Waking up to my alarm clock and not the telephone ring in my room was a blessing. The nurse told me that she would call me if there was any news to report. So for once in my life, the alarm clock was great to hear so early in the morning. I immediately got up and went to see Kherington, according to the nurses she was doing good, her plasma levels were up, and there was no need to use safacton, nor do they think they will have too. They also believe that her lung has clotted up more and there is very little to no bleeding. I immediately called Ashley and told her the good news. She was being released that day and would be meeting me at CHKD as soon as she could.
When Ashley got there, it was so great to see her, and it was very emotional. Ashley checked in and we headed up to the NICU to go see our baby girl. When Ashley walked into the rooom she was so pissed that she had to take 5 minutes to wash and scrub because she could see Kherington the entire time. Kherington was still in the glass box and we still couldn't touch her. But we could talk to her. I know she was so happy to hear her mother's voice.
It was noon and all signs were still good. The doctor came in and said that the test results came back positive and she looks like she got through the worst. She of course will still have to stay for some time to be monitored to make sure everything stays okay, but he said that she will be able to be taken out of the box and we will be able to hold her!
I have just witnessed the amazing strength of my daughter. She was not even one day old yet and I already realized she was more stubborn than I am.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
The Unthinkable: September 29, 2011
My parents arrived and that made the situation even harder, me seeing my parents had me thinking 'will Kherington ever see her's again.' Then having to go tell all my friends who were at the hospital waiting to see her was just as hard. They were down in the cafeteria laughing and having fun, they weren't expecting news like this. Nobody was!
The transport arrived and said they were loading Kherington up to prepare her for the car ride to CHKD and they would bring her by so we could see her before she left. When they brought her in the room she looked like a science experiment. She had a ton of wires and tubes connected to her and she was inside a plastic box, like an incubator. She was sedated, and they let us open the side door so we could hold her hand and let her know everything was going to be okay. They gave us her first picture that they took after her bath, wires and all.
I rode with my parents to CHKD because I was in no shape to drive a vehicle. I stared at the picture almost the entire way. I was sitting in the back seat and would occasionally stare out the window, just wondering if Kherington was ever going to get to enjoy this world that we all complain about so much.
We get to CHKD with all my friends behind us. They all came with me and would stay with me until the middle of the morning, and most of them had to work the next day. That meant so much to me, to know that I had that much support from family and friends was unbelievable. After Kherington arrived at CHKD they told us that it would be a couple of hours until I would get to see her because they had to get everything hooked up and get her stable. Two hours seemed like an eternity, I don't care how many people you have there to distract you from the present. You might for one second get to take your mind off of reality but then in a blink of an eye it always comes back.
I would sit there and zone out at times. Everybody talking around me and I heard nothing. I would just sit there and think about if I would ever get to hold my daughter again. I got to hold her for five minutes and I couldn't even remember those five minutes. I thought about if I would ever get to kick the soccer ball around in the front yard or play with barbies or build forts in the dining room with chairs, blankets, and pillows. I just didn't understand why this was happening.
I finally got the call that I could go see my baby girl. When I walked in it was an experience in itself. There were eight stations all with babies in plastic boxes. One of the saddest places I have ever been too. I had to scrub my arms with soap all the way up to elbows, and then use 2 squirts of hand sanitizer on each arm up to the elbow before I could enter. Then I had to put on a full upper body scrub along with a surgical mouth cover thingy. When I finally got to go see Kherington she looked even more like a science experiment. She had more tubes and hoses than before along with four different monitors hooked up to her. It was just awful.
I was in there for about four hours while my mom, dad, sister, and Kherington's Godfather, Stoney, all took turns coming in to see her. They only allow two people at her bedside at a time. After everyone had their turn to come see Kherington I stayed for a little bit longer and had some alone time with her. I just stared at her and prayed. I felt like a bad father because there was nothing I could do, and that is my job as a father is to protect her from everything!
While I was there alone the doctor came by and spoke with me. He really gave me the worse news I could have possibly wanted, but then again I asked him to tell me the truth and forget about that bedside manner bull crap. He said that they were giving her a plasma transplant to help with the bleeding in her lung, and hoping that it would clot by itself. He then said the problem is if that hole in her lung were to clot, the blood still left in her lung is too deep for them to suck out with a tube. He then explained, the problem with blood sitting in her lung is that our lungs have a chemical that it produces which keeps our lungs moist and open. With the blood just sitting in her lung it can soak up that chemical and her lungs can dry out causing her to not being able to breathe. When this happens there is a synthetic form of this chemical called surfactin that they can inject into her lungs to stop them from drying and closing. The problem is that this chemical would most likely knock the clot out and she would start bleeding into her lung again, and by knocking that clot out, it could cause the hole to become larger, causing her to bleed even more into her lung. He said that if she doesn't need the surfactin by noon tomorrow then he thinks she will be fine because that means the bleeding would have stopped by then and the blood left in her lung wouldn't be enough to cause problems. So I looked at the doctor and said, "So you are telling me that if she can get to noon tomorrow she will be fine, if not she will either suffocate to death or she will drown in her own blood." The doctor really didn't say anything because I was right. Try going back to your family and friends and telling them that.
I went back to the room where it got dead quiet when I walked in. Before I said anything about Kherington I asked, "Did the Cardinals win?" Which everyone said yes, so I had a bitter sweet moment. Then I explained the scenario that was happening. Telling your loved ones that news without breaking down is the hardest thing I have ever done. Seeing every one's face when saying that, and seeing their expressions, was heart breaking. I still don't know how I held it together.
Ashley was still at the hospital where she had to stay overnight. I called her and told her I got to see Kherington but didn't tell her what the doctor and I had talked about. She needed to get rest and get better and I didn't need her ripping needles and tubes out of her arm screaming at the doctors and nurses to let her leave. So I lied to her, but it was the right thing to do. She will hate me for it later, but I think she will also thank me.
It was about 2 o'clock in the morning when everyone started to head home. The nurse had just come in and told us that Kherington's blood test came back and her plasma levels were up, which was a good sign for the clotting issue. So since we got good news I think some people wanted to end on that note. My friend Jake actually stayed with me that night. They don't have rooms for you to sleep in at CHKD but I talked to the nurse and told her I wasn't leaving. She was nice enough to put me in one of the breast pumping rooms that had fold down chairs. They were harder than the floor, but after all I had been through I was exhausted and was asleep before I hit the pillow. She had told us that we had to be out by 8am since that is when they open the rooms for ladies to pump. Last thing I think a lady wants to do is walk into a room she thinks she is going to be pumping in and two guys are asleep in both chairs.
So my alarm went off at 7am...
The transport arrived and said they were loading Kherington up to prepare her for the car ride to CHKD and they would bring her by so we could see her before she left. When they brought her in the room she looked like a science experiment. She had a ton of wires and tubes connected to her and she was inside a plastic box, like an incubator. She was sedated, and they let us open the side door so we could hold her hand and let her know everything was going to be okay. They gave us her first picture that they took after her bath, wires and all.
I rode with my parents to CHKD because I was in no shape to drive a vehicle. I stared at the picture almost the entire way. I was sitting in the back seat and would occasionally stare out the window, just wondering if Kherington was ever going to get to enjoy this world that we all complain about so much.
We get to CHKD with all my friends behind us. They all came with me and would stay with me until the middle of the morning, and most of them had to work the next day. That meant so much to me, to know that I had that much support from family and friends was unbelievable. After Kherington arrived at CHKD they told us that it would be a couple of hours until I would get to see her because they had to get everything hooked up and get her stable. Two hours seemed like an eternity, I don't care how many people you have there to distract you from the present. You might for one second get to take your mind off of reality but then in a blink of an eye it always comes back.
I would sit there and zone out at times. Everybody talking around me and I heard nothing. I would just sit there and think about if I would ever get to hold my daughter again. I got to hold her for five minutes and I couldn't even remember those five minutes. I thought about if I would ever get to kick the soccer ball around in the front yard or play with barbies or build forts in the dining room with chairs, blankets, and pillows. I just didn't understand why this was happening.
I finally got the call that I could go see my baby girl. When I walked in it was an experience in itself. There were eight stations all with babies in plastic boxes. One of the saddest places I have ever been too. I had to scrub my arms with soap all the way up to elbows, and then use 2 squirts of hand sanitizer on each arm up to the elbow before I could enter. Then I had to put on a full upper body scrub along with a surgical mouth cover thingy. When I finally got to go see Kherington she looked even more like a science experiment. She had more tubes and hoses than before along with four different monitors hooked up to her. It was just awful.
I was in there for about four hours while my mom, dad, sister, and Kherington's Godfather, Stoney, all took turns coming in to see her. They only allow two people at her bedside at a time. After everyone had their turn to come see Kherington I stayed for a little bit longer and had some alone time with her. I just stared at her and prayed. I felt like a bad father because there was nothing I could do, and that is my job as a father is to protect her from everything!
While I was there alone the doctor came by and spoke with me. He really gave me the worse news I could have possibly wanted, but then again I asked him to tell me the truth and forget about that bedside manner bull crap. He said that they were giving her a plasma transplant to help with the bleeding in her lung, and hoping that it would clot by itself. He then said the problem is if that hole in her lung were to clot, the blood still left in her lung is too deep for them to suck out with a tube. He then explained, the problem with blood sitting in her lung is that our lungs have a chemical that it produces which keeps our lungs moist and open. With the blood just sitting in her lung it can soak up that chemical and her lungs can dry out causing her to not being able to breathe. When this happens there is a synthetic form of this chemical called surfactin that they can inject into her lungs to stop them from drying and closing. The problem is that this chemical would most likely knock the clot out and she would start bleeding into her lung again, and by knocking that clot out, it could cause the hole to become larger, causing her to bleed even more into her lung. He said that if she doesn't need the surfactin by noon tomorrow then he thinks she will be fine because that means the bleeding would have stopped by then and the blood left in her lung wouldn't be enough to cause problems. So I looked at the doctor and said, "So you are telling me that if she can get to noon tomorrow she will be fine, if not she will either suffocate to death or she will drown in her own blood." The doctor really didn't say anything because I was right. Try going back to your family and friends and telling them that.
I went back to the room where it got dead quiet when I walked in. Before I said anything about Kherington I asked, "Did the Cardinals win?" Which everyone said yes, so I had a bitter sweet moment. Then I explained the scenario that was happening. Telling your loved ones that news without breaking down is the hardest thing I have ever done. Seeing every one's face when saying that, and seeing their expressions, was heart breaking. I still don't know how I held it together.
Ashley was still at the hospital where she had to stay overnight. I called her and told her I got to see Kherington but didn't tell her what the doctor and I had talked about. She needed to get rest and get better and I didn't need her ripping needles and tubes out of her arm screaming at the doctors and nurses to let her leave. So I lied to her, but it was the right thing to do. She will hate me for it later, but I think she will also thank me.
It was about 2 o'clock in the morning when everyone started to head home. The nurse had just come in and told us that Kherington's blood test came back and her plasma levels were up, which was a good sign for the clotting issue. So since we got good news I think some people wanted to end on that note. My friend Jake actually stayed with me that night. They don't have rooms for you to sleep in at CHKD but I talked to the nurse and told her I wasn't leaving. She was nice enough to put me in one of the breast pumping rooms that had fold down chairs. They were harder than the floor, but after all I had been through I was exhausted and was asleep before I hit the pillow. She had told us that we had to be out by 8am since that is when they open the rooms for ladies to pump. Last thing I think a lady wants to do is walk into a room she thinks she is going to be pumping in and two guys are asleep in both chairs.
So my alarm went off at 7am...
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
The Aftermath: September 28, 2011
After Kherington got cleaned up and had a couple of tests done, I was able to hold her for the first time. It seemed as if the entire world just stopped. I held her in my arms and just stared at her while she was cuddled up and asleep in her blanket. I just couldn't believe that this actually happened, I am now a father, officially! I created her!
Ashley was going to try and breast feed for the first time, so I decided I was going to go home take a shower and get some things. Upon my return Ashley had been moved into another, smaller, room and we were just waiting for them to bring Kherington back. A couple of my friends had arrived and we were just waiting in the room when the pediatrician came in and asked to speak with the family alone. My friends stepped out of the room, closing the door behind them. The pediatrician told us that while they were giving Kherington a bath they noticed she was turning blue. Upon further evaluation they found that Kherington wasn't getting the proper oxygen she needed. Adults require only 20% of the air they breathe in to be oxygen. The problem was Kherington was requiring that air to be 80% oxygen, which is impossible to obtain from our atmosphere. So basically she was slowly suffocating. During these tests they also found that she had blood in her lung, and found that she was in fact STILL bleeding into her lung. The doctor told us that they are preparing her for transport to Children's Hospital of the King's Daughter (CHKD) where she could get the proper care and monitoring.
After the doctor left the room I completely lost it. I was planning on holding my daughter all night long while watching the Cardinals play. I had my whole night planned out. Was going to spend as much time with her as I possibly could. I was going to enjoy OUR first Cardinals game together. But now my worry of the night goes from "will the Cardinals win and get into the playoffs" to "will Kherington survive and will I get to be a dad?"
I started asking Ashley, "Why? Why is this happening to us? What did we do wrong?! All the drug addicts and prostitutes that have healthy babies when they don't lead healthy lives and here we are, two parents ready to give this child the best life and all the love they could possibly ask for and we are the unfortunate ones?"
My friends are already at the hospital, and I called my parents immediately to tell them. Of course, at a time when I need my parents to lean on more than anything, there is a terrible thunderstorm and the streets are flooding. Making it take forever for them to get there. Guess God was testing my strength.
Ashley was going to try and breast feed for the first time, so I decided I was going to go home take a shower and get some things. Upon my return Ashley had been moved into another, smaller, room and we were just waiting for them to bring Kherington back. A couple of my friends had arrived and we were just waiting in the room when the pediatrician came in and asked to speak with the family alone. My friends stepped out of the room, closing the door behind them. The pediatrician told us that while they were giving Kherington a bath they noticed she was turning blue. Upon further evaluation they found that Kherington wasn't getting the proper oxygen she needed. Adults require only 20% of the air they breathe in to be oxygen. The problem was Kherington was requiring that air to be 80% oxygen, which is impossible to obtain from our atmosphere. So basically she was slowly suffocating. During these tests they also found that she had blood in her lung, and found that she was in fact STILL bleeding into her lung. The doctor told us that they are preparing her for transport to Children's Hospital of the King's Daughter (CHKD) where she could get the proper care and monitoring.
After the doctor left the room I completely lost it. I was planning on holding my daughter all night long while watching the Cardinals play. I had my whole night planned out. Was going to spend as much time with her as I possibly could. I was going to enjoy OUR first Cardinals game together. But now my worry of the night goes from "will the Cardinals win and get into the playoffs" to "will Kherington survive and will I get to be a dad?"
I started asking Ashley, "Why? Why is this happening to us? What did we do wrong?! All the drug addicts and prostitutes that have healthy babies when they don't lead healthy lives and here we are, two parents ready to give this child the best life and all the love they could possibly ask for and we are the unfortunate ones?"
My friends are already at the hospital, and I called my parents immediately to tell them. Of course, at a time when I need my parents to lean on more than anything, there is a terrible thunderstorm and the streets are flooding. Making it take forever for them to get there. Guess God was testing my strength.
