And further.

This schedule has really caught me off-guard.

Station Casinos is building Red Rock now, part of the gaming boom that still has a mighty grip on Las Vegas. There is no shortage of work right now; in fact, aside from required schooling, we are working a scheduled sixty-eight hours a week, and there is a "walk-thru" at our local Union Hall. It was something to get used to, I admit, and the pay-checks are excellent. However, this casino is to be complete and open by March 2006, and they are only holding the ground-breaking ceremony for the second tower next month. I know that it is considered regulatory for casinos to be built in under three years, but this one is extremely disorganized; we have yet to recieve standard blueprints.

Therefore we recieved word that there is a massive likelihood that our schedules will soon turn to two shifts of eighty-four hours weekly, to complete the project on time. Granted, continuous twelve-hour shifts have been done before and are not at all the worst I have worked. However, I simply tire of the lack of time in my day. I remember a similar push during my time working on building Le Rêve--or, Wynn Las Vegas, whichever one likes--though it seemed far less hectic then. Perhaps there was something more enticing on building a mega-resort on the Strip versus a locals' casino at the edge of town.

This, coupled with the pregnancy is exhausting. There never seems to be enough time for sleep, and ingesting nutrution of any kind is next to impossible. Nina has been forbidden to surface, as a relapse would be devastating to the unborn child. Already the belly is swollen with evidence of him...we believe the child to be male. A possible name for him would be Connor.

First gifts.

As we have now passed into the second trimester and the chance of miscarriage is nearly nonexistent, we became comfortable enough to buy the first gifts for the child

Fisrtly, a plush heilan coo, named Rowan. (An apt name.) This has some symbolism behind it: while in Edinburgh, Bruyère and her betrothed saw an infants' clothing section at a small boutique, featuring crude hand drawings, as if by a child. The one that Bruyère most liked featured this animal, a very woolly and unique creature that quite resembles a buffalo, and is native and so far as I know, indigienous to Scottish Highlands. Her thought, I recall, was that if they were to have a child, she would want the child to have such adorable clothing. As now she is unable to find that style again, the plush will do nicely.

The other gifts were practical in nature. We purchased two toddler-appropriate books regarding unwanted touches and the like, as well as a book specifically written for children aged four until eight years, regarding questions on a parent's multiplicity. The books regarding molestation were difficult to agree upon; there are so many different views, but we picked one that dealt with telling a trusted adult and anotehr that dealt with the right a child has to saying no to any type of touching, by anyone. We did not purchase anything that tried to differentiate between "good" touches and "bad" touches, as that can be confusing to a child. We also did not purchase anything that depicted perpetrators as singularly male, or strangers, or with any stereotype. We want the child to know that a perpetrator can be anyone, as difficult as that is to admit. No one would want to unnecessarily frighten the child, but it is an important fact often overlooked by caregivers in any capacity. One book, in particular, even expressed that a hug by a family member, even if accepted once before, can be refused at another time, if the child so chooses. I especially like that point.

The book on multiplicity is somethign that no one is discussing yet. Coming out, as it were, to the child may mean coming out to the rest of the family, which I believe is a poor idea. However, we ahve learned with the youngest sister that small children can understand and grasp things that adults overlook...multiplicity being one such subject. On this we must tread carefully, and make certain all are in agreement.

An uneventful holiday.

Pregnancy is far from comfortable, let this be known. Since we left France last month (nearly exactly a month ago, to be precise), Bruyère has been rather anxious to hold a party in the honor of Bastille Day. However, this is nearly impossible. The continued fatigue is intense; no amount of sleep is adequate, and the entire body feels weak. Food is an issue..I never eralized that the cravings experienced by those pregnant were anywhere near truthful. And yet now, cravings for the most odd, mundane things surface, and are seemingly insatiable: tomatoes, blueberries and red meat top the list. On the other side, sugary foods repel her, as does chicken and sashimi. (Yes, we are already aware that we are not to eat sashimi.) Despite cravings, however, we work together to attempt to balance meals and eat in a manner that is beneficial to the body, and to the child within.We question every food, inspect the label, and consult with the nutritionist. So far, we have gained an "ideal" amount of weight. I would like for the body to be more involved with proper exercise but as I mentioned before, the extreme level of fatigue and literal exhaustion we experience make it impossible. Our physician says these symptoms will subside as the pregnancy progresses. I would like to hope so.

An astonishing attack.

We heard this morning of the terrorist attacks in London. To think we were just there, happily taking the Tube from Russell Square every morning. Britons, be strong and resolute. America grieves with you.