At 8:20 this morning, the impressively knowledgeable ultrasound technician had made her way down the body of the little person in Kelly's belly far enough to reveal a penis. It's safe to say that seeing a penis has never created this same reaction in me. The holy freaking crap, there it is AND HOLY FREAKING CRAP reaction! I was utterly entranced for the entire hour of the ultrasound. But it was like real life had stopped time. Nothing else in the world was going on other than what was on that screen. The little shapes and movements, light colors and dark colors, little toes and fingers and the most absurdly adorable tiny little foot. I'm in awe even now.
And the best part of all. Everything is there. And working. And moving. And functioning. Giant sigh of relief. Major fist pump. Euphoric yell. Sing it to the world. We're having a boy!!
Friday, February 24, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
The million dollar question
I think it's official. I have been asked the question "Do you think it's a boy or a girl" more than any other question ever. More than "Will the Cubs ever win the World Series?" More than "Is that your natural beard color?" And now, even more than "How many sweets is that today?"
It's even stranger that this question has received #1 status since there's no good answer. Well, there's a good answer but there's really no way of knowing. There are countless theories on determining factors. Heartbeat rate. Facial feature changes. Conception during ovulation timing. Family gender histories. It all feels like an abursdly complex algebraic equation. If x is less than y but greater than z and way funnier and more interesting than abc, it's definitely a girl. But if it doesn't snow next week, it's a boy. It can really make a guy's head spin. It sometimes makes me want to answer like my dad dad... he just hopes it's "one or the other."
Here is all I really know for sure. That little person growing in Kelly's belly, the one who is now bigger than my fist, an apple and an avocado... is going to be the best. We have no control over what sex it decides to come out as. Inevitably it's going to be awesome and adorable and we're going to love it. It's cliche to say that all you really want is a baby who is healthy. I kind of always thought that myself. But it takes on a new meaning when you're expecting your first child. All you really want is for your child to have a good a chance at a great life as all the rest. For them to have fun and embrace the world like everyone else. For nothing mental or physical to stand in their way if at all remotely possible. When it comes to hopes for your child, hoping for a boy or a girl finishes behind just about everything else.
I totally think it's a girl though....
It's even stranger that this question has received #1 status since there's no good answer. Well, there's a good answer but there's really no way of knowing. There are countless theories on determining factors. Heartbeat rate. Facial feature changes. Conception during ovulation timing. Family gender histories. It all feels like an abursdly complex algebraic equation. If x is less than y but greater than z and way funnier and more interesting than abc, it's definitely a girl. But if it doesn't snow next week, it's a boy. It can really make a guy's head spin. It sometimes makes me want to answer like my dad dad... he just hopes it's "one or the other."
Here is all I really know for sure. That little person growing in Kelly's belly, the one who is now bigger than my fist, an apple and an avocado... is going to be the best. We have no control over what sex it decides to come out as. Inevitably it's going to be awesome and adorable and we're going to love it. It's cliche to say that all you really want is a baby who is healthy. I kind of always thought that myself. But it takes on a new meaning when you're expecting your first child. All you really want is for your child to have a good a chance at a great life as all the rest. For them to have fun and embrace the world like everyone else. For nothing mental or physical to stand in their way if at all remotely possible. When it comes to hopes for your child, hoping for a boy or a girl finishes behind just about everything else.
I totally think it's a girl though....
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
What's In a Name
Picking a name for your baby must be like what people go through when deciding on a tattoo. There are so many to choose from and you want to pick something that you'll love forever. These days it seems like people are trying to pick a name that is somewhere between popular and unheard of. A little less than David. A little more than Rumplestiltskin. And while it might sound ridiculous now, had my parents named me Neil, as they were close to doing, I think my life would have ended up differently. Adams and Neils just don't take the same paths. You're looking to start your youngster out on the right foot. So Jeffrey Jefferson is probably out....
When I was sitting in a large meeting at work one day, I used my notepad originally designed for taking notes and jotted down every name I liked that came to my head. I think by the end of the meeting I had about 25 names. They were all girl names since those are the names my gut is telling me are going to matter. I went back to my desk excited to run them by Kelly to see how many she liked. What happened next was like shooting fish in a barrel.
Monica? No way, no one from TV shows
Carmen? Sounds like karma
Zoe? Too popular now
Gretchen? 4th grade bully
Lucy? She was mean to Charlie Brown
The trip from elated to deflated was a quick one. But I realized I was naive in my initial thinking. Picking a name can't be about one person convincing the other that it works. It has to be a name that both people give a chance and eventually grow to love together. The other day we took a walk and we had our first Name Fest And this time a few made it through the killing fields. Names that are sweet and easy, fresh and fun. Names that over the next six months might produce the one that makes it to end.
The name that changes it all. The name we give to our baby.
When I was sitting in a large meeting at work one day, I used my notepad originally designed for taking notes and jotted down every name I liked that came to my head. I think by the end of the meeting I had about 25 names. They were all girl names since those are the names my gut is telling me are going to matter. I went back to my desk excited to run them by Kelly to see how many she liked. What happened next was like shooting fish in a barrel.
Monica? No way, no one from TV shows
Carmen? Sounds like karma
Zoe? Too popular now
Gretchen? 4th grade bully
Lucy? She was mean to Charlie Brown
The trip from elated to deflated was a quick one. But I realized I was naive in my initial thinking. Picking a name can't be about one person convincing the other that it works. It has to be a name that both people give a chance and eventually grow to love together. The other day we took a walk and we had our first Name Fest And this time a few made it through the killing fields. Names that are sweet and easy, fresh and fun. Names that over the next six months might produce the one that makes it to end.
The name that changes it all. The name we give to our baby.
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