Week 22 Day 6 - One Day Closer

1:06pm

Just another day closer to meeting our daughter. 

My wife cleaned the house this morning while I am at work. She really shouldn't be doing too much physical work anymore I would imagine. But she is much better at it than I am. I usually do the laundry, dishes, vacuum, daily stuff. She likes to deep clean every once in a while. Hey, I can't complain. 

She is out shopping now with her sister. She was going to go look for some summer dresses that she can wear to work because her clothes are starting to not fit anymore. 

I have been pretty busy this morning trying to catch up on work and cook at the same time. Made some Texas BBQ Top Sirloin steak for samples today. Turned out really good. I am going to take my lunch break now, my wife left me some of her leftovers from an Italian restaurant that she had for lunch yesterday. Looks pretty good, an Italian sandwich and some marinated artichokes. 

7:49pm


So she pretty much has the whole house cleaned and reorganized. This is great, for me. I am a freak when it comes to clean and organized. For the most part, at least.

Things that really bother me:

• Papers/Junk Mail anywhere but in the garbage
• Dishes in the sink
• Clutter on tables, or work surfaces
• Uncondensed containers in the refrigerator
• Dirty laundry anywhere but in the laundry basket 

I am sure there are a few more that I will remember later, but will be too lazy to add them. Like right now, she is playing dance music on the stereo louder than I care for. I actually don't really like this style of music at all, which doesn't help. But it motivates her to keep cleaning, so I guess I can deal with it. 

I was reading some the blog over at PregnantChicken.com and came across an article about "Horrible Pregnancy Photos". It takes a lot for me to literally laugh out loud at something I'm watching or reading. And my wife and I both got a pretty good laugh out of this picture...

Week 22 Day 5 - Our baby's growth

9:40pm


Our daughter is about the size of a baseball mitt(or a papaya) this week. She weighs just over 1 pound and is about a foot long. 

Our baby at 22 Weeks :

• Now that she's got more developed eyes and lips, she's looking even more like a newborn.
• She's sleeping in cycles -- about 12 to 14 hours per day (Most likely when my wife's not feeling any kicks!). 

Pregnancy Symptoms at 22 Weeks :

• Increased libido.
• Stretch marks and maybe even an "outtie", coming from the expanding belly!
• More vaginal discharge, a result of increased blood flow down there.
• Steady weight gain -- about 1/2 pound each week until the end of the pregnancy.
• Minor swelling in hands and feet. She usually can't get her wedding ring on anymore.
• Back aches, due to extra pressure from baby and carrying around the extra weight.
• Hair growth. I'm not too sure how I feel about this...
• Trouble catching your breath, as baby continues to crowd the lungs. She complains about this quite often.

I am working the late shift again today. Start at 1pm. Before I leave though I am going to throw some pork country ribs in the crockpot. My wife marinated them over night in the fridge with some rib rub, I can only imagine how delicious they will be when I get home tonight.



7:19pm

All I can think about is those ribs waiting for me at home. I cut my first special order tonight, by myself. A lady wanted 6 "exact thickness" filet mignons. I got to work and she loved them. I like being able to do what I love and get the satisfaction of making somebody happy in return. 

My wife isn't answering so she must have fallen asleep. Happens quite often actually. Is this normal? I thought the sleepiness went away in the second trimester?

Week 22 Day 4 - 10 Things Every Dad Should Know

12:21pm

So much to do at work today. I have been there since 7am and just taking my first break now, 5 hours later. 

My wife called to inform me that there was a safety fatality at her work early this morning. She works in an office that has a large manufacturing plant connected. It was one of the workers in there. I am unsure of the full details, but she said it has been an emotional morning around there.

2:18pm

Unfortunately some more bad news to share today. My wife lost one of her cousins as well. Needless to say, this day is not going to well for her. Luckily she is a strong girl and can handle a lot of stress. 

Rest in Peace Bobby. 

5:05pm


Hmm, I wonder what's for dinner....  It's 83 and sunny out, maybe I can take her somewhere nice for dinner where we can sit outside and enjoy this weather along with a bite to eat.  I'm sure she'll like that, since she has been in an office all day and probably stressed out. The last thing on her mind is cooking.  We also have to get some groceries and things.  We were just sitting down talking and the baby was kicking like crazy.  I can actually see her belly move because she is becoming so strong with her kicks and nudges.  There is still so much to do before she comes and it doesn't seem like there is enough time in a day to get anything accomplished.  I know we still have some time, it would just be nice to have it all ready for her arrival.  Well, were going to eat now so more later.  Maybe there will be some updates even though I hate to ask her details of her day today.

