Like its mother, BB has been up all night with me, nudging and shifting. I haven't been making much noise (it can hear me speak now) so it must be restless too. My tum has grown so much in the past 4 weeks I can't see my toes anymore nor bend down very well. No more pretzelling.

I can't say the chocolates kept me up, or the damnable TCP/IP problem, or the many things I needed to do that I have just completed. Haven't fixed the TCP/IP problem on the other computer yet, but have sent out a call for help. Finished some work. Replied some emails. Caught up on the buzz.

My skin isn't itchy anymore - not right now anyway, my ankles are still a bit sore and Hobbit-like, my tum feels like it needs a bra, the occasional sleeplessness (this time exacerbated by jet lag too) but sans the nasal stuffiness and nausea now, pregnancy feels better in the 6th month. I can't wait to see BB again during the next scan. :)

Joss Whedon's classic SF movie finally reached my grubby paws. Watched it with the hub who was hooked within the first few minutes when he hollered "Rewind!". The introduction, brilliantly choreographed, caught us hook, line, and sinker. From the start, we were engaged.

With typical Buffy humour and lingo, Mal the captain of Serenity leads the story with gusto and oomph. He's like Angel but way better looking without the permanent brood and has a sense of humour. His two new crew members River and Simon are hiding a secret - River is wanted by the Alliance (aka government) because she knows something they don't want her to tell. Things get hairy after a bank robbery. River is a guileless combo of Buffy and Dawn, but with powers that surface when triggered. Is she a government weapon or a power on her own?

Super fight scenes, funny fight scenes. Sharp and snappy lines. Great acting by the cast, two of whom are Buffy and Angel alum. Mal was the preacher man in Season 7 of Buffy, while Zoe was the evil god in Angel Season 4. Ironic how two huge baddies in the series got to be the heroes of the movie. :) But then again, Mal and Zoe are rebels of the universe. No bad there.

A must-see for every Whedon fan, SF fan, or really just anyone who loves a fun and original movie.

After being away for a week it is good to be home. :)

Last night, Kaku sat with me and talked a while. I asked her how she was and she meowed back. We sat together till Sam came to invite her to play Catching. Today she was benevolent and allowed me to pet her while she napped on a dining chair, but refused to pose when I tried to take her photo.

Boy hung out with me most of the day, coming over for a hug. I took the opportunity to inspect his claws and quickly trim one overgrown one. The rest were simply overjoyed to see me back (one more parent to feed them!). Sam and Tux lay on the couch with last night, giving us perhaps a too-intimate live viewing of their relationship!

While we watched CSI, Kaku came by for a visit. As she left the room shortly after, she seemed suddenly enthralled by the TV and actually sat down in front of it watching for about 3 minutes, her head darting back and forth at the fast-moving images before running back into the study. This is not the first time she's watched TV with us, and it is always a such a delightful sight. :D

According to The Parent Review, this is BB now:

"Blood vessels develop in its lungs and its plugged nostrils begin to open."

I hope it doesn't get lousy sinuses like its Dad and I.

"Its hearing will be developed enough to respond to outside sounds and voices, and it may jump at sudden noises."

Ok time to watch the language. :p And speak in complete sentences. And play nice soothing music.

With sleeping, here is what they say:

"While there's no risk caused by sleeping on your right, lying on your left side will improve the flow of blood and nutrients to the placenta and help your kidneys eliminate more efficiently. When your kidneys are working efficiently, you are less likely to have swelling in your ankles, feet, and hands."

Moral of the story, sleep on the left.

On manicures (which I don't bother doing) and hair dyes...

"It's wise to be cautious about exposing yourself to any chemical (even furniture polish) while you are pregnant, but you can still colour your hair or polish your nails without concern. When using any chemical, including nail polish, just be sure to do so in a well-ventilated room."

(Credit: The Parent Review)

*Caramel tastes amazing!
*Incubating a human is the closest thing to incubating an alien.
*My cats make me beam.
*Rice is anathema to weight control.
*Buy one pack of candy to test for QC before buying 2 more!
*Caramel tastes amazing!

How do you know it is a kick, punch, or head-butt, and not just a cramp?

According to Miriam Stoppard, it is like bubbles bursting against your insides.

I felt a couple of bubbles yesterday but this morning when I woke, it was more pronounced. When I turned to my left, the bubbles were on my left side (head-butt). When I turned to my right, the bubbles burst on my right side (kick or knee-butt). Then there was the random bubbling at the top (punches). :D

Later, I told the hub about it and he came by to loiter some. I lay on my right side and he placed his hands under to hopefully feel a random kick. Turns out it was his own hand shaking under my weight. Suddenly BB kicked. I asked him, did you feel that? And he said yes! That's a kick! And he beamed proudly.

On a quiet day at home, I spied Kaku sitting on her cat tree and pulled out my cam, set it on a few books, zoomed almost 12x to capture my baby girl on film (digital, actually).

Eat in 15 minutes. 2 minute prep time. Yum and healthy.

Ingredients:
1 cod fillet
1 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil butter
1 piece of aluminium foil
1 mini grill or toaster

Directions:
1. Wash cod.
2. Put cod on foil.
3. Put garlic and butter on cod.
4. Wrap foil around cod like gift wrapper.
5. Put in grill or toaster for 15 min.
6. Check after 15 min if cooked.
7. If not, add another 5-10 min.
8. Take out and eat.

Lovely post-Xmas news! :D

Sold Resurrection Dreams to Tales of the Talisman.

It will appear in the December 2006 issue.