As I am sixteen weeks pregnant, I am supposed to book another appointment with my midwife and in four weeks time we are back at the ultra sound unit (oh joy!). Note to self, must try to get a meeting with the head of the unit before then. I better get my skates on then. Time flies when all you want to do is sleep!
In conjunction with carrying a child, I am also attempting to get my UK drivers licence. I figured it would come in handy once LD is born. I am only allowed to drive for a year on my Zambian drivers licence and I have been here for almost five years (not driving off course). Besides my Zambian licence has expired! I have been driving for longer than I care to reveal and I have managed to pass my theory test without an instructor but thought I should get some practice in before doing the practical test. This whole getting a licence lark is not cheap, I have forked out £31 for the theory test, then if I get instruction the cheapest school I have found are £22 per lesson (not sure how many I will need. Asked the instructor and he said at least five so at the very least I’ll be paying £110), the practical test itself costs either £62 or £75 depending on when I take it (more for out of hours and the weekend). As I work in the back of beyond the likelihood is I will be paying the higher amount to take my test so this whole venture will cost me between £266 and £366 depending on how many lessons I have to take. If I was a virgin driver I would be expected to do at least 45 hours of instructor led learning (and 22 hours of private practice) before I was allowed to even take the test! This may not seem like a great deal of money but it is enough to buy a travel system and set of feeding bottles! Or a cot…
Meanwhile I think can feel the baby moving, it feels like I have a butterfly or a fizzy drink bubbling inside me on the left hand side, which is where LD lives most of the time (I am not sure as it may be just gas!). This is apparently called quickening(!?) I was bewildered by this term as the last time I heard anything called that was a few weeks ago in a Star Trek episode (Deepspace nine, for those who are interested). It referred to something that occurred before some of the aliens died as a result of a disease thrust upon them by some other aliens (I didn’t watch it properly, I fell asleep!)
While I am here, I have a confession, well two actually. I think the time has come for me to buy some maternity outfits. The days of squeezing into my pre-pregnancy wardrobe are over. I have been attempting to shoehorn myself into my work clothes after two weeks away and it is not a pretty sight. Today for example, my middle is being squeezed to death by my top, which is riding up my stomach to reveal a small brown balloon masquerading as my belly every time I move. Luckily I am wearing an oversized sweater over it. I know most of you are not interested in the thought of me nude but for clarity I have to tell you that undressed I look like a small pot bellied pig! At least that is what I have been telling my husband. Doright thinks it’s cute or cool depending on what mood he is in. As I am uncomfortable (the stretching isn’t fun), I think it less so. It just feels weird! I cannot even wear seat belts comfortably; they press against my uterus!
In conjunction with carrying a child, I am also attempting to get my UK drivers licence. I figured it would come in handy once LD is born. I am only allowed to drive for a year on my Zambian drivers licence and I have been here for almost five years (not driving off course). Besides my Zambian licence has expired! I have been driving for longer than I care to reveal and I have managed to pass my theory test without an instructor but thought I should get some practice in before doing the practical test. This whole getting a licence lark is not cheap, I have forked out £31 for the theory test, then if I get instruction the cheapest school I have found are £22 per lesson (not sure how many I will need. Asked the instructor and he said at least five so at the very least I’ll be paying £110), the practical test itself costs either £62 or £75 depending on when I take it (more for out of hours and the weekend). As I work in the back of beyond the likelihood is I will be paying the higher amount to take my test so this whole venture will cost me between £266 and £366 depending on how many lessons I have to take. If I was a virgin driver I would be expected to do at least 45 hours of instructor led learning (and 22 hours of private practice) before I was allowed to even take the test! This may not seem like a great deal of money but it is enough to buy a travel system and set of feeding bottles! Or a cot…
Meanwhile I think can feel the baby moving, it feels like I have a butterfly or a fizzy drink bubbling inside me on the left hand side, which is where LD lives most of the time (I am not sure as it may be just gas!). This is apparently called quickening(!?) I was bewildered by this term as the last time I heard anything called that was a few weeks ago in a Star Trek episode (Deepspace nine, for those who are interested). It referred to something that occurred before some of the aliens died as a result of a disease thrust upon them by some other aliens (I didn’t watch it properly, I fell asleep!)
While I am here, I have a confession, well two actually. I think the time has come for me to buy some maternity outfits. The days of squeezing into my pre-pregnancy wardrobe are over. I have been attempting to shoehorn myself into my work clothes after two weeks away and it is not a pretty sight. Today for example, my middle is being squeezed to death by my top, which is riding up my stomach to reveal a small brown balloon masquerading as my belly every time I move. Luckily I am wearing an oversized sweater over it. I know most of you are not interested in the thought of me nude but for clarity I have to tell you that undressed I look like a small pot bellied pig! At least that is what I have been telling my husband. Doright thinks it’s cute or cool depending on what mood he is in. As I am uncomfortable (the stretching isn’t fun), I think it less so. It just feels weird! I cannot even wear seat belts comfortably; they press against my uterus!
As I am confessing I should also let you know that despite the above talk of driving lessons and the related bits and bobs being expensive, I did contemplate buying an Angelsounds foetal Doppler. It is a device that lets you hear the baby’s heartbeat. I am still torn about buying it, you all know how obsessive I am about the well being of the child and I think this may just put my mind at rest. I was also going to get the Bellysonic stereo speaker pouch, which is like a bum bag you wear around your tummy and let the baby listen to music. This is still in my Amazon shopping basket…Doright is not convinced by either purchase but I am still thinking about it…
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