The Birth: September 28, 2011
4:00 A.M.
I wake up to find out that Ashley had already been having minor contractions since 1 o'clock. I asked her why she didn't wake me up and she said there was no need too, which I then agreed and went back to sleep.
4:49 A.M.
I can't sleep with the nurse continuing to come in and out of the room so I decided to watch some Sportscenter.
5:49 A.M.
Only problem with watching Sportscenter so early in the morning is after one hour there is nothing else to watch. So I tried to go back to sleep.
6:18 A.M.
Can't sleep so I start to work on my blog.
6:42 A.M.
Ashley is now asleep and I am wide awake.
7:24 A.M.
I start taking pictures and video of this experience. Ashley yells and curses at me.
7:35 A.M.
We get our first visit from the doctor and Ashley is already 2 cm dilated! Doctor said at this rate we could meet Kherington by noon! They don't have to give her pitocin to speed up the process because she is doing it all on her own. Kherington can't wait to meet her daddy!
7:36 A.M.
Everyone is receiving mass texts from me letting them know noon is the time for my scheduled landing.
8:02 A.M.
Ashley's contractions are bad. She sounds like a wounded seal.
8:05 A.M.
Ashley is screaming for the epidural even though the doctor told her to wait till she is about 4 cm. But what do doctors know?!
8:32 A.M.
By this time Ashley's body is an ocean of sweat and she is screaming for an epidural like Mel Gibson screamed for his son in Ransom.
8:35 A.M.
I step outside the room to grab the nurse so Ashley can get her epidural shot and from the hallway her room sounds like a scene from Hostel. She sounded like she was being tortured.
8:46 A.M.
While Ashley is laying there screaming and cursing at me, I asked her, "This doesn't mean we aren't going to have another one right?" Wrong question to ask!
9:05 A.M.
Here comes the epidural man to save my day!
9:11 A.M.
Ashley is asleep.
9:20 A.M.
I'm asleep.
10:15 A.M.
My mom is the first person to come visit since we heard our target time of noon.
10:56 A.M.
Ashley is at 9 cm! It is almost time! My facebook and twitter are constantly being updated along with my mass texts being sent out.
11:12 A.M.
Ashley's dad is here now!
11:20 A.M.
Trying to figure out if we will be all set in our room for the St. Louis Cardinals game at 8 o'clock. They have to win to force a one game playoff but if the Atlanta Braves lose and the Cardinals win the Cardinals clinch the NL Wild Card. So Kherington didn't come on a Sunday to interfere with the NFL games but now she might interfere with one of MLB's biggest nights? I can already see that this is a sign from God telling me she will be getting in the way of a lot of sporting events in the future.
11:52 A.M.
We find out that Dr. Hardy has a C-section at 12 o'clock and that he will be in afterwards. The nurse says Ashley is still at 9 cm and she is going to give her some pitocin to help to that last centimeter.
12:10 P.M.
The wounded seal is back.
12:57 P.M.
The wounded seal is still, well... wounded.
1:05 P.M.
The nurses come in and gives us the instructions for when Ashley pushes. How to hold her smelly feet, where to give her leg support, and how to count to ten.
1:26 P.M.
Still pushing. Facebook and twitter getting constantly updated.
1:31 P.M.
Well hello Dr. Hardy!
1:47 P.M.
I can see her head! This is so amazing! Haven't started crying yet!
1:50 P.M.
O-M-G! (Yes, I just used OMG to explain my feelings. I am at an emotional state, give me a break!) This is by far the neatest most awesomest (Yes, awesomest) experience I have ever had!
1:53 P.M.
Her head is out! And tears form.
1:54 P.M.
Little miss Kherington Marie is born, cue the water works. The 10 or so seconds it took for her to start crying was probably the most nerve wrecking experience, and I couldn't even see her because my eyes were blurry. Her stats are 7 lbs. and 19.25 inches.
1:55 P.M.
I cut the umbilical cord which was like taking a pair of kitchen shears and cutting a garden hose. Not as easy as it looks!
1:57 P.M.
Ashley gets to hold the love of her life. I look at Kherington in her eyes and I can see she gave me the, "Move aside I'm number one now!" look. Already this child has her mother's attitude. Unbelievable.
2:01 P.M.
I get to hold my beautiful baby girl. Greatest moment of my life. I finally got to meet her.
2:07 P.M.
Family and friends are allowed to come into the room and share this experience with us. Thank you to all who showed up and thank you to everyone who didn't because that would have been really crowded then.
Tip #42: Watch your child being born. It sounds disgusting and in every video you watch before hand it is disgusting. But when that is your child being born, and you are watching him or her start their life. It is absolutely breath taking.
And this is when my plane landed on my journey to, destination... dad.
I wake up to find out that Ashley had already been having minor contractions since 1 o'clock. I asked her why she didn't wake me up and she said there was no need too, which I then agreed and went back to sleep.
4:49 A.M.
I can't sleep with the nurse continuing to come in and out of the room so I decided to watch some Sportscenter.
5:49 A.M.
Only problem with watching Sportscenter so early in the morning is after one hour there is nothing else to watch. So I tried to go back to sleep.
6:18 A.M.
Can't sleep so I start to work on my blog.
6:42 A.M.
Ashley is now asleep and I am wide awake.
7:24 A.M.
I start taking pictures and video of this experience. Ashley yells and curses at me.
7:35 A.M.
We get our first visit from the doctor and Ashley is already 2 cm dilated! Doctor said at this rate we could meet Kherington by noon! They don't have to give her pitocin to speed up the process because she is doing it all on her own. Kherington can't wait to meet her daddy!
7:36 A.M.
Everyone is receiving mass texts from me letting them know noon is the time for my scheduled landing.
8:02 A.M.
Ashley's contractions are bad. She sounds like a wounded seal.
8:05 A.M.
Ashley is screaming for the epidural even though the doctor told her to wait till she is about 4 cm. But what do doctors know?!
8:32 A.M.
By this time Ashley's body is an ocean of sweat and she is screaming for an epidural like Mel Gibson screamed for his son in Ransom.
8:35 A.M.
I step outside the room to grab the nurse so Ashley can get her epidural shot and from the hallway her room sounds like a scene from Hostel. She sounded like she was being tortured.
8:46 A.M.
While Ashley is laying there screaming and cursing at me, I asked her, "This doesn't mean we aren't going to have another one right?" Wrong question to ask!
9:05 A.M.
Here comes the epidural man to save my day!
9:11 A.M.
Ashley is asleep.
9:20 A.M.
I'm asleep.
10:15 A.M.
My mom is the first person to come visit since we heard our target time of noon.
10:56 A.M.
Ashley is at 9 cm! It is almost time! My facebook and twitter are constantly being updated along with my mass texts being sent out.
11:12 A.M.
Ashley's dad is here now!
11:20 A.M.
Trying to figure out if we will be all set in our room for the St. Louis Cardinals game at 8 o'clock. They have to win to force a one game playoff but if the Atlanta Braves lose and the Cardinals win the Cardinals clinch the NL Wild Card. So Kherington didn't come on a Sunday to interfere with the NFL games but now she might interfere with one of MLB's biggest nights? I can already see that this is a sign from God telling me she will be getting in the way of a lot of sporting events in the future.
11:52 A.M.
We find out that Dr. Hardy has a C-section at 12 o'clock and that he will be in afterwards. The nurse says Ashley is still at 9 cm and she is going to give her some pitocin to help to that last centimeter.
12:10 P.M.
The wounded seal is back.
12:57 P.M.
The wounded seal is still, well... wounded.
1:05 P.M.
The nurses come in and gives us the instructions for when Ashley pushes. How to hold her smelly feet, where to give her leg support, and how to count to ten.
1:26 P.M.
Still pushing. Facebook and twitter getting constantly updated.
1:31 P.M.
Well hello Dr. Hardy!
1:47 P.M.
I can see her head! This is so amazing! Haven't started crying yet!
1:50 P.M.
O-M-G! (Yes, I just used OMG to explain my feelings. I am at an emotional state, give me a break!) This is by far the neatest most awesomest (Yes, awesomest) experience I have ever had!
1:53 P.M.
Her head is out! And tears form.
1:54 P.M.
Little miss Kherington Marie is born, cue the water works. The 10 or so seconds it took for her to start crying was probably the most nerve wrecking experience, and I couldn't even see her because my eyes were blurry. Her stats are 7 lbs. and 19.25 inches.
1:55 P.M.
I cut the umbilical cord which was like taking a pair of kitchen shears and cutting a garden hose. Not as easy as it looks!
1:57 P.M.
Ashley gets to hold the love of her life. I look at Kherington in her eyes and I can see she gave me the, "Move aside I'm number one now!" look. Already this child has her mother's attitude. Unbelievable.
2:01 P.M.
I get to hold my beautiful baby girl. Greatest moment of my life. I finally got to meet her.
2:07 P.M.
Family and friends are allowed to come into the room and share this experience with us. Thank you to all who showed up and thank you to everyone who didn't because that would have been really crowded then.
Tip #42: Watch your child being born. It sounds disgusting and in every video you watch before hand it is disgusting. But when that is your child being born, and you are watching him or her start their life. It is absolutely breath taking.
And this is when my plane landed on my journey to, destination... dad.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
The Induction: September 27th, 2011
Ashley had an OBGYN appointment today and prior to this day we had debated on whether Ashley wanted to get induced today, but after taking the baby classes Ashley didn't want to be induced anymore because she learned that her contractions are more painful when induced. So she changed her mind. Ashley called me during her appointment and told me that the doctor had a hard time finding the heart beat and that he said it was very weird and that he wanted to go ahead and induce her. I told Ashley that the doctor wants her to be induced so she goes into labor on his schedule and not at 2 o'clock in the morning on a Sunday or something and that if something was wrong he wouldn't have given you the option to be induced. But of course I was supportive and told Ashley if that is what she wanted to do then I am OK with that. So she told the doctor she did want to be induced today. The doctor said they would have to call the hospital to see if they have a room available and they would give us a call to let us know.
So now here I am at work and it's starting to kick in that this is it, the time has come. The past nine months have finally led to this moment. I couldn't work anymore, my mind was so far gone, I just wanted to go home, but we hadn't even gotten the word if she was even going to be induced yet.
Ashley calls me within the hour to tell me that the hospital does not have any rooms. Well there goes all that excitement!
After I got off work, I come home to my still very pregnant fiance and we are just sitting and talking about how excited we were and now we don't want to wait anymore. Then Ashley gets a phone call and it is the hospital. They told Ashley that someone cancelled their induction and wanted to know if she still wanted to get induced tonight. We of course say yes because we are so impatient!
So we had to be at the hospital between 8 P.M. and 9 P.M. When we got there the registration desk person said to us, "Well let me make sure we still have a room for you. We got a lot of emergencies since we called you." Here I am thinking, "I swear if they send us back home I am going to cause a scene! I am not getting this close to be turned away!" I felt like I was standing in line for a premiere event and only the first 100 people get in, and every time I counted the people in front of me we were numbers 101 and 102. They tell us to go sit in the waiting room and they will let us know. I've already sent out numerous mass texts telling people this was happening. You can't take back that kind of information. You can't send a, "Sike!" text. Luckily for the people working that night they got us a room, because if they hadn't I might of missed my daughter's birth for being banned from the hospital.
They started the induction process at 11 P.M. and said that she would start feeling minor contractions sometime tomorrow morning. So I grabbed a blanket, tried to figure out how to make that chair extend out to a bed. Couldn't figure it out, so I just pulled up another chair and slept on two chairs. See you in the morning!
Tip #41: Get induced, it's less stress, no rushing to the hospital, no ruining of your car's interior, and it's just calmer.
And this is when the "Please Fasten Your Seat Belt" sign came on on my journey to, destination... dad.
So now here I am at work and it's starting to kick in that this is it, the time has come. The past nine months have finally led to this moment. I couldn't work anymore, my mind was so far gone, I just wanted to go home, but we hadn't even gotten the word if she was even going to be induced yet.
Ashley calls me within the hour to tell me that the hospital does not have any rooms. Well there goes all that excitement!
After I got off work, I come home to my still very pregnant fiance and we are just sitting and talking about how excited we were and now we don't want to wait anymore. Then Ashley gets a phone call and it is the hospital. They told Ashley that someone cancelled their induction and wanted to know if she still wanted to get induced tonight. We of course say yes because we are so impatient!
So we had to be at the hospital between 8 P.M. and 9 P.M. When we got there the registration desk person said to us, "Well let me make sure we still have a room for you. We got a lot of emergencies since we called you." Here I am thinking, "I swear if they send us back home I am going to cause a scene! I am not getting this close to be turned away!" I felt like I was standing in line for a premiere event and only the first 100 people get in, and every time I counted the people in front of me we were numbers 101 and 102. They tell us to go sit in the waiting room and they will let us know. I've already sent out numerous mass texts telling people this was happening. You can't take back that kind of information. You can't send a, "Sike!" text. Luckily for the people working that night they got us a room, because if they hadn't I might of missed my daughter's birth for being banned from the hospital.
They started the induction process at 11 P.M. and said that she would start feeling minor contractions sometime tomorrow morning. So I grabbed a blanket, tried to figure out how to make that chair extend out to a bed. Couldn't figure it out, so I just pulled up another chair and slept on two chairs. See you in the morning!
Tip #41: Get induced, it's less stress, no rushing to the hospital, no ruining of your car's interior, and it's just calmer.
And this is when the "Please Fasten Your Seat Belt" sign came on on my journey to, destination... dad.
Monday, September 12, 2011
The Gameday: September 11, 2011
As discussed in "The Teams" there is a huge competition amongst Ashley and I when it comes to which team we are going to raise Kherington to root for. This heated debate has slowly cooled down since my post but with today being the first Sunday full of NFL games the debate started early in the morning. Like at 9 A.M. early in the morning when I turned on NFL Gameday and started my four hours of pregame television. We debated on whether Kherington would wear her Redskins onesie that my mom had bought for her. I agreed to let Ashley change Kherington into Chargers attire after my game is over and her game starts. This plan usually works perfect since my team is an east coast team (1 o'clock games) and hers is a west coast team (4 o'clock games). The problem today is that Kherington doesn't have any Chargers attire to change into. So Ashley was claiming that it was unfair for her to wear Redskins but not Chargers. In the end, it's not my fault she doesn't have Chargers stuff, so she proudly wore her Redskins onesie all day.
Tip #40: There is always a way to win a debate. Even if Kherington would have had a Charger onesie to wear I would have made sure it was "lost" on game day.
Tip #40: There is always a way to win a debate. Even if Kherington would have had a Charger onesie to wear I would have made sure it was "lost" on game day.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
The Classes: September 10th, 2011
So being the awesome fiance and future father that I am, I decided to attend these two baby classes with Ashley, because again, I'm awesome. The class starts off with us of course being late, so now we were labeled "those" parents by the other parents, I could read it on their faces as if it was written on their forehead. We were being categorized as the parents who don't take this serious enough, who put themselves before their child, and will end up raising the next Columbine kid.
