A Poetry Journey

Category: Randomness – Poems, Haiku, and Other Stuff

  • Thoughts on Fatherhood 2

    Cluster-Feeding

    I have learned so much since my wife got pregnant about so many things regarding my son.  The two words above are just another thing to add to my daddy dictionary.

    If you don’t know what it means, here is a loose male definition of those two words.  A cluster-feeding is when your baby just wants to eat and eat and eat and eat, etc.  Usually this happens during a growth spurt and it can go on for hours or days.  No matter how many times you put him up to his mom to be fed it never seems like he gets enough.  As first time parents it can be very challenging.  Your baby is crying and nothing you do will console him.  It can be tough to get use to   We have been lucky so far because the times we think he has been cluster feeding it has been at good times of the day – not in the darkness of deep late night.

    Car Seats

    Anybody else feel like they are hurting their child when they put them into one of these contraptions?  As a first time parent  this has been very challenging for dear old dad.  I have been the one putting him into it and honestly I just expect something horrific to happen every time I do it.  I feel like I am putting him into an Iron Maiden.  I know car seats are built this way for safety, but it is going to take some time to get used to strapping him in.

    Baby Clothes

    This is the one area that I know where I am truly a guy.  I can’t put baby clothes on my kid no matter how hard I work at it.  It takes me forever to get it right.  Trying to put stuff over moving arms and legs is just impossible sometimes.

    Other Thoughts

    I did get my first peed on experience a few days ago.  I was sitting on the couch holding him when I felt this warmth that wasn’t there before.  It soaked my shorts pretty good.  We realized the diaper he was wearing was too big so we switched back to the newborn size.  Lesson learned – I’m sure we are not the only ones who’ve made this mistake.

    I guess that is about it.  We are at a week since we brought him home and I tell you what – it is awesome.  The greatest thing about parenting so far has been the little moments – the little things he does.  A few days ago I went in to get him up and he was wide awake.  He looked right at me with a set of expressive eyes that I had never seen before.  Sure, I had seen him with his eyes open, but not like this.  You could just see this change.  There are a lot of little things like this happening every day, but I won’t bore you with them now.

  • Thoughts on Fatherhood

    What a week and those three words believe me are an understatement.

    I have had so many things running through my head since the birth of my son on Monday morning that I just want to write some of them down.

    Let’s get started.

    First off: sleep.

    I honestly had no idea how bad it was going to be.  I thought I could handle it since I don’t sleep that much, but I am here to tell you this, I was mistaken.  The lack of sleep as I write this at 3:20 A.M. is something you just don’t know anything about until you have a newborn to take care.  Feedings every two to three hours, crying and soothing, working off of his schedule, and diaper changes.  It all adds up to sleeping no more than a few hours in spurts.  Wednesday night my wife and I managed to get in a couple of good solid hours of sleep.  I’m talking uninterrupted didn’t wake up until it was time to feed him sleep.  We were staying at the local hospital birthing center and they have a nursery there.  When we needed just a bit of shut-eye we would send him on down there so we could sleep.  We didn’t do it that often because we couldn’t stand having him out of the room with us, but we were about to come home so we wanted to get all the sleep we could get while we had the help.  I can’t believe how quick you fall into a coma when you do get to put your head down.  It is also hard to wake up as well because your body just wants to stay in dream land.  When you do finally get up you find yourself just nodding off at random times and your body just tries to shut down any chance it can.  You also start hallucinating and seeing things that aren’t there.  I even sat up the first night after I swaddled him while my wife slept and just watched him to make sure he was okay.  I just couldn’t sleep while he slept.  This has gotten better over the last few days, but even now as he rests in his pack and play I keep checking on him.  I know he is fine and safe, but I just have to keep making sure.

    Second: changing diapers.

    So far so good for me.  My wife had a c-section so she is recovering from that which means I have to take over on diaper patrol until she heals.  It is just so much easier on her if I help out with this part of it.  Right now it hasn’t been too bad, but once he starts feeding regularly the diapers are going to become a real challenge.  I am glad I have the chance now to get used to it before he really challenges me.

    Third: breast-feeding.

    Who knew it was like this?  Who knew it was this frustrating to watch?  It should be easy, right, wrong.  It is supply and demand so starting out you have to work him into a feeding schedule.  This will tell the body how much milk to produce.  The more he feeds, the more he gets.  Sounds simple enough, but let me tell you, as a man, this is hard to watch my wife go through.  She just has so many little things she has to do in order to get him to latch on.  I’m not going into TMI territory here because I am sure all mothers have to go through this who breast feed.  Not only is it hard for her to go through, but my son as well.  He is hungry and trying to get his meal, but there just isn’t that much there.  He’s crying and she’s trying, but it just doesn’t work instantly.  It takes time.  They actually have lactation consultants that help you learn how to breast feed.  It is just that complicated and difficult a task to learn.  Of all the things I have seen so far breast-feeding has to be the most frustrating one of all.  I just don’t like seeing my wife and son struggle in such a way.

