To quote Click and Clack: “Hah! We’re back!”
No, I have not forgotten about my intention to journal significant moments in my family’s development. Yes, significant moments have occurred, but I have been waiting. I have been biding my time, collecting information, staying observant so as to catch every single nuance of every single situation so I could precisely document it for all to read. Now we are ready. Now I can walk you step by step through the last few weeks with lavish detail and meticulously explained situations, so in depth that if you yearned for a more realistic knowledge you would have to actually BE me. Whew. Deep breath… Ready?
Angie and I and the baby-to-be are great. Thanks for asking.
Anti-Climactic? No doubt. But in truth that really does sum it for us. Don’t worry, I have more. I will try and separate things into sections:
Mother-to-be
Home
Sister
Mom in NC
Mom in SC
Father-to-be
Mother-to-be
Angie is doing really well now, at least much better than she was. She makes it through almost every activity without gagging, but still has trouble with brushing her teeth. Her appetite swings are much better as well, although that may be her excellent management technique: a snack bag overflowing with crackers and cheerios and such. Her energy is more normal, but she does take often breaks, which is exactly as it’s supposed to be, we think. There has been one mention of some flurries in her tummy and she was not sure whether she had felt baby movement of was just digesting, but we are on the lookout for more movement. We have a doctors visit on the fifteenth, and at that point we will have to decide whether or not we want to find out the sex. Angie is still pretty sure she doesn’t want to know, but I am caving and think I can keep a secret if I find out. She is going to be at nineteen weeks tomorrow.
Home
To talk about our home we have to note that we have four dogs, two cats, and seven fish. We live in a 1600 sq. ft. two floor house with a smallish single car garage, with two attics for storage. Our lot is not big, about a third of an acre, but it fairly well kept in the front and despite my best efforts we have grass in the front. The back is fenced in and has a large wooden deck and pergola. Unfortunately, the entire fenced in area (turf) is run by the local gang known as the “4 Dog Posse” or simply 4DP. The 4DP is a bit of an enigma, as they are wholly prejudiced against all things green, but seem to have no international prejudices and have accepted members from Britain and Germany among other nations. The 4DP had been pretty inconspicuous for years until the German showed up. In the years since his arrival the toll on green things has risen twenty-fold. They still remain shrouded in mystery and have only occasionally been glimpsed doling out their “justice” on green things. On one rare occasion we witnessed the German, the one we have named “Otto” viciously attack a green thing. Worse yet, we had attempted to dissuade the attack by coating the green thing with a pepper spray deterrent and were horrified as we watched “Otto” become enraged by the pepper deterrent and vivisect the green thing before our eyes. Angie still has nightmares. And don’t even get me started on the land-mines they leave for the unwary. It is, fortunately, one of their only assaults on Angie and I, the other being their deliberate (could it be unintentional!?) drain of all liquid assets Angie and I try desperately to amass.
Well, with a child on the way we decided we can not allow our child to be raised in fear of landmines and witnessing the horrors of the war 4DP is waging against the green things. Rather than a scorched earth assault (the theory being no one would be able to tell the difference in our back yard since everything, even down to the grass, has been assassinated) we chose a containment approach and have implemented a fencing strategy. After pricing multiple containment designs, we decided to build our own and have designed a 24’x20’ area the 4DP can patrol and maintain their anti-green initiative. Despite the chasm separating us in our social views we brokered an agreement that allows passage to and from the house, and stipulates that the 4DP will be allowed out into the yard only under our supervision, but will be free to mutilate all green things on their turf. Of course that point is moot, as we will not place anything green on their turf, but they don’t know that yet, and I don’t think they can read, although “Otto” certainly looks like a quick study.