The first thing they did was separate the men from the women. The women stayed in the room while the teacher dragged the men in a single file line out in to the hallway and lined us up against the wall. The teacher then walked back and forth down the line looking at all of us and explaining that we need to take this class very serious. I felt like I was in the middle east, being interrogated because they were looking for the American liaison who was then going to be stoned to death. For some reason this women who weighed 90 lbs. soaking wet had me so scared to even think about cracking a joke. But that wore off in a matter of minutes.
No matter where I am or what I am involved in, I think I have that face that just screams at the teacher or instructor, "Pick me! Pick me!" because I am always picked first to do demonstrations. Whether it was in school, at sports practices, in driving classes, or at these child birthing classes, I am always picked first. The good thing is I am not a shy person and am very hard to embarrass, so whatever the situation is I always make the best of it. Now for those of you who do not know me very well, I ALWAYS quote movies. Especially classic guys films like 40-Year Old Virgin, Superbad, Accepted, and in this case, Knocked-Up. The teacher asked me to come to the front of the room and show the class how I think my baby is currently positioned inside my baby momma's stomach. Well because, like I said before, I am awesome, I got this question right and the teacher made a comment that no man had ever gotten that question right. So this is how the dialogue went...
Teacher: "OK, Rickey, you show me how you think your baby is positioned in your partner's belly right now."
Me: (Holding the baby doll and folding her appropriately) "Like this!"
Teacher: "Wow! That's really impressive. No man has ever gotten that question right!"
Me: "Well, I read the baby books."
Teacher: (Holding her hand up for a high five) "Did you really? Good for you!"
Me: (Giving her a high five) "No, not really."
I don't think the teacher was very happy with me because I cracked a joke but I am also not sure if she knows that it was a joke.
Our teacher also told us that every 30 minutes the pregnant women need to empty their bladder because it helps the baby move into the birth canal. So I made sure that every 30 minutes I would let the teacher know that it was bathroom time. The reason why I was so keen on making sure I didn't miss a 30 minute break is because this was the only chance I could check the college football scores.
Tip #39: If she wants you to go to the classes, then go. It will make her happy, and at this point in time it is very hard to get her to, and keep her at, the emotion called happy.
And this is when I was learning the instructions for a proper landing on my journey to, destination... dad.
The first thing they did was separate the men from the women. The women stayed in the room while the teacher dragged the men in a single file line out in to the hallway and lined us up against the wall. The teacher then walked back and forth down the line looking at all of us and explaining that we need to take this class very serious. I felt like I was in the middle east, being interrogated because they were looking for the American liaison who was then going to be stoned to death. For some reason this women who weighed 90 lbs. soaking wet had me so scared to even think about cracking a joke. But that wore off in a matter of minutes.
No matter where I am or what I am involved in, I think I have that face that just screams at the teacher or instructor, "Pick me! Pick me!" because I am always picked first to do demonstrations. Whether it was in school, at sports practices, in driving classes, or at these child birthing classes, I am always picked first. The good thing is I am not a shy person and am very hard to embarrass, so whatever the situation is I always make the best of it. Now for those of you who do not know me very well, I ALWAYS quote movies. Especially classic guys films like 40-Year Old Virgin, Superbad, Accepted, and in this case, Knocked-Up. The teacher asked me to come to the front of the room and show the class how I think my baby is currently positioned inside my baby momma's stomach. Well because, like I said before, I am awesome, I got this question right and the teacher made a comment that no man had ever gotten that question right. So this is how the dialogue went...
Teacher: "OK, Rickey, you show me how you think your baby is positioned in your partner's belly right now."
Me: (Holding the baby doll and folding her appropriately) "Like this!"
Teacher: "Wow! That's really impressive. No man has ever gotten that question right!"
Me: "Well, I read the baby books."
Teacher: (Holding her hand up for a high five) "Did you really? Good for you!"
Me: (Giving her a high five) "No, not really."
I don't think the teacher was very happy with me because I cracked a joke but I am also not sure if she knows that it was a joke.
Our teacher also told us that every 30 minutes the pregnant women need to empty their bladder because it helps the baby move into the birth canal. So I made sure that every 30 minutes I would let the teacher know that it was bathroom time. The reason why I was so keen on making sure I didn't miss a 30 minute break is because this was the only chance I could check the college football scores.
Tip #39: If she wants you to go to the classes, then go. It will make her happy, and at this point in time it is very hard to get her to, and keep her at, the emotion called happy.
And this is when I was learning the instructions for a proper landing on my journey to, destination... dad.
Friday, September 9, 2011
The Shower: September 9th, 2011
My mom decided to throw a coed baby shower so I could also celebrate the birth of Kherington, but it wasn't really a shower, it was just a big party. There were so many of our friends and family who showed up that we could barely move around in the house. It was so nice to see, and know, that we have that many people in our lives who care about us and were there to celebrate that moment with us. It was absolutely ridiculous how many presents we were showered with. It looked like someone built The Great Wall of China in my parents living room. We are very gracious and thankful for everything and everyone that night. Also if you still have not received your thank you card, I'm sorry, but thank you!
Tip #38: Be thank ful for everything you receive beacause if it wasn't for friends and family there is no way anyone could afford a baby.
And this is when I realized how much luggage I had on my journey to, destination... dad.
Tip #38: Be thank ful for everything you receive beacause if it wasn't for friends and family there is no way anyone could afford a baby.
And this is when I realized how much luggage I had on my journey to, destination... dad.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
The Game: September 3rd, 2011
Old Dominion kicks off their inaugural season in the CAA (Colonial Athletic Conference) today. This is one of maybe three games that Ashley will be able to go to this year. She won't be able to climb up the stairs at the stadium once Kherington is born, but I will still be able too!
Ashley was a trooper though. She is a pregnant woman who looks like she is about to pop, (seriously explode not metaphorically) and still tailgated the four hours before hand (without consuming any alcohol) and stayed for the entire game. Now notice how I did not say "and never complained." Well there is a reason for that. The game time temperature was somewhere in the high 70s, but the wind was being blocked by the stadium and the sun shines directly on our section for the first half. So Ashley was sweating like a whore in a church. She kept telling me how miserable she was and she was starting to feel claustrophobic because she was so big and there was such little space. I looked at her with the most serious face ever and said, "Now you know how I feel all the time. So I don't ever want to hear you tell me to stop complaining when I am sweating wherever we are." Not only was she sweating though, around the beginning of the 3rd quarter I look down at her feet and mistaken ed them for elephant feet. Her feet were so swollen she could have been the foot double for Gwyneth Paltrow in Shallow Hal. Ashley had been on her feet all day (a pregnant woman no-no) and was trying to hide them from my mom and dad because they would have yelled at her. She didn't do a good job though because after the game they were telling her to put ice on them and prop them up and then I was getting in trouble from them for allowing this to happen. Like I have the power to constrict her veins!
Tip #37: I don't and will not do it because I hate feet (I even hate my own feet), but rub her feet for her, it helps with the swelling.
And this is when I realized the toll that this plane was taking during my journey to, destination... dad.
Ashley was a trooper though. She is a pregnant woman who looks like she is about to pop, (seriously explode not metaphorically) and still tailgated the four hours before hand (without consuming any alcohol) and stayed for the entire game. Now notice how I did not say "and never complained." Well there is a reason for that. The game time temperature was somewhere in the high 70s, but the wind was being blocked by the stadium and the sun shines directly on our section for the first half. So Ashley was sweating like a whore in a church. She kept telling me how miserable she was and she was starting to feel claustrophobic because she was so big and there was such little space. I looked at her with the most serious face ever and said, "Now you know how I feel all the time. So I don't ever want to hear you tell me to stop complaining when I am sweating wherever we are." Not only was she sweating though, around the beginning of the 3rd quarter I look down at her feet and mistaken ed them for elephant feet. Her feet were so swollen she could have been the foot double for Gwyneth Paltrow in Shallow Hal. Ashley had been on her feet all day (a pregnant woman no-no) and was trying to hide them from my mom and dad because they would have yelled at her. She didn't do a good job though because after the game they were telling her to put ice on them and prop them up and then I was getting in trouble from them for allowing this to happen. Like I have the power to constrict her veins!
Tip #37: I don't and will not do it because I hate feet (I even hate my own feet), but rub her feet for her, it helps with the swelling.
And this is when I realized the toll that this plane was taking during my journey to, destination... dad.
The Pictures: September 3rd, 2011
Ashley wanted to get pregnancy pictures done but I hate having my picture taken since I am wanted in three states (not really but that's always my excuse). So I decided that I would bypass my need for Ashley's need (what a great fiance I am!). She set up an appointment for 8am on a Saturday morning, and we were late.
Ashley bought me a button down shirt to wear for the pictures, I didn't complain because I got a new button down out of the deal. Well I went to iron it that morning and asked Ashley to plug the iron in so it can get hot while I showered. So after I shower I start ironing my shirt and it is taking forever, the wrinkles are not coming out! So I ironed that shirt for about 15 minutes until I decided to feel the iron, it was cold. Ashley plugged it in but didn't turn it on. So I wasn't ironing my shirt I was just flattening it out.
We arrived at the picture place at 8:14 a.m. and a big fat gay guy who looked like Cam from Modern Family told us if we had arrived one more minute later we would have had to reschedule, but what he doesn't know is there wouldn't have been a rescheduling, because I only agree to do this once.
We got pictures with her ODU bib and more importantly with Jonny bear. Ashley loves all of the pictures and we ended up buying way too many of them. Fortunately we have enough friends and family who love us and will help find a wall to hang them all on.
Tip #36: I hate having my picture taken and no matter how bad my fake smile is, Ive never loved any pictures more than these. Get them taken if you have the chance.
And this is when I just kept looking at the same pictures over and over again wasting time until my landing on my journey to, destination... dad.
Ashley bought me a button down shirt to wear for the pictures, I didn't complain because I got a new button down out of the deal. Well I went to iron it that morning and asked Ashley to plug the iron in so it can get hot while I showered. So after I shower I start ironing my shirt and it is taking forever, the wrinkles are not coming out! So I ironed that shirt for about 15 minutes until I decided to feel the iron, it was cold. Ashley plugged it in but didn't turn it on. So I wasn't ironing my shirt I was just flattening it out.
We arrived at the picture place at 8:14 a.m. and a big fat gay guy who looked like Cam from Modern Family told us if we had arrived one more minute later we would have had to reschedule, but what he doesn't know is there wouldn't have been a rescheduling, because I only agree to do this once.
We got pictures with her ODU bib and more importantly with Jonny bear. Ashley loves all of the pictures and we ended up buying way too many of them. Fortunately we have enough friends and family who love us and will help find a wall to hang them all on.
Tip #36: I hate having my picture taken and no matter how bad my fake smile is, Ive never loved any pictures more than these. Get them taken if you have the chance.
And this is when I just kept looking at the same pictures over and over again wasting time until my landing on my journey to, destination... dad.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
The Hurricane: August 28, 2011
So when the over exaggerated hurricane Irene came to the Hampton Roads area (I know, predicting a hurricane is not a science) Ashley, Taylor (our dog), and myself stayed at my hotel because I would most likely have to work all weekend. Well as I have discussed previously, Ashley gets a very bad case of cabin fever (even only for one day). Hell that's the whole reason why Ashley is pregnant as you learned in "The Deed". However, when you mix cabin fever with a pregnant woman things do no turn out very pretty.
We stayed Friday through Sunday. The storm didn't hit until early Saturday morning around two o'clock, so already Ashley was wondering why we didn't just come in Saturday morning. I worked all day Saturday and when I did finally get off and returned to our room, Ashley was looking for something to do, but what is there to do at a hotel? The pool had been closed due to the weather and we don't have a restaurant to go eat at, so she was left with watching TV, the same thing she had been doing all day. She finally decides that she is going to go to Walmart with a friend who was also staying at the hotel. In the middle of the storm she decides it is a good idea to go to Walmart to get dinner! We packed stuff to make PB&Js for a reason! Of course there was no talking her out of this because it was her chance to get away. I can now add Ashley to the list of those idiots I see driving around in the middle of a hurricane, but I guess when you come from Kansas, like Ashley, hurricanes are nothing compared to tornadoes.
Tip #35: Plan to get your wife pregnant so she doesn't have to go through a hurricane.
And this is when I flew through a hurricane on my journey to, destination... dad.
We stayed Friday through Sunday. The storm didn't hit until early Saturday morning around two o'clock, so already Ashley was wondering why we didn't just come in Saturday morning. I worked all day Saturday and when I did finally get off and returned to our room, Ashley was looking for something to do, but what is there to do at a hotel? The pool had been closed due to the weather and we don't have a restaurant to go eat at, so she was left with watching TV, the same thing she had been doing all day. She finally decides that she is going to go to Walmart with a friend who was also staying at the hotel. In the middle of the storm she decides it is a good idea to go to Walmart to get dinner! We packed stuff to make PB&Js for a reason! Of course there was no talking her out of this because it was her chance to get away. I can now add Ashley to the list of those idiots I see driving around in the middle of a hurricane, but I guess when you come from Kansas, like Ashley, hurricanes are nothing compared to tornadoes.
Tip #35: Plan to get your wife pregnant so she doesn't have to go through a hurricane.
And this is when I flew through a hurricane on my journey to, destination... dad.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
The Memento: August 21, 2011
Whether you are reading baby apps for the iPhone, parenting magazines, or different websites, they all tell you that you should start thinking of a memento to have for when your baby gets older, to show them the experience and journey that you as parents went through during the nine months of pregnancy. Looking back, I am glad that I started this blog because what better way for my daughter to understand the loads of crap that her daddy went through while mommy was pregnant than a truthful, don't hold nothing back, tell it like I see it blog!
How will Kherington act when she grows up and reads this blog? I don't know. She might laugh a little bit, maybe shed a tear, smile from ear to ear occasionally, say, "Daaaad?" like she can't believe that I actually put whatever she is reading on the Internet for the whole world to read, or she might vomit on the keyboard while my blog builds pictures in her head she doesn't want to see and always hoped to never imagine. I don't know how she will react, but either way I think she will love it, just as much as I love her.
Tip #34: Think of a really good memento, one that will be around forever. But think of it early in the pregnancy and build on it, don't start whatever it is just in the final weeks.
And this is when I took a step back and really started to admire what I was doing on my journey to, destination... dad.
How will Kherington act when she grows up and reads this blog? I don't know. She might laugh a little bit, maybe shed a tear, smile from ear to ear occasionally, say, "Daaaad?" like she can't believe that I actually put whatever she is reading on the Internet for the whole world to read, or she might vomit on the keyboard while my blog builds pictures in her head she doesn't want to see and always hoped to never imagine. I don't know how she will react, but either way I think she will love it, just as much as I love her.
Tip #34: Think of a really good memento, one that will be around forever. But think of it early in the pregnancy and build on it, don't start whatever it is just in the final weeks.
And this is when I took a step back and really started to admire what I was doing on my journey to, destination... dad.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
The Dreams: August 13th, 2011
I don't know if this is something that happens to all pregnant women but Ashley has had the craziest dreams recently. She wakes up in the middle of the night and she is either panting, crying, depressed, or frightened. Everyone has nightmares, and I get if you wake up crying or scared because someone was trying to kill you in your dream or you were falling off a building. It feels so real and then you wake up and realize that it wasn't real, it was a dream, and then go back to sleep. Not for a pregnant woman.
