Shika, Shika... Shika, Shika

Ok, I can't actually figure out how to describe the sound, but I got to hear Our Child's heartbeat again today. Nice and strong. I have secretly feared that things could go wrong and that there's no way we'd know, so it's nice to hear. Separately, The Wife today was talking about a $20 device you can set on a mom's stomach and hear the heartbeat. I think we should get it.

What Kind of World am I Bringing This Child Into?

One of the things I hear a lot from new or soon-to-be parents, be it in person or just on TV, they're all pointing to some tragedy or some instance of really horrible behavior and asking themselves "Why am I bringing a child into such a messed up world?" I was thinking today how it's almost the anniversary of Lacy Peterson's disappearance (she and her then unborn child would later be found dead with details somewhat unclear, and her husband now on trial for their deaths), but in the past few days, Pakistan has made some rather large offers of concession in their ongoing dispute with India and an announcement was made that Libya has been working behind-the-scenes for some time now to get in better standing with the rest of the world. It's very encouraging news. All is not yet lost.

Pregnant World

At the end of November we were on a church retreat and we were sitting with this couple we really like. Everyone at the table was up getting salad or dessert or something. Anyhow, we got to talking about having kids and we asked them if they were thinking about it and they said they were. And then they asked if we were. Yeah, I had kind of set them up by asking them first. I pulled the ultrasound out of my pocket and slid it upside down towards her. She took it cautiously, turned it over and then did a little jump and started beaming. (She later told me that she was worried that it was a little note explaining something about us maybe having trouble and not wishing to talk about it or something.)

Fast forward to last week. I was talking with the husband but not paying really close attention, a bad habit of mine. He stops midsentence and says "CRAP!" He suddenly had my full attention and I asked what was wrong. He replies "I almost let it slip that we're expecting." And then he stops and exclaims "CRAP!" a few more times. He explains that it's still a secret because it's pretty early on and they aren't even telling family until Christmas as kind of a gift. That will be so cool. I wish I could be there to experience their families reactions. (Yeah, this stuff totally changes you. You become the wus you always tried to so hard to deny. And you embrace it. The Wife says it's caring. I say it's wussy.)

So they were pregnant when we talked to them in November and probably didn't yet even know it.

We saw the wife recently and when she smiled she had a "we're sharing a secret, you and I" sparkle in her eye when she looked at us, but I don't know if it was about our pregnancy, or if she knows we know about hers. Hard to tell, considering that the husband might get into minor hot water for having spilled it to me accidentally.

And another co-worker recently told me that he and his wife are expecting in July.

So that means we know of at least 8 other couples expecting.

In other news, The Wife's gag reflex is not letting up. We were hoping for a respite now that we're into the second trimester, but today even the mouthwash made her throw up. A lot. I feel guilty, it seems like I think it's getting better, so people ask and I tell them she's getting better and then it seems to get worse as soon as I say that. Though I'm sure she would tell you that she's thankful to have it like this because it's almost like she has a little more warning. It would take a lot of retrospection before she got to that point, but I think she would eventually get to that point.

Hey Look, a Baby!

The Wife has gotten a few more pieces of maternity wear. Finally some of those tops that say "Hey, I'm pregnant." I like those. They look good on her.

Lullish

This is kinda what I worried might happen... weeks would pass with nothing added to this site after the initial burst of energy.

We've begun sending out Christmas cards... and begun getting calls. Why? We're signing the cards with "My Name, Wife's Name, and ..."

We also told our Sunday School class yesterday. We're one of four or five couples in the class currently pregnant. There might be others who have not yet announced, but so far we have the due date the furthest from today.