Telling

The two best responses so far…

1) Lil Sis – just awake, still in pyjamas enters room…

Me: Hey Auntie!

Lil Sis: Heyyyy… cousin…

S: ( shows pregnancy test strip. )

Lil Sis: (jumps) Oh!

 

2) Excerpt from phone call:

LT: How are you?

Me: I’m good.  I’m going to be a poppa!

LT:  A poppa?

Me:  Ya.  A poppa.

LT:  A poppa?

Me:  Um Hmm.

LT:  A poppa….  (pause)  A poppa? 

Me:  Yep

LT:  A POPPA?!!!!!

I’m not sure why I chose “poppa” – but “mama” would have been too confusing, I think. 

Let’s hope the official test confirms the pregnancy — sometimes it feels jinxy to make claims of looming parenthood.

Pink Stripes

So we finally got to see what a second pink line on a pregnancy test looks like. 

When we went to visit S’s family over xmas, we brought two cheap pregnancy tests we bought for $2 each at Red Tent Sisters.  We had never used these particular tests before, usually opting for the significantly more expensive but readily available First Response tests. For anyone who chooses this option, be aware that the results are not necessarily clear.  The control stripe appears quickly and is very dark in colour, but the second pink stripe is barely noticeable.

We tested a day early — on Christmas morning – and as we sat and waited our 5 minutes, it seemed that this was yet another negative result.  The control line was bold with nothing appearing beside it. We talked of what to do next, talked of IVF, talked of how we’d finance it … I sitting on the toilet seat and S sitting on the edge of the tub and the test strip sitting beside us on the counter.  When S stood to pick up the test strip to throw it away, she noticed the faint second line.  But the 5 minute test validity period was long over – and one is supposed to disregard anything they see after 5 minutes.   When did this line appear?  Why was it so faint?

So, on Boxing Day, we repeated the process – except we watched the test strip like hawks watching a rodent.  And just before the 5 minute period was about to expire, the second pink line began to appear.  As with the day before, it was about 10% the darkness of the control line.  And it came so late.  If I was a teenager, I would be terrified by the result – but for us it just seemed so inconclusive. 

We hopped in the car, drove to Shopper’s Drug Mart and bought a 2-pack of First Response.  When we got back to the house, S’s parents were already up and looking for news.  We dashed upstairs to repeat the test with S’s second pee of the morning but instead of staring at the strip, I decided to put the strip on S’s dresser out of sight until the 3 minute mark.  As I did so, I took a quick peek to see if the control line was coming up — to make sure the test was working properly  (honest!)– and it looked like 2 lines were coming up.  I looked away quickly and waited for the minutes to pass– at which time we looked to see two clear, distinct and similarly pink lines.  Hoorah, First Response!

We have since learned from someone in our DPT group that she had a very similar experience with those test strips.  The positive result was not very positive.  She was actually expecting a negative result and simply taking the test to get the ok to take an advil. So like us, she then went to a pharmacy to buy a more familiar test which also gave a clearer result (no advil for her!).

So, sometimes you do get what you pay for.  But if you need a cheap alternative, go ahead and use the cheaper ones — just don’t expect to see a strong result.

Oh – and did I mention Hannam fertility clinic and Dr. Perry rock!  We’ll go there when the clinic reopens to do the official test.  They’re already expecting us because Dr. Perry read the email we sent and gave us a quick reply.  During the holidays!  They never cease to amaze — in a good way (vs LifeQuest which also amazed, but in a bad way).

Here’s hoping the blood test gives the same answer.

update: the blood test did, in fact, give the same answer

Two Weeks

Well, we’re in that two-week wait period again. 

To me, this feels much like the first time we tried. I guess because it’s the first time with Hannam Fertility.  The very first time we tried, it seemed so possible that S would be pregnant.  Probable even.  I mean, we all learn when sperm is in the vicinity of a fertile egg, there’s a very high risk of baby… which is why straight people go to such lengths to keep sperm from meeting egg.  It’s only when you want to conceive that you learn how difficult it can be.

But I can’t help looking for signs of auspiciousness:

• if S is pregnant, we’d find out around xmas and it would be a lovely time to get good news
• junior would be born is September, an excellent month.
• we’d have to go to the clinic to confirm the peed-on-stick results on our wedding anniversary

So clearly, this should be the time.  Right?  I mean it’s obvious, right? 

