Let's Play A Little Catch (Up)

Well, its been over a month since my last entry, but here we go. This is going to be a little bit of a catch-up post. First, the pregnancy is very evident now. It seems like most of the physical changes happened in August. The question has changed from the mental "She's putting on a little weight" to audible "So, when are you due." Also, I can now feel him move, his position, etc. As odd as that is for me, I can imagine that its even weirder for my wife to feel. It really makes it all seem real, though, and its very reassuring everytime he moves around.

Next comes the cost reality. Thank God for health insurance. Going to the doctor, pathology tests, ultrasounds, etc. can get pretty expensive real quick. Don't get me started on what I expect WHEN he is born. I feel like a squirrel trying to store acorns for the winter, but unfortunatly there are not too many trees around.

Finally, we've started the transition from "spare room" to "Holden's Nursury." This past weekend, we painted the room and put together the crib. I hated to give up the office, but since we completed the new paint job, I really haven't thought about what that room used to be, and I'm looking forward to completing it and using it come December.

That's about it for a quick update. Now beat it.

"Jeremy spoke in claaaaass todaaayyyy" But Not In The Parker Household

Pregnancy can be a crazy time, and can do some wierd things to women. In previous posts, I have touched on some of Colleen's food aversions, such as bacon and bar-b-que, but nothing is as weird as her latest one... Eddie Vedder. Yes, that's right. My wife has an audible aversion to the voice of Pearl Jam. She even gets a little agitated when I mention his name. And watch "Into The Wild," a movie that she used to enjoy and that graciously features the music of Eddie V? Forget about it. She just can't handle it since the second trimester started. I've read about weird cravings and other things that pregnant women go through, but this has got to be one of the weirdest. So what's next? Lets hope the same fate doesn't befall Football and Mexican food, or I might be in for a long Autumn. That's it for tonight; I have to get back to eating my BBQ Ribs and cranking "Evenflow." (And no, I'm not really that bad of a husband).

With a 96.8% certainty, we know the baby is a....

...healthy fetus. We went to the new doctor at Baptist Hospital Thursday, for a kinda new patient orientation/13-week checkup. We thought it was a 14-week checkup going in, but Nashville OB/GYN believes our due date to be December 19th, not the 13th like Murfreesboro OB/GYN earlier predicted. Anyways, we were excited to meet the new doctor. When we arrived, we were greeted with the same initial questions(last period?, family health history?, etc.). Then, we got a chance to meet with the new doc, hear her speech on pregnancy, and ask her questions. She was nice, and seemed smart enough to trust my future child to, so I was happy with our choice by the time the discussion ended. In the end, she thanked us and said that she looked forward to seeing us in a few weeks.

As she left the room, Colleen and I looked at each other, dissapointed that we weren't going to get an ultrasound that day. As we prepared to leave, the doctor came back in with the fetal heartbeat moniter and asked us if we wanted to hear the heartbeat. The answer was obviously yes. Once again, like the previous time, the doc had a difficult time finding the heartbeat, which made us nervous. After about 5 minutes of searching and not finding the heartbeat, she decided to send us over to have an ultrasound, just to make sure everything was okay. We gladly accepted the invitation, and went over. The ultrasound tech was very nice, and was able to get some great shots of ther baby. Sure enough, everything was great. We were able to see the heart beating, and could also see fingers, facial features, legs, and other stuff. After a good 10 minutes there, we left excited to have seen the baby and were very happy with our new doctor.

And by the way, it's a boy.

If That Makes Me A Creep, Then I Guess I'm A Creep.

For any of you reading this who already have kids, I have a question: Is it a bit creepy when you see a grown man looking at your kids? Now before you get the wrong idea, I pose this question because ever since I found out that I was going to be a father, it seems that I've noticed families and small children more. Before, small kids in certain situations could sometimes be a nuisence. Now, when I see a family eating together or in the airport, I start to anticipate the day when I can do the same with my own little Parker. I really feel like some sort of weirdo when I catch myself glancing, but believe me I'm not trying to be. The last thing I want to do is be Steve Stare. So, while you might see me unconciously catch a glance at your family, you can rest assured that you will never see me on an episode of "To Catch A Predator."

So That Is What's Goin On In There?

