Christmas Eve Syndrome...

Once you get a bit older, you will most likely realize what happens on your birthday and on Christmas. All of your family members will be showering you with gifts; toys, clothes, books, more toys, games, and more toys. Once you start to catch on, you will know that at the end of EVERY August and at the end of EVERY December, you will be handed almost everything in your wildest dreams.

For a kid, the anticipation leading up to those days is almost unbearable. When I was young, I used to scour the house looking for all of my presents. I knew every hiding spot in our house. So much so, that your grandparents had to hide my presents at other people's houses or in the trunks of their car! I simply couldn't deal with the anticipation of the pending barrage of gifts. I just HAD to see what I was getting.

Fast forward about 20 years to today, and I have the same feeling in my stomach! The only problem now is that I have no idea when my grownup version of Christmas is going to happen. It could be today, it could be tomorrow, or it could be any time in the next 25 days. For someone that has historically not been good at dealing with anticipation, this is pure torture for me!












So here is what I propose (because I am sure you are reading this from inside your mother's womb)...

If you make your appearance by the 22nd, I will let you have your birthday and Christmas celebrations on their respective dates. HOWEVER, if you make me wait much longer, I will make sure that you NEVER know when we will celebrate your birthday or Christmas. All you will know is that it could be 4 weeks BEFORE these dates or 2 weeks after. That's right, 6 weeks of torture!

Don't get upset. This hurts me more than it hurts you (gotta get used to saying that). You are just to young to understand (another gem). Why, you ask? Because I said so (jackpot!). The trifecta of parenting, and I just nailed it!

Till the next time...

Dad

P.S. Trust me, this is for your own good (BOO YAH!!!)

12 days...

One thing is for sure, you definitely know how to make an entrance. Anticipation is really starting to peak, not just for me and mom, but for our friends and family as well. I really don't have any updates for you at this point. We think we are ready to go once you come home from the hospital. We have likely forgotten a few things, but we won't really know until you come home. You are now the size of a watermelon (bigger than a jicama and a honeydew now!!). You should be over 20" long and weigh more than 7 pounds at this point, but we actually think you are a bit bigger than that.




THAT--------------->



<-------IS IN THERE

If you wouldn't mind coming out soon, mom and I would greatly appreciate it. Our anniversary is on September 6th, and we would really prefer to celebrate our anniversary without having blow up jumpy castles and petting zoos every year! So if you are coming late, you best be REALLY late so your birthday is around Sept. 12th. Just a suggestion...

Till the next time...

Dad

On Baby Watch...

According to doctors, your due date is 19 days from today. However, everyone is on baited breath assuming that you can make your grand arrival any minute. I have officially told your mother that she is not allowed to call me unless she is in labor. If she just has a question, or wants to talk, she has to text me to call her back. You can't imagine what goes through my mind when I see her name pop up on my caller ID, so I don't want any more false alarms.

Other than that, we are still ready for your pending arrival. Grandpa T still insist on calling you "Bubba," and it seems like the more I tell him I don't care for that nickname, the more he wants to tell EVERYONE that is what you are going to be called. So I apologize ahead of time for whatever psychological problems you may have because of that.

We are on pins and needles waiting for you to show your face, so the sooner you can come out the better. It is getting more difficult to concentrate at work thinking that I could get the call at any minute, but I am trying to make due. We have another doctors appointment tomorrow, but I won't be able to make it, so be on your best behavior for your mother. She is now stressing more than ever. On top of the fact that you are making her life pretty uncomfortable lately, she is terrified of the entire birthing process, so try to go easy on her.

Hopefully the next time I post we will have actual pictures of you instead of tropical fruits and cartoon caricatures, but no one knows what this week will bring. Just in case this is my last chance, here is another artist's rendition of what you currently look like.


Till the next time...

Dad

Home Stretch...

We are officially on the homestretch now. Today is August 2nd, and your due date it August 28th. Not much new news here, as it seems this period is the calm before the storm. You are not as active in mom's belly, but I think that is more because you have run out of room than anything else. Our home is now ready for your arrival. We have toys and books and cribs and bassinets and changing pads and bottles and a whole host of things that you MAY or MAY NOT like. What is comes down to is that your mother is already starting to spoil you rotten, and she has not even met you face to face yet!

We met with doctor's late last week, and we now have appointments on a weekly basis until your arrival. As of last Tuesday, mom was starting to show early signs of delivery, but we still don't have a definitive date of your arrival. Based on how your mom feels right now, we think you might look something like the following picture below. Now maybe you have a better idea of why you can't really move around like you used to!!

