Post-Preggo Shout-Out: Joy Primm

I just want to take a sec to mention my dear friend Joy Primm, who has been so encouraging and supportive throughout the course of my pregnancy thus far. Although she doesn't technically qualify for a "Preggo Shout-Out" at this very moment (that I know of), she is a terrific mom and friend that deserves a special shout-out of her very own.

Joy is married to Seth Primm, one of Timothy's best pals since birth. Seth is an all around awesome guy, so it was no surprise when he found an equally awesome girl to spend his life with. A few short years later, Oliver Franklin was born and the Primms were instantaneously launched into the exhilarating world of parenthood. Since then, Joy has taken motherhood by storm, fending off fevers and dirty diapers with her bare hands. As a result, little Oliver is one of the happiest (cutest, smartest, most well-dressed, etc...) little dudes you've ever had the pleasure to be around.

So when my turn came, I was aware that I would have good friends around that had recently experienced what I was about to go through. Admittedly, I was a little anxious knowing that I would be following a lead rather than forging a path of my own. I had always been of the frame of mind that I could figure things out for myself and would rather struggle through a tough situation than to bare my weaknesses by asking someone else how they did it. However, I soon came to the realization that now was not the time to be proud, but rather, to let my guard down and accept the help being offered to create the best situation for the baby, Timothy, and myself.

Fortunately, Joy has been just the person to make that easy for me. Knowledgeable and sincere, she is always willing to give endless advice without pushing her own agenda, being sure to disclaim each phrase with, "Now this is just what I did. Do what you think is right for you." She has helped to me be strong and convicted, urging me not to worry about what other people might think or about whether I am doing things the way others think they should be done. Her words have convinced me that I am, in a sense, forging my own individual path regardless of all the people that have done this before in that each of my experiences will be unique.

Further, Joy's honesty and willingness to share her anxieties and struggles have really helped to prepare me for what is to come (or to reassure me about things that have already happened). Whether it be physical, mental, or emotional woes, Joy is always straightforward and willing to discuss whatever ails me, even if she is exposing herself in the process. She and Seth both have been very generous and open, helping Timothy and I be a little more prepared for the changes that we will experience. For this (and more), we are so grateful to have the two of them around to share this with us.
And the icing on the cake: Seth and Joy recently asked us to be Godparents for their precious son Oliver, a gesture that is so meaningful, the extent to which I cannot describe in words. Not only do they recognize how much we love them and him, they also have the faith in the type of parents that we can become that they would entrust the love of their life to our care. They didn't even threaten to rescind the offer when Timothy stipulated that Oliver must refer to him at all times as The Godfather. But seriously folks, there is no better compliment than that for a future parent and we are so proud to have them as part of our extended family.

Okay, so it was more of a minute than a sec, but hopefully I've expressed how precious the Primms are to us and how appreciative we are that we've been able to spend this time growing even closer to them and to Oliver (and to reap the benefits of their vast wisdom).

Thanks Primms! We love you guys so much!!

p.s. Check out my Flick'r site for more pics of Oliver and family.

Preggo Shout-Out: Shara Manning

This preggo shout-out goes to Shara Manning of Lowell, AR. Shara is a good friend I met through our community group, along with her sweet hubby Chad. Shara and Chad are expecting their first baby on June 23 - just one week before our little one is slated to arrive!! What's even more ironic is that we met in the very same community group that I referred to in my shout-out to Robin Most. What are the chances that the three of us - Robin, Shara, and myself - would all be due within two weeks of each other!?

Anyway, Shara and I embarked on a serious shopping excursion this past weekend, getting some much needed fuel at T.G.I.Friday's before hitting every maternity store in Northwest Arkansas. Literally. In fact, we even spent a lot of time in non-maternity stores bragging to sales clerks about how we had timed our pregnancies so perfectly that we were able to capitalize on the empire-waisted fashion craze that made shopping in regular stores possible. We had so much fun sharing pregnancy stories and baby stories and finding great deals on cute clothes.

Thanks for the fun weekend, Shara! Next paycheck, we'll do round 2!!

A Day in the Life: January 31, 2007

A Day in the Life: January 30, 2007

Dear Grandpa...

In honor of Grandpa Boettcher 2B's birthday today, this entry has been created in response to his comments and questions on the "Four Months" post:

Will it be Osh Kosh bibs and Nike, or Isod button downs and Stride Rites?

