Week 39 Day 3 - Teenage Pregnancy

8:08pm



My wife stayed home from work today. She didn't get much sleep last night due to what we think is Braxton-Hicks contractions. She was up quite a bit, in pain. She was very uncomfortable. I'm glad I was born a male.


Her work is very understanding, which helps.


I think we have our bags pretty much packed, and ready. One for her, one for the baby's stuff, and one for me, since I will be staying at the hospital as well. My work is already prepared for "the call", if I am at work when she goes into labor. They know that I will be needing a few days off.

I am going to try my hardest to do a sort-of streaming update when she is in labor. Kind of a play-by-play of what's going on. No gross pictures, or little details, but sort of like Facebook "status updates". So make sure you are watching closely for when she goes into labor. I will notify over all my social network pages. Twitter is probably your best bet, because it is easiest to update quickly.


One thing I have been overwhelmed by lately is the amount of teenage girls having babies. I have quite a few followers on Twitter, and Instagram, and most of them are young single mothers. I cannot believe how many 16, 17, 18 year old girls there are out there with children. I just feel bad for them. I know it takes two people to create a baby, but maybe it's the parenting to blame. How are all of these kids having kids?

I also think that society is putting a lot of pressure on young girls to be "hot". More depression, suicide, drug use, than ever, and a lot of it is caused by peer pressure. Peer pressure can also be linked to teen pregnancy. Lyrics of songs are becoming more and more about sex, and degrading of women. Boys listen to this and think that it is normal to be sleeping with girls, with that being the only intention, especially after puberty, which is in the teenage years. These kids are still in high school. They aren't using protection. Their parents have probably never talked to them about the dangers and outcomes of their actions. The saddest part is all of the single young teenage mothers that are left to take care of these innocent babies. Oh, and the mother's families. Because we all know that a 16 year old girl is not working to support that child on her own. I just never knew the extent, and now I have seen it personally. Something that I am going to have to worry about in 15 years when I have a teenage daughter.

 

I am 26, and my wife is 23. I cannot even imagine how my life would be right now if I had a child at 16. They would be 10 years old! I still feel like a kid sometimes....





How would you feel if your child told you they were pregnant in their high school years? What were your parenting techniques that allowed your children to NOT make these mistakes?

 

*Some links on this page may contain affiliate links. All opinions are 100% my own.

Week 39 Day 2 - Maternity Photos

9:18am


Our baby is now the size of a watermelon. Thanks BabyBump.com newsletter for the constant reminders of how big of a fruit my wife has inside her belly. Brain is still developing, more fat is being stored under the skin, etc. More fat? She already seemed fat enough in the ultrasound photos...


Don't be surprised if a 9 pound baby comes out of there. I won't be.


So we got our Maternity photos the other day. They came out really good. But if you know me, I can't have a photo that I didn't edit somehow. So I took a few and had my way with them. Let me know what you think!

We have all of the originals on a disk. Higher quality so if you would like prints let me know. (Mothers and/or Random Creeps)


I need to find a sponsor who will donate a new DSLR camera for me to play around with... Anyone? Sony? Canon? Nikon? Can you hear me, now? Verizon?

*Disclaimer - Some links on this page may contain affiliate links. All opinions are 100% my own.

Week 39 Day 1 - The Final Week

10:57pm



It's the last week of the normal pregnancy cycle. We are both ready for her to be here. My wife has been in quite a bit of pain the last couple days. She hasn't got much sleep because of it. She gets a lot of sharp pains around her bladder. The doctor said that the baby can be up against the bladder, or a nerve, and everytime she shifts it causes a shooting pain. She has almost been in tears because of it. But it only happened a few times. Most of the time she is fine, just uncomfortable.


We went to Carter's baby clothing store to find an outfit for her to come home in. They have a lot of cute baby clothes to choose from. After a little debating, I helped her pick out her little dress. You will see that when it's time!

I found some other appropriate clothes for her while I was looking around...

I told my wife that any of those three would be great for her to come home in.... She thought that a dress would be just fine. Whatever.

Oh, and the doctor also said that my wife might want to think about telling her work that Friday will be her last day. It's too close now, and most women take the last couple weeks of their pregnancy off anyways. She should be getting as much rest as she can because she will be nonstop once that baby is here. I will, too. But here in America, us dads don't get any paid time off. (Remember, Week 32 Day 1 - Americans Have Never Heard Of Paid Parental Leave) So at work, I will be.

She is still trying to decide whether or not she is going to actually end on Friday. The baby might come before then, you never know. Will she make it to next Tuesday, September 17th, the due date? I have a feeling she won't. 

Place your bets!

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*Disclaimer - One of more of the links contained in this post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are 100% my own.

Week 38 Day 3 - Who Crapped In The Yard?

8:29pm




It's been a great day so far, minus the stinky feet that found there way into my lap as I'm writing this. My wife seems to think that because her feet are swollen, that they can be rubbed constantly. By me. Yeah, no.


We went to the doctor yesterday, and he said that she is still about a half centimeter dilated. The baby's head is very low in the birthing canal, and she is about 80% effaced.