    Fourth: swaddling.

    When we were at the birthing center my son was swaddled with blankets, binding him tight like he was in the womb.  It was always perfect when they brought him to us and it looked simple enough to do.  You see, I had to break this swaddle in order to change his diaper.  That meant I had to re-swaddle him myself and I learned quickly that I stink at swaddling.  I was always worried the blankets yes there were two of them would come loose and cause him harm.

    Fifth: support.

    I can’t tell you how much we have been blessed with my parents and my wife’s parents being able to help us out in a moments notice.  It really does take the pressure off when you just need a nap, a shower, or a bite to eat.  Our Douala birthing coach has also been in our corner and her advice is greatly appreciated.  I also have to give a shout out to Wake Med Cary’s Birthing Center – awesome place to give birth.  They were great in their care, time, and attention.

    I know some of this above may make it sound like becoming a parent is a chore to go through, but it really isn’t.  Just to see him and to have him in my life makes it all worth it.  I can’t tell you how I felt when I heard his first cry in the delivery room or  I saw him for the first time.  It is just something I will never forget and tonight as I approach what day is this? the end of this great week I know I wouldn’t change a thing.  I am hooked on being a dad and I am looking forward to the challenges each day of his life brings.

  • 8:11 A.M.

    That’s right folks my son was born this morning, September 17, 2012 at the time listed above.  He weighed 10 pounds and 8 ounces and he came via a c-section.

    Mom and baby are doing well after the birth this morning.

    I tell you what folks.  This is one of the greatest events of my entire lifetime.  I couldn’t believe it when I heard his first cries and I saw him for the first time.

    This is just an amazing day.

  • Week 39

    Well folks the big day is almost upon us.  If all goes according to plan the c-section should be on Monday morning. I can’t believe all of our planning and prepping has come down to this.  I can’t believe we are so close to welcoming our son into the world.  I can’t believe so many things right now.  Just keep us in your hearts and prayers as we move on to this next phase of our life.  It will be challenging and it will be fun.  I honestly can’t wait to get started on it.

    Here are some pictures of the nursery and all the stuff we have received.  A special thank you goes out to all those who have helped us along the way, either through gifts, support or both.  It is appreciated.

    By the way.  I put together a lot of stuff and this turned out to be the hardest piece of all.  I can’t believe what it took to get it assembled.

    +++

    Your Baby (replace the she for he)

    One uncomfortable complaint of late pregnancy is frequent hiccups. No, not you, your baby. Because there is no air around your baby, when she practices breathing, it can cause amniotic fluid to get into her windpipe, resulting in those regularly spaced thumps that make you think you’re carrying a jumping bean in your belly. Other news this week:

    The lanugo (an exotic word for soft, downy hair) that used to cover your baby’s body has mostly disappeared, but you may find a bit leftover on the shoulders, forehead and neck. Don’t freak and think you’ve given birth to a monkey: It’ll fall out soon.

    The color of baby’s skin is changing from a red-pink hue to a white or blue-pink color (even in babes with dark skin). These changes are due to the amount of fat your little pudger is putting on. The circumference of your baby’s head and abdomen are about the same size now (though you may not be able to tell if your baby’s born with the common cone-shaped head!).

    The placenta is lending your Mini antibodies that’ll keep him strong and healthy after birth. That said, it’s still a good idea to invest in that mega-size bottle of hand sanitizer.

    At this point your little critter is about 19 to 20 inches long and weights about 7 pounds. That’s just around the size of a large rabbit. What’s up Doc?

    39 Weeks Pregnant

    via 39 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

  • Poem – 2 in the morning.

    It’s late.

    Oh great!

    Why am I up at this hour?

    Do I not have the power?

    To sleep

    or

    keep

    the thoughts from my head.

    So many things to think about,

    as the day draws near.

    I wonder.

    I fear.

    Father to be.

    Yes, that’s me.

    My son should be here soon.

    How will my days be?

    or

    My nights like these?

    I guess you can tell.

    Random thoughts are rattling my head.

    I will shut it down now,

    though sleep seems so far away.

  • Week 38

    Well today (Saturday) we have the fourth and last baby shower before the baby is born.  We have been talking about a possible C-Section and yesterday (Friday) we found out that it was necessary.  The baby is measuring very large and he is currently sideways so that made our decision with getting the C-Section a lot easier.  We really had no choice.  It wasn’t a want to or not want to, but a have to.  We scheduled it for Monday the 17th of September.

    Keep mom to be and baby to be in your hearts and prayers as we move on to this very important date – which I know is one of the biggest of my lifetime and mom to be’s lifetime.

    That’s it for the week.

