Wendy's Nest

It appears that being pregnant can be somewhat uncomfortable. I can't imagine why, something about a person growing inside your belly. What this means is that bedtime can at times be wiggly. After experimenting with several different options we found the best way to help Wendy to be comfortable is to make her a nest, out of pillows.  A lot of pillows!

Buried in pillows

Wendy's nest

Ben's pillows left, Wendy's pillows right

Practice Run?

I remember in junior high and high school our health classes required usto carry around a flour baby for a week. The idea was that by having to carry around a baby we might realize how much work and how big of a "bother" a baby can be. I don't know how anyone else felt but I always felt like it was useless exercise. A flour baby is so much easier than a real baby...at least so I hear. Fortunately there are ways in which we can practice.

Wendy's sister and her husband are in middle of a gigantic remodel of their apartment.  This, as can be imagined, has been somewhat complicated by the arrival of their baby. They've had to undergo some contortions in order to manage both the remodel and the baby. Sometimes it's harder than others. Today the parents were installing flooring and needed to both of them to finish the job. So they needed a baby sitter. Wendy volunteered us.

Wendy's sister has joined in the baby wrap carrier craze so I also got to try that out.  An interesting experience it was. Balance is wonky, I'm bigger in the front, I look gigantic in mirrors...it felt like I was pregnant!

Samuel was ours for an hour and a half. (Hey! Baby steps right!) From Wendy's sister's expertise we found out that Samuel like being outside, likes walking, and evidently likes areas with a lot of people. Coincidentally and outdoor walking mall just recently opened in downtown Salt Lake City.  Of course, even with a baby we had to shop for something right?

What did we shop for? Why what else would anyone shop for carrying around a two month old baby? Clearly...maternity clothes. I kept waiting for someone to comment on the fact that we had a clearly newborn baby...along with a clearly pregnant women. No one did; very disappointing.  Although we did have several people comment on high cute the baby was. I even had one passerby comment on how he looked so much like me. That was slightly awkward. 

We may not be related but it appears that Samuel does have some similar ideas on certain things.  Any longer than five minutes in a store; and it was time to leave.  Sounds about perfect to me. Wendy felt she needed longer however. I was able to delay leaving once; because I bribed him with food. Every other store; five minutes and out.

All in all. We were a good mommy and daddy for an hour and a half.  I sure learned more in that hour and a half than a week with flour baby.  Not that any of us are surprised by that.

Ultrasound Pictures.

We went to our official ultrasound appointment on March 8th. The technician was very excited and animated throughout the entire process. One mannerism that we both found interesting was that once she discovered the physiological indication of "boyhood" she proceeded to use the most widely varied range of euphemisms to refer to it.

More importantly we got to really see our baby for the first time.  It appears that ultrasound have come a long way in the past decade or so. We get to have ultrasound pictures of our baby in 3D now. All I can say is COOL!

He's looking at us.

Yep. He's a boy.

Growing is hard work.

Really hard work.

He has an arm. 3D imaging cut off at that point.

Wendy cuts Ben's Hair

Wendy has wanted to try to cut my hair for a while. I needed my hair cut. Wendy's parents have a set of clippers. Taking all of that into account we decided to try out letting Wendy cut my hair. She actually did a really good job.

First Look at Baby

We've been shopping around for a nurse midwife for Wendy. During a visit to the latest one they offered to do a quick ultrasound to look at the baby and to hear the heartbeat. I am definitely a fan of hearing the heartbeat; makes everything seem so much more and concrete.

 

It also appears that our little baby wanted to show off for us. Appears that the baby decided to be in just the right position to make it so we could see certain anatomical characteristics.

Can you find it?

There it is.

First Christmas Together

This was our first Christmas together and wespent it together in Logan since I worked Christmas day. Wendy's family has always had Christmas stockings and my family have always had Christmas boots. Fortunately both types of containers hold candy brought by "Santa" just as well as the other. I am impressed by Wendy's ability to extemporize for a Christmas boot.

We had a Christmas tree with Christmas presents. It's small, but at least it's a tree. There was even a fair number of presents for us underneath it.

Of course, we all know that presents are made to be admired...and poked and prodded until you know what they are.

Any tree is improved with a wife in front of it. No matter how small the tree.

Learning how to surf!

During our recent vacation to the Oregon coast we saw a lot of people out in the waves surfing. I made an offhand comment to Wendy that I've always wanted to learn how to surf. I should know better than that. She spent the next thirty minutes finding a place that teaches surfing and making an appointment for me there. Isn't she great? I had a blast. I even was able to get up a couple of times.

Swim Ben Swim!

I'm up!

Not up.

Carrying the board