10 Things Every Dad Should Know


1. You’ll sometimes think you made a huge mistake.
It’s normal every now and then to secretly wonder why you ever had a kid in the first place. Forgive yourself these occasional moments of self-doubt and, from time to time, let yourself mourn your pre-parenthood life. These moments will be short-lived.
2. Babies + Travel = Not the mess you’d expect.
Most people are intimidated by the idea of boarding a plane with an infant, but this is, in fact, the best time to hit the road. At three months old, a bottle or boob is all that's required to keep them entertained. They have few needs and fewer opinions, so there's no difference (for them) between Cozumel and Cleveland. Go get a tan while you still can.
3. Buy a rechargeable, cordless hand vacuum.
Much of your time will be spent getting things off the floor. At first, it will be all manner of bodily fluids, but soon enough, you're going to be dealing with everything from Cheerios to banana slices. Later, the list will grow to include things like glitter, dirt, forgotten bacon and pretty much anything that can be shredded by small hands. And the clunky upright is too annoying to drag out four times a day.
4. It's perfectly acceptable to make an entire dinner in the microwave. That’s it.
5. Act like a grown-up.
One of the most heartbreaking sights is that of a parent and their young child in a shouting match trying to see who can out-tantrum the other. Children are an endless source of joy, but only when they're not being an endless source of frustration. Breathe deeply and never let yourself escalate to the level of irrational fury that your little one occasionally inhabits. A two-year-old has the right to act like a child; you do not.
6. Accept all offers to babysit. Repeatedly.
There's a weird lag time between when a child is ready to be left with someone (which is pretty much once they can bottle-feed or go four hours between nursing) and when the parents are ready to leave them (which is often much later). Fatigue and frustration are cumulative, and you need a break long before you realize you need one. Your wife may (or may not) protest, but do your best to talk her into letting you take her out on a brief date. Everything looks more manageable and more joyful after a good meal and a glass of wine.
7. Hand-me-downs are more than okay.
Not only are secondhand baby things easier on the wallet and the environment, it’s a lot less agonizing when you find yourself on the fourth outfit of a craptastic kind of day (which, trust me, you will).
8. Make time for the other relationships in your life.
Not only is it important for your child to know there's more to the world than you catering to their every need, but you're also teaching them a very important lesson about what it means to have a full, loving life. Seeing you in the role of good friend or devoted spouse is a way for your kids to learn what it means to actually be a good friend or devoted spouse.
9. There's no such thing as using too many wipes.
There's no prize for using every last corner of a towelette, and it's shockingly difficult to get the smell of baby crap off your hands. At three cents per sheet, everybody's hygiene and gag reflex are well-served by the generous and preemptive use of wipes.
10. You're not the “backup parent.” You're a father.
You’re a full, equal partner in turning a small, fragile sack of fluid and bones into a loving, decent, healthy citizen of the Universe. Never let the fact that other people aren't sure what to do with a man between conception and Little League fool you into thinking that you're anything less than critical to every step of the process. Be informed, aggressively involved and as in love as you're capable of letting yourself be.

-JD ROBERTO

Week 22 Day 3 - Top 50 Valuable Life Lessons

9:07am


Another great day here! I think I am going to clean up around the house while my wife is at work. Possibly take the motorcycle out for a little bit.

I found this list of 50 Valuable Life Lessons that I believe is important to read. Do you agree or would you add/subtract any? I will add yours to my Facebook Fan Page!

50 Life Lessons

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks.
16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.
17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.
19. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Overprepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.
35. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
36. Growing old beats the alternative – dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
41. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
42. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
45. The best is yet to come.
46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
48. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
49. Yield.
50. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.

Written By Regina Brett

2:19pm

Sitting in my wife's work parking lot waiting for her to get a free minute to give me the keys to her car. I thought I would be nice by getting her some Dairy Queen for her 15 minute break. I rode the bike here and I obviously can't carry ice cream and ride at the same time. But, I get to ride and she gets ice cream. It's win-win. 

4:24pm


Had some Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Peanut Butter Blizzards from DQ. Pretty good, the flavor was her idea. While she finished up at work I went for a nice long ride in the country around here. Found some great roads. It really is beautiful out here. I grew up in the city/small town where there is always lights on, always traffic, and lots of buildings. Out here it's long roads, farmer's fields, forest preserves, and spacey subdivisions. Just the smell of fresh grass, flowers, and open pastures is enough to make me want to be here for the rest of my life!


If you have never seen this baby laughing video on YouTube, you have GOT to see it!

Week 22 Day 2

7:27am



We spent some time looking online at cakes last night. We have an idea of what we like, 
probably some sort of animal print. She really likes giraffe or zebra. To me, it doesn't really matter. 
Whatever makes her happy. I am very laid back about most of the baby shower stuff. 
It's more of a girl's thing anyways. 

Like the style, obviously not the color.

Some ideas that we like. Obviously, our cake will be a little different. We just like these styles.

Some advice from another daddy blogger - http://blog.totsy.com/?p=3593

12:19pm

Beautiful day in Chicago. Unfortunately I have to get to work :(

3:38pm

Why am I so spoiled by my wife? I mentioned that she made me something for lunch today that you had to see. It's almost funny. Like, who takes the time to fancy-up some plain Greek yogurt for a bagged lunch?