Ashley will wake up in the middle of the night freaking out and then decide to wake me up to tell me what she just dreamed about. One night when Ashley was around four months pregnant, she woke up in a panic and told me that she had the baby at four months and then the doctors took her and never brought her back (except her version of the story went on for about 10 minutes). I said, "It's impossible to have the baby now. Go back to sleep."
Another night she wakes up freaking out to tell me that she just dreamt that she had the baby but after the doctors took her to get cleaned up they brought back the wrong baby, they brought back a baby with dark curly hair. Ashley told them that this wasn't her baby. So the doctors apologized and brought back another baby, but this time the baby was a boy, so the doctors again apologized and brought back a baby that was already three months old. Ashley said that she told the doctors that this wasn't her child either but they insisted that it was and wouldn't listen to her. I said to Ashley, "That's impossible they have wristbands they give the babies now to prevent mix-ups. Go back to sleep."
Then most recently she wakes up panting and out of breathe. She wakes me up to tell me the dream and when I find out why she woke me up I just went back to sleep. Later she tells me that she dreamt that a serial killer woman trapped her in the house and was going to kill her and take her baby. Glad to know that I didn't lose any sleep over that one.
Tip #33: Sleep in the other room if you don't want to be bothered by dream recaps in the middle of the night.
And this is when I realized that I too would lose sleep on my journey to, destination... dad.
Ashley will wake up in the middle of the night freaking out and then decide to wake me up to tell me what she just dreamed about. One night when Ashley was around four months pregnant, she woke up in a panic and told me that she had the baby at four months and then the doctors took her and never brought her back (except her version of the story went on for about 10 minutes). I said, "It's impossible to have the baby now. Go back to sleep."
Another night she wakes up freaking out to tell me that she just dreamt that she had the baby but after the doctors took her to get cleaned up they brought back the wrong baby, they brought back a baby with dark curly hair. Ashley told them that this wasn't her baby. So the doctors apologized and brought back another baby, but this time the baby was a boy, so the doctors again apologized and brought back a baby that was already three months old. Ashley said that she told the doctors that this wasn't her child either but they insisted that it was and wouldn't listen to her. I said to Ashley, "That's impossible they have wristbands they give the babies now to prevent mix-ups. Go back to sleep."
Then most recently she wakes up panting and out of breathe. She wakes me up to tell me the dream and when I find out why she woke me up I just went back to sleep. Later she tells me that she dreamt that a serial killer woman trapped her in the house and was going to kill her and take her baby. Glad to know that I didn't lose any sleep over that one.
Tip #33: Sleep in the other room if you don't want to be bothered by dream recaps in the middle of the night.
And this is when I realized that I too would lose sleep on my journey to, destination... dad.
Monday, August 8, 2011
The Babymoon: August 8th, 2011
Ashley told me she wanted to go away for a weekend before the baby came, that we needed to have a babymoon. I don't know what a babymoon is, I have never heard of one before, but because I am a college educated man I put two and two together and figured it out. I realized it is like a honeymoon except on a babymoon you aren't celebrating your marriage you are celebrating (without alcohol) your last vacation of freedom. But unfortunately I told Ashley we couldn't do it because I wasn't trying to spend a bunch of money before the baby came. Ashley was very upset because she thought that was just my excuse not to go. So I had to explain to her that I want to make sure we are financially set before this baby comes (which nobody is ever financially set, but the closer you think you are the better you feel about being "set"). So Ashley understood and I thought that was the end of it.
Well then Ashley's future maid of honor, Mary, who is getting married in a week decided she is inviting the wedding party down to the Outer Banks for a weekend of celebration. It is like a bachelor and bachelorette party combined. Mary is marrying Ramises, and his best man rented a beach house for everyone down on the oceanfront (thanks Chris!). Ashley and I were not part of the wedding party but I guess because we are so awesome we got invited anyways. Which was an honor and we are glad we could spend the weekend and celebrate with them (thanks guys!). When Ashley told me about this weekend I said to her that we could treat this as our babymoon also! Two birds, one stone.
So we drove down to the Outer Banks and had one hell of a time. It was a great weekend with great friends and Ashley and I even expanded our guest list for our wedding because we met such great people while we were down there. The weekend was a time I will never forget and I really felt bad for Ashley since she couldn't drink. But she cherished the time we spent at the beach (since I never go to the beach), and all the good laughs we shared. After we got home she was upset because she realized she wasn't in a lot of the pictures but that was because she was either napping or the picture was taken after 9p.m. because she was already in bed for the night.
Tip #32: Celebrate the babymoon, even if it isn't exactly what she wants, she will still enjoy every bit of it, as will you.
And this is when I closed my eyes and took a mini "vacay" while on my journey to, destination... dad.
Well then Ashley's future maid of honor, Mary, who is getting married in a week decided she is inviting the wedding party down to the Outer Banks for a weekend of celebration. It is like a bachelor and bachelorette party combined. Mary is marrying Ramises, and his best man rented a beach house for everyone down on the oceanfront (thanks Chris!). Ashley and I were not part of the wedding party but I guess because we are so awesome we got invited anyways. Which was an honor and we are glad we could spend the weekend and celebrate with them (thanks guys!). When Ashley told me about this weekend I said to her that we could treat this as our babymoon also! Two birds, one stone.
So we drove down to the Outer Banks and had one hell of a time. It was a great weekend with great friends and Ashley and I even expanded our guest list for our wedding because we met such great people while we were down there. The weekend was a time I will never forget and I really felt bad for Ashley since she couldn't drink. But she cherished the time we spent at the beach (since I never go to the beach), and all the good laughs we shared. After we got home she was upset because she realized she wasn't in a lot of the pictures but that was because she was either napping or the picture was taken after 9p.m. because she was already in bed for the night.
Tip #32: Celebrate the babymoon, even if it isn't exactly what she wants, she will still enjoy every bit of it, as will you.
And this is when I closed my eyes and took a mini "vacay" while on my journey to, destination... dad.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
The Tour: July 31, 2011
Before you go to the hospital for the birth of your child you are supposed to take a tour of the hospital. Why? I am not exactly sure and after our "tour" I still haven't figured out why.
We arrive at the hospital and are sitting in the lobby waiting for our tour guide to come get us. Well while we are sitting there two more couples come to the lobby to wait for the tour guide as well. One is a Mexican couple and we later find out that they don't speak any English because when the tour guide ask them what they are having the guy nods his head and says, "Si." The other couple, who just so happened to sit across from us in the lobby, decides she wants to try and talk to Ashley. The problem is she talks like she has rocks in her mouth and she was very hard to understand. I was reading a magazine at the time she spoke and I decided to bury my face into the magazine to stop from laughing. I'm not trying to be mean but do you know what it is like to try to talk to someone when you don't have the slightest clue as to what they are saying. If you don't just ask Ashley because she now knows what it's like.
The magazine I was reading was Popular Science and the article I was reading about is how we, humans, use good memories and thoughts to predict the future when making decisions. Meaning when we are faced with a decision in life we tend to think about what good has happened or what good can happen before deciding. We tend to block out the negative that we know or think could happen and weigh the positive much more than the negative, helping us make our decision. So we tend to think the positive prediction will be the result of our decision. So here I am sitting there reading this article and I started to think, maybe God is trying to give me a sign. When Ashley and I decided to try for a baby I was all for it. I helped raise my niece and have seen a child grow up, and it is an amazing and unforgettable journey. I remember when she first started to roll over, or crawl, or walk, talk, laugh, cry, show her personality, I remember everything! Or at least I thought I did. While reading this article it made me think about those years that my niece was growing up, and it made me think deeper, and then it hit me. When talking to Ashley about trying for a baby I was all for it because those things I just listed along with others is what all I thought about and those are the things that I wanted to cherish with a child of my own. I didn't think about the crying in the middle of the night, the temper tantrums, the crying for hours and you don't know why, the spills, the stains, the puke, or the poop along with many, many other things. I felt like God was talking to me throughout that article. But before I could get down on my knees and start talking to him, begging him for my child to have nothing but good memories, the tour guide arrived.
As we start to walk around the hotel with the tour guide she would ask a question to the group but Ashley and I were the only ones that responded. So from then on she just decided to talk to only us since we appeared to be the only normal couple in the group. I had asked Ashley if she signed us up for the handicap tour and then received a backhand to the chest. The tour guide took us to the delivery and post-partum room where I first checked out the TVs in each room. I calculated the size, looked at the wall mount and if it was on a swivel, checked out the lighting in the room, and decided where I would be sitting to get the best viewing experience. I then leaned over and asked Ashley, "Do you think they have NFL Sunday Ticket here?" and again received another backhand to the chest. How could you blame me? Ashley's due date is on a Sunday, one month into the football season, I can't miss my fantasy players games that day!
So after the completion of the tour we got to see every room that Ashley and Kherington will be in along with instructions and directions around the hospital. Now do they really think I or any other man will be able to remember all the things they just told us? Do you understand how big this hospital is? Every hallway and door looks the same, it's like she was giving birth inside one of those carnival fun houses with all the mirrors. Just tell me what to do and where to go when I get there. Thanks.
Tip #31: Be the guy who brings a notepad and paper to the tour. I really wish I did.
And this is when I realized that right before my plane is scheduled to land, all hell is going to break loose on my journey to, destination... dad.
We arrive at the hospital and are sitting in the lobby waiting for our tour guide to come get us. Well while we are sitting there two more couples come to the lobby to wait for the tour guide as well. One is a Mexican couple and we later find out that they don't speak any English because when the tour guide ask them what they are having the guy nods his head and says, "Si." The other couple, who just so happened to sit across from us in the lobby, decides she wants to try and talk to Ashley. The problem is she talks like she has rocks in her mouth and she was very hard to understand. I was reading a magazine at the time she spoke and I decided to bury my face into the magazine to stop from laughing. I'm not trying to be mean but do you know what it is like to try to talk to someone when you don't have the slightest clue as to what they are saying. If you don't just ask Ashley because she now knows what it's like.
The magazine I was reading was Popular Science and the article I was reading about is how we, humans, use good memories and thoughts to predict the future when making decisions. Meaning when we are faced with a decision in life we tend to think about what good has happened or what good can happen before deciding. We tend to block out the negative that we know or think could happen and weigh the positive much more than the negative, helping us make our decision. So we tend to think the positive prediction will be the result of our decision. So here I am sitting there reading this article and I started to think, maybe God is trying to give me a sign. When Ashley and I decided to try for a baby I was all for it. I helped raise my niece and have seen a child grow up, and it is an amazing and unforgettable journey. I remember when she first started to roll over, or crawl, or walk, talk, laugh, cry, show her personality, I remember everything! Or at least I thought I did. While reading this article it made me think about those years that my niece was growing up, and it made me think deeper, and then it hit me. When talking to Ashley about trying for a baby I was all for it because those things I just listed along with others is what all I thought about and those are the things that I wanted to cherish with a child of my own. I didn't think about the crying in the middle of the night, the temper tantrums, the crying for hours and you don't know why, the spills, the stains, the puke, or the poop along with many, many other things. I felt like God was talking to me throughout that article. But before I could get down on my knees and start talking to him, begging him for my child to have nothing but good memories, the tour guide arrived.
As we start to walk around the hotel with the tour guide she would ask a question to the group but Ashley and I were the only ones that responded. So from then on she just decided to talk to only us since we appeared to be the only normal couple in the group. I had asked Ashley if she signed us up for the handicap tour and then received a backhand to the chest. The tour guide took us to the delivery and post-partum room where I first checked out the TVs in each room. I calculated the size, looked at the wall mount and if it was on a swivel, checked out the lighting in the room, and decided where I would be sitting to get the best viewing experience. I then leaned over and asked Ashley, "Do you think they have NFL Sunday Ticket here?" and again received another backhand to the chest. How could you blame me? Ashley's due date is on a Sunday, one month into the football season, I can't miss my fantasy players games that day!
So after the completion of the tour we got to see every room that Ashley and Kherington will be in along with instructions and directions around the hospital. Now do they really think I or any other man will be able to remember all the things they just told us? Do you understand how big this hospital is? Every hallway and door looks the same, it's like she was giving birth inside one of those carnival fun houses with all the mirrors. Just tell me what to do and where to go when I get there. Thanks.
Tip #31: Be the guy who brings a notepad and paper to the tour. I really wish I did.
And this is when I realized that right before my plane is scheduled to land, all hell is going to break loose on my journey to, destination... dad.
Friday, July 29, 2011
The Cousin: July 29th, 2011
While at my softball games, Ashley receives a phone call from her sister Amanda, (Jonny's mom). Amanda asks Ashley if she knows what today is, Ashley had a dumbfounded look on her face and I shouted out, "It's her birthday!" I don't know when Amanda's birthday is I was just guessing but Ashley was quick to correct me. Ashley then says in a very curious voice, "I don't know, what is today?" Then all of a sudden I see Ashley grin from ear to ear and shout, "Oh my God!!! I knew it!!! I knew something was going on when you called me!!!" Amanda had just told Ashley that she was pregnant. She stated that it was still early but she couldn't wait to share the good news.
Looks like I might have to make another trip to Buil-a-Bear for someone else.
Tip #30: Once your significant other is pregnant you will notice everyone else who is pregnant, and when someone you care about shares news with you that they are now pregnant too, you say to yourself, "Does that guy really knows what he is getting himself into?"
And this is when I started thinking about making business cards on my journey too, destination... dad.
Looks like I might have to make another trip to Buil-a-Bear for someone else.
Tip #30: Once your significant other is pregnant you will notice everyone else who is pregnant, and when someone you care about shares news with you that they are now pregnant too, you say to yourself, "Does that guy really knows what he is getting himself into?"
And this is when I started thinking about making business cards on my journey too, destination... dad.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
The Boxer: July 20, 2011
In "The Snoring" I stated that Ashley made me feel like I was sleeping next to Brian Urlacher. Well things have now changed, I now feel like I am sleeping next to Manny Pacquiao, or should I say "Manny Preg-uiao."
The OBGYN recently told Ashley that she has a minor case of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. He said that it is not uncommon for pregnant women to get but she needs to be careful with the strain she puts on her wrists. It doesn't help that Ashley sits at a desk in front of a computer all day and types, and it also doesn't help that she sleeps like a cute little angel (she isn't fooling anybody) with her wrist balled up underneath her chin. So what did I do? I bought her two wrist braces to help keep her wrist straight while sleeping. However, she didn't wear them for very long, maybe for like a week or two. I would put them on her before going to bed and she would complain about them being too tight, I told her that they are braces and they are supposed to be tight, well she didn't like that. She would wake up in the middle of the night and all I hear is velcro being pulled apart, she was loosening them up because she claimed her hands were falling asleep. I told her that her hands fell asleep at night before the braces because it's the carpal tunnel that is causing that. Then she would tell me it wasn't comfortable and she didn't like them. So one morning I woke up and they were both laying on the floor. They now are collecting dust on the window sill.
Manny Preg-uiao had a short career.
Tip #29: No matter what you try and tell her, she is going to do what she wants to do. Your job is to just watch and wait for this to all be over with.
And this is when I decided it would be better if I just slept through the flight and stop trying to help on my journey to, destination... dad.
