This is how this is going to go

You can file this post under "self-important nonsense," although, if you really love me, maybe you'll find it useful. A while back I wrote a blog post about how I was all in a tizzy about the Internet and and writing online. I was very upset. Ok. Sort of upset. I had a lot of free time on my hands, let's put it that way.

I got over that feeling, for a variety of reasons, and now think that the Internet is a great place to showcase one's writing, keep in touch with friends and communicate in general. I like it. That does not mean I think that playing with your iPhone for hours on end is cool, however. Ahem.

But I still feel a little disorganized, and because I'm at a point in my life where getting organized has become even more important and helpful than it once was, I'm going to make a concerted effort to get organized in the small amount of space I occupy on the web. I think this will make it easier for me to be more prolific (see how I told you this was gonna be real self-important?) and creative.

So. Here, at caramcduna, I'll be doing the same kind of writing I always have. Personal. Pondering. Whatever the hell I want, basically.

When I write posts for the Motherland blog on the New Haven Advocate site, I'll include some personal stories if they pertain to motherhood, parenting or women's issues, but I'll also be featuring news stories on the same topics, as well as local events. But let's face it, I might do whatever I want over there sometimes, too.

When I want to incite the general public with controversial or thought-provoking issues, I'll write something for The Huffington Post. Ha! Man. I better stop all this explaining before I start handing out Pulitzers. To myself, that is.

I don't know what I'm going to do with pictures yet. I've enjoyed including those on this blog, but then again, there are better outlets for storing and organizing pictures. So we'll have to see.

Well, hope you guys feel better now. I know I do. Time to curl up and watch a movie, after all that organization and whatnot? Yes? Can I get a "that's RIGHT"?

The verdict

About a month ago J and I were on a plane home after attending a friend's wedding. We were sitting next to a guy, probably about our age, and we struck up a conversation with him and talked throughout the flight. He was getting married in just a couple weeks, and so we talked about our wedding, and his plans, and then the conversation turned to kids so we told him that we had a two-year-old daughter and another one on the way. He asked if we were going to find out what the baby was, and we said yes, definitely.

Then he said something that a lot of people say. He said that when it came time for he and his wife to have children, he figured he wouldn't want to find out the sex of the baby before it was born. He said, "There are just so few surprises left in life."

I totally get why people want to wait to find out. First of all, that's got to be an amazing moment, when your baby is born and the doctor exclaims "It's a girl!" or "It's a boy!" That's a ton of excitement all at once - an amazing moment you'll never forget. I can think of a ton of reasons for waiting and I admire people who do.

But saying that there are "so few surprises left" isn't really accurate, in my opinion.

First of all, there are totally surprises!

If you're talking strictly about medical-type surprises - as in, we aren't as often surprised with advanced fatal conditions in this day and age because of improved technology - well, those weren't cool surprises to begin with.

But if you're talking about the good kind of surprises, I think you're wrong. I'm surprised almost every day. Sometimes the surprises are little, like when J brings me a cup of coffee just as I'm waking up, before I've even gotten out of bed. Or when someone sends you flowers. Little yet so great. Some of the surprises are big. Like when you a fantastic job offer. Or you get engaged. Or, regarding this specific topic, when you find out you're pregnant.

The other thing is that even if you find out what you're having halfway through the pregnancy, it's still a surprise. You're just getting the surprise a little earlier. I will totally admit that the reason I've opted to find out with both pregnancies is that I just can't wait. I CAN'T wait. You people who can wait? You are incredible! But also crazy. In a good way, though, I mean it.

When people bring up the "so few surprises" thing, I feel like it implies that I don't like surprises. Surprises are the best. And so far 2010 has been such an awesome, surprising year. And it just keeps getting better.

Guys, I love surprises.

And this morning, during my 19-week ultrasound, I was surprised.

We're having a...boy!