November 26, 2001:
I am totally fascinated by my wife's belly. I cannot imagine what it would feel
like to have my abdomen swell up to epic proportions and be excited about it.
(Thankfully, I won't have to experience this first hand.) I find myself wanting
to touch her growing midsection all the time. It is so cool to stroke and talk
to my child. It is interesting that I find my wife more beautiful than even
before. Our attitude is to really enjoy this time in our life, because nothing
will ever be the same come next May! After 15 years of waiting, Melony has stated
that she is going to really enjoy these brief nine months. This time is all
about her. The family and friends always want to know how she is feeling and
how she is doing. All the baby showers she has hosted and gone to are now going
to be returned. It is she and her life that will be celebrated in the coming
months.
December 3, 2001:
Well, we made our first trip to the maternity clothing store. We tried to find
as many hand me downs as we could, but it wasn't going to give her enough options
for business wear. This was not as big a whipping as I expected it to be. Prices
were fairly reasonable and overall it was a pleasant experience. However, I
think we will be going back several more times to other stores. The only fascinating
stuff was the pregnancy under garments and other merchandise they had stocked
there. I am convinced this is territory that Dad doesn't really want to visit.
I am a person that believes that there are some things I would just rather be
ignorant about. The best news is my dearest is needing a larger bra size. Ah,
the side benefits.
December 10, 2001:
We know the sex. It's a boy! This is what I really wanted. When we had the sonogram
to check for all the vitals of our child, I was happy to see that the sex indicator
was the first to show up. That's my boy! The Doctor doing the sonogram pointed
out all the various healthy parts of our child. He is in perfect health. If
you have ever been to one of these, let's get real! I couldn't tell what I was
looking at and could that doctor just be making all this stuff up just to entertain
us. After we were done, did he go back into his office and say, "Boy these
goobers fell for this sonogram thing hook line and sinker." We have since
looked at the video tape several times. I see a child there, but I can't tell
the difference between his head and his feet. Come on! there has to be better
technology than this! But hey, I am going to have a baby boy!
December 17, 2001:
Well, we have selected the name. We have waited so long to have a baby so we
have decided that this will be our secret until he is born. So everyone can
call him Boy George until next May. Do you think this will make him twisted?
I have discovered a new joy with living with a pregnant woman. SNORING!!! Just
another reason that romance is sucked out of a relationship during this time.
I swear my wife should be tired all the time. If her snoring doesn't wake her
up constantly I would be shocked. It is like living with a runaway train at
night. But hey, it's Christmas and all these things should be cute and endearing.
It is the Holidays and I am going to be a father. Life is perfect in every way!
January 7, 2002:
The Holidays are so different when your child is involved. These past two weeks
were so different from any other Christmas time. It was great to have someone
new coming to the family. The holidays are that one time of the year that many
of us spend time with our families. I see many family members only at Christmas.
In other words, although you may really love your family, you often don't know
too much about their lives. This Christmas we had my son to talk about. He creates
conversations that are full of love and sharing. And we got to open far more
presents this year! Still five months away from birth, his presents more than
doubled his parents. I always say though most Christmas presents are easily
forgotten. This year I will remember the treasures that were brought for the
first time to my son. 2002 has arrived. This is the year of his birth. My life
will never be the same.
January 14, 2002:
Is it just me or should I be in a panic mode at this time? We are almost to
the half way point of pregnancy. Shouldn't I be worried that we have no bed,
no furniture, and no baby room decorated? Does this stuff take time? Does it
really matter? We did get a fantastic stroller and car seat for Christmas. We
also got a few other small things for him. My question is what if we wait so
long that he ends up sleeping with us for the first three years? Does all the
stuff we need just magically appear just when we need it? Like maybe there is
a baby room decorator fairy. When do those showers start? Who do I have to talk
to take on the responsibility of organizing this material roundup for my child.
My attitude is that until he is 2 or so is really going to be pissed about the
color of his room or the designer quality of his bed linens? Does it really
make any difference? I am hoping he will be a sleepy baby for the first year
so he won't really spend too much time wondering what I was thinking when I
painted his room avocado green and then added big beautiful butterflies that
ended up looking like two killer moths about to swoop down and take the baby
away. But hey I imagine that is one big pipedream thinking any baby is going
to be sleepy. Lewis enjoy these last few months.