    Your Baby

    Your baby’s intestines have accumulated a considerable amount of meconium (the code name for black, tar-like baby poop), which is usually eliminated shortly after birth and gives you your first experience with the 100-wipe diaper change. Here’s what else is up:

    Your baby might just scratch herself in the womb as the fingernails have grown over the fingertips now. Resist painting them hot pink when she arrives.

    Baby’s lungs continue to mature and her brain and nerve function are working better every day. The latter two will continue to mature until Junior is a teenager, at which point she’ll know it all (or at least she’ll think she does).

    Your baby weighs about 6½ pounds and is around 19 or 20 inches long—as long as a duffle bag (in case you needed an excuse to go shopping for a new bag for your labor gear).

    via 38 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

  • Week 37

    The weeks keep rolling on towards the birth and it seems like each week is starting to get tougher.  We were cruising right along until about Week 34 to Week 35 and then it all just seemed to change overnight.

    This week we went to the doctor twice – once for another growth ultra sound and then just a routine check up.  Both turned out great – baby to be and mom to be are both healthy.

    Mom to be is now working from home and keeping her feet up while she battles swelling.  Epsom salt baths, elevation, and walking to get out the stiffness seem to be helping.  I don’t think there is much that can be done about the swelling.  It is a part of it.

    Any mothers reading this that can offer help or advice – please leave us some information on what helped you get through your later stages of pregnancy.

    On another side of things – not baby related, but happening this week.  We decided to do some remodeling on our kitchen, purely by accident.

    We’ve had a leaky faucet for a while and the only way to fix the leak was to turn the handle to the left.  This was eventually going to catch up with us and on Wednesday it did.  The handle broke on the faucet and we were forced to use pliers to turn the water on and off.  I went out and bought a new faucet that evening and then waited till Thursday to install it.  I called in my father in law who is really good at installing this stuff.  I’m not a great handy man, but I am getting better at it.

    Anyway.  Thursday arrived and me and my father in law went to work on the faucet.  We did all we were supposed to do in order for it to lift right off so we could install the new one.  For some reason it was hung up.  After some careful searching we found the culprit.

    There was a nut holding the faucet to the sink that was impossible to get to because it looked like this nut was screwed in before the sink was installed.  So we undid the bolts holding the sink in place and pulled the whole sink out of the counter.  We unscrewed the nut, replaced the faucet, and put the sink back in its hole.  Done, easy enough – right!

    Wrong.

    We decided to go ahead and put in a new sink because this one we currently had was old and well used and we wanted a deeper sink for the kitchen.  My father in law ran down to Lowe’s to find us a new sink.

    Okay, so new sink, put the faucet on, fix everything in place – done, right?  Wrong again.

    From this point forward it just went downhill.  The pipes didn’t fit back in place because the drainage areas on the sink were further back than they were in the old sink.  The sink was also deeper so that caused issues.  The water lines were to short to reach the new sink.  The list just went on.

    When Thursday ended we had our sink in, but nothing was hooked up.  We got water from the bathroom and drank bottled water until Friday.

    On Friday my father in law came back and he took out all the old plumbing under the sink and re built it himself so it would fit the new sink.   New water lines were put in place which were longer and we now have everything back to the way it was.  I want to give a special thinks to my father in law for taking the time to do this.  He really impressed me with all he knows about home repair.  I would have been lost without him.

    It is funny that this year it seems like I have gotten a crash course in what it takes to be a parent and a dad from both sets of parents – mine and my wife’s.   Knowledge that will help me become a well-rounded father.

    Here’s a video to give you an idea of what our house looked like before and after the kitchen sink remodel.

    Okay, Week 37.

    Your Baby

    Huge news this week: You’re carrying a full-term baby! If you were to go into labor today, all systems would be a go. Woohoo! Even though you can’t wait for the little bambino to quite literally rear his head, keep in mind that your bun benefits from every day in the oven. Other ticker-tape-worthy developments:

    Baby’s growth slows down dramatically this week, which is great news for your birth canal. His bones are still soft and pliable and will solidify after he’s born. More great news for your birth canal.

    So if he’s all cooked and ready to go, what the heck is he still doing in there?! He’s busy practicing for “life on the outside,” working on his breathing, sucking, sleeping, gazing and peeing abilities. The only thing he can’t practice yet is his ability to scream at the top of his lungs when he’s hungry—but he’ll do plenty of that in a few weeks.

    At this point babies vary in size, but the average length is between 19 and 20 inches and most babies weigh approximately 6 pounds. About the size of an average largemouth bass caught in Minnesota by your cousin Earl.

    via 37 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

    That’s it.

  • Week 36

    Your Baby

    Your baby continues to put on weight at about ½ pound each week. This layer of fat will help your baby regulate his body temperature after leaving your climate-controlled womb. In fact, your baby will be 15 percent fat at birth (and you … well that’s another story). Even in the womb, your baby can listen, feel, touch and see. The only thing separating him from living in the outside world is a little thing called the birth canal. Other highlights this week:

    His gums are firm with ridges that look somewhat like teeth, though his actual pearly whites won’t start breaking through until he’s between three months and a year old.

