Here He Is!

Smudge is a boy!

If you look carefully you can see Smudge's face. He is laying on his back and we are looking down on him. The top of his head is on the right and his chin is in the center. That would be his hand at the twelve o'clock position. Its like staring at one of those 3-D pictures; once you know where to look its easy to see.

Oh my - a boy. Where do I even begin to tell you how happy I am?

Frigid Family Fun

For the past two years we have discussed skiing as a family activity. For numerous reason we have not; I was still building strength in my knee after my ACL surgery, lack of any real snow last year, and the fact that Samantha was absolutely against it.

After some adults only conversation over how safe it might be for Smudge on the bunny slope, we decided to take the 3 1/2 of us on the slopes of Greek Peak. We decided that we should not be the ones to teach Sam to ski. After all - she knows everything and listens to nothing. Lessons were the answer!

After the initial "I'm going to die," from Sam followed by, "keep it up and I just might kill you," from me we were on the slope. Lisa had her gear and Sam and I rented.

Initially, the day went down hill (I apologize for the pun). Sam moved her feet back and forth and went nowhere. The boots were too tight. We were giving her too many instructions. Gahh - her lesson is still 45 minutes away! Sam wanted to go to the top of the bunny slope - experiential learning - and just do it. The bunny slope was fed by a people mover magic carpet thingy. Sam got between Lisa and I and made it to the top. One "snowplow" lesson later Samantha launched down the slope and in the course of the next three hours demonstrated that she was a natural skier!

Samantha still had her lesson which only improved her solid basic skills. So there we were - the three of us on the advanced bunny slope, "Bunnyzilla", with Lisa and I trying to keep up with Sam as she blazed down the hill - shooshing from side to side. Aside from one good biff from Sam - none us fell and Lisa managed the weight distribution excellently (Smudge went along for the ride).

A moment in time - the three of us in the lights and falling snow cutting a path down to the bottom of the hill having a great time.

No More Anticipation!

Yesterday Lisa went to the doctor with Samantha and I to have the ultrasound done.

We waited in the reception area each making our own predictions and desires known. Sam wanted a girl, Lisa was non committal, and I wanted a boy. Our little entourage entered the darkened room and let Lisa get up on the table. The technician squirted blue jelly all over Lisa's belly. (Yes, Lisa finally has a belly! Although still not in maternity clothes, her bulge sticks out noticeably now.)

The woman took the ultrasound wand and began to probe around Lisa's stomach.
Was that a foot?
That looked like something!
What was that?
There's an arm!
Slowly we made sense out of the black and white images on the screen. The technician showed us the baby's head - it was the right size for this week of the pregnancy. She showed us the spine - again developed appropriately. She took measurements and captured images on the screen.

Samantha was beginning to burst wanting to know if she was going to have a brother or a sister. However, this woman was a pro and she knew that the best part of her job was building the anticipation. I told Samantha the joke on how to keep a 9 year old in suspense - I'll tell you later - she was not amused. The technician wasn't going to let on right away and continued her tour (inspection?).

There was the heart. The ultrasound passed right through all four chambers; beating, pulsing, forcing blood through still forming organs. And then, there was the face; eyes, nose, mouth all clear enough to see the calm expression on the baby's face. The baby was asleep. We knew this because the woman tried to wake the baby by jiggling and poking Lisa's stomach in order to get the baby to move. No luck, that kid was down for its nap.

The woman took images of the baby's face and feet for us. Then she looked at Sam and asked her if she really wanted to know the sex of the baby. By this time we all wanted to know! Yes, yes, tell us what the baby is!

The woman expertly moved the wand and with the caveat of announcing only a 97% success rate told us we were going to have a

Funny thing about suspense - it works on grown ups too!

To be continued

No, I'm Fine. Thanks For Asking

A father-to-be's gripe...

Ok, I get it, Lisa is on a pedestal until the baby arrives. She is the one going through changes. She is the one who will go through child birth. She is the one who balances babies, career, and time for herself (more than me). She is the focus of attention until late May.

I don't have a problem with that. I don't think I would trade places with a woman just to experience the wonder of child birth. I am in no way curious to know what any of the nine months is like from "that side of the fence". I'm fine with that thanks. I am content with dealing with the mood swings, the baby magazines in the bathroom, as well as the other changes Lisa is going through while hiding behind my gender.

That said - could someone ask - just once - how I am doing? Everyone wants to know how the star of the show is doing and to heck with the understudy. My mother, brother, boss, boss's wife, and just about everyone who knows us wants to know how Lisa is feeling. Even the people who know me and don't know Lisa other than through me. Even if they asked the question the day before.

Everyone looks at me with the you're-just-the-guy-who-got-her-pregnant stare. I could be on crutches, with an eye patch and oozing bandages and people would still ask about Lisa first (if they asked about me at all).

Everyone - Lisa is fine! She is doing great for being more than half way there.

Me? I'm good too. Thanks.

A New Milestone

A new milestone in my pregnancy has been reached today. I am now walking around the office with my pants unbuttoned. Don't worry, my pants are not falling down and my shirt is tucked out so no one really knows. BUT, this is a first for me during pregnancy. And I really think it has to do with my pregnant belly rather than the BIG lunch I had today! Tee Hee.