Unless some horrific mutation occurs in utero, depriving our child of the crucial gene that controls the fashion savvy part of the brain (called the stylus impeccabilus), our child will possess an innate sense of all that is stylish (that Timothy and I will be passing on, of course). We intend to nurture this gift from day one to help the baby develop the vital schemas necessary to maintain the level of coolness it will need to realize its full fashion potential.

Will it be a soccer ball, a football, a basketball (Tim is tall), or a baseball (boring.....)?

Assuming that the child will be a boy, these are our respective answers:

Timothy: yes, yes (tight end, probably), yes - if he gets Tim's "tall" gene (you see, at 6'-3", he could play a four guard in high school, but would likely have to move to the one or two guard position in college. Probably won't be tall enough for the pros, but he'll have his education to fall back on if he doesn't get drafted), and...yes

Sarah: yes, no (I like to point out every time a player gets hurt and say, "Is that what you want for our child?"), yes, and...only if they shorten games to five innings

Our little girl, however, will play soccer and volleyball (I'll coach the team), and maybe basketball (if she's not cheerleading). She will excel in dance class and take piano lessons and probably participate in an art class or two. But only if she wants to, of course.

Will you read it (for lack of a better term), Tolstoy or Silverstein, Dr. Seuss or Dr. Ruth?

Farbeit for two book junkies like Timothy and I to put a limit on our child's reading materials. I'm not sure what was read to me before I could read to myself, but I believe I learned to read with your good old-fashioned "See Tom run. Run, Tom, run." primers, which seem to have worked pretty well. From what I've heard, the moment I could read I would read anything with words on it (shampoo bottles, grocery store receipts, etc.). But I will be sure to expose "it" to my early childhood faves - like Silverstein and Suess - in hopes of avoiding some of the bad cartoon-inspired kiddie books on the market today.

During mid-childhood, Tim and I both enjoyed the Encyclopedia Brown series and those "Choose Your Own Adventure" books - good choices that encouraged creativity and helped to develop some logic-building skills. I'm hoping "its" teenage years will inspire some more enriching reads than The Babysitters Club or Christopher Pike thrillers, both of which I was virtually glued to every second of my early teenage years. I'd be happy if "it" would actually read the books your supposed to read for high school lit. class - in high school - and not wait until after college to read all the classics like Tim and I did. That said, I think we'll play it by ear and expose them to as much as possible without turning them into anti-social bookworms.

Will it be reruns of Mr. Rogers or Chris Matthews of MSNBC?

Although I do not intend to encourage excessive TV watching, I am not wholly opposed to exposing the child to a few select programs that should aid in the process of creating a well-rounded mind. For example:

To prepare the child for the athlete's life that it is in store: A daily quota of ESPN1,2,3, and 4 (is there a 5 now?) will be required. Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon will be referred to as "Uncle Tony and Uncle Mike". And Sportscenter will run a continuous loop on a 42" flatscreen mounted over the child's bed. Plus, unless it learns the difference between negligence per se and res ipsa loquitur or can dissect the intricacies of a motion in limine, what will it talk to its father about?

To encourage creativity and imagination: When I was growing up, I loved the program Imagination Station with Mark Kistler. It was an interactive "space-themed" show where the host - "Captain Mark" - would teach the kids at home the basic techniques and terms relating to drawing. With marker and paper in hand, it was there that I first discovered how to locate a horizon line, found out what foreshortening meant, and learned how to shade and shadow effectively. As far as I know, the closest thing to an interactive drawing program today is Pappy's World, whose name alone inspires little confidence. I may have to hop on the Ebay train and see if I can find Captain Mark on VHS...

To develop basic motor skills and encourage a healthy physique: I will give credit where it's due and say that much of the children's programming today does focus on getting the kids up and moving, allowing them to participate physically as opposed to turning them into vegged-out, TV-watching drones. For example, an occasional viewing of the Wiggles would be acceptable, although our beloved Greg recently left the show and it probably just isn't the same.