With the backyard under control, we are hoping that it will help the rest of the house. Having the silly dogs outside and safe is great and we should be able to turn our dustbowl of a yard into something more pleasant and less dusty and muddy. Angie and I are trying to get the little jobs out of the way so we can focus on the big one: the baby room. I think we are breaking the jobs up into two categories, one being putting the house together the way we want it, and the other is integrating the baby into it. This dog area is the first in the list of things we need to do to get the house “done” or at lease as close to “done” as we can get it. We both are on the same page though, so at least our direction and goal is the same. I hope we aren’t scraping popcorn off the ceiling and pretending to be a mobile for the baby at the same time…
Sister
This is relatively old news, and I suspect that her blog will have very good info about her everything. If you area so inclined to read it, post a comment and I will reply with the URL. So my news based on a phone call is: Sister and Jared are doing great. Baby Caroline is doing well too, from what I last heard, and Mary is tolerating it all. Here is a picture for everyone:
Mom in NC
Wilma is doing great. She had been sick but has recovered tremendously and we are so thrilled that she has her joie d’ vie back. She even has a little spike haircut, very cool. We are hoping she will come visit us soon, but seeing her over Easter was very pleasant.
Mom in SC
Mom down here is doing great too, although not quite as mobile as she may want to be. Since she fell in VA, she has been hanging in there, and coping really well. I suspect that her immobility is starting to erode her positive attitude some, but I have no doubt she won’t let it get her down to far. Her ankle will be back up to speed and although it will have hardware in it, she should be doing jumping-jacks very shortly.
Father-to-be (Me)
I must admit I have a whole lot to say. So many unique things have happened over the last several weeks, and I am struggling to process all the unique things and stay on top of the everyday items. I think the oddest thing is my incredulity at being a father. Two months ago I was gung ho about the being a dad and now I don’t believe it’s true. It’s like I slipped into denial after acceptance, it seems backwards. I do find it hard to believe that I will be a Dad. I look around at other parents and think that I don’t seem that old, or I don’t feel old enough or, more often: I don’t act old enough. My nesting instinct has continued mostly and the spirit of my intentions that I wrote about in January are in place even if the specific actions aren’t always there. I am really worried about the fact that it seems like Angie and I struggle to progress with our plans despite having more available time then we will have come August and the following eighteen or so years. I am sure we will adapt and grow as the challenges present themselves, especially when we “have to”.
I’m going to break here and maybe post some more later today. Probably not much this weekend since we’ll be busy fighting the 4DP, but Angie and I have formed a tentative alliance with the “Two Cat Crew” and feel optimistic about our chances. God Bless and a toast to Quikcrete!
No, I have not forgotten about my intention to journal significant moments in my family’s development. Yes, significant moments have occurred, but I have been waiting. I have been biding my time, collecting information, staying observant so as to catch every single nuance of every single situation so I could precisely document it for all to read. Now we are ready. Now I can walk you step by step through the last few weeks with lavish detail and meticulously explained situations, so in depth that if you yearned for a more realistic knowledge you would have to actually BE me. Whew. Deep breath… Ready?
Angie and I and the baby-to-be are great. Thanks for asking.
Anti-Climactic? No doubt. But in truth that really does sum it for us. Don’t worry, I have more. I will try and separate things into sections:
Mother-to-be
Home
Sister
Mom in NC
Mom in SC
Father-to-be
Mother-to-be
Angie is doing really well now, at least much better than she was. She makes it through almost every activity without gagging, but still has trouble with brushing her teeth. Her appetite swings are much better as well, although that may be her excellent management technique: a snack bag overflowing with crackers and cheerios and such. Her energy is more normal, but she does take often breaks, which is exactly as it’s supposed to be, we think. There has been one mention of some flurries in her tummy and she was not sure whether she had felt baby movement of was just digesting, but we are on the lookout for more movement. We have a doctors visit on the fifteenth, and at that point we will have to decide whether or not we want to find out the sex. Angie is still pretty sure she doesn’t want to know, but I am caving and think I can keep a secret if I find out. She is going to be at nineteen weeks tomorrow.