Normally, a trip to the doctor is as unpleasant as being in a long airport security line behind a group of uninformed fliers. Monday was different; Monday was the 10-week doctor’s appointment. Going in, my expectations were cloudy. I had heard that they let you hear the heartbeat, and I had heard that they might do an ultrasound. That’s about all I knew when we walked in. When we got there, they took us back, asked the normal questions, and took Colleen’s weight. After that, we were taken to an examination room. As a side note, for all the men reading this, those rooms are a bit uncomfortable. Nothing like staring at a poster explaining menopause and a plastic diagram of a woman’s reproductive system to make you feel masculine.

Anyways, the doctor came in and started explaining the road that lies ahead of us with the pregnancy. Then came the heartbeat monitor. Amazing. First off, she found Colleen’s pulse. Then after what seemed like an eternity of searching, she found the baby’s heartbeat. It was really cool to actually hear the life that lives inside Colleen. But no, the fun doesn’t end there. Then came the ultrasound. Words can’t explain how cool it is actually seeing a picture of the little life that you have created for the first time. We got to see it live on the screen as he/she moved around, and at the end they gave us a few still shots to take with us. After giving us pretty much two months worth of vitamin samples (I’ll have to remember to ask again at our next appointment, and so on…), we headed out excited, first that the baby was ok and second that we were able to add pictures and sounds to the pregnancy.

On a final note, I have the tendency to feel that I don’t take enough advantage of great moments, and I left the doctor feeling that way. Although it was one of those great moments in life, I just felt I didn't give it enough. Honestly, though, what are you supposed to do? Weep with happiness? Do the Charleston? Eh, whatever, it was still one of those things that make life great.

Week 9

Time for the ole weekly update. I started the week off in Orlando, on another auction trip. Man, I love the traveling for business, but some of these 2-day auction trips are getting difficult. Anyways, my flight down there Monday morning was full of a rowdy group of sixth graders on their way to Disney World. Normally, I would be upset when faced with a two-hour flight full of loud, excited kids, but this was a bit different. It was actually a group from my alma mater, Davidson Academy. The sixth grade Disney trip has been a rite of passage for students there for I guess almost 20 years, including way back in 1992 for a 12 year old little Nicky. Of course, I did a little reminicing. It also made me realize how far I've come since then, and was another reminder of the life I still have ahead of me.

After a few more days of work, Colleen and I set off for BBQ Fest in Memphis, TN. I can only describe it a massive celebration of all things Pig (and other tasty animals). Anyways, I have a friend that is part of a competition team, and he invited us to come hang out all weekend as honorary team members. We had a blast, although I ate WAY too much and stayed up WAY too late. The biggest surprise was that Colleen was able to put up with it. Not only did she have to sit around for hours with a bunch of strangers, but she had to do it surrounded by one of those foods that she has an aversion to now. I don't know how she did it, because that place was shrouded in a cloud of BBQ smoke. Anyway, she did it, and it actually didn't bother her as much as I thought it would. Don't get me wrong, she wanted to go and hang out with friends, but I know that she had to put up with a lot and it makes me appreciate her as a wife that much more. I guess I owe her one.

Well, we finally made it back this afternoon and did some (healthier) grocery shopping. Time to start focusing more on her (and my) good eating habits, for what's in her belly as it grows and so mine will stop. I guess that's about it. I'm still trying to recover from my food coma, and I have to get up early tommorow for our big 10th week gynocologist appointment. I'll update what happens with that in the next few days.

Week 8

Well, Week 8 has come and gone, and not much new. I’m still amazed at how finicky Colleen’s tastes have become. Foods she once loved have turned into arch-enemies, just waiting in the shadows to pop out and make her nauseous. Of course, this is affected my diet as well, cause if she ain’t happy, I ain’t happy.

Also, I’m amazed at how excited people get when you are expecting. We have received many cards from friends and family, of which we are grateful. Also, I can tell complete strangers, and most of the time, receive sincere congrats.

Finally, Mothers Day was yesterday. We spent the weekend up in Gatlinburg celebrating my brother’s college graduation (finally). Colleen got her first taste of being a mom, with a few cards and Mothers Day gifts. All told, it was a great weekend. I even extended my domination of Colleen in sports-type things with three straight 8-ball victories and a putt-putt triumph.

Oh yeah, and who knew a diamond commercial could make a grown woman weep? Those DeBeers guys know how to advertise.