The OBGYN recently told Ashley that she has a minor case of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. He said that it is not uncommon for pregnant women to get but she needs to be careful with the strain she puts on her wrists. It doesn't help that Ashley sits at a desk in front of a computer all day and types, and it also doesn't help that she sleeps like a cute little angel (she isn't fooling anybody) with her wrist balled up underneath her chin. So what did I do? I bought her two wrist braces to help keep her wrist straight while sleeping. However, she didn't wear them for very long, maybe for like a week or two. I would put them on her before going to bed and she would complain about them being too tight, I told her that they are braces and they are supposed to be tight, well she didn't like that. She would wake up in the middle of the night and all I hear is velcro being pulled apart, she was loosening them up because she claimed her hands were falling asleep. I told her that her hands fell asleep at night before the braces because it's the carpal tunnel that is causing that. Then she would tell me it wasn't comfortable and she didn't like them. So one morning I woke up and they were both laying on the floor. They now are collecting dust on the window sill.
Manny Preg-uiao had a short career.
Tip #29: No matter what you try and tell her, she is going to do what she wants to do. Your job is to just watch and wait for this to all be over with.
And this is when I decided it would be better if I just slept through the flight and stop trying to help on my journey to, destination... dad.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
The Deal: July 12, 2011
As I stated before in "The Nursery" I am a procrastinator and was probably going to procrastinate more when it came to cleaning out the room for the nursery. So here we are, the nursery is nice and clean and let me tell you why it is done so soon.
At one of my softball games while in the dugout, one of my buddies said we needed to take a trip up to Atlantic City before Kherington is born to celebrate. Kind of like a bachelor's party but for becoming a dad instead of a husband. Before I said anything Ashley says, "If he cleans out the nursery by the middle of July then you can have him and take him wherever you want for a weekend." I like how she made this sound as if I needed to get permission before agreeing to this trip. Needless to say I just went along with it, why not, it makes everything that much easier.
So the last time I checked, July had 31 days in the month, which means that the middle of July would be noon on the 15th. Sounds to me like I didn't procrastinate on the nursery this time because I still had three days to spare, Atlantic City here I come!
Tip #28: Deals are always a win/win scenario.
And this is when I realized that I would be having an unexpected layover in Atlantic City for a weekend on my journey to, destination... dad.
At one of my softball games while in the dugout, one of my buddies said we needed to take a trip up to Atlantic City before Kherington is born to celebrate. Kind of like a bachelor's party but for becoming a dad instead of a husband. Before I said anything Ashley says, "If he cleans out the nursery by the middle of July then you can have him and take him wherever you want for a weekend." I like how she made this sound as if I needed to get permission before agreeing to this trip. Needless to say I just went along with it, why not, it makes everything that much easier.
So the last time I checked, July had 31 days in the month, which means that the middle of July would be noon on the 15th. Sounds to me like I didn't procrastinate on the nursery this time because I still had three days to spare, Atlantic City here I come!
Tip #28: Deals are always a win/win scenario.
And this is when I realized that I would be having an unexpected layover in Atlantic City for a weekend on my journey to, destination... dad.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
The Bear: July 9th, 2011
As I have discussed in previous posts, the unfortunate tragedy of Ashley's nephew, is starting to weigh on me more and more everyday, but not like it has been and will weigh on Ashley (no pun intended). It will weigh on Ashley after Kherington is born and when she is sleeping because she will worry about the same thing happening to her that did Jonny. Which is the reason I am leaving the couch in the nursery, that way Ashley can sleep in the room when she wants too. But all of this is weighing on me now. I started thinking how can Kherington learn about her cousin Jonny other than what we will tell her? How can she start loving her cousin that she will never meet from the moment she is first born? I am a very big family person and these things bother me. Kherington will have two older cousins on my side of the family but I don't want her to think that they are the only cousins she has. Just because Jonny is no longer with us doesn't mean she can't love him just as much if not more. So I started to think of different ideas, ways that would get Kherington's attention and help her grow that affection towards Jonny that I want her to have. And then it hit me.
So this morning I told Ashley to get dressed because I needed to take her somewhere. She asked where and I told her it was a surprise and to not ask questions. I had just recently started a new job and was obsessed with buying new clothes for work. So when we pulled up to the mall and I parked in Macy's, Ashley looks at me and says, "I swear to God if your idea of a surprise is to bring me to Macy's so you can go shopping I am going to walk home." I laughed and told her we were here for something else but that was a good idea on how to trick you for future reference. I told her to just follow me and to continue to not ask questions. We walk through the mall and of course Ashley keeps asking questions. I grab her hand and pull her into Build-A-Bear.
My thinking was that all kids love stuffed animals, and usually if you introduce a child to one animal at a young age then they will have a special connection with that one specific stuffed animal forever. It becomes the stuffed animal that they can't go to sleep without or the stuffed animal that has to have its own seat at the dinner table, and then becomes the stuffed animal your parents put into a shadow box for you when you graduate from high school. Every kid had either a stuffed animal or a blanket when growing up, and what better way to establish an emotional connection to Jonny then to create a bear in his memory, get a birth certificate with his name on it and have him waiting in Kherington's room for her to arrive.
Right now Jonny bear is sitting in Kherington's room protecting it for when she comes home. He is currently filling her room with his love so when we take her in their for the first time she will know that her big cousin will always be watching over her, for the rest of her life.
Tip #27: Make everything you do about love, because in the end he or she will be able to feel the love that you put into the place that he or she now calls home.
And this is when I started picking up gifts for the family during my layovers on my journey to, destination... dad.
So this morning I told Ashley to get dressed because I needed to take her somewhere. She asked where and I told her it was a surprise and to not ask questions. I had just recently started a new job and was obsessed with buying new clothes for work. So when we pulled up to the mall and I parked in Macy's, Ashley looks at me and says, "I swear to God if your idea of a surprise is to bring me to Macy's so you can go shopping I am going to walk home." I laughed and told her we were here for something else but that was a good idea on how to trick you for future reference. I told her to just follow me and to continue to not ask questions. We walk through the mall and of course Ashley keeps asking questions. I grab her hand and pull her into Build-A-Bear.
My thinking was that all kids love stuffed animals, and usually if you introduce a child to one animal at a young age then they will have a special connection with that one specific stuffed animal forever. It becomes the stuffed animal that they can't go to sleep without or the stuffed animal that has to have its own seat at the dinner table, and then becomes the stuffed animal your parents put into a shadow box for you when you graduate from high school. Every kid had either a stuffed animal or a blanket when growing up, and what better way to establish an emotional connection to Jonny then to create a bear in his memory, get a birth certificate with his name on it and have him waiting in Kherington's room for her to arrive.
Right now Jonny bear is sitting in Kherington's room protecting it for when she comes home. He is currently filling her room with his love so when we take her in their for the first time she will know that her big cousin will always be watching over her, for the rest of her life.
Tip #27: Make everything you do about love, because in the end he or she will be able to feel the love that you put into the place that he or she now calls home.
And this is when I started picking up gifts for the family during my layovers on my journey to, destination... dad.
Friday, July 1, 2011
The Exercise: July 1st, 2011
As stated in the previous post Ashley is worried about getting back to her pre-pregnancy body. She knows that it's going to take some time and a lot of hard work. I told her that I will do whatever I have to do to help her. Whether it's eat healthier or watch the baby after work so she can go run or go to the gym. Whatever she needs from me for her to make her feel better about herself I told her she has my support.
For Christmas I bought her the Xbox Kinect. Everybody thought I really bought it for myself but played it off on buying it for her, but I really did buy it for her. Ashley told me that she wanted to exercise but she hates running (this was BK, before Kherington). So when the Kinect came out, I saw this as a perfect opportunity for her to work out at home. So I bought her the Kinect and the Your Shape video game. Your Shape is basically your own personal trainer. It tells you whether you are doing it right or wrong and if you need to squat lower or rotate more. It is really awesome. Ashley worked out for three days and hasn't turned the game on at all in the year 2011. The game has a post pregnancy workout, and hopefully by the middle of 2012 the game won't play anymore from being worn out.
Now I know I am not the skinniest person. Hell the word skinny hasn't been used to describe me since I was two years old. But like I tell Ashley, when she looked at the "Rickey Brochure" this is what she saw, and evidently she liked what she saw. She can not complain about something if it is what it was when she looked at the brochure. She knew what she was getting when she signed up. You can't buy a car and then take it back and say I don't like that it is blue, because when you looked at the brochure and test drove it, you already knew that it was blue.
Tip #26: Whatever she needs to drop the baby weight, help her and support her. Because in the end both of you will be very happy.
And this is when I found out more details about my future expedition on my journey to, destination... dad.
For Christmas I bought her the Xbox Kinect. Everybody thought I really bought it for myself but played it off on buying it for her, but I really did buy it for her. Ashley told me that she wanted to exercise but she hates running (this was BK, before Kherington). So when the Kinect came out, I saw this as a perfect opportunity for her to work out at home. So I bought her the Kinect and the Your Shape video game. Your Shape is basically your own personal trainer. It tells you whether you are doing it right or wrong and if you need to squat lower or rotate more. It is really awesome. Ashley worked out for three days and hasn't turned the game on at all in the year 2011. The game has a post pregnancy workout, and hopefully by the middle of 2012 the game won't play anymore from being worn out.
Now I know I am not the skinniest person. Hell the word skinny hasn't been used to describe me since I was two years old. But like I tell Ashley, when she looked at the "Rickey Brochure" this is what she saw, and evidently she liked what she saw. She can not complain about something if it is what it was when she looked at the brochure. She knew what she was getting when she signed up. You can't buy a car and then take it back and say I don't like that it is blue, because when you looked at the brochure and test drove it, you already knew that it was blue.
Tip #26: Whatever she needs to drop the baby weight, help her and support her. Because in the end both of you will be very happy.
And this is when I found out more details about my future expedition on my journey to, destination... dad.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
The Pounds: June 21st, 2011
In the previous post "The Wedding" I said Ashley was starting to feel like Precious. Well she has never actually said that to me, but I know she is. I mean everybody would be feeling like a gigantic whale if they were pregnant, she has never had a belly and now it sticks out more than a white guy in an NBA game. So to make her feel better about the discomfort of her growing food catcher, I make her laugh about it. I always make jokes in reference to her belly, which she finds funny, as long as it isn't in front of anyone or on my blog. So let's just say she wasn't very happy about the Precious comment, but it was funny! I tell her she isn't fat it's just her maternal storage tissue.
I play beach volleyball on Thursday nights. The season just started and the first week we are put on the courts right behind the coed doubles teams. Now if you don't know volleyball, you don't understand what the problem is. I play 4 person coed which is more of a we-are-good-and-have-played-for-years-but-we-need-four-people-to-cover-the-court league. Now any type of doubles league involves very good players, and in volleyball if you are a very good player who is female you wear very little clothing to keep yourself cool. So the whole time I am playing, my backdrop are these girls with long legs and flat stomachs in little clothing, so Ashley can't help but see them. After my first game Ashley looks at me and says, "Do you think I will ever get back to my pre-pregnancy body." Now here is what makes me, me. I don't tell those white lies that most men do, I keep it real. Unfortunately my "keeping it real" moments end up like David Chappelle's skits of "When Keeping it Real Goes Wrong." So I look at Ashley and say, "Babe that is all up to you, the weight isn't just going to go away. You are going to have to work and it's going to take some time. But if you are asking me this question because of those girls on the other court, I'm sorry babe but you will never have a body like that." And this is when I open mouth and insert foot.
Tip #25: Keep your opinions to yourself and your foot out of your mouth.
And this is when I realized I had my headphones on but was singing out loud on my journey to, destination... dad.
I play beach volleyball on Thursday nights. The season just started and the first week we are put on the courts right behind the coed doubles teams. Now if you don't know volleyball, you don't understand what the problem is. I play 4 person coed which is more of a we-are-good-and-have-played-for-years-but-we-need-four-people-to-cover-the-court league. Now any type of doubles league involves very good players, and in volleyball if you are a very good player who is female you wear very little clothing to keep yourself cool. So the whole time I am playing, my backdrop are these girls with long legs and flat stomachs in little clothing, so Ashley can't help but see them. After my first game Ashley looks at me and says, "Do you think I will ever get back to my pre-pregnancy body." Now here is what makes me, me. I don't tell those white lies that most men do, I keep it real. Unfortunately my "keeping it real" moments end up like David Chappelle's skits of "When Keeping it Real Goes Wrong." So I look at Ashley and say, "Babe that is all up to you, the weight isn't just going to go away. You are going to have to work and it's going to take some time. But if you are asking me this question because of those girls on the other court, I'm sorry babe but you will never have a body like that." And this is when I open mouth and insert foot.
Tip #25: Keep your opinions to yourself and your foot out of your mouth.
And this is when I realized I had my headphones on but was singing out loud on my journey to, destination... dad.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
The Teams: June 15th, 2011
There will be a huge fight between Ashley and I when Kherington gets older because there is only one sports team that we agree on, and that is the St. Louis Cardinals. In college basketball and the NFL we completely disagree. I of course love every sport, and Ashley loves certain sports, it is one of the reasons we love each other so much. We use sports in our lives all the time. I told Ashley if we were having a boy I was going to paint the room burgundy and gold for the Redskins, and we already decided that our wedding colors are going to be royal blue because that is Duke and Kansas University's colors. We have no problem with disagreeing on sports teams, we end up rooting for the other's team as long as they aren't playing each other, but Kherington can't grow up liking and rooting for two teams. We can't cause her that much confusion at such a young age, if she is confused about her favorite team, whose to say she won't be confused about other things in life, and I am NOT having that!
She will definitely be a St. Louis Cardinals fan because Ashley didn't even like baseball until we went to a couple of Cardinals games last year, and now she is a fan. I already bought her a "Mommy's future Cardinals fan" t-shirt. I tried to buy a couple Redskins and Duke one's as well but she told me it would be a waste of money because she wouldn't wear them. How unfair is that? It is my baby too!
So Ashley and I will need to make an agreement with the other two sports. Of course I am sure my reader's are saying, "Just let Kherington decide." my answer to that is, "Hell NO!" Kids like winners, and if we give Kherington the decision to choose who she wants instead of raising her towards a certain team, she is going to end up liking whoever wins the Super Bowl and NCAA Tournament the year she can first remember. For example this year she would be either a Green Bay Packers or Pittsburgh Steelers fan. I can't live with my child constantly wearing green and yellow or black and gold, and God for bid the Dallas Cowboys win the Super Bowl in a couple of years because she will have to be put up for adoption then! The same goes for college basketball, this year Connecticut and Butler made it to the championship, no and no. And again, God for bid the North Carolina Tar Heels make it to the championship because she would again be put up for adoption. Which she probably will end up liking them anyways because she is a girl and they have a girly color, baby blue, so she will think it's pretty and will ask for a UNC t-shirt one Christmas and she won't get anything but a bag of coal and I will tell her Santa Clause doesn't like UNC and she will never get presents from him again if she continues to like them.
Tip #24: If your biggest worry about your child growing up is who her favorite sports team will be, then you got it good!
And this is when I started to worry about what city I was flying over on my journey to, destination... dad.