What effaced means - for people like me -

He also seemed to think that she will make it to her due date. We were concerned about going early, because the baby was measuring larger than normal. But from what he felt, he said she is right on track, and should make it to her due date, September 17th. He is even going to have her schedule a date, the week after, in case she goes past. They won't let her go a week past. She will be induced before that.



Now, let's get serious for a minute. Who does this?

This was the beautiful welcome home I received when I walked up to our front door today.

Why are there still people out there, who walk their dogs, and let them crap all over, and don't pick it up? Is it really that difficult? Why do you even have a dog if you can't clean up after it?

At least I am really hoping that it was from a dog. I guess I shouldn't stereotype.


Why my day was awesome -

Got to spend a little time on the bike today. I followed my wife to the bank and then to dinner. And by dinner I mean a really bad choice. 

I feel sorry for my body, tomorrow. 

If you have never been to a White Castle, don't. It is too delicious to stop eating, and your colon will hate you. 

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*Disclaimer - This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are 100% my own. 

Week 37 Day 7 - $100.00 Gift Card Giveaway!

8:04pm


I realized that I don't give my readers anything to look forward to, other than a baby coming any day now! I partnered up with a few companies to offer some chances to win giveaways, and some money-saving coupons as well. I will try to post new offers as soon as I learn about them, so that I can pass them on to you!

Ending tonight is a chance to win a $100.00 Gift Card! It's free to enter, and worth the shot! Here is your link -

100.00 Giveaway - RewardIt



And for the mothers out there, I have a couple diaper coupons that are easy to clip and use.









It's also a good idea to sign up for Pampers "Gifts To Grow" Free Membership, you get deals sent to your email, and can accumulate points, which you can use to redeem gifts, and coupons. Get 100 FREE bonus points when you sign up through my link -






*Disclaimer - One or more of the links on my page may contain affiliate links. I stand by everything that I post on my page, and all opinions are 100% my own.

Week 37 Day 6 - No Farting, Please.

10:27pm



This weekend is pretty tough on me, with the holiday. It's overly busy at work and that really wears me out. Tonight, my mom and aunt drove out by us, and we all went out to dinner. Tried a new place up the road a little bit, and it turned out to be a big hit. Can't wait to go back.


We all got to talking about going into labor, and birth in general. A conversation that I was somewhat interested in, but at the same time, grossed out with. Why do men not like to talk about giving birth? Is it because it's something that we don't have to experience? Are we too high and mighty for it? What's the big deal?


I can't explain it. It's just awkward. Maybe I am the only one? I don't know, but I don't think so. I don't think any guys are excited to talk about babies coming out of you-know-where. But it's such a normal part of life. I guess it falls into the same category as "pooping", and "sex", and "farting".

Everyone does it, but nobody talks about it. Like it's forbidden.

Week 37 Day 5 - Dark Clouds Over Parenthood

8:48pm

While working today, some of my coworkers were giving me a little haggling about becoming a dad soon. They both have young children.  One has two, and the other has one. 

Both of them said they wouldn't want to have any more. So I had to know why?

Dude "A" is the one with two kids, both boys. I think one is around 5 years old, and the other just turned 2. He tells me stories about how his iPods go missing, tantrums, expenses, and headaches. I told him that it all seems like part of the fun! I think the point he is trying to make is that having kids is A LOT of work. And I understand that. He tells me about all of the diaper changing, and the sleepless nights. He explains how you have to constantly wait on them, and have all your attention given to them. He always gives me a hard time, saying "Your life is about to never be the same again." I'm pretty sure he means well, and is just trying to give me a strong, heads-up so that I am mentally prepared.

Lesson Learned - Kids are great, but not necessarily always fun. 

Dude "B" has a 4 year old boy that lives with his mother. They are divorced, obviously. He is a little more enlightening about being a dad. He tells me stories about how his son and him go to Navy Pier, and how they like to go to the zoo together. He doesn't get to see him as much as he likes, but he gets him a few days every other week. He also explains about how much work it is to have a child, but his was pretty tame so he didn't experience much of the "trouble" that Dude "A" seems to encounter. I was a good kid when I was young, so I can only hope that our daughter gets that trait at least. Her mom's looks and her dad's temper would be ideal. Dude "B" still says that he doesn't plan on having any more kids. Even after all the positive things he has to say. Why? He said having a kid is great, but the experiences are enough with one. But having at least one is a must. Every man should be a dad at some point in their life. The reward is something you will never know if you don't. 

Oh, and he also says how quickly they grow up. Actually I think just about everyone has told me that. 

Lesson Learned - Experience what you can with your children, in case you don't have the opportunity again. 

How about you? How do you feel about raising children? Did you want to stop at one? Do dads feel differently than moms? Let me know!

Check out the skies of Chicago tonight!

Week 37 Day 4 - Why Was PregoForMen Created?

7:52pm




Here's a question that I have never had to answer.


Why did I start writing this blog?