Home
To talk about our home we have to note that we have four dogs, two cats, and seven fish. We live in a 1600 sq. ft. two floor house with a smallish single car garage, with two attics for storage. Our lot is not big, about a third of an acre, but it fairly well kept in the front and despite my best efforts we have grass in the front. The back is fenced in and has a large wooden deck and pergola. Unfortunately, the entire fenced in area (turf) is run by the local gang known as the “4 Dog Posse” or simply 4DP. The 4DP is a bit of an enigma, as they are wholly prejudiced against all things green, but seem to have no international prejudices and have accepted members from Britain and Germany among other nations. The 4DP had been pretty inconspicuous for years until the German showed up. In the years since his arrival the toll on green things has risen twenty-fold. They still remain shrouded in mystery and have only occasionally been glimpsed doling out their “justice” on green things. On one rare occasion we witnessed the German, the one we have named “Otto” viciously attack a green thing. Worse yet, we had attempted to dissuade the attack by coating the green thing with a pepper spray deterrent and were horrified as we watched “Otto” become enraged by the pepper deterrent and vivisect the green thing before our eyes. Angie still has nightmares. And don’t even get me started on the land-mines they leave for the unwary. It is, fortunately, one of their only assaults on Angie and I, the other being their deliberate (could it be unintentional!?) drain of all liquid assets Angie and I try desperately to amass.
Well, with a child on the way we decided we can not allow our child to be raised in fear of landmines and witnessing the horrors of the war 4DP is waging against the green things. Rather than a scorched earth assault (the theory being no one would be able to tell the difference in our back yard since everything, even down to the grass, has been assassinated) we chose a containment approach and have implemented a fencing strategy. After pricing multiple containment designs, we decided to build our own and have designed a 24’x20’ area the 4DP can patrol and maintain their anti-green initiative. Despite the chasm separating us in our social views we brokered an agreement that allows passage to and from the house, and stipulates that the 4DP will be allowed out into the yard only under our supervision, but will be free to mutilate all green things on their turf. Of course that point is moot, as we will not place anything green on their turf, but they don’t know that yet, and I don’t think they can read, although “Otto” certainly looks like a quick study.
With the backyard under control, we are hoping that it will help the rest of the house. Having the silly dogs outside and safe is great and we should be able to turn our dustbowl of a yard into something more pleasant and less dusty and muddy. Angie and I are trying to get the little jobs out of the way so we can focus on the big one: the baby room. I think we are breaking the jobs up into two categories, one being putting the house together the way we want it, and the other is integrating the baby into it. This dog area is the first in the list of things we need to do to get the house “done” or at lease as close to “done” as we can get it. We both are on the same page though, so at least our direction and goal is the same. I hope we aren’t scraping popcorn off the ceiling and pretending to be a mobile for the baby at the same time…
Sister
This is relatively old news, and I suspect that her blog will have very good info about her everything. If you area so inclined to read it, post a comment and I will reply with the URL. So my news based on a phone call is: Sister and Jared are doing great. Baby Caroline is doing well too, from what I last heard, and Mary is tolerating it all. Here is a picture for everyone:
Mom in NC
Wilma is doing great. She had been sick but has recovered tremendously and we are so thrilled that she has her joie d’ vie back. She even has a little spike haircut, very cool. We are hoping she will come visit us soon, but seeing her over Easter was very pleasant.
Mom in SC
Mom down here is doing great too, although not quite as mobile as she may want to be. Since she fell in VA, she has been hanging in there, and coping really well. I suspect that her immobility is starting to erode her positive attitude some, but I have no doubt she won’t let it get her down to far. Her ankle will be back up to speed and although it will have hardware in it, she should be doing jumping-jacks very shortly.
Father-to-be (Me)
I must admit I have a whole lot to say. So many unique things have happened over the last several weeks, and I am struggling to process all the unique things and stay on top of the everyday items. I think the oddest thing is my incredulity at being a father. Two months ago I was gung ho about the being a dad and now I don’t believe it’s true. It’s like I slipped into denial after acceptance, it seems backwards. I do find it hard to believe that I will be a Dad. I look around at other parents and think that I don’t seem that old, or I don’t feel old enough or, more often: I don’t act old enough. My nesting instinct has continued mostly and the spirit of my intentions that I wrote about in January are in place even if the specific actions aren’t always there. I am really worried about the fact that it seems like Angie and I struggle to progress with our plans despite having more available time then we will have come August and the following eighteen or so years. I am sure we will adapt and grow as the challenges present themselves, especially when we “have to”.
I’m going to break here and maybe post some more later today. Probably not much this weekend since we’ll be busy fighting the 4DP, but Angie and I have formed a tentative alliance with the “Two Cat Crew” and feel optimistic about our chances. God Bless and a toast to Quikcrete!
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