Baby Szala is still Sammy as s/he has decided that despite the original due date of July 21, 2006 they are comfortable just where they are for the moment.

I've really enjoyed being pregnant. I've loved the shape my body has taken and the poetic movements that the baby makes. It has been the last two or three days that I've found it challenging to be 9 months pregnant in the heat of the Toronto summer!

In celebration of Sammy's (name we use for the baby in utero - will likely be either Lily or Zachary when they are born) due date this past Friday, Michael and I went to the Beaches in Toronto and walked along the boardwalk and enjoyed a wonderful meal worthy of bringing back memories from our honeymoon in Paris!

I look forward to keeping you posted of our family's growth and the birth of our little one! PPS

While Pamela's gone off to get a chocolate cookie (known for its ability to soothe the savage beast), Dad's now at the controls. We've been waiting over 9 months for this now, but it just doesn't seem like anything's about to happen. Sammy appears to be very patient. Doesn't get that from his/her mom!

We've been inspired to write a blog about diving headfirst into parenthood from our good friends Chris and Miia, who are writing a blog about their travels to Finland, Russia, and beyond over the past few months. You can catch them at www.suokojamin@blogspot.com (gracious product placement moment!).

This blogspot will be in lieu of individual emails to all of the people who are interested in following in our travails, and we don't want to clog people's inboxes with pictures you may or may not want to see (you've seen one Winston Churchill, you've seen them all!). Please feel free to check up on us at any time, we'll hopefully be updating the site often, but that all depends on the new boss, I suppose! MS