Pregnancy: Trimester II - Attack of the Cravings.

I'm getting the first glimpses of cravings and a continuing evolution of what foods are OK and what are not as we enter into the second trimester.  I really just wanted a fun post title.  Garlic is still out, as are breaded foods.  Added to the list are tortilla chips.  They smell like feet.  I guess.  I wouldn't know.  You can read my previous blog to understand the smell situation.  Also, anything remotely spicy is now extra spicy.  So, how does one cope with changes in what you can eat?  That is simple.  I eat stuff like Cheese Sticks and Chips 'n Cheese when Corey isn't around.  Then I do what I can to eliminate whatever odor might stick around.  I'm not about to complain.  She's got a human growing in her.  I have no idea what it would do to me, but if my biggest inconvenience right now is that I can't eat tortilla chips while she's in the room, I'll gladly accept.  There have been some instances of "know what sounds good?" but I'm waiting for the cravings to really start to settle in.  The morning sickness is just starting to get better, so I'm expecting more cravings to be coming soon.

Otherwise, everything is pretty cool.  Calvin is excited, and apparently doesn't care if he has a little brother or sister, as long as they copy him.  Sometimes I copy him, so I'm sure his siblings will emulate him.  However, I need to keep him from teaching them about how Dad is a horrible gambler.  I can't afford to keep losing money.  That's right, The Calfo has learned that I am not that good at gambling.  He recently learned how to play Gin Rummy.  I told him I used to play for money, and that got him very interested in playing.  Last time I looked at the scorecard, I'm glad I haven't played him for money.  He's too smart for my own good.  I'm sure he'll be a good older brother.

You know, it's funny, but becoming a father again has me pretty anxious.  I'm coming to grips with two big things right now.  One is that there actually is a human being incubating inside of my lovely wife's insides.  The other is that I will be responsible for another human being.   The first is one I just have to accept.  The second is a little tricky.  It's this thought that another child means another chance to completely mess up.  I just got distracted by the dog pushing a bone across the room.  He was just pushing it from one side to the other, like another location would provide better access to the chewy insides hiding inside the bone.  The dog has also been good about helping me adjust to what is to come.  Last night he started hyperventilating because he needed to go outside...in the middle of the night.  Of course I took him out, and he was happy for that.  Well, back to messing up...I think I'm just worried because I want to do a good job.  I think if I wasn't worried, I should be worried.  Does that even make sense? 

Oh, and in case you were wondering, I've already volunteered to get up as often as I can in the middle of the night once baby is here.  I know there are times where Corey will have to get up (that whole feeding thing is something I also cannot do with my own body), but when I can do it I will.  I'm going into all this with the mindset that we are partners.  The only things that I'm leaving as "things that the mother does" have to do with things that I'm physically incapable of.  I know this is going to be wonderful and difficult and lovely and painful and crazy and that raising children is always going to be an adventure.  I just want to make sure that I'm doing my part.  I already feel behind, because she will forever be able to hold "I grew that!" over my head.  But that's OK.

Well, I think I'm going to sign off.  I will leave you with some Muse for absolutely no reason.  See you next time!

My Wife is Pregnant

Well, it seems that I've been away for a while. That happens. Well, I've been holding in some writing for a while. As you may know, or have figured out from the title of this post, Corey is pregnant. In case you're wondering, it's a human! We won't know if it will be a boy or a girl for some time, but I'll let you know.

The reason I wanted to start blogging again was that I wanted to document my journey through her pregnancy and into being a father again. Calfo is excited to be a big brother. Corey is excited. I'm excited. This is exciting. It's also something strange to get used to. She's growing a human inside her that will eventually spring forth to freedom. I can't grow a human inside me, so I can't begin to think I know what that feels like. I'm not about to say I do. I also refuse to say that "we are pregnant". I'm not pregnant. She is. If I were pregnant, I'd be getting my own show on A&E or TLC or something. No, she is pregnant, and I'm here as support. I've so far found that can mean many things.

Smell has become a problem. She can smell the faintest of odors and will hunt down the source like it's Moby Grape...wait...Moby Dick.  However, I now have Moby Grape in my head.

OK, back to smell.  As some of you know, I lost a chunk of my sense of smell due to a chemical accident in high school.  This, combined with having my nose broken a dozen times, has left me at a disadvantage.  Especially compared to my wife now having some sort of blood-hound nose.  Garlic is on the "cannot enter the house" list now.  Breaded food stuffs are on that list.  I'm OK with that, I work around it.  I figure it is a small price to pay.  So I've been trying to get rid of smells.

I'm also now on call for picking up whatever sounds good.  Why?  Because she's growing a human.  Also, almost any time I've ever offered to get something out of pure kindness, she's told me that she'll save it for when she's pregnant.  Now she is wisely cashing in.  No strange requests yet, but it is still early. 

Over all, I'm really freaking excited about all of this.  I already have my little baby sling thing-a-ma-jig.  Just look at it here.  I'll keep you posted, and I'm planning on writing more. Also, coming soon will by my religious blog.  Parenting, religion, and my general randomness!  2014 is looking to be a good year.