Hello all! Sorry for the delay in posting. Unfortunately, the blog takes a back seat to many of the other tasks and responsibilities that I have going on right now. These include, working 40+ hrs/wk, working out 8 hrs./wk, going to the grocery store, mowing the lawn, cleaning the house, going to baby classes, making dinner & lunches, researching daycares, shopping for baby stuff, preparing a home to sell, overseeing construction of a new home, paying bills, maintaining our finances, putting together baby stuff, pricing appliances, organizing babies room, researching baby stuff, and keeping my wife and dog content. Don't get me wrong, I squeeze a round of golf in there every once in a while. But blogging is near the bottom of this list.
Alright, I'm done justifying myself to the masses. We had a pretty busy past couple of weeks. We had our second baby shower a couple weekends ago (see pics below of both baby showers). I hear it was awesome. A big thank you to my Mom, Dad, & Sister for organizing and hosting an awesome shower. I know that my Mom & Sister spent a lot of time and effort in putting it together, and thanks to my Dad who will have to work another 6 months to pay for it. But Emily and I are so grateful for their hard work. THANK YOU!!!!! We'd also like to thank those who traveled from out of town to the shower, and everyone who came and gave us a gift. It's humbling and fortunate that we have such great friends and family that support and love us.
I've already been putting together stuff that we've received. Before I tackled the first baby product, I had heard the horror stories of assembling different baby toys and items. I was scared. Before I did anything, I went and put on my tool belt, hard hat, orange safety vest, and goggles. I grabbed my tool box and sparked my blowtorch. I still felt ill-prepared, but I had to make do. I first tackled the cool double stroller that we received from my grandmother. It took me about 15 minutes to open the box. . . not a good sign. But when I removed all the contents, sat it on the floor, I noticed that it was assembled already. "That was easy!" The only thing left to do was to figure out how to "unfold" the stroller which took a precise combination of pulling and pushing several sets of levers, arms, and buttons hidden within the folded metal and nylon. At first, it's difficult for a new dad to figure out which handles and trap doors one must trigger in what order to "open" this thing up. I liken it to a guy unhooking a girls bra for the first time. It's pretty clumsy, embarrassing, and immasculating as we struggle with the tiny hooks, until our patience runs out and we simply muscle our way through it. In either case, the job eventually gets done.
The process was eerily similar on my next assembly job. This time it was a bassinet/pack n' play. I was prepared for the worst though. I still thought that my friends who had warned me of the treachorous job of assembling baby stuff weren't completely retarded in industrial arts. But, it turns out, that they may be. The pack n' play was assembled, but "folded". Once I figured out how to "unfold" it, the rest was fairly simple. "Push here, tug there", and voila . . . an assembled pack n' play! I must be a natural Bob Villa when it comes to baby stuff assembly.
We had a doctors visit on Monday, July 14th. It was an uneventful appointment besides the fact that we received ultrasound photos (see below). We also learned that the babies have gained nearly 1 lb. since our last doctors visit. They now way 2 lbs. 9 ounces & 2 lbs. 11 ounces. They weighed in well and all of their measurements were in an acceptable range.
However, since the doctors appointments are becoming more regular, my wife's belly is getting bigger, and I've done more shopping in the last couple weeks than I've done in years, I'm getting a sense that this thing is approaching the climactic finale that I was promised more than seven months ago. To put it in typical guy terminology, "I'm coming around the third turn and the finish line is in sight". "It's the fourth quarter and I'm at the two-minute warning." "I'm roundin' third and heading for home." So on, and so forth.
See ladies, this is how guys think of pregnancy. We have to section it off. Divide it up. Set goals for ourselves. We need to know that this hormonal super-woman will turn back into our wife after a set period of time. Why do you think that sporting events are sectioned into quarters, periods, and halves? We need to know that there's an end, and how close we are to it. If pregnancy lasted a random amount of days, weeks, or months, men would struggle mightily. I'm not even sure that the human race would've made it this far. Men would continually ask, "Are we there yet?" like the typical 6 year old on their way to Disney World. After a while, sparks would shoot from our heads and smoke pour out of our ears. Our heads would then explode and our bodies would run around frantically for a few seconds. Don't worry, this would be a relief to us because it's an ending.
Luckily for us, pregnancy isn't like that. It has a 40 week life-cycle (35ish for twins) and can be divided and subdivided. And currently, we're in the seventh inning stretch of our pregnancy. It's that time of the game where you stand up, stretch, and regain perspective. Or, for some people, realize for the first time that they're at a baseball game. I feel like I'm at that point in this pregnancy where I'm standing up out of my fox hole to stretch after being bombarded and shell-shocked for the last 7 months. I'm finally realizing that I'm at a baseball game, and it only took me 7 innings!
In baseball, the grounds crew comes out and manicures the diamond. Similarly, I am "manicuring" our temporary nursery and putting baby stuff together as if my life depended upon it.
In baseball, Take Me Out to the Ballgame plays during the stretch. Likewise, I'm hearing Taps play as my life, as I once knew it, nears death.
But, my starting pitcher has thrown a helluva game thus far. She's stayed strong and continued to carry this team on her back. She's starting to get sore though. She gets restless on the mound and isn't comfortable in the wind-up. I can tell that she just wants the game to be over. It's difficult for me to watch her struggle, but frequent trips to the mound to offer her encouragement seem to help. I need to continue to call a good game, give her good support, and get her the win. In the meantime, we're hoping that our coach doesn't bench her for the final couple innings. But if she gets anymore fatigued, swollen, and sore, she might have to. It's too early to tell the outcome, but the end will be here in just a few short innings. I can't wait!