She will definitely be a St. Louis Cardinals fan because Ashley didn't even like baseball until we went to a couple of Cardinals games last year, and now she is a fan. I already bought her a "Mommy's future Cardinals fan" t-shirt. I tried to buy a couple Redskins and Duke one's as well but she told me it would be a waste of money because she wouldn't wear them. How unfair is that? It is my baby too!
So Ashley and I will need to make an agreement with the other two sports. Of course I am sure my reader's are saying, "Just let Kherington decide." my answer to that is, "Hell NO!" Kids like winners, and if we give Kherington the decision to choose who she wants instead of raising her towards a certain team, she is going to end up liking whoever wins the Super Bowl and NCAA Tournament the year she can first remember. For example this year she would be either a Green Bay Packers or Pittsburgh Steelers fan. I can't live with my child constantly wearing green and yellow or black and gold, and God for bid the Dallas Cowboys win the Super Bowl in a couple of years because she will have to be put up for adoption then! The same goes for college basketball, this year Connecticut and Butler made it to the championship, no and no. And again, God for bid the North Carolina Tar Heels make it to the championship because she would again be put up for adoption. Which she probably will end up liking them anyways because she is a girl and they have a girly color, baby blue, so she will think it's pretty and will ask for a UNC t-shirt one Christmas and she won't get anything but a bag of coal and I will tell her Santa Clause doesn't like UNC and she will never get presents from him again if she continues to like them.
Tip #24: If your biggest worry about your child growing up is who her favorite sports team will be, then you got it good!
And this is when I started to worry about what city I was flying over on my journey to, destination... dad.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
The Kick: June 9th, 2011
Ashley always tells me, "She's moving!" But she isn't strong enough for me to feel her moving. So whenever Ashley tells me, I ignore her because it is like she is rubbing it in. But tonight she told me to come try and feel her because she was moving a lot, so I figured why not it'll make her happy. So I am sitting there with my hand on her stomach and she is pressing my hand down hard on her stomach to try and make me feel her. I'm sitting there watching TV when all of a sudden I feel a little something. I can't even explain it because it was so small and soft but I felt it. I felt my baby girl give me a high five!
Tip #23: Greatest feeling ever!
And this is when I first felt the reason why I am on this journey to, destination... dad.
Tip #23: Greatest feeling ever!
And this is when I first felt the reason why I am on this journey to, destination... dad.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
The Dog: June 7th, 2011
Ashley's emotions have been all over the place like Kherington's food will be one day. She has cried over this and she has cried over that, hell she's even cried over nothing! So how would she react if something devastating were to happen, something that she is supposed to cry about? I don't know and hopefully I will never find out, but this night I came very, very, close to Ashley having the biggest breakdown of her life, and in the end it probably would have cost me a lot of money.
Ashley and I were on the way to my softball games on this lovely Tuesday afternoon. I was driving down Lynnhaven Parkway when all of a sudden I had to lock up my brakes while going 45 mph because a little black dog ran out into the street. I didn't hit the dog, but it got me thinking. What if I did? Do you know the repercussions I would have to face from this hormonal pregnant fiance of mine? Well let me tell you exactly what would have happened had I hit and killed this dog.
The truck would have come to a stop and I would have jumped out of the car to try and help this poor dog. Meanwhile, Ashley would have remained sitting in the car with her hands covering her eyes and doing her best impression of Dorothy's "There's no place like home." scene from The Wizard of Oz. Now to make a long story short, the dog went to heaven, because that's where all dogs go (duh) and after I do whatever I have to do about the dog (not important) I get back in the truck. After I get in the truck Ashley would still have her hands covering her face and she would have a huge puddle of tears in her lap. I would try to talk to her but she wouldn't say a word to me. So instead of going to my games I would take her home since she needs some comforting. When we get home she would go straight upstairs and lay in bed with her face in the pillow as if she was 16 again and just got dumped. Now remember, she doesn't know this dog, she couldn't even tell you the breed, but she is so sad that he or she is now gone from this world. So sad in fact that it is now affecting her life. She would lay in bed for days, she would miss work, and she still wouldn't be speaking to me, because in her eyes I am now the "Doggy Killer." Because she is acting the way she is, and not talking to me, she would start to make me feel guilty about hitting this dog. I would have to find someway for me to make her happy again and forget about the dog we don't even know the name of. And the only way I know how to do that is to get her another puppy. Now how this works I don't know. Because it's not like I created a brand new puppy using the ashes of the old one, and I'm not resurrecting the dog in any way. Whether we have a new puppy or not, that dog is still dead, but not in the eyes of this hormonal train wreck I call my fiance.
But what really happened? I stopped in time, the dog ran out of the street without getting hit, Ashley saw the kids that were chasing the dog, and proceeded to yell out the window at them, "If you don't run after him, he won't run from you! Dumb kids!"
Tip #22: Travel everywhere using a segway. Your not going to hurt any animals with that, only your reputation.
And this is when I started to think about the what ifs on my journey to, destination... dad.
Ashley and I were on the way to my softball games on this lovely Tuesday afternoon. I was driving down Lynnhaven Parkway when all of a sudden I had to lock up my brakes while going 45 mph because a little black dog ran out into the street. I didn't hit the dog, but it got me thinking. What if I did? Do you know the repercussions I would have to face from this hormonal pregnant fiance of mine? Well let me tell you exactly what would have happened had I hit and killed this dog.
The truck would have come to a stop and I would have jumped out of the car to try and help this poor dog. Meanwhile, Ashley would have remained sitting in the car with her hands covering her eyes and doing her best impression of Dorothy's "There's no place like home." scene from The Wizard of Oz. Now to make a long story short, the dog went to heaven, because that's where all dogs go (duh) and after I do whatever I have to do about the dog (not important) I get back in the truck. After I get in the truck Ashley would still have her hands covering her face and she would have a huge puddle of tears in her lap. I would try to talk to her but she wouldn't say a word to me. So instead of going to my games I would take her home since she needs some comforting. When we get home she would go straight upstairs and lay in bed with her face in the pillow as if she was 16 again and just got dumped. Now remember, she doesn't know this dog, she couldn't even tell you the breed, but she is so sad that he or she is now gone from this world. So sad in fact that it is now affecting her life. She would lay in bed for days, she would miss work, and she still wouldn't be speaking to me, because in her eyes I am now the "Doggy Killer." Because she is acting the way she is, and not talking to me, she would start to make me feel guilty about hitting this dog. I would have to find someway for me to make her happy again and forget about the dog we don't even know the name of. And the only way I know how to do that is to get her another puppy. Now how this works I don't know. Because it's not like I created a brand new puppy using the ashes of the old one, and I'm not resurrecting the dog in any way. Whether we have a new puppy or not, that dog is still dead, but not in the eyes of this hormonal train wreck I call my fiance.
But what really happened? I stopped in time, the dog ran out of the street without getting hit, Ashley saw the kids that were chasing the dog, and proceeded to yell out the window at them, "If you don't run after him, he won't run from you! Dumb kids!"
Tip #22: Travel everywhere using a segway. Your not going to hurt any animals with that, only your reputation.
And this is when I started to think about the what ifs on my journey to, destination... dad.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
The Registry: May 28, 2011
Babies R' Us, Walmart, and Target, this is where I spent my day off walking around scanning items for the registry. Babies R' Us took us half the day alone, which is why I didn't understand why we had to go to Walmart and Target as well. Babies R' Us had everything we needed but we purposely didn't scan certain items so we could scan them at Walmart or Target, not my idea. So we had to remember what we scanned at the previous stores so we didn't also scan them at the current store. By the end of the day I didn't want to see a diaper or a burp cloth for at least a month.
Ashley kept asking me which ones I wanted to get, of everything. I didn't care about anything except the stroller, car seat, and diaper bag. Because I didn't want to be the guy that is pushing around and carrying an all bright pink Hello Kitty stroller and diaper bag. It'll clash my style. So I told Ashley we needed to get neutral colors so we could use the same stuff for our next baby as well. Also, I decided to scan the Eddie Bauer diaper bag. Not only was it one of the cheapest ones, but I will be styling when carrying that around, or as much as a newly-dad can.
While at Babies R' Us Ashley knocked down a whole rack of burp clothes while trying to scan them. I of course high tailed it the other way pretending I didn't know her. We of course were laughing to tears until Ashley was done laugh-crying and started to emotional-cry. I was like what is wrong and her only reply was, "I don't know!" So here we are in the middle of Babies R' Us and I'm standing next to a crying pregnant woman. I bet I could have won boyfriend of the day if they took a vote amongst guests.
While at Walmart I told Ashley we needed to go to the electronics. She said, "Of course we do." She said that because no matter what we go to Walmart for, I always have to go walk around electronics. I like to stare at the 55' Samsung 3D LED TV and imagine it in my living room. But Ashley didn't know that I wasn't going to just walk around, I was going to scan items for the registry. I started picking up bluray DVDs and to scan them. Ashley starts freaking out and asked me what I was doing. I told her that I was adding Disney bluray movies to the registry. She asked why in a panic voice like I was ruining the registry and no one would buy anything when they saw bluray DVDs on the registry. I told her, "Kherington will love Disney movies! All kids love Disney movies! Especially when they are in high-def!"
Tip #21: Make sure you find something to add to the registry that you will also enjoy. Remember it isn't all about the little one, it's also about the people taking care of her.
And this is when I realized how much stuff will be waiting for me when I get home from my journey to, destination... dad.
Ashley kept asking me which ones I wanted to get, of everything. I didn't care about anything except the stroller, car seat, and diaper bag. Because I didn't want to be the guy that is pushing around and carrying an all bright pink Hello Kitty stroller and diaper bag. It'll clash my style. So I told Ashley we needed to get neutral colors so we could use the same stuff for our next baby as well. Also, I decided to scan the Eddie Bauer diaper bag. Not only was it one of the cheapest ones, but I will be styling when carrying that around, or as much as a newly-dad can.
While at Babies R' Us Ashley knocked down a whole rack of burp clothes while trying to scan them. I of course high tailed it the other way pretending I didn't know her. We of course were laughing to tears until Ashley was done laugh-crying and started to emotional-cry. I was like what is wrong and her only reply was, "I don't know!" So here we are in the middle of Babies R' Us and I'm standing next to a crying pregnant woman. I bet I could have won boyfriend of the day if they took a vote amongst guests.
While at Walmart I told Ashley we needed to go to the electronics. She said, "Of course we do." She said that because no matter what we go to Walmart for, I always have to go walk around electronics. I like to stare at the 55' Samsung 3D LED TV and imagine it in my living room. But Ashley didn't know that I wasn't going to just walk around, I was going to scan items for the registry. I started picking up bluray DVDs and to scan them. Ashley starts freaking out and asked me what I was doing. I told her that I was adding Disney bluray movies to the registry. She asked why in a panic voice like I was ruining the registry and no one would buy anything when they saw bluray DVDs on the registry. I told her, "Kherington will love Disney movies! All kids love Disney movies! Especially when they are in high-def!"
Tip #21: Make sure you find something to add to the registry that you will also enjoy. Remember it isn't all about the little one, it's also about the people taking care of her.
And this is when I realized how much stuff will be waiting for me when I get home from my journey to, destination... dad.
Friday, May 20, 2011
The Wedding: May 20th, 2011
When I had asked Ashley to marry me "The Deed" was done but "The Test" wasn't. I kept telling Ashley I wasn't going to propose to her until after I got my tax money back because I didn't have the money to buy her an engagement ring. It was just my way of making sure she was not expecting a ring anytime soon, so that way when I did propose to her it was like an 18-wheeler hit her while walking through Walmart, completely unexpected! (Although with all the pictures of people in Walmarts on the internet nothing would be unexpected there) But when we had talked about trying for a baby she had said she didn't want people to think that the only reason I asked her to marry me was because we were going to have a baby together. I told her people wouldn't and even if they did who cares because her and I both know that isn't the real reason.
So then after "The Test" took place Ashley and I discussed the wedding date. I wanted to get married within a year because I didn't want to be that guy who looks like he doesn't want to commit but because his girlfriend was complaining about not having a ring he proposed and is engaged for three years. So Ashley and I contemplated dates when I finally said March 3rd, 2012. I picked this date because it's cool to say, 3/3/12. A cool and fun date to say means it will be a cool and fun date to remember, already planning ahead.
Ashley had a problem with the wedding date at first since it only gave her five months t0 lose the baby pounds. But I told her she could do it and pumped her up with motivation, I also used the people from The Biggest Loser as examples, telling her if they can do it she can do it. She believed in herself and what I was telling her and the wedding was on. She went through a month of looking at nothing but wedding websites and kept asking my opinion about different things for the wedding.
Then I think it finally set in, she was starting to feel like Precious (she is going to kill me) and realized that five months would be way to difficult, it wasn't enough time. So after much deliberation, meaning her telling me we weren't getting married in March of '12, we decided on a different date for good reasons. We decided to get married on October 13, 2012. As I said before in "The Announcement" Ashley's nephew was born on December 10th. And throughout my entire sports career I have always worn the number 13. So our wedding date has my sports number and the birthday of Ashley's nephew in it, 10/13/12.
Tip #20: Don't tell her she looks like Precious and give her all the time she needs to lose the baby pounds.
And this is when I realized that my expedition starts October 3rd, 2011 after the completion of my journey to, destination... dad.
So then after "The Test" took place Ashley and I discussed the wedding date. I wanted to get married within a year because I didn't want to be that guy who looks like he doesn't want to commit but because his girlfriend was complaining about not having a ring he proposed and is engaged for three years. So Ashley and I contemplated dates when I finally said March 3rd, 2012. I picked this date because it's cool to say, 3/3/12. A cool and fun date to say means it will be a cool and fun date to remember, already planning ahead.
Ashley had a problem with the wedding date at first since it only gave her five months t0 lose the baby pounds. But I told her she could do it and pumped her up with motivation, I also used the people from The Biggest Loser as examples, telling her if they can do it she can do it. She believed in herself and what I was telling her and the wedding was on. She went through a month of looking at nothing but wedding websites and kept asking my opinion about different things for the wedding.
Then I think it finally set in, she was starting to feel like Precious (she is going to kill me) and realized that five months would be way to difficult, it wasn't enough time. So after much deliberation, meaning her telling me we weren't getting married in March of '12, we decided on a different date for good reasons. We decided to get married on October 13, 2012. As I said before in "The Announcement" Ashley's nephew was born on December 10th. And throughout my entire sports career I have always worn the number 13. So our wedding date has my sports number and the birthday of Ashley's nephew in it, 10/13/12.
Tip #20: Don't tell her she looks like Precious and give her all the time she needs to lose the baby pounds.
And this is when I realized that my expedition starts October 3rd, 2011 after the completion of my journey to, destination... dad.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
The Drugs: May 12th, 2011
A sick pregnant woman is a sad story, because if Ashley were too get sick there is only a limited number of medications that she can take. Which means she will be even more miserable than she already is when she's sick. So I made it through 20 weeks without a cough, only congestion as I discussed in the previous entry titled The Snoring. Could I really make it through the entire pregnancy without a cold? I mean I am 50% of the way there, could I be that lucky? No.