    Your baby has definite patterns of sleep and wakefulness—opening his eyes while awake and closing them while sleeping. Your baby will become alert and turn his head toward light and sound just as a newborn would—except when you put on that Celine Dion CD. Then the baby puts his hands up, turns away and gurgles, “Oh no you didn’t!”

    Your baby is now around 18½ inches long and nearly 6 pounds—just about as big as a breadbox!

    via 36 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

    +++

    Another pretty tough week, but we got through it.

    We’ve learned of a new glucose test this week, the two-hour one.  Mom to be has had the one hour test, the three-hour test, and now the two-hour test.  What is the two-hour test you may ask?  Basically mom to be fasts from midnight until her appointment.  Then she goes to the lab and has her blood drawn.  We then go home and mom to be has what she normally has for breakfast.  When she takes that last bite of breakfast the clock starts ticking.  Two hours from the last bite we must be back at the lab in order for mom to be to get more blood drawn (no results as of today – Thursday).  So mom to be has now been through all three glucose tests and handled them like a star.  I am proud of her.

    Mom to be is experiencing swelling in her legs so any mothers out there who have advice on how to correct it, we would be more than happy to listen to it.  Epsom Salt baths and cucumber water has helped so far, but nothing beats staying home and resting.  When mom to be has the time to just rest with her feet elevated her legs seem to respond well to that.

    I guess that is it for this week.

  • Poem – Curve Ball – Out of the Yard

    Sometimes life is like a curve ball

    Sometimes life is like a fast pitch

    Sometimes it is

    Strike

    One

    Two

    Three

    Sometimes

    It is

    four balls

    and a walk

    I don’t know why

    it sometimes works

    and sometimes doesn’t

    why decisions have to be so tough

    why decisions have to be so rough

    sure

    there are others who have it harder

    I am not blind to their suffering

    I just wish

    I could hit that curve ball

    hit it

    right

    out of the yard

  • Catching up on some Poems and Haiku’s

    Okay, here goes.

    I thought I wanted to let this site go, but for the life of me I can’t.  I think you have noticed some re-blogs from my other site into this one.  I feel like this site is best suited for my poems and haiku’s.   They seem to get lost on my other site so I am thinking about starting them back up over here.

    That way it will be easier for those who follow me here to read my poetry based stuff.  It feels like a better home in this blog.

    The plan is to drop a poem or haiku every Sunday from here on out.

    So anyone who is annoyed with me for doing this.  I apologize.  Sometimes an idea sounds good and looks good, but after careful thought or simple trial and error it doesn’t work.

    Here is what you have missed so far, in case you haven’t seen the re-blogs.

    Poems

    The Society of Waves

    They had come from all walks,

    their simple chore to surf.

    This was their only job,

    the ocean was their turf.

    They had waxed their boards,

    then paddled simply out.

    They were ready for the ocean,

    ready for their bout.

    +++

    Then the wave rose,

    roaring fierce with salty power.

    They put their boards into the teeth,

    opening the pipeline door, on the ocean tower.

    Like surf board cowboys,

    they rode the wave to the shore.

    Then they paddled back out,

    waiting for the ocean to give them just one more.

    The aliens are at my door

    Listen.

    Do you hear them?

    There it is again.

    That creak in the front porch floor.

    Oh no.

    The aliens are at my door.

    +++

    They come from a galaxy far away,

    near the heart of the deep space core.

    With evil smiles upon their faces,

    the aliens rattle my door.

    +++

    They crave the human taste of flesh,

    ravage it like a whore.

    It’s for this lust they came.

    The aliens are inside my door.

    +++

    Taken to their silver ship,

    my eyes growing heavy and sore.

    I fall into a trance,

    the aliens leave my door.

    +++

    I lay upon a pile of bones,

    waiting in fear on the bone filled floor.

    A strong light catches my eyes,

    the aliens are at my door.

    Haiku

    A Good Cup of Coffee 2

    Liquid energy

    Red blood racing through my veins

    Strong like rocket fuel

    At the movies

    Vampire Moon

    A red yellow moon

    Scared victim in death’s embrace

    Fangs reflect the light

    So, what do you guys think?  Is it good to come back to a site you thought you wanted to leave behind or should you just abandon it all together?

  • Week 35

    Long week – two words put together never meant so much.

    First off.  We started off the week one car short.  I had to take mom to be to work each morning while we waited to get her car fixed.  By Friday the car should be fixed (I am writing this as of Thursday).