I went up to Coloma this weekend and spent some time with your buddy Lucas. I don't want to alarm you, but he is getting bigger every day, so you will have some catching up to do when you come out. Although he will technically be 6 months old when you are born, he will really only have a 4 month head start on you. We will have to get you started on ping pong, bags, golf, and poker early so we can have father/son tournaments at the cabin with the Solines and Grandes.

We have another Doctor's appointment tomorrow, so I may have another post this week to give you more progress updates, but I won't know until tomorrow. Don't worry, I will keep you in the loop!

Till the next time...

Dad

33 days...

Anticipation is really starting to build now, as we are getting closer to your due date. Not only is your mom ready for you to arrive, but I am astonished at the number of people in our lives that are also excited to meet you. We do have amazing friends and family, as you will surely find out in the near future.

Speaking of friends, I got to meet your buddy Lil' Carm this weekend. Your mom had to work, but I got to hang out with the Grandes and the Solines on Saturday. In addition to Lil' Carm, Lucas is also getting bigger every day. Although neither of the boys can speak, I am pretty sure they are excited to meet their third musketeer.

You are really starting to make your mom's life miserable. Don't feel too bad about it, there is really nothing you can do about it. The longer you stay in the oven, the better the chance that you will come out happy and healthy. She is definitely taking it one day at a time now, but if you felt like coming out a few days early, I am sure she would be grateful! FYI, my guess is August 18th...

Your nursery/master bedroom is almost complete. You crib is finally put together, and we only have a few minor details to tend to before you come. But overall, we are pretty much ready for your arrival. You seem to be running out of room in your current accommodations, which limits your ability to throw those punches and kicks that your mom and I have come to enjoy. You are also starting to settle a little bit lower in mom's belly, which indicates that you may be making an appearance sooner than expected.

You are now the size of a crenchaw melon (seriously who determines these comparisons?). You are almost 6 pounds, and still growing at about an ounce a day. At the end of this week, you will be considered “full-term,” and you should be starting to make your way into a head-down position (which we think you already are).Till the next time...

Dad

Baby Class...

So this weekend was our "Childhood Development" class, or "New Parent" class, whatever you want to call it. We learned all about the hell that you will be putting your mother through in the coming weeks. But not to worry, she has learned how to breath just right, so that ALL of the pain will subside and you will simply walk right out. The class did have quite a bit of useful information about your pending arrival, as well as what to expect in the first few days after you are here. It all seems a little overwhelming, but I have a feeling that taking care of you will be so rewarding that we will forget what a pain in the ass you are!

I think you are starting to run out of room in your current home, because its seems as if you are starting to get annoyed at the lack of space nature has provided you inside the womb. Most of the time (maybe when you are sleeping), your mom's pregnant belly is symmetrical and nice to look at. However, when you get frustrated with your current living situation, you tend to use any body part you can to let her know you are ready for some additional space, which makes her stomach look distended and weird (think Rocky from the movie Mask). I am pretty sure we are just as anxious as you are, except we aren't punching and kicking anyone or anything to express our restlessness. And don't get to excited to get out and stretch your legs, once you see our family's living arrangement, you may be begging for another upgrade sooner than you think!

Overall, things are going well. Doctor says you are doing good, and so far we are not expecting any complications. As of today, you are 40 days from arrival. Personally, I think you will be here in the next 30 days, but that is mere speculation than actual science. That picture above is about what some website thinks you look like right now. Can't wait to meet you!

Til the next time...

Dad

Nursery/Master Bedroom...

Your new home is starting to take shape. Mom and I spent the better part of yesterday clearing out some of our clutter to make room for your clutter. Almost everything is complete, save for the crib, which I found out was broken while I was in the middle of putting it together. A replacement part should be here within a week and we will then be able to finish of your section of our family bedroom!

I bought your headphones on Saturday and you have been listening to music all weekend. Mom says that some songs make you move a lot more than others, but we are not sure if that means you like it or you are trying to get away from it. We picked a lot of songs that your mom and I really like, and overall it should expose you to a nice eclectic mix of music. I just wish I knew what you liked and what you didn't. I guess we will find out after we meet.

With less than 7 weeks left, we are almost in "any day" territory. I am still mentally prepared for August 28th, but for some reason, lots of people think you will be early. Mom has a pool at her work to guess your due date, and lots of people are picking early dates.

I think I am getting better at picking out what body part you are pushing with inside of mom. You are starting to get too big to move around freely, and mom's belly is starting to flex in some really weird shapes. While it is good to know that you are active, it is really starting to freak mom out. I find it amusing, but I must admit, sometimes it is a bit bizarre. But let's be honest, this whole 9 month process is REALLY surreal to go through.

Can't wait to meet you.

Till the next time...

Dad