Plus, we used fertility drugs this time ( and by “we” I mean “she”).  It’s like 4 tries in one!

Plus, Hannam is such a better clinic than LifeQuest.  The staff is friendly, the doctors are also friendly, but more importantly they are informative and easily accessed.  And the insemination is guided by ultrasound – which seems mostly like a gimmic except it’s neat to see the sperm deploy.  More importantly, it was the only time that S did not sit up to find something that looked exactly like the sample of sperm spilling out of her. 

It seemed to confirm her suspicion that LifeQuest was routinely using techniques that resulted in the loss of all or part of the $600 vial of sperm.  LifeQuest’s doctors tell her it’s just her mucous being dislodged – except it neither looks nor feels like anything she normally produces.  Instead, it looks exactly like the sperm sample.  

Anyway, I keep meaning to blog about how superfantastic Dr. Perry is (well, all the doctor’s at the clinic, actually –  we’ve interacted with them all) and how superfantastic the nurses and staff are.   Basically, instead of the cookie-cutter approach LifeQuest seems to use, Hannam clinic seems to actually be trying to get you pregnant.

LifeQuest worked around their pre-set schedule.  When it was clear S was going to ovulate sooner than they expected, they could only schedule her for insemination the next day at lunch… which ended up being cancelled because she had ovulated before that morning’s ultrasound. 

At Hannam, they reviewed the test results and asked us to come in that afternoon to meet Dr Hannam to discuss our insemination options.  They could inseminate right then (!) or the next morning (!!).  Collaboratively, we decided to inseminate at 8 am the next day.   They worked around what would be best for conceiving a baby – versus LifeQuest where you inseminate at lunch, take it or leave it.

If you are trying to decide between LifeQuest and Hannam – pick Hannam.

LX3

As I mentioned before, I bought the Canon G10 because it was at too good a price to turn it down.  I brought it home and proceeded to ignore it.  Partly because I wouldn’t be able to return it if I used it, and partly because it didn’t excite me.

I continued to pore over Flickr.com and dpreview.com and every other photo related .com – yet couldn’t convince myself that I made the right choice.  Nurse Kato does some amazing stuff with the G10.  And there were some shots by allyzally that were good too.  But otherwise, the output left me flat.  I bet it’s a great camera if you’re good at post processing.  And I’m not.

I popped into Black’s,  which is more of a mall photo shop than a high end “serious” shop like Vistek or Henry’s.  The had both the G10 and the LX3 side by side and I played around a little more.  Five different clerks asked me if I had any questions while I was trying to get a feel for the cameras.  One stayed and chatted for a bit, but somehow wasn’t annoying.  I could take the camera home for 15 days, charge the battery and use the camera… and if I didn’t like it, I could take it back, no questions asked.  In fact, it was extended to 15 days past xmas.

Well, that was enough for me.  I prefer the LX3 and my main issue is whether or not I can be happy with 60mm reach.  Using it for 15 days should answer that question.

 I bought the camera and started charging the battery as soon as I got to an outlet.  One of my first opportunities to use it was outdoors as night was falling on a dreary grey day.  I easily moved through film modes, playing with Dynamic black and white to make the dreary day look infintely more interesting (a little underexposed though — I’ll make some EV adjustments).   I find it pretty easy to find my way around the menu.  This thing is so tweakable, I can also change the contrast (and noise reduction etc) on the B&W  setting (and on every other “film” setting), put a limit to the ISO and shutter speed choices, adjust white balance, etc etc.    And there’s a firmware update to make the auto white balance work better under artificial light, which I will download if (when?) I decide to keep the camera.  Hopefully this will tone down the blotchy magenta skintones indoors.

I’ll know more when I download the pics, but I’m pretty sure I took some crisp handheld shots long after the sun went down, thanks to the fast lens. 

Lots of commentary online suggests it’s a fun camera to use.  And it is.   I’m pretty sure I’ll be taking the G10 back shortly, in its pristine new and unused condition.  If I do decide the LX3 isn’t the cam for me, I don’t think it means that the G10 would be.

Indecision

I’ve been trying to decide which camera to buy for quite a while now.

I had a Canon G3 – which, due to its year of manufacture, was not a speedy performer.  But it had a flip out LCD which was oh so convenient, and a fast f2.0 lens.  The reach of the lens was never enough for me, though, maxing out at 140mm. 

