I will not miss the next one that is on February 4th. The doctor, or rather the RN said that everything sounded fine and that the baby's heart rate was healthy. (That's my kid)

The RN also thinks that Carrie is 11 weeks along, but we're not so sure. We think that she might have gotten pregnant after the doctor does.

Ya know we have these discussions almost every night about what kinds of parents we're going to make. Sometimes we joke around, like today before we went to the appointment we were watching talk shows and the shows had TROUBLED TEENS. In other words, there were these 13 to 16 year old kids acting like hoodlums. Cussing and yelling at their parents and everyone else.

So, we joked around about having kids like that, what we would do about it, and how to, scratch that, how we think we will prevent that kind of stuff from happening to us. I guess we'll see, huh.

Next visit we get to see it and get a video. I'll try and put it on this page.

At one point in time we saw the baby move its arm on the screen, but Carrie said that she couldn't feel it. That, however, is no longer a problem since Carrie says that she feels it all the time now. I, however, have yet to feel the baby move, which I guess that's ok. This is just mom's time to enjoy that feeling.

Everything looks as though it is growing in the correct places. The baby is about 4 inches long and weighs about 12 ounces. The expected due date is still July 18.

Well you might notice that there is no video. Yea, after first forgetting the video tape and having to make a mad dash to the store down the street to get one, we didn't even get to record the sonogram. The person that was running the machine didn't ask us if we had a video tape to record it with and we didn't tell her that we had one. She sounded like she was going to just take a few measurements and then the doctor was going to come in and do something else. So I guess that we just thought that the doctor was going to ask us for it. But he didn't .

Oh well, we did get three pictures though. And look all you want, the doctor said that he couldn't tell what sex it was, but see if you can. Oh and if you think that you know, don't tell us, cause we still don't want to know.

The next doctors visit is April 1. Lets hope that they don't play any tricks on us.

We also went and registered at Babies R Us. Now we may have gone a little crazy with the scanner, considering that we had an eight page print out of all the stuff that we liked. This place is bad, it has everything from strollers to those little clippy things that clip the babies pacifier to it's shirt. We did have a lot of fun doing that and evidently it must be a favorite pastime for other families as well. Carrie and I witnessed an extremely excited Grandmother who was about to by her new Granddaughter her first pair of tights. So anyway, if you guys want to know what kind of stuff we want and need, just take a trip to the nearest Babies R Us to see. I think that you can go to a Toys R Us as well but I'm not just real sure.

The doctors visit was rather uneventful. Carrie had to drink some orange drink so that the doctors could take a Glucose test. Carrie put up a big stink about how the drink tasted, but when she was done with the drink she kept turning the glass upside-down to get the very last drops. When we got to the doctor's office Carrie had to give blood, another thing that she had a little fear about, but it only took about 2 minutes and did not hurt at all. The person drawing the blood said "You build it up for a month and that's all that happens," after it was done.

The next doctors visit is April 29.

Of course we did start to ask some questions this time, which before we just sat there like a couple of deer caught in headlights. "Oh no, what is that coming near us? A BABY!" We asked questions like, "Are we poking the babies eye out when we poke at Carrie's belly?," "We have to take it home?," and "Just how do you hold on to a wet baby?" The doctor just smiled at us and told us that most of our questions would be handled in our Child Birthing Class. Great, so that's were you get the instructions on how to care for and raise a baby from zero to 18 years. Mom, Dad, I don't know how you did it.

Right now, with Mother's Day upon us, I would like to say a few things about Moms. Granted, I don't know what it is like to be a mother and never will, but I have for the past few months watched a beautiful young woman start to become a mother. I have tried to put myself in her place with all the fears and anxieties, but the only ones that I can understand are the ones about being a parent and having a health baby. I've tried to have Carrie explain to me what the baby feels like when it roles, punches and kicks from the inside, but those sensations I will never know. It is truly a special event that I have been witness to, and I find myself in awe of it. The bond that mothers have with their children must be powerful enough to move mountains. So, I would just like to say to all the mothers that I know, but especially to my own and the one I see blossoming in front of me, you are very special people and I love you very much.

Next Doctor Visit is May 20. 11 weeks to go.

Carrie and I did our birthing class over the past few weekends. People have asked, "What on earth is a 'birthing class'?" Some people have called it Lamaze, but basically it is just to inform soon to be parents of what might happen during pregnancy. Of course they always stress, "All births are different" and my favorite "There is no wrong way to have a baby." I don't know why I thought that was so funny, but it was at the time. So after the class am I a scholar on child birth? Well, I know the difference between effacement and dilation, three different breathing techniques and how to stop Carrie from jumping out of the bed and leaving in those oh so attractive hospital gowns. At least I think that barring the door is the way to keep her in the hospital anyway

Well, Carrie has been having what seem to be contractions. During the last doctor's visit and at the child birthing class, they told us to watch out for more frequent Braxton Hicks contractions. These things are supposed to be just on Carrie's tummy, and they are not supposed to hurt. Well, Carrie started feeling her stomach tightening up every once in a while, except that when it did it started to hurt a little bit. The pain would not last long, but it would be down at the bottom of her tummy and it would go all the way around to her back. She described this to the doctor on the last visit, and she said that what Carrie was describing were real contractions. This of course is not the news that Carrie wanted to hear, but everyone that we have talked to has said that the more work her body does now, the easier it will be during delivery. Yeah, well what do they know.