    Then when we went to the doctor for mom to be’s checkup we were told on Tuesday that we needed to come back by Thursday in order to get a growth ultra-sound.  Mom to be was retaining a lot of water so they wanted to make sure baby to be was okay.  So from Tuesday till Thursday we were in a holding pattern and waiting to see why she was retaining so much water.  The mid-wife also put mom to be on bed rest for a couple of days to see if that would help.  It did and after our second checkup we learned that everything was pretty much okay, for now.  Baby to be is a big one – they weighed him at about seven and a half pounds (of course ultra-sounds are not always accurate, he could be this weight or smaller).  That’s at 35 weeks which I am finding out (being a man we don’t know these things) is big for a baby at this stage in the pregnancy.  Another check up next week, and another day of bed rest for mom to be on Friday.

    Tonight (Thursday) we are scheduled for a tour of the hospital so we can get a feel for everything we may need the day of the birth.  That should help a lot.

    Then on Saturday and Sunday we have what they are calling intensive child-birth classes.  Saturday goes from 9-4 and Sunday 9-1.

    That’s it so far.  We are hoping and praying all goes well for the rest of the pregnancy.

    As of writing the information above I have since been to the Birthing Center and the first day of the intensive child-birth classes.  

    First off, the birthing center is super nice.  The rooms are almost like hotel rooms with beds that can be contorted to fit any kind of pregnancy position, just so mom to be can deliver as comfortable as possible.  They have all the amenities there as well, including a birthing ball, birthing tub, a refrigerator in the room for cold snacks, and various other things that will help with the before and after birthing process.  

    The first day of intensive child-birth classes went off exceptionally well with a lot of useful information for dad and mom to be.  We thought we were well versed, but we learned even more stuff on Saturday.  On Sunday we will be there for a shorter period.  So the day won’t be so tough.  Mom to be is currently resting as I write this after Saturday’s session.  

    I’ve included two things this week from the 3D pregnancy website.  The first is what mom to be’s body is going through – Your Body and the second is all about baby to be – Your Baby.  I thought this might give you a little more insight into what is going on with mom and baby to be.

    35 Weeks Pregnant

    Your Body

    As Patrick Swayze put it, “Nobody puts baby in a corner!” Doubly true for your little tenant. Your baby has pretty much taken over your entire torso by now. Over the past few months, he’s squished and mushed all of your organs out of the way. Any day now, he’ll make a final move and shove your heart up and to the left to make more room for himself. (See, he’s got your heart in his hands already.)

    Before all this pregnancy stuff, your uterus was a small ball the size of your fist and was tucked neatly away behind your pelvis. Today your uterus is the size of a small watermelon and reaches all the way up to your ribs.

    At this point in your pregnancy all the blood has gone to your belly … literally. Nearly 1/6 of your body’s total blood volume is chugging around in the vessels in your uterus. So that’s why you feel so lightheaded all the time!

    Starting this week you’ll visit your OB or midwife weekly. Every time you go you’ll probably beg her to tell you when she thinks your babe is coming. Unfortunately, her guess is about as good as yours. Even if you’re dilated, there’s no telling exactly when baby will make his appearance (unless you have a scheduled C-section, of course.)

    Your Baby

    This week the final touches are being added to your mini-masterpiece and most of his development is going to packing on the pounds. While baby’s movements may be becoming less jerky, he may do his final somersault in the womb soon—to put himself into the head-down position for birth. Other fascinating facts:

    Your little Karate Kid can’t quite pack the punch he used to due to the limited space inside the womb these days. You’re likely to feel more wiggles, stretches and rolls than kicks and jabs. The extra layer of fat your baby is adding will create those cute dimples on your baby’s elbows and knees. His liver has begun processing his waste products, so you know which organ to thank when he has his first blowout up the back of his onesie.

    Baby’s nails are growing so long they may curl over the tips of his tiny fingers and toes before he sees a pair of clippers. He’ll be in serious need of a mani-pedi once he’s born (as will you).

    Your baby is now about 5½ pounds and over 18 inches long—about the size of one of those price-club sheet cakes.

    via 35 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

    Your thoughts.

  • Week 34

    Babymoon 2

    It has been nice getting away for a few days.  We’ve been fortunate enough to be able to have not only one, but two Babymoons this year.

    The first one was at the beach and though it was relaxing, it wasn’t anything compared to what we have been experiencing in the mountains this week – colder weather or cooler weather I should say.  We haven’t had the air conditioning on at all since we got here.  The windows stay open all the time.  I can even sit on the deck in the afternoon and not die of a heat stroke.  Right now (Wednesday morning) I am sitting out on the deck in long pants, socks, and a tee-shirt.  Folks, I might just need to go grab a long sleeve until the sun comes up.  With the breeze it is down right chilly – fall like.

    How has the trip been?  Mom to be has done a lot of relaxing, including a pedicure.  I am so happy to see that.  She needs it.  Baby to be seems to be enjoying the weather as well.  He’s been very active this week.  Two more full days left after today and then back to the heat of home.  Maybe the hot spell will have broken just a bit before we get back.

