Going through Katy’s pregnancy together has given me a new level of respect and admiration for this woman. Having a front row seat to the miracle of birth and its toll on women is nothing short of truly amazing.
Not that I haven’t been a completely wonderful and supportive husband…. I just can’t refer to it as, ‘our pregnancy’. While it is something we are going through, referring to it as, ‘our pregnancy,’ just makes me feel like a poser.
Besides a pint of ice cream every other night or so, I have no idea what my cute transformer is going through. Particularly what her body is going through.
I’m sure she thinks the occasional backrubs and the extra trips to the grocery store are nice, but until I work a nine hour day on my feet with a five-pound, foot-long rib kicker in my belly, I’ve really got nothing.
But, for how rough the first trimester was, the second and third trimesters have treated her quite well - minus having a five-pound, foot-long rib kicker in her belly.
I can tell its getting a bit old for her, but she carries on with almost no complaints. She’s got the glowing pregnant woman look thing down and beyond needing a little more rest than usual, she’s been solid as a rock…I mean…a pretty, flowery rock* of course.
*From: Katy TepleySent: Friday, August 08, 2008 10:35 AM
To: briddle; B Riddle; Troy Tepley; Michael Riddle
Subject: 32 weeks
32 weeks
The baby is about 17 inches long and weighs about 4.5 lbs.
The baby's toenails and fingernails are completely formed.
The baby's lungs are continuing to mature but will not reach full maturity for several more weeks.
The baby's skeleton has completely formed, but his/her bones are very soft and pliable.
The baby has now developed sensitivity to temperature.
The baby will gain one third to one half of his/her birth weight during the next weeks.
From: Michael Riddle
Sent: Friday, August 08, 2008 11:02 AM
Subject: RE: 32 weeks
Cool!! Hope Mama’s hangin’ in there.
On Aug 8, 2008, at 11:05 AM, Tepley, Troy wrote:
She’s like a rock. I mean, a very pretty, flowery kind of solid rock…
Me, on the other hand…
We recently told Katy's dad that we had our delivery room walk-through during our last birthing class. He looked at me with a grin and gave this sage advice: “get ready to feel like a screen door on a submarine.”
At first I was a little surprised, because I felt he usually has something more insightful to offer.
Not like I didn’t feel virtually useless already. Then I got it. Thanks Mike. It's nice to know I'm not the only father-to-be who's felt like lipstick on a pig.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Paradigm Shift
Pregnancy and the expected arrival of a baby has changed many things. Here's one recent example I found kind of funny:
The "Fire Alarm" in the office as it hung for the past three years:
The new Fire+ Alarm in the new nursery, aka, "old office":
The "Fire Alarm" in the office as it hung for the past three years:
The new Fire+ Alarm in the new nursery, aka, "old office":
Mancation
In early June, I went on a vacation with my best friends, Andy, Eric and Travis. We grew up together in New Ulm and our life long bonds were set in stone helping each other make it through the awkward time of high school. We were so inseparable we even stuck together after that, as we all attended the University of Minnesota when we ventured from home.
Since the time we eventually separated in our early- to mid-twenties - Eric has lived in Chicago and Andy has lived in Portland for more than five years - we’ve gotten together in bits and pieces for things like weddings and holidays.
It’s also weddings and holidays that have kept us from getting together as just friends.
We finally met up for a “guys’ weekend” in Colorado at a cabin outside Cripple Creek. If you’ve never been to the Rockies, it’s a scenic splendor. But for me, like I think for all of us, it wasn’t the place, it was the people.
Prom '95: Eric, me, Travis and Andy
Having the weekend together gave us a chance to catch up, reflect and remember why we’re such good friends. I guess the old saying is true. No matter how long it’s been since the last time you met up with long-time friends, after a hug and some break the ice conversation it’s like old times again.
And for us, for better or worse, that means arguing about music and sports and trying to solve the world’s problems through drunken discourse. While we've never really solved any of the world's problems (outside of our own minds), the tangents are unparalleled.
During the vacation, we almost instantaneously interacted as if we were five years younger while we got to observe how much each other has grown in the past five years. Among many things, old friends make great life-long history markers.
For example, the job Eric followed has turned out alright as it takes him to places like Abu Dhabi, where he makes sure some of the world's most cutting edge skyscrapers won't fall down.
I remember when we once killed time in study hall for a couple weeks by drawing a picture of a fruit basket on the back of my notebook.
That picture, creatively named “fruit,” would later hang on a wall in our first dorm room.
Anyway, upon reflection, as father-to-be of a son, this trip gave me a new perspective on our friendship.
Of course, it’s pretty much impossible to spend a weekend with three other guys in a hot tub at cabin in The Middle of Nowhere, Colorado, and not gain at least one new perspective on life.
It just became very clear how much we mean to each other. It's not like the next sentence you read is going to go like, 'maybe it was the wine, maybe it was the moonlit scenery, but all of a sudden, our friendship took on a whole new meaning...' I'm just trying to recognize the bond between some really good friends.
Friends like I truly hope my son has someday. They’ll be able to support, understand, influence and walk through life with him in ways his loving parents simply won’t be able to do. It’s a timeless treasure.
So here’s to the Andy, Eric and Travis in wombs near you, Lil’ Man. I hope you’re all resting well. You're going to need it.
Since the time we eventually separated in our early- to mid-twenties - Eric has lived in Chicago and Andy has lived in Portland for more than five years - we’ve gotten together in bits and pieces for things like weddings and holidays.
It’s also weddings and holidays that have kept us from getting together as just friends.
We finally met up for a “guys’ weekend” in Colorado at a cabin outside Cripple Creek. If you’ve never been to the Rockies, it’s a scenic splendor. But for me, like I think for all of us, it wasn’t the place, it was the people.
Prom '95: Eric, me, Travis and Andy
Having the weekend together gave us a chance to catch up, reflect and remember why we’re such good friends. I guess the old saying is true. No matter how long it’s been since the last time you met up with long-time friends, after a hug and some break the ice conversation it’s like old times again.
And for us, for better or worse, that means arguing about music and sports and trying to solve the world’s problems through drunken discourse. While we've never really solved any of the world's problems (outside of our own minds), the tangents are unparalleled.
During the vacation, we almost instantaneously interacted as if we were five years younger while we got to observe how much each other has grown in the past five years. Among many things, old friends make great life-long history markers.
For example, the job Eric followed has turned out alright as it takes him to places like Abu Dhabi, where he makes sure some of the world's most cutting edge skyscrapers won't fall down.
I remember when we once killed time in study hall for a couple weeks by drawing a picture of a fruit basket on the back of my notebook.
That picture, creatively named “fruit,” would later hang on a wall in our first dorm room.
Anyway, upon reflection, as father-to-be of a son, this trip gave me a new perspective on our friendship.
Of course, it’s pretty much impossible to spend a weekend with three other guys in a hot tub at cabin in The Middle of Nowhere, Colorado, and not gain at least one new perspective on life.
It just became very clear how much we mean to each other. It's not like the next sentence you read is going to go like, 'maybe it was the wine, maybe it was the moonlit scenery, but all of a sudden, our friendship took on a whole new meaning...' I'm just trying to recognize the bond between some really good friends.
Friends like I truly hope my son has someday. They’ll be able to support, understand, influence and walk through life with him in ways his loving parents simply won’t be able to do. It’s a timeless treasure.
So here’s to the Andy, Eric and Travis in wombs near you, Lil’ Man. I hope you’re all resting well. You're going to need it.
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