Thanks everyone for your baby congratulations! We are both really excited and anxious at the same time. While I was in Australia I had my 19 week ultrasound and I found out the sex of the baby. We really didn't mind either way as ALL we want is a healthy baby to bring home in October. Seriously that's all we want. BTW, Dudley really is a boy!! I totally thought it would be a boy and the Chinese Gender Calendar told me it is a boy too. I've felt our little thrasher kicking since about 18 weeks and that is truly an amazing feeling.
I have plenty to say about being pregnant in general, being pregnant in Japan, planning to give birth in Japan as a western woman, and the too cute Japanese baby clothes that I so far have been able to resist. So there'll be lots of those kinds of posts coming up.
In the meantime, I'll share a really fun experience we had last weekend. Darin and I went to see graffiti artist, Barry 'Twist' McGee talk at the Watarium as a part of the opening of his new exhibition.
The talk was entertaining and educational. Barry talked while doing a slide show containing pics of graffiti from the 80s and 90s located in SF, NY and Brazil. There was a Japanese interpreter there but there were a number of times when I wanted to get up and help him out. Especially when Barry was trying to convey his feelings of distaste for corporate advertising.
After Barry's talk, the Japanese boss manager type guy told everyone not to bother Barry after the show and ask for autographs as he had been working for 48 hours straight. So we stuck around when most people just left and as we thought about leaving I saw a bunch of people gathering around Barry so I told Darin he should give him some of his new stickers. So we went up and Darin gave him some stickers which he really seemed to like and then I asked to take a photo with him and he was more than happy to oblige. Did you know Barry is half Chinese like me!!
And I only had my ticket stub on me so I asked him to sign that too!! Sweet! Darin has already framed it.
The rest of our photos are up on the Juxtapoz blog so check them out!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS to the both of you. I have a little boy who's almost two who can't sit still. Very inquisitive and always gets into things. I still remember the time when I was pregnant, and it was such a wonderful experience. I was lucky 'cuz I didn't get any morning sickness whatsoever. And that made being pregnant even a joy. Anyway, enough of me rambling. A good friend of mine introduced your blog to me. And I pop by every now and then. Congratulations again!
Posted by: Eirma | June 08, 2007 at 12:21 AM
Hearty congratulation on the bairn.
Barry Bendall???
Posted by: Sar | June 08, 2007 at 12:41 AM
Mine's going to be a boy too :)
(I can't post it on my site though because my dad doesn't want to find out - he is funny like that).
Hooray for 2008 boy babies!!!
Posted by: suzy | June 08, 2007 at 08:39 AM
Adding my congratulations! Your kid is going to have the coolest parents ever!
One of my close (foreign) friends gave birth in Tokyo and said it wasn't bad at all. Her doctors were great. The only thing she said she lacked was family support, which I suppose is good to have around when you're a new parent. But you two have such a great support group in Tokyo already that I'm sure you'll be fine.
Posted by: Jennifer P | June 08, 2007 at 11:02 AM
The best thing about having your baby in Japan is the fabulous breast-feeding help you get. After L was born, I had a nurse/midwife by my side every single feeding for 6 straight days!
Btw, I ordered stuff from that Little Ruler site ages ago but never got it. I wonder what happened? Checking now...
Posted by: Jenn | June 08, 2007 at 01:51 PM
Wow! I would have love to seen that exhibit. This one is one of my favorites: http://www.deitch.com/projects/slide_pop.php?imageId=2627&name=Barry McGee
Congrats on the little one. That's one lucky baby :D
Posted by: empress | June 08, 2007 at 03:37 PM
oooo, kicking! how weird that must be--like having a little person inside you or something. oh, wait--that's exactly what it is, ha ha! :)
so nice to see you with barry! i know him from here in SF and he's gotten so stratospherically famous it's great. and yep, he's asian, surprise surprise!
Posted by: Stephanie s | June 14, 2007 at 05:02 PM