i can come up with in the next months
(Yayoi Kusama)
This week we witnessed the beginning of the mood swings
Yesterday evening on my way home i was crying like a fountain on the train
.... people looking funny
... me eating apples with tears literally streaming down my face
it must have made for an amazing "look at that poor woman" gossip
the other event that is worth of mentioning this week is that, if even only for a few moments, another pregnancy myth has come true....
strange food combinations
It must have been Wednesday, 5pm .. ish
I was wondering through the staff canteen and i started to feel a bit peckish...
i looked around and only 2 things tickled my fancy.
So i came up with this quick and easy recipe, clearly a gourmet recipe that you can all recreate in the privacy of your own homes...
Spread on 2 slices of brown bread - Toast until carbon looking - eat with disgust (but i promise i could not stop eating)
mmmmm the joys of pregnancy, let's see what other delicacies i can come up with in the next months
Wednesday 7 March 2012
The Season of the Tummy
Well we are due for an update, I have been a bit lazy on the blog side,
I would like to blame work, house chores, husbands, baby to be born etc but the simple truth is i slumped in front of some tv shows or another...
So this week is pregnancy week number 24 or we entered the 25th week, if you prefer.
Feeling great and not being sick constantly has made the time go so fast it is almost scary...weren't we just 12 weeks pregnant a few days ago? What happened to the time????
Looking at the chart I can see that we entered the second half of the pregnancy, we are almost there there are only 14/15 more weeks to go and then baby is here... are we ready? Of course not, if we really think about it we soil our pants.... if we pretend to think about it we just can't wait and we think it is going to be fun (Yeah Right)
I think the important thing to remember here is that officially we have opened the season of the TUMMY....
I knew it will come, I rejected it, i even refused to acknowledge its existence, but the Tummy always wins; She waited quiet and relaxed until it was time to strike and this week ...BHAM it took control.
The time has come when i won't be able to be as fast, as efficient, as anything as I was before...
I had to acknowledge defeat last Monday when i had to leave work 15 minutes before time as i really, really could not do it anymore.
The tummy had spoken and needed me to rest and lie down; I had to obey.
During the night, just in case i still held on to the feeble idea that i was in control the Tummy woke me up at 2am - 4am - 6am
And i, minion of the Tummy, obeyed.
The Tummy will reign sovereign for the next 15 weeks and I, little minion of the tummy, can't do anything but obey;
Eat when she asks you to, sleep when she lets you, rest when she demands it and pee,
... well pee pretty much every 15 minutes to be honest with you guys.
"Your baby now weighs more than 600g. She is starting to fill the space in your uterus (womb). From crown to heel she could measure 30cm. Though your baby still has little body fat and her skin is thin and fragile, she's well-proportioned. Her brain is growing rapidly, taste buds have fully developed, and her footprints and fingerprints are continuing to form. Inside her body, her lungs are developing branches of the respiratory tree as well as cells that produce surfactant. This substance will help her air sacs inflate once she reaches the outside world."
On the mother side i am advised that:
"You may be noticing stretch marks on your belly, hips and breasts". (not a chance yet)
"They are very common at this stage of the pregnancy – about 90 per cent of women get them"
(shall i believe i am in the lucky 10% ... MMM.... i do not think so they will arrive later i think).
"Also, your eyes may be light-sensitive and may feel gritty and dry" (again no, not really)
and Dulcis in fundus ...
stats say i should have gained between 6 and 8 ks....
well i used to weight 52 kgs and now i am 57 kgs ...
It is clear by now that i am not conforming very well to the stats, but the visit to the ostrich
( ostrich explanation)
this morning has made it even more clear that baby is alive an well
(i had the feeling considering the ballets it does in my tummy)
so i am not going to worry anymore...
And to finish on a happy note, for all of you, horror's lovers a lovely picture of me and the queen
(the Tummy):
So remember
this is the season of the Tummy
and so as someone very wise has said on facebook:
info about pregnancy are taken form the ever so helpful website
baby centre
thank you for all of the great info
I would like to blame work, house chores, husbands, baby to be born etc but the simple truth is i slumped in front of some tv shows or another...
So this week is pregnancy week number 24 or we entered the 25th week, if you prefer.