Ahhhhhh, the good ol' 7th inning stretch. Be prepared because the last couple innings are going to go quick! And for all you fans out there, get your beers now, because it's last call and they don't serve you after the eighth inning!
Indy Shower Pics:
Alright, I'm done justifying myself to the masses. We had a pretty busy past couple of weeks. We had our second baby shower a couple weekends ago (see pics below of both baby showers). I hear it was awesome. A big thank you to my Mom, Dad, & Sister for organizing and hosting an awesome shower. I know that my Mom & Sister spent a lot of time and effort in putting it together, and thanks to my Dad who will have to work another 6 months to pay for it. But Emily and I are so grateful for their hard work. THANK YOU!!!!! We'd also like to thank those who traveled from out of town to the shower, and everyone who came and gave us a gift. It's humbling and fortunate that we have such great friends and family that support and love us.
I've already been putting together stuff that we've received. Before I tackled the first baby product, I had heard the horror stories of assembling different baby toys and items. I was scared. Before I did anything, I went and put on my tool belt, hard hat, orange safety vest, and goggles. I grabbed my tool box and sparked my blowtorch. I still felt ill-prepared, but I had to make do. I first tackled the cool double stroller that we received from my grandmother. It took me about 15 minutes to open the box. . . not a good sign. But when I removed all the contents, sat it on the floor, I noticed that it was assembled already. "That was easy!" The only thing left to do was to figure out how to "unfold" the stroller which took a precise combination of pulling and pushing several sets of levers, arms, and buttons hidden within the folded metal and nylon. At first, it's difficult for a new dad to figure out which handles and trap doors one must trigger in what order to "open" this thing up. I liken it to a guy unhooking a girls bra for the first time. It's pretty clumsy, embarrassing, and immasculating as we struggle with the tiny hooks, until our patience runs out and we simply muscle our way through it. In either case, the job eventually gets done.
The process was eerily similar on my next assembly job. This time it was a bassinet/pack n' play. I was prepared for the worst though. I still thought that my friends who had warned me of the treachorous job of assembling baby stuff weren't completely retarded in industrial arts. But, it turns out, that they may be. The pack n' play was assembled, but "folded". Once I figured out how to "unfold" it, the rest was fairly simple. "Push here, tug there", and voila . . . an assembled pack n' play! I must be a natural Bob Villa when it comes to baby stuff assembly.
We had a doctors visit on Monday, July 14th. It was an uneventful appointment besides the fact that we received ultrasound photos (see below). We also learned that the babies have gained nearly 1 lb. since our last doctors visit. They now way 2 lbs. 9 ounces & 2 lbs. 11 ounces. They weighed in well and all of their measurements were in an acceptable range.
However, since the doctors appointments are becoming more regular, my wife's belly is getting bigger, and I've done more shopping in the last couple weeks than I've done in years, I'm getting a sense that this thing is approaching the climactic finale that I was promised more than seven months ago. To put it in typical guy terminology, "I'm coming around the third turn and the finish line is in sight". "It's the fourth quarter and I'm at the two-minute warning." "I'm roundin' third and heading for home." So on, and so forth.
See ladies, this is how guys think of pregnancy. We have to section it off. Divide it up. Set goals for ourselves. We need to know that this hormonal super-woman will turn back into our wife after a set period of time. Why do you think that sporting events are sectioned into quarters, periods, and halves? We need to know that there's an end, and how close we are to it. If pregnancy lasted a random amount of days, weeks, or months, men would struggle mightily. I'm not even sure that the human race would've made it this far. Men would continually ask, "Are we there yet?" like the typical 6 year old on their way to Disney World. After a while, sparks would shoot from our heads and smoke pour out of our ears. Our heads would then explode and our bodies would run around frantically for a few seconds. Don't worry, this would be a relief to us because it's an ending.
Luckily for us, pregnancy isn't like that. It has a 40 week life-cycle (35ish for twins) and can be divided and subdivided. And currently, we're in the seventh inning stretch of our pregnancy. It's that time of the game where you stand up, stretch, and regain perspective. Or, for some people, realize for the first time that they're at a baseball game. I feel like I'm at that point in this pregnancy where I'm standing up out of my fox hole to stretch after being bombarded and shell-shocked for the last 7 months. I'm finally realizing that I'm at a baseball game, and it only took me 7 innings!
In baseball, the grounds crew comes out and manicures the diamond. Similarly, I am "manicuring" our temporary nursery and putting baby stuff together as if my life depended upon it.
In baseball, Take Me Out to the Ballgame plays during the stretch. Likewise, I'm hearing Taps play as my life, as I once knew it, nears death.
But, my starting pitcher has thrown a helluva game thus far. She's stayed strong and continued to carry this team on her back. She's starting to get sore though. She gets restless on the mound and isn't comfortable in the wind-up. I can tell that she just wants the game to be over. It's difficult for me to watch her struggle, but frequent trips to the mound to offer her encouragement seem to help. I need to continue to call a good game, give her good support, and get her the win. In the meantime, we're hoping that our coach doesn't bench her for the final couple innings. But if she gets anymore fatigued, swollen, and sore, she might have to. It's too early to tell the outcome, but the end will be here in just a few short innings. I can't wait!
Ahhhhhh, the good ol' 7th inning stretch. Be prepared because the last couple innings are going to go quick! And for all you fans out there, get your beers now, because it's last call and they don't serve you after the eighth inning!
"Spread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat. Then fold
second base down to home and set the baby on the pitcher’s mound. Put first base
and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together. Of course,
in case of rain, you gotta call the game and start all over again."
~Jimmy Piersal, on how to diaper a baby, 1968
Indy Shower Pics:
Ultrasound Pics:
STL Shower Pics:
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