Because We Value Your Opinion

So here is your chance to decide what Baby H-G will be!  Oh wait, it seems that's not really how it works... but we thought it'd be fun to see what everyone thinks the baby will be.

Put your vote in whether you think it will be a girl or boy, and we'll see who is right and wins the prize of Self-Satisfaction, and who is wrong and will shamefully go along their way, wishing they had selected the other gender.

Polling will close August 3rd at 8:00pm EST, and the answer will be posted sometime after the Deciding Ultrasound, which is scheduled for August 5th! 

Cast your vote at the top of the blog page before it's too late!  (A note of apology for those who voted on the poll that was originally posted inside this blog post: It seems we had two polls going at the same time, instead of one so I had to delete one.  Sorry about that!

Good luck guessing!
~M

Half-Way Report on the White T-Shirt Experiment

Towards the genesis of our blogging time, we presented a new research opportunity called The White T-Shirt Experiment. To recap on the purpose of the project, we wanted to see how quickly Pregnant Woman M could grow out of a Men's Medium Cotton White T-shirt, commonly worn by her husband.

White T-Shirt

At the beginning, the shirt was loose and obviously ill-fitting. Now that we have reached 19 weeks, the shirt is tight and obviously ill-fitting. Here is the progression of key weeks during the study:

From Left to Right: 8 Weeks, 10 Weeks, 14 Weeks, 15 Weeks, 17 Weeks, 19 Weeks

And, so you know what has been causing the shirt to be more ill-fitting...

Again from Left to Right: 8 Weeks, 10 Weeks, 14 Weeks, 15 Weeks, 17 Weeks, 19 Weeks

We're just about half-way, meaning that the next post might be revealing whether the baby is a girl or boy.

Stay tuned!

~M

I wasn't kidding about the artichoke dip...

Proof Is In the Pickles

So friends, I'm here to tell you the big news.  That is, I am here to confirm what was rumored to have been the case on Facebook (you know how those things spread...)  Though there may have been partial evidence shown before of a "possible pregnancy" (two pregnancy tests, ultrasound, large growth in abdomen, etc.), none were able to fully confirm the pregnancy... until now.

While wondering the aisles of the grocery store, I happened across a large display of pickles - sweet, dill, relish, hamburger size, etc. - when I found this deep voice in my head screaming, "MUST EAT PICKLES!"  Not knowing what to do, I grabbed a jar off the shelf, quickly finished my shopping and darted to the check-out lane.  Once home, I stuffed everything haphazardly in the fridge and grimaced as I wrenched open the jar of pickles.

My Very First Jar of Pickles (yes, I have already eaten half of them)

Now, I must preface this tale with a very important fact: I don't actually like pickles.  I always enjoyed the scent of pickles, but once I tried to taste them, the flavor was much too powerful.  I am the one at the deli shop that asks not to get a pickle on the side of my sandwich (lest the juice may interfere with my sandwich's deliciousness), or otherwise beg those at my table to take it off my hands.  So this indeed is fascinating proof that I am pregnant.

Strangely enough, a friendly neighbor must have sensed this over-powering need of mine to consume pickles.  Appearing on my doorstep, she presented me with a jar of Homemade Bread & Butter Pickles.  Is this not fate?

Neighbor Friend's Homemade B&B Pickles

So, I'm glad that the pregnancy is in fact confirmed.  Wasn't quite sure for a while there...

How about you out there - ever been surprised by your own strange cravings?  Were you always a fan of pickles or have they been an arch nemesis from the beginning?  Tell us your tales...

~M

The Perks of Having a Pregnant Wife Part 1: "Aren't you just CRAVING sea urchin and french fries?"

It is hard justifying going to the brewery on the grounds of pregnancy ("They do have great artichoke dip there..."), but at times pregnancy can favor the gustatory life of a father-to-be. I admit to encouraging (read: planting) certain aversions and cravings. Fewer PB&J sandwiches and more restaurant menus....

You ask for evidence, do you?

Snack time: "How about warm cider donuts downtown?"

Dinner Option #1: "Kraft M&C in our new dining room sounds nice, but pregnant women need fresh air (and gourmet mac & cheese with chorizo)."

Dinner Option #2: "I know you are tired and sick of cooking. How about steaks?"

Dinner Option #3: "You think pickles and ice cream is the perfect combination? Try sea urchin, caviar, fried egg, garlic aioli, and french fries!"

Dessert Time: "For proper development, the baby needs Crema Catalana and Flan with Caramel Seafoam."

So, the penultimate image deserves further attention. The second-best thing that Canada has ever offered us (the single-best being Rick Moranis, clearly) is poutine. Strictly speaking, the dish involves french fries, cheese curds, and gravy, but up-and-coming restaurants have recently been embracing the idea of combining indulgent french fries with more decadent upscale ingredients. The poutine in question was found at one of our favorite new eateries: Brewery Vivant. We highly encourage you to go there, but you likely won't be able to enjoy this poutine as this was one of their frequent specialty one-and-done dishes.

Mothers - what were your strongest aversions and cravings?

Fathers - will you admit to using pregnancy to your advantage to eat out more?

Others - what is the best meal you've had at a restaurant in July?

Bieber Fever?

Apparently, in H-G Time (and before you ask, yes we are petitioning that H-G Time become a standard time zone), the phrase "will write again soon" could mean tomorrow, a few decades, or some strange calculation in cat years.  In this case, it was a few weeks... so our apologies for the delay!

In those weeks, we have had a variety of family and friends in town from all parts - Germany, Oklahoma, Nashville, and locals, too - and those visits make you truly cherish time well spent with good food, great people and memories to last.  This last week I have caught myself thinking the cliché "wow, time has flown!" and yet - on the other cliché hand - time seems to slowly lumber by and we look forward to big events to come.  Philosophy aside, I shall come to my point:  I have found a particular song of Justin Bieber quite comforting these days, and I hope you do, too.  (Those of you unfamiliar with this youthful pop-icon, feel free to read more at his Wikipedia page here.)  

Mr. Bieber

Not someone you would catch me (dead) listening to, there is now a clever version you won't find on his next album (or any album for that matter).  One of his top hits has been slowed down by 800% and has now become a soothing ballad of sorts.  As the remastered 30-minute song is no longer available, be sure to listen to a portion of the stretched song on YouTube here.  As you listen to this once fast-paced radio topper, try to think of life slowed down.  I've heard it's nice if you have roses nearby.

In other news, the White T-Shirt Experiment continues on slowly.  We have seen what's called the Peekaboo Phenomenon as the abdomen begins to jut forth into the fabric of the shirt.  This will be followed closely by our team of researches, but you can see the evidence in weeks 14 and 15 below.  We have posed them in what is colloquially called a Belly-Off, which Week 15 obviously takes the cake (seeing how it appears an entire cake was consumed moments before the Belly-Off took place).

Week 14 (left)   vs.   Week 15 (right)

And to ensure an actual cake was not wedged under the White T-Shirt...

Week 14

Week 15

More adventures to come in this hyphenated life.  In the meantime, we'll be working on cat year calculations to decide the date of our next post.  Remember to slow down (800% is always preferable) and enjoy these times.

~M