Around the Belly Button in 231 Days and Time Sensitive Finances

This is Henry - apologies for the delay in posting this entry. Apparently, it's my turn to put up some news so here we go... For today, I'd like to share an anxiety each from Lorraine and me.

Lorraine's Anxiety: Her Belly Button.
Her belly button (BB) has now become a full "outie" and she feels that it may become "unplugged" because of the increasing pressure behind it. As her belly has grown over the past 33 weeks (231 days), the transformation of her BB has been quite intriguing. At first, it exhibited an unusual depression at the 12 o'clock position, accentuating the upper half of her BB, which poked out above her skin in a perfect symmetrical crescent from the 9 to 3 o'clock positions. That was half as concerning as now for this flesh ridge around her BB has gone 360. Yes, it's official, a complete circumference due to even greater pressure and more stretching.



(I asked Lorraine to pose for this picture because I told her I would submit it to a leading medical journal as evidence of a new pregnancy condition, "Human Exit Drain Syndrome"). I told her that she may need to walk around with her finger placed in her BB or with a wine cork. It looks like she's contemplating her options. Either that or the pained look on her face may be about how she's going to express her displeasure with me writing about this subject. If I don't post an entry soon after Lorraine's next one, please call the police and notify my parents that I was looking forward to being a good father...

My Anxiety: Pregnancy Finances.
I must admit, I have tallied up the total cost so far in preparation for Lauren's arrival and although she'll be worth every cent of it, it's becoming more and more evident that financing the life development of our daughter may parallel some of the venture capital money flowing through new start ups in Silicone Valley. As a result of this realization, one conclusion has become glaringly clear: I must get my own spending in before it is eclipsed for the next 30 years (the age at which she may begin dating). Thus, I have begun my race against the clock. I have made a list of "Henry's Must-Haves Before He Can Never Have" list:

1. New golf clubs
2. New video 80GB iPod
(www.apple.com/ipod/features.html#)
3. New 63" HD plasma TV (www.samsung.com/Products/TV/PlasmaTV/HPS6373XXAA.asp)
4. Pre-order for Play Station 3
(www.us.playstation.com/PS3/default.html)
5. New Cartier Santos-Dumont watch (www.cartier.com/en/Creation,W2007051,,Santos-Dumont-Bracelet%20Alligator)
6. New Aston Martin DB9 thoroughbred sports car (www.astonmartin.com/thecars/db9)
7. Montblanc Starwalker ballpoint pen (www.montblanc.com/products/black_resin_platinum_resin.08486.php)

OK, I look back at this list and I have to admit, it is a bit ridiculous - I already have an old Montblanc pen that still works so scratch number 7. I'll keep you posted on how far I get down on this list in the next 50 days.

No to the Toes

It’s official. No longer can I see my feet as I look down while standing up. A week ago, I was able to see the end bits of my toenails, specifically my polish, but I'm finding that things change weekly in pregnancy. So, goodbye to the toes and pretty polish! In fact, if I try and bend over to admire my flashy red polish or bend over to do anything else lately, I get reprimanded. Yes, that’s right. Lauren serves me a nice high jab in the rib cage every time as if I need the reminder of her already too-cramped space. This and other lively little acts inside my belly makes me think she’s going to have a feisty personality. I shared this with Henry and he was quick to respond that if she does, she gets that from me.

So, here's my current view when I look down ... no toes but I do have a nice round belly and someone to always talk to : )

And, as you can see, my favorite clothing lately includes Henry's comfy t-shirts from his West Point days.

Baby 101

Henry here - OK, we just returned home from our first OB Education class, "Baby Basics", at the hospital. There were about 10 couples there tonight and as guys will be guys, I immediately noticed the fathers-to-be gauging the competition - "my wife is more pregnant than your wife" sort of thing. Yes, I did it too. I have to say, it was pretty stiff competition but I'm sure Lorraine at least medalled. As I had to give up playing in my softball league tonight (I told the guys I had a client dinner rather than saying I was going to learn about new babies), I had to take the competitive edge off somehow.

This was the first in a series of classes for which we have signed up and it was a pretty hard and fast indoctrination. I must admit, even as a self-proclaimed fast-learner, it was a lot to take in but I think I did quite alright. As proof, I present to you my Top 10 list for today - "Top 10 Important Facts I Learned Tonight in my Baby Basics Education Class":

1. Newborns can develop a blister in the center of their top lip due to sucking their thumb while in the womb - ("Don't pick it off," the instructor said; like who would?)