The only other thing that has happened is that one afternoon Carrie called me from work to inform me that she was not feeling too good. She said that she felt dizzy all of a sudden and sick to her stomach. I told her to call the Doctor, and see what they say and that I would come and get her if she needed me too. She called the Doctor and they asked her to come on in, so I rushed to get her. I took her to the Doctor, and they said that sometimes with the baby pushing down so hard that it can restrict your blood flow and cause you to feel light headed which can then cause you to feel sick. Ok, so we go home, but later that night Carrie started to feel sick to her stomach again and ended up getting sick. This made us feel a little concerned, but she took the next day off of work, got some good rest and feels just fine now.

OK, Father's Day is actually tomorrow, so I thought that I would say a few things about fathers since I'm going to be one in about five weeks. Is that right, FIVE WEEKS! Uh oh. I've been thinking about what kind of father I will be, or rather the kind of father I hope to be. Of course, being a father is different than being a mother. Mothers have a bond with their children that is automatic, I mean they've had this little being growing in their stomachs for nine months. Fathers have to develop a bond with their children, and as we all know, there are some men out there that just are not up to the challenge. I have had the good fortune to know some pretty good fathers in my life. Most of my friends have good fathers and some of my friends have become them. But the best father I know, is my own. I remember when he used to come home from work I used to run and jump into his arms, and he would give me a big hug. I don't know why, I just did it cause he was my Dad. Whenever I would fall down and scrape my knee, he would hold me and rock me in his rocking chair and sing "You are My Sunshine, My Only Sunshine." When I got older, through many a break up or car wreck, he was always there with the right words to say. Sometimes, he was even there to give me a swift kick in the rear when I needed it. He has always allowed me to be myself, and still was able to install many of his values in me. Even when I make decisions that he does not agree with, he has still supported me no matter what. Oh, if I could only be half the father my Dad is, I think that I would be doing pretty well.

I Love You Very Much, Daddy.

Next Doctors Visit, June 21

After Dr. Meritt told us this, we thought that it might be a good idea if we did the things that they tell you to. Like pack a bag, practice your breathing and other things. All we did though was practice our breathing. It was the first time that we have ever done such a thing, so the evening was filled with giggles and jokes about how awful Carrie will be to me in the delivery room. I have renewed my interest in reading all about this birthing thing. We have a friend who is also pregnant, and I spoke with the husband, and he told me that he hadn't read a book since High School, but ever since they got pregnant, he has read over 10. Some of the things I have read have been pretty general, like "Women goes into labor, and anywhere from 30 seconds to 48 hours later, the baby will be born." Duh. Others just what you to know that everything you are feeling is normal. "It's OK when she reaches out and pulls your ears off. She is just being rushed with hormones that are getting her ready for the act of birthing." Some what to relive their experience through writing and other just what to give their opinions about things. But the best thing that I read was a quote from a doctor who said, "Ya know, I've never seen one stay in there."

We are in Dallas this weekend, and the next appointment with Dr. Meritt is June 28th. We are going every week from here on out. Any day now, huh.

I held off updating the web page up until now, cause I wanted to wait until all the baby showers were over. I would like to say once more how thankful I am to all of you that gave gifts. I never knew a new child would need so much stuff, but if receiving gifts is a sign of affection, then our baby is well loved by a lot of good people.

Last but definitely not the least. If I have not told you already, Carrie and I have gotten engaged. The big question has been, "When are you guys getting married?" Well, we are going to take our time and decide on a good time for such an event, but it will happen.

Thanks again to everyone. Next Visit with Dr. Meritt is Tuesday, July 6th.

I have to say that Carrie is really becoming irritated at being pregnant, and no matter how hard I try to tell her that the baby will come when it is ready, she still wants me to do something about it. Now I've heard of lots of different ways to coax the baby out. Everything from taking a drive on a bumpy road to drinking caster oil and jumping off a chair. Carrie thinks that the best way to get the baby to come out is to bribe it out, with all the cute things it has. Of course her most adventurous means of starting the delivery process is for me to break into the hospital and steal some Pitocin. I'm not so sure how good a coach I would be from behind bars. It also seems that we have been getting a lot more calls the last couple of days from friends, just wanting to know how we are doing, and if we have had the baby yet. Like if we had had the baby, we wouldn't be calling everyone and telling them. Anyway, I am confident that the baby will come in due time, even if it isn't its due date.

Ok, below are directions to the hospital and a map.

Ph# to the hospital (512) 339-6626