Ashley had been suffering from a cold for almost a week and Benedryl was causing her to lose sleep. She was having an opposite reaction to the drowsiness, which happens to some pregnant woman. So she called her doctor and found out that she could take Sudafed without the PE at the end. We went to the Rite-Aid down the street and they did not have the actual Sudafed brand but the Rite-Aid brand instead. We talked to the Pharmacist and he said that she can take the PE version as long as it didn't have this 20 letter long word that started with PH. Which on the front of the box it said "Physifhjnbskfchpasin" free. So we bought them but Ashley was still nervous about taking them, so while in the car I told her to look it up on her phone to ease her mind, which she then found out it was a no-go for anything with PE at the end. Ashley was pissed, she said, "Why the hell is that guy a pharmacist! He could have killed me!"
We then went to Walgreens to find the Sudafed she can take, she immediately found it, picked up the little slip to take the Pharmacy and of course they were closed. She said, "Someone has to be able to give me some." and I told her, "Ya, the pharmacist." So she takes the slip to the front register and ask the woman who replies, "Only the pharmacist can give you this, I don't have a key." Ashley then takes the little slip, throws it on the counter and says, "This is stupid! It's 4:55! Who actually leaves work at five o'clock! Where the hell am I supposed to get some Sudafed!? I can't sleep!" as she walks out the door. I followed her but first apologized to the two cashiers and explained to them that she is pregnant. Once we got to the car Ashley exploded, "Really!? 4:55 and she is gone!? She probably never leaves work early because she doesn't have a life, but today of all days she decides she's going to leave exactly at five o'clock to screw the pregnant woman who needs some Sudafed!" I told Ashley that I completely agree and think that is exactly what happened.
We drive to Harris Teeter, same thing, grabs the slip, takes it to the pharmacy, and they're closed. Ashley just drops the slip in the middle of the isle, walks away and starts mumbling. I just follow like a little minion from Despicable Me. I don't care what she is saying, who she is cursing, or where we are going, I only care about making sure I am in her view if she looks back. We get to the car and she starts cursing out the methamphetamine addicts who are the reason Sudafed is an over the counter drug. This hatred towards meth addicts goes on until we get to the next Rite-Aid, I endure a good 10-15 minutes worth of methhead bashing.
We park at the next Rite-Aid and I am praying to God while walking in that they have the Sudafed. Ashley grabs the slip and takes it to the pharmacy, which is open. She hands the slip to the pharmacist and the pharmacist says, "We don't have Sudafed we only have the Rite-Aid brand." Ashley replies, "Of course you don't. As long as it doesn't have PE at the end then I can take it, my doctor just says I can't take anything with PE at the end." The pharmacist asks why not the PE and Ashley tells her because she is pregnant. Then both of the pharmacist tell Ashley that Sudafed is not OK to take if you are pregnant. Ashley screams, "What the f***! I just won't sleep at all then! That work for you! Have a great day!" I told Ashley to call her doctor because obviously he told her it was OK, so I told her to just double check. She calls the doctor and he says some people say you can't take Sudafed when pregnant because it is considered a category C medication. Which means studies have shown that it causes adverse affects to reproduction in animals but there have been no studies done on humans. So basically nobody knows! Now that Ashley has an answer from her doctor that she can take Sudafed she goes back into Rite-Aid and is now the nicest person ever. She apologizes to both pharmacist and even the guest who witnessed her go crazy. She gets to the car, takes a Sudafed, and is now back to the loving fiance that I know.
Tip #19: Put her in a bubble like Bubble Boy so she will never get sick.
And this is when I started to apologize to random strangers on my journey to, destination... dad.
Ashley had been suffering from a cold for almost a week and Benedryl was causing her to lose sleep. She was having an opposite reaction to the drowsiness, which happens to some pregnant woman. So she called her doctor and found out that she could take Sudafed without the PE at the end. We went to the Rite-Aid down the street and they did not have the actual Sudafed brand but the Rite-Aid brand instead. We talked to the Pharmacist and he said that she can take the PE version as long as it didn't have this 20 letter long word that started with PH. Which on the front of the box it said "Physifhjnbskfchpasin" free. So we bought them but Ashley was still nervous about taking them, so while in the car I told her to look it up on her phone to ease her mind, which she then found out it was a no-go for anything with PE at the end. Ashley was pissed, she said, "Why the hell is that guy a pharmacist! He could have killed me!"
We then went to Walgreens to find the Sudafed she can take, she immediately found it, picked up the little slip to take the Pharmacy and of course they were closed. She said, "Someone has to be able to give me some." and I told her, "Ya, the pharmacist." So she takes the slip to the front register and ask the woman who replies, "Only the pharmacist can give you this, I don't have a key." Ashley then takes the little slip, throws it on the counter and says, "This is stupid! It's 4:55! Who actually leaves work at five o'clock! Where the hell am I supposed to get some Sudafed!? I can't sleep!" as she walks out the door. I followed her but first apologized to the two cashiers and explained to them that she is pregnant. Once we got to the car Ashley exploded, "Really!? 4:55 and she is gone!? She probably never leaves work early because she doesn't have a life, but today of all days she decides she's going to leave exactly at five o'clock to screw the pregnant woman who needs some Sudafed!" I told Ashley that I completely agree and think that is exactly what happened.
We drive to Harris Teeter, same thing, grabs the slip, takes it to the pharmacy, and they're closed. Ashley just drops the slip in the middle of the isle, walks away and starts mumbling. I just follow like a little minion from Despicable Me. I don't care what she is saying, who she is cursing, or where we are going, I only care about making sure I am in her view if she looks back. We get to the car and she starts cursing out the methamphetamine addicts who are the reason Sudafed is an over the counter drug. This hatred towards meth addicts goes on until we get to the next Rite-Aid, I endure a good 10-15 minutes worth of methhead bashing.
We park at the next Rite-Aid and I am praying to God while walking in that they have the Sudafed. Ashley grabs the slip and takes it to the pharmacy, which is open. She hands the slip to the pharmacist and the pharmacist says, "We don't have Sudafed we only have the Rite-Aid brand." Ashley replies, "Of course you don't. As long as it doesn't have PE at the end then I can take it, my doctor just says I can't take anything with PE at the end." The pharmacist asks why not the PE and Ashley tells her because she is pregnant. Then both of the pharmacist tell Ashley that Sudafed is not OK to take if you are pregnant. Ashley screams, "What the f***! I just won't sleep at all then! That work for you! Have a great day!" I told Ashley to call her doctor because obviously he told her it was OK, so I told her to just double check. She calls the doctor and he says some people say you can't take Sudafed when pregnant because it is considered a category C medication. Which means studies have shown that it causes adverse affects to reproduction in animals but there have been no studies done on humans. So basically nobody knows! Now that Ashley has an answer from her doctor that she can take Sudafed she goes back into Rite-Aid and is now the nicest person ever. She apologizes to both pharmacist and even the guest who witnessed her go crazy. She gets to the car, takes a Sudafed, and is now back to the loving fiance that I know.
Tip #19: Put her in a bubble like Bubble Boy so she will never get sick.
And this is when I started to apologize to random strangers on my journey to, destination... dad.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
The Nursery: May 7th, 2011
Ashley has been asking when I was going to clean out the extra bedroom where the nursery will be ever since she peed on the stick. I told her we had nine months to worry about that. Then nine months became seven, and now we are at five months and the nursery still has not been cleaned out. It is basically our junk room, like an extra large Flintstone closet.
After Christmas was over it was too much of a hassle for me to take the tree and decorations out to the shed or up to the attic. (Now when I say too much of a hassle I don't mean that it was too hard, I mean it was more like an inconvenience. Like the post-2008 Shaq getting back on defense.) So I instead just put everything in the extra bedroom along with the two TVs that Ashley brought over with her when she moved in. I don't know why we still have these TVs, they arn't old LCD TVs that way a ton. They are like the old Zenith I-got-to-get-up-and-change-the-channel-and-then-adjust-the-rabbit-ears-to-get-a-good-picture TVs. Why do we still have them I do not know. If I tried to give them to the salvation army they would say, "No."
So here we are, five months away from the day, and instead of cleaning out the room I am blogging about it. But I have to say I do my best work when under pressure. I got through 12 years of grade school and six years of college procrastinating. I like to consider myself the king of procrastination. So expect another blog at a later date about Ashley flipping out on me because I still have not cleaned out the room. The blog might even be posted on or around her due date.
Tip #18: Start making plans for the room... NOW!
And this is when I started my Sudoku puzzle when I should have been thinking about the landing on my journey to, destination... dad.
After Christmas was over it was too much of a hassle for me to take the tree and decorations out to the shed or up to the attic. (Now when I say too much of a hassle I don't mean that it was too hard, I mean it was more like an inconvenience. Like the post-2008 Shaq getting back on defense.) So I instead just put everything in the extra bedroom along with the two TVs that Ashley brought over with her when she moved in. I don't know why we still have these TVs, they arn't old LCD TVs that way a ton. They are like the old Zenith I-got-to-get-up-and-change-the-channel-and-then-adjust-the-rabbit-ears-to-get-a-good-picture TVs. Why do we still have them I do not know. If I tried to give them to the salvation army they would say, "No."
So here we are, five months away from the day, and instead of cleaning out the room I am blogging about it. But I have to say I do my best work when under pressure. I got through 12 years of grade school and six years of college procrastinating. I like to consider myself the king of procrastination. So expect another blog at a later date about Ashley flipping out on me because I still have not cleaned out the room. The blog might even be posted on or around her due date.
Tip #18: Start making plans for the room... NOW!
And this is when I started my Sudoku puzzle when I should have been thinking about the landing on my journey to, destination... dad.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
The Sex: April 30th, 2011
This is the day! I never thought I would be this excited about a day that wasn't Opening Day or Selection Sunday or the Superbowl or any day that involves sports for that matter. But this day surpassed any of those, and I never knew that was possible. Sports have and I thought always would be my life, sorry Ashley, but today I realized that there is now someone coming that will be more important than any buzzer beater or walk-off home run.
So as you can see I had been waiting for this day ever since the last OBGYN visit. Well lets just say the nurse wasn't exactly game show host material. This is a huge day for us and she knows that. What parents walk in and say in a monotone voice, "I can't wait to find out what we are having." Everyone is excited about this moment, even the dead beat dad whose only worry is that he has to have sex with the same women for the rest of his life, he still cares if it is a boy or girl. Or the sixteen year old boy who didn't pay attention in sex ed and didn't know how to put a condom on so because he didn't want to look stupid he skipped that part of fore play and now just threw away his dream of becoming a professional ball player, he still cares if it a boy or girl. Even the mom who is a surrogate mother cares! So when the nurse says, "OK, let's find out what you are having." and then in the most boring way possible says, "It's a girl." Really? That's what all this excitement was for? For you to give me the biggest news of my life in a response that I get from a waiter when I ask whether they have Pepsi or Coke products? So this got me thinking, what would it sound like if the guy from The Price is Right announced to you what you are having.
"You are having... a baby girl! Say goodbye to those eight hours of sleep nights because this girl comes with a full operating digestive system that will have you changing diapers in your sleep. She also comes with lungs that could cry for hours and will alert you whenever she is hungry. And in a couple of years be ready to go out in public with her while she is wearing a pink princess dress, because when you try to take it off, she will cry until you put it back on. Wait there's more, because in 16 years you will be looking into buying a shotgun and telling your wife it's your new hobby, even though you will never fire it. But you will be cleaning it whenever your daughter's date comes by to pick her up. But that's not all, in another 10 years you will have a head full of gray hair while having to walk her down the aisle and give up the most important girl in your life. Congratulations!"
That is the kind of OBGYN office I want to go too! Our OBGYN shows us three lines on the ultrasound and tells us that it's a girl, so I ask, "What do the three lines mean?" She paused for a moment and then said, "They are the lady parts." She acted as if I was being perverted and was going to laugh like a stoned hippie if she would have said the words vagina or clitoris. (Ashley told me what the three lines were after we left.) I didn't know what I was looking at on the ultrasound, ever. She showed us her face, and it was so weird looking that the only thing I could think of was the scene from Species where the alien rips through the girl's stomach. So no, I didn't know what the three lines were, but I do now, thanks to the Hitler of OBGYNs.
Tip #17: Don't ask questions at the OBGYN office, it will be assumed that you are a pervert.
And this is when I found out who would be waiting for me at the gate when I land from my journey to, destination... dad.
So as you can see I had been waiting for this day ever since the last OBGYN visit. Well lets just say the nurse wasn't exactly game show host material. This is a huge day for us and she knows that. What parents walk in and say in a monotone voice, "I can't wait to find out what we are having." Everyone is excited about this moment, even the dead beat dad whose only worry is that he has to have sex with the same women for the rest of his life, he still cares if it is a boy or girl. Or the sixteen year old boy who didn't pay attention in sex ed and didn't know how to put a condom on so because he didn't want to look stupid he skipped that part of fore play and now just threw away his dream of becoming a professional ball player, he still cares if it a boy or girl. Even the mom who is a surrogate mother cares! So when the nurse says, "OK, let's find out what you are having." and then in the most boring way possible says, "It's a girl." Really? That's what all this excitement was for? For you to give me the biggest news of my life in a response that I get from a waiter when I ask whether they have Pepsi or Coke products? So this got me thinking, what would it sound like if the guy from The Price is Right announced to you what you are having.
"You are having... a baby girl! Say goodbye to those eight hours of sleep nights because this girl comes with a full operating digestive system that will have you changing diapers in your sleep. She also comes with lungs that could cry for hours and will alert you whenever she is hungry. And in a couple of years be ready to go out in public with her while she is wearing a pink princess dress, because when you try to take it off, she will cry until you put it back on. Wait there's more, because in 16 years you will be looking into buying a shotgun and telling your wife it's your new hobby, even though you will never fire it. But you will be cleaning it whenever your daughter's date comes by to pick her up. But that's not all, in another 10 years you will have a head full of gray hair while having to walk her down the aisle and give up the most important girl in your life. Congratulations!"
That is the kind of OBGYN office I want to go too! Our OBGYN shows us three lines on the ultrasound and tells us that it's a girl, so I ask, "What do the three lines mean?" She paused for a moment and then said, "They are the lady parts." She acted as if I was being perverted and was going to laugh like a stoned hippie if she would have said the words vagina or clitoris. (Ashley told me what the three lines were after we left.) I didn't know what I was looking at on the ultrasound, ever. She showed us her face, and it was so weird looking that the only thing I could think of was the scene from Species where the alien rips through the girl's stomach. So no, I didn't know what the three lines were, but I do now, thanks to the Hitler of OBGYNs.
Tip #17: Don't ask questions at the OBGYN office, it will be assumed that you are a pervert.
And this is when I found out who would be waiting for me at the gate when I land from my journey to, destination... dad.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
The Snoring: April 20th, 2011
Ever since Ashley starting spending nights at my house she complained about my snoring. In the middle of the night she would shove me to wake me up because my snoring woke her up. If I could I would stop snoring, but nobody has control over that. I would get so mad at her for waking me up when I was obviously in a good state of REM since I was snoring. Well you know what they say about paybacks.
I don't know what causes it but pregnant women snore, or at least my pregnant woman does. But it's not like a Fred Flintstone snore, it's even worse. It is actually heavy breathing with an occasional snort mixed in. This is so much worse because with a traditional snore you know what you are getting. With Ashley's kind of snoring, once I get used to the breathing and am just getting comfortable and ready to fall asleep the snort comes in and makes me jump as if someone just hit me with a defibrillator. I feel like I am sleeping next to a scientist in a Hazmat suit getting ready to check the radiation levels in Chernobyl. (More people would have been able to relate to Japan instead of Chernobyl, but it's just too soon.)