January 21, 2002:
Talking to the baby. Does the complete loss of sanity start this early. I find
myself spending more time with my face on my wife's belly talking to it. Normally,
that might get me banned, but she actually thinks it is cute! So now like a
complete idiot, I am already including the baby in any family conversation!
I am asking him already what he thinks! And I am doing what I think every normal
parent everywhere in the world has done before. I am already dreaming a life
for him. Now this life will be one that he has no interest in and will never
come within five city blocks of any path you would choose. But by God it is
fun to think it now! And in reality, it will not be what he does that will matter,
it is who he is and what he how he relates to others. I will settle for a five
mile run while he sits in the baby jogger and we talk.
January 28, 2002: Well, we finally made the trip to the baby stores to register for baby gifts. As I walked in the BABY SUPERSTORE, I noticed two distinctly different kinds of people there. They were pregnant women and female family members and friends and the other kind was the dads. The women lingered at every space of every shelf. I don't think there was one thing in that store that my wife didn't think she could use. Towels, bottles, shirts, clothes, thermometers, first aid kits, electric plugs and much, much more. The Dads (or maybe it was just me) were only there to make sure that any item that they needed that might cost more than $30 was on the list. Once I had scanned the items I deemed expensive, I was ready to go. I used my training as a runner to quickly dart from one row to the next looking only at those big items. For my wife, she had waited 16 years just to do this! As I looked at the other Fathers in the store, it seemed to me the longer they were there, the more whipped they looked. Having the perfect marriage, I convinced my wife that to truly enjoy this experience, she needed to return with her mother and sister to scan in all those little things that would require me to buy furniture for to put in. The BABY SUPERSTORE is oh so understanding about these things. They want you to come back many times so that nothing is missed. Hey and we got all the free baby shower cards we wanted! How nice of them. I am not certain I know enough people to go buy all these things. Hey I know what! We are registered under Melony George at Baby's R Us and Target. If you are reading this journal, this would be a great way to introduce yourself to me. Just email me and I will give you the appropriate mailing address.
February 4, 2002:
Maternity Clothes! Do you have to be wealthy to buy clothes that you will use
for six months? Of course now that I think about it don't most women get tired
of their clothes after six months anyway? Anyway after plunking down hundreds
of dollars just so she could go to work and have five different outfits, my
spouse went on the hunt for that special woman who was her size. She also had
to have similar tastes and done with having children and be very generous. Sounds
like an impossible task, huh? Well never underestimate the power of the pregnant
woman who has a career! We found that woman and she gave us great clothes and
plenty of them. They fit. They look good! They were donated! There is a God!
One less thing to spend money on! What is around that next corner? Do I need
to get a second mortgage on my house? Only time will tell.
February 11, 2002:
The last week of the second trimester. Just three months to go. Well we found
our baby furniture. It was used and reasonably priced. Of course as with all
things relating to my baby boy, there is always a complication. It was a one
hour drive in a rented van away. We had not seen it before driving there and
we had pretty much decided we were buying whether we liked it or not. I don't
drive two hours just to look. Luckily it looked great! As we were getting instructions
from the sellers as to how to put the crib together, I could tell there is another
aspect of fatherhood that I am not going to be too good about...Putting things
together. The crib was in pieces. The Dad was starting to show me how it went
together. Five minutes in, my mind started to wander and I was losing focus.
I silently prayed, please put it together for us now! And he did! Now as he
was putting it together he warned me, it might not fit through the doors to
get to the baby room. I made a positive affirmation stating that it was going
to go through all doors in my house. So the next day while the little woman
is away, I decide to move everything into the baby room. It did not fit! I needed
just an inch. Being the genius that I am, I removed the wheels took the door
off the room, turned it up on it's side and made a few scratches. It is now
in the room. We still have to paint the room. I hope that all works out, but
that is a problem for another day. At least now we have a room that is ready
for my son.