Nearly 9 lbs

Emily has been asking me how big I was when I was born for the last few months.  For the life of me, I couldn't remember.  Today, Em went into our storage area and found my baby box that my mom made for me.  In it is many things that my mom kept from my childhood.  Everything from finger puppets that I colored as a kid, to my baptism certificate, to baby clothes is in this relatively small box.  I don't remember the last time I saw inside that box. 

So, Em decided to find out how big I was when I was born.  She freaked out when she realized I was 8 lbs 13 oz....or in her words "nearly 9 lbs!!!"  I didn't think that I was that big, but evidently 9 lbs is on the large side of babies (although definitely not a record breaker or even close to it.)  Emily got just a little bit more nervous unfortunately. 

I'm pretty sure I wasn't quite this big.

Some other interesting things were discovered as we went through my baby box (and my baby book that my mom kept records in).  For example:

-I was a good reader.  (It seems like on every page -which is each year of my life - it states that I am a good reader.  Couldn't they have said something a little bit more exciting?  It just seems like that is like saying that I ate pudding like a champ.  I'm sure it means more then while I was growing up then it does now.  I don't think any of my friends would be jealous of me if I was the best reader in the group.  Maybe that's just me. 

-I sucked at coloring.  (No further explanation is needed.  Art was never going to be my thing.)

-My mom spent an inordinant amount of time discussing my bowel movements in my baby book.  She may have even been "obsessed" with it.  I swear....every year, there was a new description for my "evacuations".  "Constipated", "free", and "good movements" are just a handful of the descriptions I read.  (I truly hesitate to believe that I could have been constipated for a full year....or that I was constipated so much that that is what my mom remembers for that year....but that is what was put in the book....THAT WILL LAST FOREVER!!  Thanks, Mom.

Em & I didn't have time to go through the whole box in depth yet (the NFL draft was about to start), but I think we will make time to go through it a bit more at a later time.  We definitely will do something similar for D'Qwell as he grows up. 

Thank you, Mom, for taking the time to document the ordinary nuances of my life growing up.  It truly means a lot to me looking back on it.  (Every time she turned the page, Em would automatically say "oooohhh, how cute"....about whatever that page was about.  And sometimes she was referring to me...and how cute I was back then.)

Maybe someday I will even post a picture of me when I was growing up to prove to some of you that I was actually cute at one time in my life.  I didn't always have this "face made for radio" that you all have grown accustomed to.  (jk.....kinda)

28 Weeks

A Big Thank You

Em just got back from a trip to Montana last night.  She was smiling the entire way home from the airport as she told me all that happened on her trip. 

Seeing her friends would have been a trip by itself, but she was also thrown a surprise baby shower by her friend Jodi.  She had several of her friends fly in from all over the country to surprise her as well.  She had friends fly in from Texas, Utah, Nevada, and several other states just for this get together. 

I just wanted to take the time to say a big Thank You for all those people involved in making this experience so special for Em.  She's still beaming about it.

Thank you for being so generous with the gifts that we received.
Thank you for all the time and effort that it took to make this shower so successful.
Thank you for your thoughtfulness.
Thank you for putting such a big smile on her face.
but most of all,
Thank you for being such good friends to Emily.

I had another thought.  I think, maybe, I should take the 1st letter of the names of everyone that was there, and create our baby boy's name from the unscrambled letters. 

On second thought......I always hated the game Scrabble.  I was horrible at it.  Please just accept my most heartfelt 'Thank You" instead.

Down to 2

Em & I have narrowed down the endless lists of boy names to 2.  We both agree on both of the names.  Either one will make a great name. 

We will either make a decision in the next couple of weeks, or wait till the baby is born and see if he looks more like one of the names. 

What is your vote?

Gotye
or
Asa

You can make your opinion known in the comment section. 

Baby Room Decorations

I haven't forgot.  I still am going to be posting pictures of the baby room.  However, we have hit a snag (and then another snag). 

We received the original shipment of our baby furniture over a month ago.  I put the crib and the changing table together, but we noticed that the dresser was damaged.  We contacted the supplier and they agreed to replace the dresser.  The people came with the new dresser, and to pick up the old dresser this past Monday.  The bad news:  the new dresser was more damaged than the old dresser.  We are now waiting for dresser #3. 

In the meantime, I thought I would share with you some of the wall art that Em put up in the baby room.  (You can also see the lovely paint job that I did on the baby room walls, however my painting skills are not the true hero of the picture here.  It definitely gets overshadowed by Em's work.)

Let me know what you think (as long as it's positive). 

(OK, I put up the shelves too, but everything else was Em.)

What Kind of Dad Will I Be?

I wonder how many dads-to-be have asked themselves that?  I'd bet that, unless you've been a guest on the Jerry Springer show, then you have wondered something similar.

 

Thinking back in my life, there are several "types" of dads that I've witnessed myself.  One of my friends dads was like his best friend.  He was always there to offer a hand, help start a campfire, or tell ghost stories of a made-up type of scary feline that roamed near their house (wombus cat.  I'll never forget it.)  Another friend of mine had a dad that was completely sports oriented and everything was a competition.  Their basement had a ping pong table, pool table, and outside they had 3 basketball hoops, and a full length soccer field. 

I find myself thinking a lot about different experiences I've had in my life with many different fathers.  I find myself hoping I obtain certain attributes....and likewise, certain attributes that I've witnessed I hope that I do not reflect in my own personal style. 

This next part....is pretty difficult to type.  I found myself staring at the computer screen until the screen went into screen saver mode because I was unable to make myself push the appropriate keys.  Somehow, it becomes just a little more "real" once my thoughts are in print.   But if I'm going to truly use this blog as a picture into my warped mind.....I have to be honest throughout this process. 

My biggest fear in this endeavor is that I will prove inadequate or unprepared for the task of being a good father.  What if the examples of fathers in my life become the blueprint for what I become?  Is it possible to not become something even though that is the main example you have had growing up? 

I'd like to belive that I can see the negatives of fatherhood in my life and use them as examples of what not to do as a father myself.  But is that truly possible?  That brings us back to the old argument of Nurture vs Nature.  Which is more important to behavior?  I pray that nurture wins out in this particular aspect. 

I hope and pray my fears are unsubstantiated.  I also believe that having a healthy fear will keep me from not growing complacent in raising this boy.  I really want the best for him (and that means he won't be a Husker fan.......I really had to lighten the mood in this entry.  I feel like a few of you were falling a sleep, or already clicked over to Awkward Family Photos.com). 

All I can do is to promise that I will do my best in raising my son as well as the following:

-I will always try to be present (unless the Buckeye game is on).
-I will always try to show him right from wrong.
-He will always be loved.
-I will always try to teach him and share with him the wonder of learning.
-I will always try to show him a good example for what a father (and husband) should be.

I've got a lot of work ahead of me.......and I can't wait to start!