2. Newborns heads can look like E.T.'s for the first few days before rounding out - (i.e. Coneheads on SNL)

3. Newborns only see up to 10 inches at birth - (I'll be sure to hold the birth week's issue of The Economist within this distance so Lauren can catch up on the current events that coincide with her birth in December - perhaps "Confirmed: Democrats take back the House" - early conditioning and edification)

4. At birth, genitalia are swollen and large due to hormonal influence while in the womb but soon subside afterwards - (I guess this would lead to some naive fathers misinterpreting the "manliness" of their new son at birth)

5. Pacifier thermometers are unreliable 28% of the time so don't use it - (too bad; the handle seemed like it would be convenient for dislodging following rectal measurements)

6. Machismo of fathers-to-be causes uncomfortableness in such an environment - (we didn't ask any questions about babies but heck, we were very manly by quickly forking over our moolah, the $15 to buy the recommended "Baby 411" book at the session - "the denominations of my bills are larger than yours")

7. Hoag Hospital offers "Rooming-In", which is a single, private room that advocates a family setting (I sleep there too with Lorraine and Lauren) for 48 hours - (I'll be sure to pack my PS2, stack of that week's magazines, and my DVD boxed-set, "New York Yankees, Fall Classics 1996-2001")

8. There's a fail-safe baby holding technique called the "Football Carry" where you reach around and grab the baby's opposite thigh while cradling; it seemed very secure - (now if only the Jet's Curtis Martin can return soon from injury and adopt this technique; it may help out NYJ's worrisome turnover ratio this season)

9. Swaddling, which is tightly wrapping your baby "burrito-style" in a blanket, is a miraculously effective way to calm a restless baby - (OK, but how do you do chips and salsa?)

10. Lorraine was the most beautiful person in attendance tonight - ("My wife is more lovely than your wife")


OK, this entry didn't turn out so short after all. I guess I'm still pumped after my "victory" tonight - bring on the Gatorade shower...

Rotund is right!

Don’t you just love Henry’s word choice to describe me in the picture to the right at 21 weeks? Rotund. The first time he said that to me, I glared at him in hopes that some sort of Star Wars laser beam would jet out of my eyes and scorch him … just a little bit. Well, at 31 weeks, I embrace the word "rotund" and am definitely comfortable with his description of me now. I’ll have Henry take an updated belly picture this week. Lauren is creating a nice little nest inside for herself kicking and turning about however and whenever she chooses. She definitely rules the roost in this body of mine! Henry can’t believe how hard she’s kicking. Just last night, he felt a hearty punch from her and then a long rolling turn. He got all wide-eyed and then, as though his whole body got weak, stared down at his palms and said “I think I lost all strength in my hands.” It’s very cute. While she’s busy nesting inside, we are creating a nice little nest of our own for Lauren once she decides to make her grand entrance. From the maddening experience of putting together the crib to enduring trips to Babies R Us to purchase things we don’t even fully understand how to use yet and why we need them, we’ve shared some of the funniest moments and out of control snort laughter. Muddling through this new change of life is challenging but it’s fantastic when you have a wonderful partner to muddle with.

We hope you enjoy this site and come back often to visit. We will post updates every few days and be sure to include some more photos in this final stretch. Feel free to click that “comment” button underneath each posting and write a few words as we’d love to hear from you!

31 Weeks and Counting

Hello everyone! This is Henry - I thought that setting up this blog would be a great way for us to share our adventures with you as we set into this last stretch of this pregnancy. Yes, it will be catharic for us to be able to write how Lorraine's "jimmy legs" keep us up at nights, what concerns are discussed of her increasingly protruding belly button "spilling out", and me quietly trying to find any stream of logic in such events. Anyway, we're excited for Lauren's arrival in mid-December - what a great Christmas present! So until then, please check back with us often to read all the news. Here are the ultrasounds during the pregnancy to get you all caught up:

"It" at 4 weeks, 5 days (my intelligent question was "are you sure?")...

At 6 weeks (my contributing observation at this one was "it's a big head, no?")...

At 12 weeks, 6 days (and onto my desktop at work)...


Lauren at 18 weeks, 4 days (we found out then that "it" was a "she") - she's sucking her thumb...

Lauren at 27 weeks, 4 days (she's "flipped over" and asking, "What are you looking at?")...

OK, what could possible be next in this ever enlightening pregnancy???...