23-and-a-half weeks of nasal congestion, nausea, headache, backache and exhaustion ... and counting. Oh yeah, I forgot to add foggy-headed forgetfulness to that litany of complaints. Evidently, the medical establishment has failed to warn women of childbearing years that fetuses are, in fact, parasitic brain leaches who covertly drain all your mental facilities. I quietly live in fear of the day when I completely forget my whereabouts or even my own identity.

Just keeping it real for ya, folks.

Otherwise, I'm in good health and the unborn baby is thriving. I sport a big, round baby-bump, though I have no "belly shots" to share. Perhaps I'll spare you that.

What I will share within these bloggish pages is a photo of myself with straight hair. Truly, an historic occasion as it's doubtful I've ever had straight hair, nor will ever again. The straightness began to rapidly disappear after giving Master Ridley his nightly bath. Hence, I decided to document the new 'do while some semblance of straightness remained.

I fear that, rather than abating, Ridley's pacifier habit has increased twofold. See incriminating photos below.

Is there a 12-Step Program available for pacifier addiction?

Has your old religion lost it's otherworldly glow? Shopping around for a new belief system? Look no further than the Belief-O-Matic, brought to you by the good folks at beliefnet.com. This brief, 20-question quiz promises insight into your personal spirituality, or lack thereof.

Here are my top-ten possible choices for a belief system as suggested by the Belief-O-Matic:

1. Unitarian Universalism (100%)

2. Secular Humanism (98% -- yeah, I most closely agree with this philosophy.)

3. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (87% -- this one has me baffled. Whereas I am most assuredly liberal in philosophy, I have to imagine that my complete & utter disbelief in a Supreme Being would rankle my fellow Liberal Christian Protestants).

4. Liberal Quakers (86% -- a what?! Would I have to wear a big white bonnet and pepper my language with words such as "thy" and "thine"?)

5. Nontheist (71% -- basically an atheist or agnostic, which kinda conflicts with that additional 16% of me that's Liberal Christian Protestant.)

6. Neo-Pagan (69% -- nah, that neo-pagan stuff is interesting but ultimately pretty goofy).

7. Theravada Buddhism (68% -- I have way too much ego to ever become a Buddhist).

8. Bah'ai Faith (63% -- Heard of it but have no idea what the belief system entails.)

9. Christian Science (54% -- Ditto.)

10. Reform Judaism (53% -- Just call me Esther).

Ridley’s first joke:

R(idley): Knock, knock
M(e): Who's there?
R: An owl
M: An owl who?
R: Whooooooo!

During the first exchange Ridley & I had of this preschool joke, I wondered whether his punchline of "whoooo" was a mere mimic of the word "who" I'd just spoken. However, he's since repeated this joke to me four times over two days, so I'm beginning to suspect that there's actually humourous intent on his part. Amazing.