Ashley then realizes that she has developed allergies, which a lot of pregnant women do. So she decides to go buy these breathe right strips to help her breathing. Now lets just say I never really put two and two together with these nasal strips. I just thought it was a great idea because I figured she wouldn't breathe loud while sleeping anymore, but it never clicked that she would actually be wearing the nasal strip. So I come home from work one day to see that my pregnant fiance now looks like NFL middle linebacker Brian Urlacher. I didn't talk back that night in fear she would call an all out blitz and hit me from my blindside.
Tip #16: Your significant other will change throughout her pregnancy... a lot. But whether she becomes a scientist, a linebacker or even your own worst enemy, I promise you will love her more and more every single day no matter what.
And this is when I realized that sleep would not come easy on my journey to, destination... dad.
I don't know what causes it but pregnant women snore, or at least my pregnant woman does. But it's not like a Fred Flintstone snore, it's even worse. It is actually heavy breathing with an occasional snort mixed in. This is so much worse because with a traditional snore you know what you are getting. With Ashley's kind of snoring, once I get used to the breathing and am just getting comfortable and ready to fall asleep the snort comes in and makes me jump as if someone just hit me with a defibrillator. I feel like I am sleeping next to a scientist in a Hazmat suit getting ready to check the radiation levels in Chernobyl. (More people would have been able to relate to Japan instead of Chernobyl, but it's just too soon.)
Ashley then realizes that she has developed allergies, which a lot of pregnant women do. So she decides to go buy these breathe right strips to help her breathing. Now lets just say I never really put two and two together with these nasal strips. I just thought it was a great idea because I figured she wouldn't breathe loud while sleeping anymore, but it never clicked that she would actually be wearing the nasal strip. So I come home from work one day to see that my pregnant fiance now looks like NFL middle linebacker Brian Urlacher. I didn't talk back that night in fear she would call an all out blitz and hit me from my blindside.
Tip #16: Your significant other will change throughout her pregnancy... a lot. But whether she becomes a scientist, a linebacker or even your own worst enemy, I promise you will love her more and more every single day no matter what.
And this is when I realized that sleep would not come easy on my journey to, destination... dad.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The Leftovers: April 12th, 2011
On Tuesdays and Thursdays I am in class all day and usually when I get home Ashley has cooked dinner for me. So today she cooks me chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn. Perfect dinner for me since I am a meat and potatoes kind of guy. Well for those of you who know me, I don't eat just one plate. Ashley had already gotten her second plate when I got up to get more. Ashley tells me not to eat anymore chicken because she needs it for lunch tomorrow. So I agreed because I am a great guy, so I go to get some mashed potatoes and I put my corn on my mashed potatoes as does Ashley. After putting my corn on top of my mashed potatoes I realized there was only about one spoon full of corn left, so instead of just leaving that left in the pot because Ashley will yell at me for that, I put the last spoon full on my mashed potatoes. When I sit down the conversation starts:
Ashley: "You ate all of the corn didn't you!"
Me: "There was only a spoon full left after I put my corn on my mashed potatoes so I just put the last spoon full on there too."
Ashley: "Now what am I supposed to eat with my chicken tomorrow?"
Me: "There are mashed potatoes in there."
Ashley: "OK, and?"
Me: "You can eat that with your chicken."
Ashley: "I can't believe you did that!"
Me: "Did what? Eat? You told me not to grab anymore chicken, and as hard as that was for me, I didn't. You didn't say anything about the mashed potatoes or the corn. As far as I am concerned they were fair game."
Ashley: "Whatever"
Me: (Pushing the plate towards her) "Here take it and use it for lunch tomorrow. All I am going to do is over eat anyways."
Ashley: "No the mashed potatoes and corn are mixed together."
Me: "OK, and that is how you eat them, so I saved you some labor tomorrow before you eat."
Ashley: "I don't want them mixed already."
Me: "What does it matter?!?! What the corn juice makes the mashed potatoes mushy?!?!"
Ashley: "It's just the point"
If you have absolutely no clue what just happened, that is completely OK because I was in the conversation and still have no clue what happened.
Tip #15: Starve if you are still hungry after your first plate because she might go Saudi Arabia on you and cut your tongue off for eating her leftovers.
And this is when I realized that I only get one serving of food on my journey to, destination... dad.
Ashley: "You ate all of the corn didn't you!"
Me: "There was only a spoon full left after I put my corn on my mashed potatoes so I just put the last spoon full on there too."
Ashley: "Now what am I supposed to eat with my chicken tomorrow?"
Me: "There are mashed potatoes in there."
Ashley: "OK, and?"
Me: "You can eat that with your chicken."
Ashley: "I can't believe you did that!"
Me: "Did what? Eat? You told me not to grab anymore chicken, and as hard as that was for me, I didn't. You didn't say anything about the mashed potatoes or the corn. As far as I am concerned they were fair game."
Ashley: "Whatever"
Me: (Pushing the plate towards her) "Here take it and use it for lunch tomorrow. All I am going to do is over eat anyways."
Ashley: "No the mashed potatoes and corn are mixed together."
Me: "OK, and that is how you eat them, so I saved you some labor tomorrow before you eat."
Ashley: "I don't want them mixed already."
Me: "What does it matter?!?! What the corn juice makes the mashed potatoes mushy?!?!"
Ashley: "It's just the point"
If you have absolutely no clue what just happened, that is completely OK because I was in the conversation and still have no clue what happened.
Tip #15: Starve if you are still hungry after your first plate because she might go Saudi Arabia on you and cut your tongue off for eating her leftovers.
And this is when I realized that I only get one serving of food on my journey to, destination... dad.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
The Feelings: April 5th, 2011
As I stated before, we sold Ashley's two door truck and bought a four door truck. Well I wish everything happened as easy as typing that sentence. We had the truck for approximately a month when I drove it for the first time since buying it. Within minutes I noticed a vibration when breaking. I asked Ashley if she felt the vibration and she replied, "Felt what?" So I explained to her I was feeling a vibration when stopping and told her to pay attention the next time we stopped. So while breaking the next time I had to get her attention and remind her again to pay attention because she has her moments like the dog Doug from the movie Up, "Squirrel!" So after she feels the vibration she says, "What is that?" I told her that I'm pretty sure it's the brakes and asked her why she didn't feel that before. She replied, "I didn't know I was supposed too."
So after fixing the break pads and rotors, Ashley called me about a month later on her way home from work and said the truck was feeling like it was going to stall out. She said she didn't feel comfortable driving it so I told her to pull over and I would come look at it. When I got there the truck wouldn't start. So I called to have the truck towed to a repair shop. Come to find out the timing belt snapped and the distributor went bad. While on the way home from having her truck towed, Ashley was sitting in the passenger seat pouting like a teen would if I had just grounded her from her truck. I told Ashley not to be mad because we can't do anything about it now, she yells, "Don't tell me how to feel!" Now when Ashley goes through her hormonal moods I tend to have fun with them, I know it's just like using a Caterpillar to dig my hole, but no matter how deep I get the hole after about an hour she will supply me with a ladder. So here is our conversation:
Ashley: "Don't tell me how to feel!"
Me: "I'm not telling you how to feel, I'm telling you how not to feel."
Ashley: "Rickey don't play with me!"
Me: "I'm not, I'm being serious. There is nothing we can do about it except pay to fix whatever is wrong with it. So by you getting upset your just making the situation worse."
Ashley: "Don't tell me how to feel!"
Me: "I didn't tell you how to feel, I only shared my opinion that time"
Then she realizes that if she just stops talking I will too.
Tip #14: Don't tell her how to feel!
And this is when I wish I could just sleep the entire time on my journey too, destination... dad.
So after fixing the break pads and rotors, Ashley called me about a month later on her way home from work and said the truck was feeling like it was going to stall out. She said she didn't feel comfortable driving it so I told her to pull over and I would come look at it. When I got there the truck wouldn't start. So I called to have the truck towed to a repair shop. Come to find out the timing belt snapped and the distributor went bad. While on the way home from having her truck towed, Ashley was sitting in the passenger seat pouting like a teen would if I had just grounded her from her truck. I told Ashley not to be mad because we can't do anything about it now, she yells, "Don't tell me how to feel!" Now when Ashley goes through her hormonal moods I tend to have fun with them, I know it's just like using a Caterpillar to dig my hole, but no matter how deep I get the hole after about an hour she will supply me with a ladder. So here is our conversation:
Ashley: "Don't tell me how to feel!"
Me: "I'm not telling you how to feel, I'm telling you how not to feel."
Ashley: "Rickey don't play with me!"
Me: "I'm not, I'm being serious. There is nothing we can do about it except pay to fix whatever is wrong with it. So by you getting upset your just making the situation worse."
Ashley: "Don't tell me how to feel!"
Me: "I didn't tell you how to feel, I only shared my opinion that time"
Then she realizes that if she just stops talking I will too.
Tip #14: Don't tell her how to feel!
And this is when I wish I could just sleep the entire time on my journey too, destination... dad.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The Budget: March 30th, 2011
As I stated before, I stress about money more than I should because most of the time it is completely unnecessary. My dad taught me a lot when it comes to saving money and only buying what you can afford. So a lot of the times I feel like I am broke but that is because I put more than I should have into my savings account and I just act as if it is not there so I stress when I only have $50 to spend for one week.
Of course everyone knows that a baby is not a cheap adventure in life. It is expensive and it is long, but before Ashley and I decided to try for a baby I played with the numbers and came to the conclusion that we could afford one. Then of course a month later my hours at work get cut and I start to freak out as if she is going to pop the TBD baby out within the week and I immediately have to by him/her a car. I mean I got nine months to prepare for this, right?
I decided to make some sacrifices that I knew I was going to have too make. I cancelled my monthly subscription to my satellite radio service, cancelled HBO/Cinemax, and stopped my monthly donation to the local gym. I almost thought about cancelling my XBOX Live membership, but noticed how I only almost thought about it. We also sold Ashley's two door pick-up truck and bought her a four door truck and are currently in the process of trying to sell my two door sports car for a four door sedan. All of this in only three months, whats next?
Tip #13: Make sure you have a plan already in place when it comes to money.
And this is when I had to sacrifice my first class seat for coach on my journey to, destination... dad.
Of course everyone knows that a baby is not a cheap adventure in life. It is expensive and it is long, but before Ashley and I decided to try for a baby I played with the numbers and came to the conclusion that we could afford one. Then of course a month later my hours at work get cut and I start to freak out as if she is going to pop the TBD baby out within the week and I immediately have to by him/her a car. I mean I got nine months to prepare for this, right?
I decided to make some sacrifices that I knew I was going to have too make. I cancelled my monthly subscription to my satellite radio service, cancelled HBO/Cinemax, and stopped my monthly donation to the local gym. I almost thought about cancelling my XBOX Live membership, but noticed how I only almost thought about it. We also sold Ashley's two door pick-up truck and bought her a four door truck and are currently in the process of trying to sell my two door sports car for a four door sedan. All of this in only three months, whats next?
Tip #13: Make sure you have a plan already in place when it comes to money.
And this is when I had to sacrifice my first class seat for coach on my journey to, destination... dad.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
The Announcement: March 24th, 2011
Ashley and I decided to wait until after she finished her first trimester to make the full announcement to everyone. Before we told everyone there were only a handful of people that knew. We each told one person the morning the test came back positive, and we told our parents within a month.
When we told my parents, Ashley stressed out afterwards because she didn't think my mom was excited. I told her that she was but this is some big news to swallow. I think Ashley was expecting my mom to scream and run around like she had just won the lottery. When I talked to my mom later, she says she doesn't think she showed excitement when my sister told her she was pregnant with each of her kids. She said that it has nothing to do with having another grandchild because she has no problem spoiling him or her, she was just worrying about Ashley and I more than anything. My mom knows that I stress more than I need to when it comes to money so she just doesn't want to see me kill myself over this, figuratively speaking that is, I promise I am not suicidal.
When we told Ashley's dad, I was more nervous than when I asked him for his daughter's hand in marriage. Yes I played the traditional card. On the way over there Ashley said, "I hope he is excited. Do you think he will be excited?" My response was, "I sure hope so because I don't have very good life insurance yet!" Ashley decided to just hand him the ultrasound picture and wait for his reaction. He was definitely excited but did not want to get too excited because of what happened to his only other grandchild. Ashley's sister had a baby boy, Jonathan Wentworth Jr., in 2004, but unfortunately only three months later Johnny passed away from SIDS. So Ashley's dad already got excited about his first grandchild when tragedy struck. That is what made telling Ashley's dad so special to the both of us.
When Ashley and I decided to tell everyone we both posted Facebook status' at the same time. I mean what other way is there to tell a mass amount of people at the same time? I can't imagine what it was like in 1999, having to call and talk to everyone, that sucks. Ashley's read, "Roses are red, Violets are blue, on October 2nd our little miracle is due." and mine read, "So I know it's only March but Ashley and I already know what we are going to be for Halloween... PARENTS!" Ashley got more comments and likes than I did, that was disappointing because it's very clear that everybody likes me more.
Tip #12: No matter how hard it is to tell people, it is such an awesome feeling when finally everybody knows.
And this is when everyone found out that I was on my journey to, destination... dad.
When we told my parents, Ashley stressed out afterwards because she didn't think my mom was excited. I told her that she was but this is some big news to swallow. I think Ashley was expecting my mom to scream and run around like she had just won the lottery. When I talked to my mom later, she says she doesn't think she showed excitement when my sister told her she was pregnant with each of her kids. She said that it has nothing to do with having another grandchild because she has no problem spoiling him or her, she was just worrying about Ashley and I more than anything. My mom knows that I stress more than I need to when it comes to money so she just doesn't want to see me kill myself over this, figuratively speaking that is, I promise I am not suicidal.
When we told Ashley's dad, I was more nervous than when I asked him for his daughter's hand in marriage. Yes I played the traditional card. On the way over there Ashley said, "I hope he is excited. Do you think he will be excited?" My response was, "I sure hope so because I don't have very good life insurance yet!" Ashley decided to just hand him the ultrasound picture and wait for his reaction. He was definitely excited but did not want to get too excited because of what happened to his only other grandchild. Ashley's sister had a baby boy, Jonathan Wentworth Jr., in 2004, but unfortunately only three months later Johnny passed away from SIDS. So Ashley's dad already got excited about his first grandchild when tragedy struck. That is what made telling Ashley's dad so special to the both of us.
When Ashley and I decided to tell everyone we both posted Facebook status' at the same time. I mean what other way is there to tell a mass amount of people at the same time? I can't imagine what it was like in 1999, having to call and talk to everyone, that sucks. Ashley's read, "Roses are red, Violets are blue, on October 2nd our little miracle is due." and mine read, "So I know it's only March but Ashley and I already know what we are going to be for Halloween... PARENTS!" Ashley got more comments and likes than I did, that was disappointing because it's very clear that everybody likes me more.
Tip #12: No matter how hard it is to tell people, it is such an awesome feeling when finally everybody knows.
And this is when everyone found out that I was on my journey to, destination... dad.
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