New Mom-To-Be Looks to the Future, Sees Many Changes on Horizon

In pregnancy-land, things have been continuing pretty much unchanged for the past few weeks. I turned 30 about a week ago, a birthday of major significance. You see, from now on, I'll be able to remember my first child's age by subtracting 30. Might seem silly now, but with the head of gray hair I'm sporting these days, I'm ever mindful of the challenges that lie ahead.

The only change as we enter week 12 is the return of an old unwelcome friend: Nausea. We hear and read that throwing up is actually a good thing, and Christie accepts it grudgingly. As further evidence that I will never understand the trials of pregnancy, Christie and I went out to eat breakfast this morning. Christie had bacon and pancakes with lots of syrup, washing it all down with some decaffeinated coffee. Shortly after eating, she pronounced her nausea to be gone. And to think, I was going to suggest dry toast and ginger ale. Hmph.

After breakfast, Christie and I went to Jekyll Island today to see the birds. Going over the Glory Boardwalk (where the beach scene from the movie was filmed), I was able to spot a bunch of butterbutts (Myrtle Warblers, for you non-birder folks), ruby-crowned kinglets, and the ever exotic beach cardinal. I wasn't able to impress Christie by trying to scare up a painted bunting or two, as my screech-owl call failed to produce even the slightest hint of the rainbow-colored bird. My "expertise" was further diminished once we reached the beach, when I was reduced to saying "oooh! large tern! oooh! smaller tern! oooh! medium-sized gull!" Christie (I swear her eyesight must be improving as result of the hormones!) was able to expertly ID all of the shorebirds, including picking out the one ruddy turnstone (yes, it's name is really "ruddy turnstone") in a flock of about 200 terns, black skimmers, and sanderlings. We both had a good time, but I suspect that Christie's unspoken comment the whole time was "Why can't there be a bathroom every 1/4 mile?"

After birding, we stopped for a quick lunch at the Georgia Pig. For those of you who are uninitiated, the Georgia Pig is about the best barbecue you can get within a 3000-mile radius of Brunswick, Ga. At $4.25 a sandwich, it better be. I am happy to report that the place was busy and even looked a bit spruced up (those of you who know can smirk now). All in all, a good day. =)