    We didn’t go to the West Virginia mountains, just the Carolina ones.  This song seemed to fit the moment though.

    +++

    (replace the she for he) Your baby kind of looks like she’s coated in a layer of cream cheese these days. The thick, white substance that protects her skin from pruning in the amniotic fluid is called vernix. When she’s born you’ll probably see some vernix lingering in her “hard-to-reach” places like under her arms, behind her ears and around her va-jay-jay, if she’s a she.. Other news from the womb this week:

    The soft fur, lanugo, that covered your baby’s body for much of her stay in the womb is now almost completely gone. Your baby begins to develop her own immune system, instead of relying solely on antibodies received through the placenta. This will come in handy when some grubby relative manhandles the baby without washing his hands first.

    This week, your baby measures about 17¾ inches, as almost as long as an American Girl Doll (!) and weighs almost 5 pounds, as heavy as a bag of sugar, minus the cup you put in your decaf this morning.

    via 34 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

  • Yes my wife is pregnant, quit asking!

    There is a trend that I am starting to notice when my wife (who is now 8 months pregnant) is out in public.   People always stop and comment on her belly.  Complete strangers just walk up and start talking to her about it.  I understand the curiosity factor, but people need to lay off.  I don’t mind family or friends saying things – don’t get me wrong there.  They are close to us and they know us, so we know how we are with each other.

    I just can’t believe how rude complete strangers can be to her.  I don’t think they mean to, but would you walk up to an obese person and comment on their belly?  Of course not.  So why is it okay to comment on my wife’s belly?  I just don’t get it.

    I don’t mind if someone comes up and asks if it is a boy or a girl, when is he due, etc.  Just don’t talk about how big she is or how big your daughter wasn’t when she was 8 months along or how huge she is for 8 months.  Use common sense and be courteous to her.

    Recently, some random stranger just walked up and asked about her belly.  He didn’t say hello, didn’t say congratulations first.  He just went into some diatribe about how big she is and how she must be due soon.  It made her very uncomfortable.  I know he meant well and that his heart was in the right place, but take a clue.  Just leave her alone.

    I guess the human animal has a certain curiosity about pregnant bellies.  I see people all the time looking at her with a little half-smile and I wonder what they are thinking.

    We did have a cute moment in the park a few days ago.  A little girl walked by and pointed at my wife’s belly.  Her mom was embarrassed and explained to her that it is rude to point, and then told her to ask if there is a baby in my wife’s belly.  The little girl asked very sweetly, my wife invited her to touch her belly, and the mom was very thankful and apologetic.  Then the mom explained to the little girl something about a baby inside my wife and they moved on.

    See, that’s the way you do it.  I wish more people would learn the proper etiquette when it comes to approaching a pregnant woman.

  • Week 33

    Your Baby

    The big news this week is lung development—baby’s respiratory system is almost completely mature. That means if your baby was born this week, odds are he’d be a healthy bouncing baby with a just a little help from his friends (aka, the NICU). Some of the specifics are:

    Your baby can now detect light and tell the difference between night and day (of course that ability will miraculously disappear once he’s born and up all night screaming). His pupils will constrict and dilate in response to light. If you shine a flashlight on your belly, your baby may shy away from the light as if to say, “Cut it out, Ma. You’re soooo annoying.”

    The bones in your baby’s skull are soft and are not yet fused together. In other words, now is not the time to teach him how to do a headspin while breakdancing. This pliability allows the bones to overlap; making that trip down the tight birth canal possible (and resulting in that surprising cone head look your baby will sport for the first few days post-birth. Don’t worry, it’s totally normal and that’s what hats are for.)

    Your baby will continue to pack on the pounds gaining around ½ pound a week from here on out.

    Your baby weighs about 4½ pounds, as much as a grownup duck, and is approximately 17.5 inches long, about the same as a collarbone-length pearl necklace. (Did somebody say push present?)

    via 33 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

  • Week 32

    Your Baby

    Although your baby will still remain active, his days of trying out for Cirque du Soleil are nearly over. About this time your baby will settle into the head-down position in preparation for birth. Other fascinating facts:

    Both you and baby are putting on some serious weight at this point. You’ll probably gain about a pound a week for the next few weeks, with half of that poundage bulking up baby. He’ll likely double his weight in the next eight weeks.

    Ever wonder what your baby is doing in there these days? He’s busy blinking, looking around, grabbing things, making faces, practicing his breathing, peeing and listening to everything around him—pretty much exactly what he’ll be doing for the first three months of his life, sans the adoring audience and the flashing camera.

    Your baby may (or may not) have a full head of hair now. If she’s a baldy, don’t worry. You can always buy a Baby Toupee or some adhesive barrettes.

