I understand you can buy a "life" in concentrated form.

[reddragdiva]

It's a quarter to three, the alarm's set for seven thirty and I'm sitting up next to arkady as she waits for the antacid to kick in. Arkady did make a very spicy chili con carne with added shitload of basil for dinner. The contractions are getting stronger and Freda might actually show up today! Or not.

arkadianchilde is Arkady's pregnancy journal, kept unlocked as a public service. I'm telling her to write a book. We've kicked the crap midwife off the case (and used the words "formal complaint" talking to her boss), and we've been seeing really nice ones instead. One came round today with the home birth kit, which is just so cool. Dig those pictures. And they all love the birth plan. As far as we can tell, all the bureaucratic rubbish we've been dealing with is entirely due to the crap midwife, and we shouldn't even have to go BOFH on their arses.

Arkady and I spent this weekend at home waiting for a birth while redcountess went to Whitby to party with ashbet, kiraboo and the g*ths. Her photos.

My boss knows that when I get the call, I'm out the building pronto; we arranged I can tick that time off as paternity leave. (You're supposed to book paternity leave a week in advance. Most human resources people I've known were mothers, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did give birth per appointed hourly slot.) It helps that my boss's boss has two teenagers and has been very enthusiastic for my impending fatherhood.

I look forward to thinking "The tube! That's the place without baby poo! Work! The place I can sleep!" each morning. I expect I'll catch up on sleep around 2025, when we pack Freda off to university. Why don't they do summer camp in the UK, where you can get rid of the kid for weeks at a time.

Comments

summer camp in britain, coming right up!

[rufus.livejournal.com]

http://www.campbeaumont.co.uk/ seems to be the big one, but there are other options listed at http://www.baha.org.uk/mempages/mems.asp?s=1 and http://www.summerfun4kids.co.uk/index.aspx.

Apparently the code words are "residential adventure holiday".

I am glad you have a new midwife, who isn't horrible.

Re: summer camp in britain, coming right up!

[gothgeekgirl.livejournal.com]

For me, "residential adventure holiday" conjures up the image of children wearing ties with their camp shirts and shorts.

Re: summer camp in britain, coming right up!

[rufus.livejournal.com]

heh, I know, it does sound sort of strange, doesn't it?

and some of what is advertised as "summer camp" is not what I (being American) think of as "summer camp" *at all*, as it involves the words "self-catering holiday" as well. Which may be "camping" in some senses of the word, and could be done in the summer, but is not "summer camp" as I know it.

that said, camp beaumont looks like it might be pretty rockin'!

Re: summer camp in britain, coming right up!

[gothgeekgirl.livejournal.com]

Oh! "Self-catering" just means that you do your own cooking. Sounds a bit like Girl Scout camp to me.

[secretlondon.livejournal.com]

Do keep us informed!

[octopusgrrl.livejournal.com]

Good luck, you guys - and good luck for Boot Camp Baby once Freda arrives! :/

[lolliepopp.livejournal.com]

good luck to all involved!

Take care hun
L
x

[flickgc.livejournal.com]

I remember once overhearing a bloke at work say "I'm not in tomorrow, Edward's being born"....

[lovelybug.livejournal.com]

Oooo, thinking of you all xx

[nilasae.livejournal.com]

Good luck to all of you! I just read up and wow, what a story on the midwife.

[barakta]

Wishing you all all the best...

[envoy.livejournal.com]

Best of luck to all of you!

[marylemore.livejournal.com]

Best wishes to the whole family! This has been exciting and heartwarming to watch blossom over the past months and I look forward to years and years of daddy updates!