Years later, I added a Panasonic FZ7.  This was a fun camera to use.  It was fast to focus, had a long reach, and was easy to use.  The skin tones sucked though – people always looked flushed and sweaty.  And it wasn’t good in poor light – even with image stabilisation, handshake was apparent at low ISOs.

Both cameras have since been stolen and I’ve been looking for a replacement.

The obvious choice would be a Panasonic FZ28 – to provide the reach and the fun I experienced with its older sibling.  But, although it was great for travel, it was a little big to just carry around on a whim (not heavy, just bulky).  And there were times I just couldn’t get the shot without using the flash – and the flash didn’t make for a great pic.

So, I’m looking for something more portable, but with good image quality, and a fast lens.

The Panasonic LX3 sounds like it should be a good fit.  I went to Henrys and tried it out and it feels fun to use.  I look at flickr and I really like the 16:9 aspect ratio.  But it’s got such a short zoom.  Instead of getting closer than normal – it is a normal lens that goes wider.

So I’ve been comparing and contrasting it to the Canon G10.  Canon has better skin tones.  Canon has more detail in the pics (becasue of its ridiculous 15MP) which could mean that if the 140mm zoom isn’t enough (it wasn’t enough on the G3), the image could be cropped in a pinch. The Canon is on sale for $399, while the LX3 continues to sell for very close to its MSPR of $549.  But I can’t find my way around the Canon menus as well ( not an issue if I only use RAW – but I’ve never used RAW before).  The Canon’s lens isn’t as fast – meaning it could require use of flash or bumping up the ISO to 800, where the LX3 would not. The LX3 has all sorts of “film” modes, suggesting that post-processing can be avoided (I can’t be bothered), but also takes RAW if you absolutely must preserve every detail possible. And the LX3 may be more likely to fit into my bag.  But the LX3’s reach just isn’t enough.

The G10 sale ended today at 10 am, so I bought it online at 9:50 am.  I kept delaying and delaying – which pretty much confirms to me that I really want the LX3 but just wish it had a reach of 90 instead of 60mm.   So I’ll not open the G10 and will likely return it — but I’ll hold onto it until I make my final decision.

Disappointed

I know the Governor General is essentially a ceremonial position, just as the Queen’s position is ceremonial.  But although Governors General typically assent to whatever is put before them, they do have power.  When the Prime Minister meets with the Governor General to make a request, she can say “no”. 

Michaelle Jean had the power to say “no” to Stephen Harper when he asked that Parliament be prorogued.  She has the power to say “in these times of global economic concerns, I don’t think it’s a good idea that Canada has no government for two months.  Minority governments can function when the Prime Minister fosters relationships with the opposition parties and works collaboratively with them.  I suggest you start now in the hope it isn’t too late.”

Too bad she didn’t.  Now Stephen is taking his ball and going home in a classic “can dish it out but he can’t take it” move.  That’s not what I call leadership.

Confidence

The thing that sounds attractive about a minority government is the assumption that the ruling party will have to work more collaboratively with the opposition.  Sure, it may be a situation of getting little done – but sometimes getting only the bare minimum done is better than pushing policies through that don’t have the support of most Canadians, or shaking things up just for the sake of making a legacy.

 

But the last two minority governments (both led by Stephen Harper) have seen little collaboration.  Last time around, it seemed that Conservatives playbook had one page and it said “No compromises – and call it a confidence vote”.  It forced dissenters to vote with the motion because they clearly were not prepared to work together to form a government, or to call for a new election.  Basically, it was a tactic to bully the opposition.

 

Only now the opposition is prepared to work together.  They are willing to form a coalition.  And they may just, together, form the next government.

 

Interestingly, Harper has claimed it’s illegal and undemocratic – as though we’re in the US and voted for him to be President.  Interestingly, he seems to have forgotten that a confidence vote isn’t just a tactic.  The reason it held power for his bullying is the same reason it has power against him.  No confidence means you can’t govern anymore (until the next election, anyway).

 

But do we really need another election so close on the heels of the last one?  Besides, perhaps this potential coalition government could be significantly more democratic than Harper’s minority government, based on popular vote.  The conservatives didn’t get 50+1 percent of the vote, or even 40% of the vote.  The vast majority of people in Canada voted for a different party.  Isn’t it only democratic that we get the government we voted for?

 

I’m curious to see how this will play out.  At the very least, it could encourage Harper to play a little more co-operatively in the sandbox.