To be honest, I am not even sure. As soon as I found out my wife was pregnant, I decided that I wanted to keep some sort of journal. I had seen links to other blogs online, and I thought to myself, I am much better at typing than I am at handwriting. I like hobbies, and I think writing is a healthy one. Since it only took about 30 minutes out of the day to write about what the following day consisted of, it wasn't too time consuming, either. So I did a little research about the different blogging platforms available, and I chose to use Blogger, and got to writing.


At first I was updating a few times throughout the day, but that got tedious. I also realized that people probably don't care about how much I eat during the day, or what happens at work. I wanted to focus more on pregnancy. So I'm trying my best to keep to the subject, but the truth is, pregnancy isn't all that exciting on a daily basis. There's only so many times you can watch the baby move in her stomach, before it's not much to see anymore. Don't take it the wrong way, I love seeing her move, but I don't feel the need to stare for hours at her belly. I do like to take an occasional headrest on there, usually to get booted off by the baby. I don't think she likes when my head squishes her.

I write a new post every day, and haven't missed one since I started. But I'm thinking that I won't be able to update daily after she is born. I already know that I won't have the time, and there are going to be things to do that are far more important than sitting down to write. However, I plan on doing my best. I think it is important to create a sort of memoir that we all can look back on. Plus, it's an easy way for our families to keep up to date with what's going on, without having to call.

Pregnancy From A Guy's Perspective has evolved from a simple blog, to an active Facebook page, a daily Google+ page, a unique Tumblr profile, an interactive Instagram account, and a lively Twitter fanbase. PregoForMen has reached over 20,000+ views since inception earlier this year.

I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every minute I have put into this.


And, THAT is why PregoForMen was created.






Want to start from the beginning? Here's the very first post!
February 19, 2013 - Week 10 Day 1

Remember this photo?

Week 37 Day 2 - Cars Are Baby Ready and Harry's Shaving Products

11:39pm



Baby is now the size of a wintermelon.

Have you heard of a wintermelon? I haven't.


We spent most of our night, last night, installing the car seat bases into both of our cars. It was actually pretty easy to do. We thought it would be a lot more difficult. We have the Britax B-Agile system, and it works very well. Hopefully we have them installed right. I'm think we do. They don't move much.

I snapped a quick picture while we were shopping at BuyBuyBaby a couple days ago. Look at that baby!

 

Harry's Shaving Products

www.harrys.com

$15.00 - The Truman Set

I was lucky enough to start growing facial hair later than most of my friends. I still hear about how young I look. I guess that's a good thing. When you are young you want to look older, but the opposite happens as you grow up. You always want to look younger again. Anyways, I started shaving with regular, cheap razor blades, and hated them. I eventually moved up to an electric shaver, and after a couple different styles, I still use an electric every day. It's just plain convenient. 

An electric shaver is fast, but it NEVER gets that close, smooth feel, that you get by manual shaving. This is where Harry's comes in handy. Harry's provides incredibly solid shaving products for a low price. I had the honor of trying out their "Truman Set" and it really is a piece of art. The shaver is heavy, and durable. It reminds me of the clean look of an Apple product. The set includes the Truman handle, three blades (four razors on each), a bottle of shave cream, and a shaving guide. All for 15.00 dollars.

Worth it for sure. Every guy likes the luxury of a great shave, and this kit will help him achieve that. Great as a gift, and you can also subscribe for an automatic plan, where you get more cream and blades sent monthly.


Harry's
http://www.harrys.com
@harrys







*Disclaimer - I received these products for review at no charge, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100%  my own and not persuaded by any compensation. If your product sucks, I will tell you it sucks.

Week 36 Day 7 - Clean Up That Mustache!

2:50pm


Spent most of the morning out on the bike with my uncle and some of his friends. It's pretty hot out here today, but I was smart enough to put on sunscreen before we left. I burn easily, but could desperately use a tan. Getting quite pale being shacked up in this house all the time, organizing baby stuff. 


Now it's time to go get more baby things done. It's neverending. There's always something to do, and she isn't even here yet.

I think we are going to install the car seat bases into our car's today. Reorganize her "diaper" closet. Unpack some more of the big items, and set them up.

Yesterday we cleaned out our room really well, so that her sleeper can be in the corner. Got rid of a lot of clothes that we have outgrown. In age, and in size. Me, for the most part.

Man's Face Stuff

www.mansfacestuff.com

Use code - STACHETASTIC for 10% off all orders!

If you are a manly man, or just some dude with a 'stache, Man's Face Stuff has great handmade mustache wax to keep that thing styled all day long. Why pay for chemicals and a CEO to get richer? Support your small business and check these guys out. It's an Etsy shop online, and these products smell AWESOME! Now, if only I had a mustache....

Here's what you get for 28 bucks -

All four of their scents, and a small gift bag as well. I would say it's worth the money, because that should last quite a while! I would hope.

Here what I got! -

That Red Hot smell came radiating through the packaging envelope that I received them in. It really does smell like Red Hot candies!

Be sure to check them out for all your mustache grooming needs, guys!

Man's Face Stuff

http://www.mansfacestuff.com

@MansFaceStuff

*Disclaimer - All products were donated in return for an honest review. All opinions are 100% mine and are not persuaded by any compensation. If your product sucks, I will tell you it sucks.