    By the end of this week, your baby will weigh about 4 pounds and measure over 17 inches long—about the length of a hot pair of above-the-knee boots. Christian Louboutin? Manolo Blahnik? We’re thinking Isaac Mizrahi for Target—you’ve got a nursery to furnish!

    via 32 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

    +++

    Two Words this week:

    Glucose Test

    What is a Glucose Test you ask?

    Mom to be had to go down to Lab Corp on Thursday – July 26th, 2012 – in order to take a three-hour test that involved, fasting, not drinking water, and drawing blood four times.

    The test runs three hours and mom to be has blood drawn when she gets there, waits an hour, draws more blood, waits another hour, draws even more blood, and then waits another hour before having the last bit of blood drawn.

    4 times, that’s right.  I can’t believe a pregnant woman has to go through such extremes in order to be tested for Gestational Diabetes.  It’s crazy.

    Mom to be did pretty well though, she’s tough, but it even got to her by the end of it.  Funny thing was, most women give out in the first hour, mom to be made it all the way to the last hour before crashing out.  Tough girl.  I was proud of her.

    Then we had a check up that afternoon.  You know what happened there?

    Yes, they clipped her finger in order to draw more blood.  It was just a rough day for her, but she held up.

    Other than all of that, it is same old same old around here.  Baby to be is getting more responsive to both of us and he is moving like crazy.

    That’s it.

  • Orgasmic Birth

    * * * STARS

    The trailer isn’t R rated, but it is a sensitive subject.

    I tell you what, when your wife is pregnant you learn so much about the ways and means of bringing a child into this world.  This video is yet another example of what women are trying, in order to bring joy to the pain of child-birth. 

    I will admit that I had a lot of hesitation before watching it.  It looked like some free love hippy kind of thing with people dropping babies somewhere in the deep dark woods.  I will admit that I was wrong.  This is a very informative documentary, that honestly, opened my eyes to the world of orgasmic births.  It sounds bogus and hippy dippy, but it really isn’t.  

    The most amazing story to me was the couple at the start.  Three hours before child-birth and she was outside with her husband.  They were holding each other and kissing, getting a rhythm going.  Then they went to the back deck and laid out an area (complete with all the necessary medical supplies) to give birth on.  Then easily enough the baby slid right out in the midst of mother nature and the world at large.  I couldn’t believe it.  This wasn’t the normal scene, woman strapped down, stuff being pumped into them, screaming their heads off.  This actually looked like it caused this woman minimum pain.  That was the kind of documentary this movie was.  

    I have found that by watching videos like this, that it really allows for options, which all women should have.  It may not be for everyone, I get that, and some women just need to deliver the traditional way.  I get that.  Some women have complications and need medical help.  I get that as well.  I’m just saying that women should explore their options before just deciding to go to the hospital and be with a doctor.

    This wasn’t as good as The Business of Being Born, but it was still a solid documentary.  I would have lost the background music, annoying, but other than it was good to watch.

  • Week 31

    Your Baby (replace she with he)

    From this week on, your baby will continue to gain around ½ pound a week until shortly before birth (even though it may feel like a whole lot more with every step you take). Other highlights this week:

    Due to increasing space constraints, your baby’s arms and legs stay drawn up close to the body now, known as the fetal position (oh, so that’s where that name came from!). Plus, your baby can now process information from all five senses—so she’ll be all set to smell the pureed peas, taste them, feel them as she mashes them into her hair, hear you crack up and then see the flash as you grab the camera to snap picture after picture.

    By now, your baby’s lungs are the only system not fully mature. And by mature, we’re not saying that the rest of your baby’s systems are mature enough to be out past 10 PM with the neighborhood hooligan, just that her lungs need a little bit more time to bake before they can kick it in the outside world.

    Your baby weighs about 3½ pounds and measures a little over 16 inches, about the same length as that miniskirt you used to wear (and will again someday!).

    via 31 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

    +++

    Not much this week.

    Just more of the same.

    I can’t believe we are now down in the single digits – 9 weeks to go according to the 3D Pregnancy website.

    Mom to be and baby to be are doing fine.  Baby to be is moving around quite a bit now, doing whatever it is babies do inside the womb.

    So far so good.

    That’s it.

  • Week 30

     

    Your Baby

    Big news for baby’s brain this week: It’s starting to wrinkle and fold and looks like something that grew in the back of your fridge. This is due to the rapid growth of your little genius’s brain cells. Other highlights this week:

    Fingernails and toenails are finally finished—causing his or her parents great fear and anguish the first time they try to cut those little daggers (it gets easier, we promise)! Plus, the bone marrow is completely in charge of red-blood-cell production now. Trust us, this is a good thing.

    Baby is starting to shed his lanugo—the downy hair that was covering his skin. Now that he’s chubbier and better able to regulate his body temp, he doesn’t need to sport a fur coat 24/7.

    “I spy an umbilical cord and the inside of my mom’s uterus!” When your baby is awake, his eyes are now wide open and he’s whittling away the hours looking around, checking out his rather dark, limited environs.

