...it's a girl!

After deciding we would keep it a surprise, we changed our minds at this morning's 19 week ultrasound. Q was sure it would be a boy, but I'd been informed by my big sister that every mother thinks it will be a boy as they are preparing for the worst because they secretly all want a girl. And statistically, it 'should' be a boy because most of our parent friends already have girls.

So namewise Q likes...

• Vivien (or Vyvienne or something, but no-can-do. The kid is going to be a Richards, and I can't bring myself to naming my first-born daughter after a famous, 7ft, West Indian fast bowler. Q doesn't care but my mates will never let me forget it)
• Alba. Mother-in-law suggestion (*shudders)
• Violet (I quite like this one)
• Daisy (why do flowers make nice names?)
  
• Emmaline (nice too)
• Clementine (ok)

I like...

• Lorna (old-school but awesome. Strong, but lyrical. And yes Ms. Lino, I can say it is in your honour if you like).
• Phoebe (but Q had a beloved childhood dog of the same name, but that shouldn't matter...right? Apparently it does)
• I like spacey names, like Astrid and Celeste too

More suggestions please. I can't guarantee we'll like any of them, but the more choice the better.

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...a booby is a seabird

So I'm gonna be a father, like my father was, and his father before him. Must be hereditary.

It's nine weeks since cells started dividing and we haven't told everyone yet, just close family and friends, so this is just between you and me, internet.

I saw a TV show about babies once. They're easy right? Just put food in one end and keep the other end clean, right? And for the first year it'll get free food from boobies, so despite the baby's sardine breath it won't cost anything... right?

We suspect it will be a boy. Don't ask me why but Q has a sixth sense about these things. So I'll have to teach him (or her) how to be a man. Only problem is that I have to find out what that actually is first. My own Dad never bothered to tell me.

Luckily I have a book called "How to be a Man" by John Birmingham and Dirk Flinthart. It's full of useful tips for confused blokes such as what constitutes a decent suit, how to impress women by pretending you like cooking, how to show an interest in cars and how to give women orgasms (did you know they can have them too!).


The book is going to be a good dad. Any other tips are welcome. If anyone can tell me if it's cruel to call a kid Yoda McMuffin, and if you can sell them on Ebay to help get the bank off our back, I'd be ever so grateful.

Happy Friday!

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