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Hey, guess what?
posted by Emma on 29 Feb 2008
I'm pregnant!
Yes, thought that would make you choke on your morning coffee. Depending on whether you believe me or the doctor, I'm 8 or 10 weeks along, so still very early days - but I figured if anything goes wrong, I wouldn't be able to disguise my sadness from the blog, so what's the point in keeping it a secret.
So all being well it's due end of September, beginning of October. Tragedy! I can't go to Frankfurt! Anna is nobly stepping into the breech and will pound the corridors on her own.
As far as what happens after that: well, you mothers out there can scoff and tell me I'm dreaming, but I plan on not too much changing. I shall have the best part of two, maybe three months off (October and November), then I shall get a nice mother's help type lady in to help me with cleaning, and showing me which way up a baby goes. Remember, I work from home four out of five days already (which I'll extend to five) so I will be at home anyway. I'm going to be very cruel about non-crucial commitments, like parties, dinners, meetings with people I don't really want to meet with (which I have quite a few of), to keep things under control, which is about a quarter of my time at the moment. And sure, I'll be utterly knackered, but I'm hoping that this baby will be the same as I was when I was little - Very Good Indeed.
Speaking of being utterly knackered, this pregnancy lark really takes its toll. I have been sick as a dog for three weeks now, and more tired than you could believe. I haven't posted here much in the last few weeks because all I can think of is explaining exactly how sick I feel, and how I've eaten mostly ginger cake, ginger beer, ginger nuts, ginger tea, ginger cordial, ginger, and lots of cheese on toast - and that would have given the game away, somewhat.
So, like I say, it's early days and if the books are to be believed there are a million things that can go wrong, so I'm just keeping my fingers crossed. Words of support if you work and also have a child most welcome!
Comments: 31
Congratulations!
Posted by: Marg | February 29, 2008 09:44 AM
Yay!
Posted by: John A-W | February 29, 2008 10:10 AM
Congratulations!
Posted by: Rachel Green | February 29, 2008 10:33 AM
Emma
Congratulations! As a father of a 4 week old though I can tell you that your life will change in all sorts of unforeseeable and unexpected ways - most of them wonderful some awful. Plan all you like to carry on as 'normal' but don't be surprised if it just doesn't happen.
Matthew
Posted by: Matthew | February 29, 2008 10:53 AM
Wonderful news, Em. A littel snowflake. How many people have said that already? Huge love.
Posted by: Sarah Bower | February 29, 2008 10:55 AM
"...I plan on not too much changing" ...
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha good one Em
Congratulations though. ;8}
Steve A
Posted by: steve aylett | February 29, 2008 11:06 AM
Hurrah! A lovely little baby.
Posted by: Sarah Stovell | February 29, 2008 11:09 AM
I am so happy for you, Em! Do look after yourself. Babies and mothers are more important than books (even my books!)
If the baby is a good sleeper, you can get an awful lot of work done in the first three months; after that, it all goes to pot. Having said that, I had my first baby in the middle of my degree course, and still got a good degree (and that was before university nurseries had been invented.)
Posted by: sue hepworth | February 29, 2008 11:14 AM
Great Stuff Em!
Congratulations.
Eoin
Posted by: Eoin Purcell | February 29, 2008 11:18 AM
Hey, thanks everyone! I shall hang on Sue's words of hope and ignore Steve and Matthew! The little tyke will be typesetting by the time it's 3, anyway.
Posted by: Em | February 29, 2008 11:23 AM
Congrats, Ms Barnes! Another lovely Libran! Fab!
Posted by: Sally Howe | February 29, 2008 11:37 AM
Congratulations!
Posted by: George | February 29, 2008 12:38 PM
Congratulations Emma!
Posted by: Yvonne | February 29, 2008 01:01 PM
Congratulations! My money's on 3rd October like us!