To enrich the mind and soul: I am actually impressed by the amount of today's children's programming that does center around learning, whether it be learning how to count to ten, how to tie your shoe, or how to share your toys with someone that isn't very nice to you. I appreciate the focus on bi-culturalism as demonstrated by programs like Dora the Explorer (am I the only one who wants to call it "Dora the Explora"?) and Handy Manny. Christian-based programs like Veggie-Tales will always have a place in our home, and I think the Baby Einstein series is genius (and I'm sure its shareholders agree), in that it covers such a wide array of developmental areas and age groups.

That being said, I will always prefer that my child picks up a book instead of a remote control.

Must the urchin (for lack of a better term), eat the entire balanced meal in order to partake in a healthy dessert of assorted fresh fruit, or simply be required to chomp half the hamburger, most of the fries and two Mountain Dews in order to get a Dove bar to enjoy in front of the TV during reruns of Dynasty?

Timothy and I hope to be able to set a good example for the urchin by eating well-balanced meals as a general rule with only an occasional fast food binge now and then. Seeing as we don't generally keep junk food and soda in the house now, I don't intend for that to change once a child enters the picture. I will strive to provide fresh meals daily where the ingredients do not all come in a single bag from the freezer section of the grocery (mystery meat chunks included). I vow to expose my child to the fresh produce section of the market so that it may become familiar with the many vegetables that I never even saw until high school (and that Timothy had never seen unfried until college). Finally, I will require a standard of effort when it comes to trying foods the child thinks might be "icky" based on how it looks or smells. Failure to meet said requirement will result in the deprivation of the healthy dessert of assorted fresh fruit.

So dad, I hope that satisfies your curiosity for now. Let me know if I have failed to address any of the issues that are of concern to you as Grandpa 2B.

Happy Birthday!!

Preggo Shout-Out: Robin Most

This shout-out goes to Robin Most, representing Rogers, AR (holla!). Robin has been married to a great guy named Brian for about two years now, and this will be baby numero uno for the excited couple. We met the Mosts when we joined a community group at our church, Fellowship of NWA. Luckily, our entire group hit it off right away and we all became fast friends.

The Mosts "little firecracker" is due around the Fourth of July - just days from when our baby should be arriving! In fact, if we were to assume the date we've calculated to be accurate (as opposed to the June 30th date that the clinic is suggesting) Robin and I might be delivering on the exact same day!

Robin and Brian will be great parents, and as long as Barkley and Mr. Kitty are on board, they should have no problems introducing their little one into their happy family. In fact, Robin (the "Embroidery Queen") already has a slew of adorable items ready to be monogrammed, so their baby will be sure to learn his/her name in no time. We are so excited for them and happy that we can share this experience together. Congrats and good luck Robin and Brian!

Doctor Visit #2

Doc visit #2 went splendidly. Good pee, good blood pressure, good weight. I had only gained 3 pounds since my last visit instead of 4 (the typical is 1 per week), but Mari assured me that I was just fine, especially considering I that had been exercising regularly. She measured the distance between my pelvic bone and the top of my uterus to be 17cm, which she described as "perfect" - can't get any better than that!

She asked whether I had felt the baby moving yet, to which I replied, "I have no idea." So she proceeded to perform an unexpected ultrasound to make sure that it was indeed moving. And boy, was it!! That little critter was flailing about inside my belly, throwing arms and legs all over the place. Mari explained that my placenta was anterior, meaning it was positioned between the baby and my stomach instead of behind it, so there was quite a bit of cushioning that was protecting mom's gut from the Tae Kwon Do maneuvers the baby was throwing. But being that it was such an active baby, Mari suggested that I would be feeling obvious movement in no time.

She printed another pic, to which she compared to the original pics we had from our first ultrasound in December. What a difference! This time the baby seemed to resemble a human much more than an alien life form, despite its enormously disproportionate head. Of course that mystery was solved when Timothy removed his hat, pointed to his own overgrown noggin and said, "Well, what did you expect?"

We scheduled our next visit for February 23, where we will (hopefully) be finding out whether a little boy or little girl will be joining our family. During the ultrasound, Timothy became convinced that he had spotted some boy parts. I was convinced that the "boy parts" were a leg. Of course Timothy considered that to be support for his own case. But we'll find out soon! 'Till then, we will be waiting eagerly in anticipation...

p.s. We hope to be getting a scanner this upcoming weekend so we can post both ultrasounds. Be sure to check back if you'd like to see how the baby (and its head) have grown over the last month!!