    Your baby hasn’t gained much weight or height this week, as most of his energy’s been channeled to the brain. He weighs about 3 pounds and is approximately 15.5 inches long, about the size of London, not the city, Britney Spears’ Yorkie terrier. Of course your baby is less hairy and way cuter!

    via 30 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

    There hasn’t been all that much happening this week.  We are gearing up for some childbirth classes and other things like that.  Mom to be is going through normal pregnancy symptoms  (don’t need to go into detail) and the little one is kicking away.  We are starting to feel body parts and see more of him moving around.  It is pretty awesome to witness.

    There was some good news this week from mom to be’s brother.  He and his wife had their first – a healthy baby boy just over 9 pounds.  Congratulations go out to them.

    We have a doctor’s visit later on today – July 12th, and mom to be has the dreaded glucose test to take.

    What is a glucose test?

    It’s basically this, mom to be has to down this large sugary drink (fruit punch like) and be at the doctor right on time to get her blood drawn.  This is a way for the doctor to test for a form of diabetes women get during pregnancy.  It’s all normal stuff and part of the process, but as long as it keeps her safe we will do it.

    That’s about it.

  • Week 29

    29 Weeks Pregnant

    Your Baby (replace she with he)

    Having a baby prematurely is frightening, no doubt. But here’s a reason to relax: Due to the impressive advancements of medical technology, if your baby is born this week, she’d have a 9 out of 10 chance of survival, which is seriously great news. Other awesome developments:

    Baby’s brain can now control her breathing and body temperature. She can also cough, and her sucking abilities have been perfected. Look out, boobs!

    Your Mini’s skin is looking less wrinkled as she packs on the pounds. She’s starting to look more like a Pampers model and less like a Depends model. She’s now beefing up on the energizing and insulating white fat she’ll be born with (unfortunately, white fat is not energizing and insulating for adults!).

    And speaking of energy, your little Energizer Bunny is on fire these days. You’re sure to feel your share of kicks, punches and elbows, especially when you’re lying down. You might want to start keeping a kick chart to monitor your baby’s movements, and also to later show your 13-year-old child what you endured for him or her. Ask your doctor how to count kicks and how often you should do it.

    This week your baby is a little over 15 inches long—about the length of a loaf of bread—and weighs about 3 pounds, as much as a Macbook Air laptop.

    via 29 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

    +++

    There’s not a lot going on this week with mom and baby.  We have crossed into the third trimester so all we need to do now is keep both of them healthy.  This is really the growing and showing stage.  Everything is supposed to increase over the weeks up until the birth.

    I have started to learn a lot more about what goes into a delivery.  It isn’t as simple as the movies and TV shows make it out to be.  There are a lot of things to decide on, not only for the mother, but for the father as well.

    We did get away for a small Babymoon this week to Ocean Isle Beach, N.C.  It was a nice chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life.  A nice way for me and mom to be to have a few days just to reconnect.  The trip was fun, a bit noisier than we would have liked, but overall it was nice to get back to the ocean.   Technically this is our first of two Babymoons before the baby arrives.  The second one will be a trip to the mountains in August.

    That’s it.

  • The Business of Being Born

    * * * * STARS

    Director Abby Epstein’s controversial documentary takes a hard look at America’s maternity care system, juxtaposing hospital deliveries against the growing popularity of at-home, natural childbirths that some expectant parents are opting for. Former talk show host Ricki Lake was inspired to produce this compelling exposé after a dissatisfying birthing experience with her first child left her with many unanswered questions.

    via Netflix: The Business of Being Born

    I was shocked when I watched this with my wife.  I had no idea the world of birthing a child could be so complicated.  I had no idea there was so much stuff going on behind the scenes that may or may not be necessary.  From a guy’s point of view or the uneducated eye – here’s the way it goes:

    Woman goes into hospital.

    Doctor does what he or she can to deliver the baby.

    That’s it.

    That’s what TV shows and movies have taught us through the years.  The woman is flat on her back and the doctor is giving her whatever they deem necessary at the time of the delivery.

    After watching this movie a lot of that thought process has changed.  I had no idea (or didn’t want to believe) that doctors could be so cold to a woman in labor.  That they would worry more about getting home than they would be about getting the woman to have a healthy baby.  Aren’t doctors supposed to take care of us?  We have to trust them because they usually know what’s right or am I misguided in thinking this.

    The topics explored here are topics that all women should have the option of knowing about.  It is like there is this secret under layer to pregnancy  that the hospitals and insurance companies have enough money to keep quiet.  It’s disgusting to see money take over in such a way.

    This was a solid documentary that everyone should see whether you are pregnant, not pregnant, thinking of being pregnant, or you are just someone who needs an eye opener.  Is the mid wife way the best?  It seems to be working throughout the world, but not here in America.  Watch this movie and then decide for yourself.