pregnant!

yes, Sam and i are expecting a bambino! we became aware of this on May 16 and since have been really bad about documenting the changes and physical growth of the situation. as Sam has now completed his mechanical engineering degree and i am wrapping up harvest for the season, we will attempt to commit more time to the task of photo documentation and written anecdotes for our long-distance family and friends to enjoy.

we are planning a home birth and have a wonderful midwife, Lisa Lehrer. check out this link to a recent newspaper article about her practice. we are really enjoying building a close relationship with Lisa which will be extremely beneficial during labor and afterward.

we have decided not to find out the sex, but if my Sicilian grandmother is correct, it's all about the full moon. as i had very regular menstrual cycles (every 28 days, like clockwork with the new moon), i ovulated around the full moon each month (which is how women traditionally experienced their meses).

In the days before electricity, women's bodies were influenced by the amount of moonlight we saw. Just as sunlight and moonlight affect plants and animals, our hormones were triggered by levels of moonlight. And, all women cycled together. Today, with artificial light everywhere, day and night, our cycles no longer correspond to the moon.

So, the baby was probably conceived just before the full moon at the beginning of May which means (according to Grandma), the baby will be a girl if it arrives before the full moon due date of January 22 or a boy if after that date.

we have chosen names:
Ezra Pasquale (he would go by "Pasquale")
Giuseppina Eulalia (she would go by "Josephine" or "Pina")

Giuseppina (pronounced "gee-sah-pee-na") is my Sicilian grandmother's name and Italian for Josephine (which is also my mother's middle name). Eulalia is Sam's Portuguese great-grandmother's name and the name of his grandmother's first born, who sadly died days after birth. There are a couple Spanish Saints (Barcelona and Merida) with this name.