Duane , Roxie & Baby Natasha

 Yep that was it the beginning with our little gift Natasha Rose . I was so so happy to learn we were going to have a baby ! I think Duane was stunned actually , maybe not so elated as I ;-)

    We had a great pregnancy I think Duane was working at Frasier foods by then but not sure . Before we told any adults at all except my mother of course . We took a trip up to Dauphin . It was a great trip . We were going to stay at Dale's mum's place because Duane's dad did not even know he had a girlfriend I think never mind a pregnant girlfriend lol

    It was autumn and kinda chilly but Dale's mum's place was toasty warm . She had a nice family kitchen where evryone sat around talking . He had a few siblings the one I remember most was his little sister . She was so cute and always bugging her mum ;-) I think she was a tween or just 13 hormones beginning .

I think Karl even came with us on that trip . wow that is long ago . We went for coffee at the chinese restaurant that every prairie town has just a great feel . The kind you could sit in all day writing , ordering soup and fortune cookies . the whole time of course I'm just high grinning we are gonna have a baby . My belly is still flat and baby is only about 12 weeks or so .

  So get this  Dale's mum knew right away . I think her question was " so how long has Roxie been pregnant ? " not quite sure if that was it but I remember we were all stunned . How on earth could an adult know so much lol . We were after all the only people on earth who knew it all lol Dale's poor mum . Of course she knew ! I probably had that beautiful pregnancy glow ladie's get plus I kept touching my belly and smiling ;-)

 I absolutely love being pregnant . It is such a spiritual , healthy time . I started attending birthing classes with my mum .Duane did not want to be at the birth . Just to much for a 17yo guy I guess . We actually wanted a homebirth but our Dr. only did homebirth with the second child but we did manage to arrange for a birthing room ..big difference then a delivery room .

         Duane and I were attending Argyle highschool by then and it was nice to be Duane & Roxie this couple everyone looked at so happy for us . It was in this school I felt our little baby kick for the first time . Little blurp blurps ;-) It was at a rememberance day service . Duane wasn't there and it was such a calm quite time . I was kinda glad it was just baby and I . She chose the perfect time during silence ;-)

      Then of course everything is going fine but some adult thinking they need to be in control decides why not attend a school for pregnant girls . For one I was no where near in the position of some of these girls . That didn't last long when my art teacher phoned and complained that moving me around was such a negative expereince for me and baby. So back to Argyle I went .

 Duane for the most part thought I was giving our baby for adoption . I knew otherwise ;-) I started buying little sleepers and things for baby . Betty knew and my mum knew . It just did not feel right keeping secrets .

   I finially had to tell him . It did take him awhile to warm to the idea . We spent that winter waiting and preparing . I can remember going to Ken's restaurant and waiting for the bus to go to school .I remember we were outside somestore downtown watching a tv thru the window ,snow coming down when John Lennon was shot . We'd wait for the bus at Kelly's records to go home and I remember on novemvber 22nd standing there saying to baby today is your daddy's birthday we're going to buy him a record . I haven't a clue what record it was ;-)

 Yes finially the day came ! Our baby a little girl was born April 13th 1981 monday afternoon . Duane did come to visit right after she was born . When I got home 2 days later he came over again . He asked me what her name was I said " Sunshine " he told me I couldn't name her sunshine only people with blond hair are called sunshine . Ok even Duane was able to have a duh moment !

   So began the name hunt . We both had been reading dostoyevsky and he suggest Patrucica . I don't even know how to spell that name lol . Natasha is very happy she did not get named Patrucica ;-) he said Sonia . No David had a wierd friend named Sonia . Then I said Natasha . We both liked it and that was that . Then the middle name . It was my mother who thought of rose . I really liked it too . Reminded me of my gramma . So there she was Natasha Rose .I've Natasha's birth story and if you'd like to read it just e-mail me .

         So long ago seems a million miles away ;-) I really have good memories of those days just Duane and I and our friends then It was really positive for me and I like to think it was for him as well . I can't speak for him after that time I only know the Duane and I part ;-) . We of course had some not good times and yrs and I do write more about my own choices and why they were made etc. on our blogs .

    I'm really happy to write about this time for our daughter Natasha because of course it was also her beginning and perhaps not in her memory . I hope she knows now how very much Duane and I did meant to each other but more importantly how much she meant to the both of us . She truely was and continues to be a beautiful blessing and gift to us all .

           I do hope others will write for Natasha , to share thier memories of Duane for her .