Sleeping Arrangements

We started making Marina sleep in her own bed again at night. Something that has been long overdue.

The problem is that she doesn't know how to share. Kate and I have basically slept curled up in a ball every night for the past three and a half years ... while Marina stretches out majestically on the lower third of the bed.

We're hoping if we do this now, it'll be one less thing to prevent us from sleeping once the baby comes along.

Needless to say, she hasn't been too happy about our decision.

The first few nights, she'd sneak back into bed while we were asleep. And once we'd discover her, she'd just make her body go completely limp. Somehow knowing we'd lack the energy to lift 60 pounds of dead weight out of bed at 3 o'clock in the morning.

We were persistent though. Surprisingly.

So the last couple nights, instead of climbing into bed, she's been trolling around in the dark. We can hear her nails clicking on the hardwood floors as she walks slooooowly down the hall, enters our room, circles the bed and then creeps back down the hallway.

We feel like she'll be fine in a few more days. But for now, it's really pretty freaky. Like we're living in an Edgar Allan Poe story. Being haunted in the pitch of night by the beast we've wronged.

Ultrasound Pics (18 Weeks)

8 inches long and weighing in at half a pound. So far, so good.

Ultrasound Video (18 Weeks)

To be honest, this video is just as creepy as it is cute. At one point, it looks like the fetus swallows its entire arm. And there may or may not be a foot growing out of the side of its head.

Belly Status (18 Weeks)

I think Kate's finally starting to show some progress. Hooray.

In fact, right now, she's sitting at her desk at work with her pants unbuttoned. Like she just got done eating a big turkey dinner and then went to lie down on the couch to watch some football.

But she didn't eat any turkey. And she's not watching football. She's just sitting at her desk. At work. With her pants unbuttoned.

Here we go ...

Genetics

Unfortunately for Kate, almost every gene is my body is a dominant one. Dark hair, dark skin, ... the works. So chances are that our baby will look exactly like me. (Albeit, much smaller.)

For the most part, Kate's not too bitter about losing the genetic game of Rock, Paper, Scissors. Her only real concern is that our child will be born with a set of these.


Not sure what the scientific name is. Basically, it looks like each of my thumbs was replaced with a big toe.

My friends in high school called them Hammer Heads. As if I'd repeatedly smacked the ends of them with a ball peen hammer. I even used to tell people I was born without pain receptors in my thumbs and chewed them to nubs as a baby.

My mom has them. My brother has them. Even our friend Ann back in Hoboken has them. And now, there's a 50/50 chance that our kid will have them too. Guess we'll find out in June.

Only then will I know if my domination is complete.

Baby Names

This baby naming thing is actually pretty tough. And looks like we've made it twice as hard on ourselves by not finding out the sex of the baby ahead of time.

At this point, we're just not able to take it seriously yet. Only tossing around the ridiculous names. The kind of names you could never find carved in wooden letters or pressed onto miniature license plates. The names that get a kid beat up in school.

Hopefully, as things get closer, the pressure will help us focus a little bit more. Like cramming for exams in college. Until then, looks like 'Major Barnaby Nixon Benjamin' holds on to the lead.

Belly Status (17 Weeks)

Here's Kate's belly two weeks later and four pounds lighter. Didn't think it was supposed to work this way. Still not sure if she's got a baby in there or just some sort of intestinal parasite.

Development (17 Weeks)

According to our books, the fetus will be able to hear what’s going on in the outside world soon. Which means we can start singing to it and reciting Shakespeare. Maybe even a math lesson or two.

Also means we have to quit flipping back-and-forth to FOX news in the morning. While its auditory senses may be fully functional, I don’t think its sense of irony develops for a few more months.

Thanks Marina

Everyone always talks about how life-altering having a baby is gonna be. But, I’m still convinced that owning a dog for the past 4 years has more than prepared us for raising a child.

Especially, with a dog like Marina.