Posted by: Julie | February 29, 2008 01:54 PM
Ah, that's lovely news. I'm sure there's still a thread on WW somewhere about 'what they don't tell you, before you have a baby'... :)
Posted by: NaomiM | February 29, 2008 01:57 PM
Wonderful news Emma!
Look after yourself.
x
Posted by: Dee | February 29, 2008 02:01 PM
Hi, Emma.
Congratulations. I am three months away from becoming a Dad myself. Fortunately my good lady wasn't very sick, but did feel it for a couple of months. Pregnancy seems to last forever.
Posted by: Neil | February 29, 2008 02:04 PM
Nice one. What do you plan to read to the bump?
Posted by: Paul Tyrrell | February 29, 2008 03:02 PM
Dogs are way better than babies -- but, you know, huge mega massive congratulations anyway!!
Look after yourself. Sit down more often. Take vitamins ...
Well done you! :D
Posted by: Mark Thwaite | February 29, 2008 03:26 PM
Congratulations!
Posted by: KatharineC | February 29, 2008 05:05 PM
Congrats!
Posted by: S.Roit | February 29, 2008 06:56 PM
Congrats Emma!
Lots of squealing by me when I read the news. My husband asked, "What's up?" and when I told him, he asked, "When's the baby published?" hahaha
Posted by: Stacie Lewis | February 29, 2008 08:42 PM
Fabulous news. I am so excited for you. And things WILL change - but you won't remember what it was like before.
Posted by: Sally Z | February 29, 2008 09:04 PM
Motherhood: A Cautionary Tale
Elder son (aged 23) was due home from a sojourn in London yesterday - he and a mate, bringing a van with all their 'stuff' in it. They were expected at lunchtime. They had failed to leave London by 1.30. Elder son duly arrived (with half his mate's clothes among his dirty laundry) at 8.30, just as his father and I were sitting down to dinner. So he ate my dinner. He then unlaoded his stuff - including a desk and a wardrobe - placing them strategically so I would wrench my shoulder falling over them attempting to open his curtains this morning. The last mouthful of my dinner swallowed, he set off back to London so he could take the van back and catch an early morning train to Exeter to visit old university friends for the weekend.
10 o'clock this morning we receive a forlorn phonecall - he has missed his train because his alarm didn't go off and he hasn't got the money to buy another ticket. I am trying to work on my next book. I end up making complex arrangments with first Great Western to have train tickets faxed to Paddington.
In three weeks he's going to work with refugees in Syria.
And people are telling you babies change your life, Em - just wait till s/he is 23!
Posted by: Sarah Bower | March 1, 2008 01:56 PM
Congratulations, Emma.
Very best wishes,
Derek
Posted by: Derek | March 2, 2008 10:37 AM
Great news Emma! Hope you soon start feeling better.
All the best, Hazel
Posted by: Hazel Cushion | March 3, 2008 01:11 PM
Delighted to hear your news. Many congratulations. Take care of yourself. For what it's worth, the second trimester is usually much easier than the first. Almost as soon as I reached 12 weeks I was able to put the ginger beer/biscuits/cordial away. The tiredness is still bad, but not as bad, and you feel more confident in the pregnancy. Then there's the joy of feeling the baby kicking at around 20 weeks or so! I'm working and pregnant and have a young toddler - it can definitely be done. Take care of yourself.
Posted by: Helen | March 3, 2008 04:05 PM
Congratulations Em
Posted by: Graeme | March 4, 2008 10:38 AM
Fantastic news! Many congratulations.
Posted by: Hannah | March 4, 2008 12:51 PM
Just noticed this... congratulations Emma! 'Tis amazing what all that country air does to you!
Posted by: Chris | March 5, 2008 03:28 PM
Emma
What great news, and glad to see you getting the news out in good time. When can we expect the metadata/bibliographic details, e.g. name, gender, I guess short and long descriptions along with spine width etc will all have to wait.
Best wishes, Tobias
Posted by: Can of Worms | March 11, 2008 01:45 PM