Tallulah's First Photoshoot (October 2009)

I’m pregnant. It’s a girl; we’re expecting her on or about April 21st of next year and we’re going to call her Tallulah. (Haven’t settled on a middle name yet. Once we do, I’ll probably go ahead and get a blog set up for her.  Because, well… we’re those people.)

We’ve kept if off the internet up to this point for a variety of reasons, the most pressing of which being that my pregnancy with Henry was a harrowing experience–more emotionally than physically. My body handled it well, but as a result of two previous miscarriages, my mind was a nervous wreck. In addition, I lost my maternal grandmother in a brutal battle with COPD [note to loved ones: please quit smoking] during which I was lucky enough to be at her bedside. I wouldn’t trade that time with her at the end for anything, but… Anyway, I fell behind on some deadlines.

So, when we got the news about this kid, while overjoyed, I was afraid sharing that news might make editors understandably jumpy about assigning me work. And with the relocation… well, we just aren’t in a position for me to take an extended leave of absence. (Nor would I want to; I like what I do for a living and feel incredibly blessed to earn my keep this way.)

ANYWAY, work has been going swimmingly, we’ve got a fantastic childcare situation here in Portland, we’re more than half-way through the pregnancy [sans drama, knock wood!] and we’ve gone ahead and shared the news with family and clients… Our life here is pretty peaceful and my stress-level this go-round so low that, well, I feel silly keeping it a “secret” anymore.

(Of course this makes perfect sense, but I still find it amusing: during my pregnancy with Henry everything was so new and so exciting/scary. I was *obsessed* with every detail. This time… well, I’ve got a two year old and a job and I sometimes just forget I’m pregnant. Often, in fact. Then I get a swift kick in the bladder and all is recalled, but yeah… very different second time around.)

So there you go. We’re having a baby. Well… not right this minute, but come April. T-A-L-L-U-L-A-H.

Okay: back to work.