I figure we already handle poop on a daily basis. We already get woken up several times a night. And we’re already in the habit of asking other ‘parents’ inane questions like “How old is yours?” and “Isn’t she a cutie?”

See, the fundamentals are in place. Mark my words, this baby thing is gonna be a breeze.

Baby Names

We've been warned by multiple people on multiple occasions not to discuss baby names with anyone. Ever.

So, we're playing our cards close to our chest on this one. Little hint though: If you're reading this right now, chances are it won't have your name. (Although you do have a very lovely name.)

Due Date

Don't think we mentioned it yet. June 27.

Weight Gain

Kate’s been getting a little nervous that she’s not as big as she should be at this point in the pregnancy. (Though she’s definitely starting to show.)

So now, for the first time in my life, I find myself having to reassure someone how fat they look. Something that common sense and an aversion to being slapped has kept me from ever attempting before.

Definitely feels odd to say things like “Wow, those pants seem reeeeallly tight on you,” and “My, you look girthy this morning,” just to cheer someone up.

And probably the only time chanting "Fatty Fatty Two by Four” at someone will be met with hugs and kisses.

Dolphin vs Human

This is a 5 week old DOLPHIN fetus.



And this is a 5 week old HUMAN fetus.



Tough to tell them apart, right? That’s what we thought too. But, not until after we'd already oohed and aahed at the first picture for a good ten minutes.

Apparently, just searching for '5 WEEK OLD FETUS' in Google images wasn't specific enough to determine whether our child will be born with or without a dorsal fin.

Surprise!

We broke the news to our parents by giving them framed pictures of the ultrasound for Christmas. Here's Kate's mom when she unwrapped hers. (For the record, she had the same reaction after opening the outdoor thermometer we gave her.)

Food Cravings

No real food cravings yet. Except for the mysterious appearance of a box of Cap'n Crunch in our cupboard.

At this point, it's really just food aversions. Kate's definitely more, how shall we say ... "selective" than before. Either her olfactory senses are changing or she's using this as a front to finally tell me how she feels about my cooking.

Baby Names

We got a cool baby names book (aptly titled 'Cool Names for Babies') from our friends Mindy and Mark. It's organized in sections depending on the type of name you're looking for.

Spiritual names. Foreign sounding names. Geezer names.

My favorite was the Video Game names section. Bloodrayne. Rygar. Kazooie. All very good options. Surprised not to find Ryu or Blanka on the list though. Had to pencil them in myself.

Now just have to find a way to convince Kate.

Sex of the Baby

We're not planning on finding out what sex the baby is gonna be. Not that we even could yet if we wanted to.

Feel like it'll be more fun to be surprised. Only catch is that all the baby clothes we get ahead of time have to be asexual. Greens and yellows. Frogs and ducks.

Not sure what makes a duck so asexual, but apparently it is. Sorry ducks, nothing personal.

Belly Status (15 Weeks)

Still hard to tell. Kate's definitely looked bigger than this after a veggie burrito from El Castellito.

Belly Button Ring

Kate took out her belly button ring this weekend. Smelled like a foot marinated in rotten eggs. It was pretty gross.

But probably nothing compared to everything else her body's gonna be going through over the next several months. Personally, I'm looking forward to the hair loss and bleeding gums.

Ultrasound Video (12 Weeks)

I'd say something clever about this, but to tell you the truth it still kinda freaks me out. Pretty amazing.

Ultrasound Pics (12 Weeks)

This one looks like the fetus is waving and saying hello. Very sociable. Probably gets that from Kate.


This one looks like it's taking a nap. A little more Jake's style.

Pregnancy Test Pics

The first pregnancy test was a little ambiguous. ("What does the plus sign mean? Is that even a plus sign? I can't tell. It looks kinda faint. And what about that other line? What does that one mean? I don't think I'm pregnant. I don't feel pregnant. What do you think? Do you think I'm pregnant?")


The second test was not so ambiguous.