Feeling great and not being sick constantly has made the time go so fast it is almost scary...weren't we just 12 weeks pregnant a few days ago? What happened to the time????
I think the important thing to remember here is that officially we have opened the season of the TUMMY....
I knew it will come, I rejected it, i even refused to acknowledge its existence, but the Tummy always wins; She waited quiet and relaxed until it was time to strike and this week ...BHAM it took control.
The time has come when i won't be able to be as fast, as efficient, as anything as I was before...
I had to acknowledge defeat last Monday when i had to leave work 15 minutes before time as i really, really could not do it anymore.
The tummy had spoken and needed me to rest and lie down; I had to obey.
During the night, just in case i still held on to the feeble idea that i was in control the Tummy woke me up at 2am - 4am - 6am
And i, minion of the Tummy, obeyed.
(Richard
says it is just baby getting me ready for the night feeds.... i do not
dare to believe in such kindness, i am a slave of the Tummy)
The Tummy will reign sovereign for the next 15 weeks and I, little minion of the tummy, can't do anything but obey;
Eat when she asks you to, sleep when she lets you, rest when she demands it and pee,
... well pee pretty much every 15 minutes to be honest with you guys.
On more mundane news on week 24 our lovely baby should look like this:
"Your baby now weighs more than 600g. She is starting to fill the space in your uterus (womb). From crown to heel she could measure 30cm. Though your baby still has little body fat and her skin is thin and fragile, she's well-proportioned. Her brain is growing rapidly, taste buds have fully developed, and her footprints and fingerprints are continuing to form. Inside her body, her lungs are developing branches of the respiratory tree as well as cells that produce surfactant. This substance will help her air sacs inflate once she reaches the outside world."
On the mother side i am advised that:
"You may be noticing stretch marks on your belly, hips and breasts". (not a chance yet)
"They are very common at this stage of the pregnancy – about 90 per cent of women get them"
(shall i believe i am in the lucky 10% ... MMM.... i do not think so they will arrive later i think).
"Also, your eyes may be light-sensitive and may feel gritty and dry" (again no, not really)
and Dulcis in fundus ...
stats say i should have gained between 6 and 8 ks....
well i used to weight 52 kgs and now i am 57 kgs ...
It is clear by now that i am not conforming very well to the stats, but the visit to the ostrich
( ostrich explanation)
this morning has made it even more clear that baby is alive an well
(i had the feeling considering the ballets it does in my tummy)
so i am not going to worry anymore...
And to finish on a happy note, for all of you, horror's lovers a lovely picture of me and the queen
(the Tummy):
So remember
this is the season of the Tummy
and so as someone very wise has said on facebook:
LONG LIVE THE TUMMY
info about pregnancy are taken form the ever so helpful website
baby centre
thank you for all of the great info
Tuesday 6 March 2012
The Obstetrician
... tomorrow I will see the obstetrician... sounds like an ostrich but she is
"A medical specialist who focuses on labor and delivery. Obstetrics is actually a surgical sub-specialty, meaning that an obstetrician attends surgical training and then specializes in the care of pregnant women and in surgeries which are related to labor and delivery, such as Cesarean sections. She typically works in a hospital environment, so that if a laboring mother experiences complications during the course of labor, she can be rushed into an operating room for treatment. "
I have to go alone, Richard could not get the time off (he forgot until yesterday ... poor micino...)
so i will brave it alone.... images of tragedy and blood are already filling my head...
and by the way I am not sure why i am seeing her, it is just on my schedule....
this is who i am seeing tomorrow
HOPEFULLY SHE WON'T LOOK LIKE THIS
"A medical specialist who focuses on labor and delivery. Obstetrics is actually a surgical sub-specialty, meaning that an obstetrician attends surgical training and then specializes in the care of pregnant women and in surgeries which are related to labor and delivery, such as Cesarean sections. She typically works in a hospital environment, so that if a laboring mother experiences complications during the course of labor, she can be rushed into an operating room for treatment. "
I have to go alone, Richard could not get the time off (he forgot until yesterday ... poor micino...)
so i will brave it alone.... images of tragedy and blood are already filling my head...
and by the way I am not sure why i am seeing her, it is just on my schedule....
this is who i am seeing tomorrow
HOPEFULLY SHE WON'T LOOK LIKE THIS
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