Too funny. I better enjoy it now because the fancy yogurt time will soon switch to filling bottles time. 

7:39pm

Ok I wasn't going to write. Just enjoy my last break. But I park in the back of the lot facing towards the rest of the lot. In the 10 minutes I have been sitting in my car, two different sets of cars have parked, each with a man and a woman driving each. They parked and one woman got into the man's car. Hugging, kissing, talking, then leaving in seperate cars. The same with the other pair of cars. Very strange and awkward. Am I witnessing cheaters? Maybe I should be a detective. 

Week 22 Day 1

8:50am

Happy Ultrasound Monday!

I want to share a website that I added to my Resources page yesterday. Babybasket.com has adorable gift baskets for newborns, mothers, baby showers, etc. I found them online yesterday and my wife and I spent quite some time looking through them with a lot of "aweeee's!" 

Well, I am off today so that I can go to the ultrasound at 4pm. But until then, I guess I will do what I do every day that I have to myself... CLEAN



1:52pm


One more hour and my wife will be home to pick me up. In the meantime, I am going to check out some baby shower cake ideas online. I really like cakes covered in fondant. I don't know if we are going to do traditional pink though. Maybe something different?  

6:07pm


You would think that of all places, an OB/GYN's office would know how to keep a pregnant woman's hormones under control. She's not happy, and now I'm stuck hearing about how disappointed she is in the quality of the ultrasound pictures we were given. This is the first ultrasound she has had with our new practitioner. In previous ultrasounds, we were spoiled with the quality of the pictures, always given 3d/4d, and we could really see how our baby was developing and changing drastically. We were excited to see her facial features in better detail, instead we were given black and white photos of her leg and foot, face straight on, facial profile, and another reassuring us that she is a girl.... No changes there! Phew! Thank God we don't have to re-register for all boy's stuff, that would have really been a nightmare.

We are going to check out the Maternity Suites at the smaller, country hospital. Maybe this will help to get her mind off of the quality of the ultrasound pictures. Hopefully we will really like it (I say "we", because I will be sleeping there too!) and decided that this will be where we'd like her to be born. It would be nice to have one more thing checked off of our BIG "to-do" list.



9:48pm


Well, I really liked the hospital, very laid back and country. My wife thinks she might be more comfortable at the bigger hospital. Ultimately, it matters what she wants. She is the one that has to push out a baby there. I just get to sit in their chairs. I do appreciate a nice chair.

She made some fish (random freezer fish, looked like cod?) for dinner. It was pretty good. Everything she makes is good. Our little girl will have a good teacher when it comes to cooking.

Wait until you see what she made me for lunch tomorrow...






 

Week 21 Day 7

11:33am

Busy, busy, busy at work this morning! All last minute shoppers for Mother's Day I suspect. Typical. We get some more help in 30 minutes, just in time to not matter. Lots of people start going out for brunch/lunch or do things around the house at this time. It should start to die down a little bit. 

My wife is spending her first "Mother's-To-Be" Day by cleaning the house. Or at least she says she is. What a good wife, I am very lucky to have her. She even made me a lunch for work. Today is supposed to be her day to relax and be pampered. This is why I married her!

3:03pm

Ready to go home! Now it is boring at work because there is a lot of help and nothing much left to do. I did make some Sesame-Teriyaki Burgers for samples though. I haven't cooked much lately. Been using my extra time to learn the cutting techniques.



7:37pm


Wife is cooking dinner now. Before that, we were laying on the couch watching "Long Island Medium" (one of her favorite shows) and we could actually see her stomach moving when the baby kicked. Pretty cool. Very hard to see though, you have to watch closely. My stepsister told her that she can put a paper plate on her stomach and it will move when the baby kicks, makes it easier to notice.

I also got a nice footrub after I came home. It's Mother's Day, why am I getting a footrub? Hey, I'm not complaining!!

At least I am off tomorrow. I am pretty worn out, considering this weekend at work was busier than normal. 4:00pm tomorrow we will be able to see our daughter on screen again! A lady that I work with wants a copy of the ultrasound picture. She won't tell me exactly why but I have a feeling it's for some sort of gift. My boss knows what it's for and although she didn't tell me, she said that it's really nice and that we will like it a lot. It's nice to work with people that are compassionate about family life other than just what happens at work. My boss even said she would be happy to help out babysitting. Hopefully we won't need to rely on that but it's nice to have the offer if we ever needed the help. One of the guy's I work with has two young kids, he doesn't make much and his girlfriend doesn't work. He struggles to pay the bills but does what he has to to keep a roof over his family's heads. Instead of buying eachother gifts last Christmas, we all pitched in and helped him pay for Christmas gifts for his kids. I know he had purchased gifts, but had to return some of them in order to pay his bills. It was pretty hard on him, but we helped him get those gifts again. I thought it was great. I like to give as much as I can, I don't care what I have anymore. Life isn't about getting, it's about giving and helping others. The older I get the more I realize that.