So Lets See...

What to talk about? Well, I got an iPhone, for I'm a slave to technology. For the same reason I talked my lovely wife in to a new TV (thanks honey!).

Erin remains irrepressibly cute, which is a good thing for her as her stinky diapers could be used as biological weapons, though I'm sure that's prohibited by the Geneva Convention.


Baseball season is right around the corner, so I'm excited about that. The Matt Wieters watch has officially begun!

Now excuse me as I watch Scrubs.

It's the Final Countdown...

We're leaving together...but still it's farewell...

Don't ask how and why I know the words to The Final Countdown, simply remember that I retain the stupidest info.

Anyway, for those of you astute enough to be paying attention to that little clock on the left, we're less than a week away from the due date. And while that term is on my brain, I'm officially declaring, as a semenatical bastard, that three pregnancy terms be changed. Due date, morning sickness, labor. Due date my ass. Guess date. Morning sickness? Whatever, it comes whenever. Call it pregnancy sickness. And labor? I know I'm Mr. "they're only words" but why give childbirth a name that everyone knows and associates with work? Our childbirth classes calls it birthing time, and I like that. Motion passes.

And by the way, not nearly enough of you used that damn donate button. Thanks bunches! :D

Anyway, we inch forward. Things haven't progressed here in the late stages exactly how we wanted, unfortunately. A little mild hypertension may put a monkey in our wrench (don't correct me, I like saying it like that). Blood work was all good, so I'm inclined to believe the higher than normal blood pressure is from the fact that Jessie is smaller than the average bear, and she's in that last stage where she's swelling up a bit in other places besides the tummy (hehe, tummy). But, even midwives are cautious when it comes to high blood pressure. So, we may have to make adjustments to the birth plan. Unfortunately again, we have no idea how yet, and probably wont, especially if it stays mild and the blood work keeps coming back good before birthing time. I know they'll be watching that BP like a hawk when she starts, though. My wife is also not a big fan of bedrest, which she's been on since Friday when the hypertension was first noted.

As a complete aside, I've been getting an inordinate amount of spam in my email spambox. I used to get about 5 a day. Now I'm up to like 90, and that's with me periodically cleaning it out, if only to make sure something doesn't get shuffled incorrectly to the spam. Plus, spam is making to my inbox, which hasn't happened in a loooooooong time. I've had to hit the "report spam" button a dozen times this week. The only thing I did lately was register my new camera with Sony, so if those bastards sold off my email address...grr.

People Fear Registries

So, as most of my great ideas stem, I was talking with Jessie yesterday about baby showers at our work, and Erin's pre-birthday party (like that? I came up with it. Supposed to make it less of a "woman" thing, since there's a connotation that women go to baby showers), and the topic of our respective registries came up (Target and Babies R' Us, for those interested). And then we started talking about how registries are the most misused thing in the world.

Well, okay, that's an obvious exaggeration. But it's really weird. Registries are exactly what someone or a couple need for a respective event. They've gone to the stores, they've gone around and said "we need/want that." Most of the time it's need. And here's where it gets stupid.

Most people don't get the registry items because they want to be more sponteneous and fun. So after the shower, the person or couple (whatever) is left holding the registry bag of a bunch of stuff they FREAKING NEED! The registry was there for a reason, and there's no shame in using it! I love them! I wish people would use registries for everything! I mean, there's Amazon.com's wishlists, which are kinda what I mean, but birthday or the holiday season is approaching, what to get Bob? No worries, Bob is registered at Bath and Body Works, Joy's House of Porn, and McDonalds! We can get him exactly what he wants/needs, no guess work involved!

It'd be a much different thing if it were only a few people, but it's much too prevalant. People see "registry" and they think "no fun." Bullshit. These specific events have registries for precisely this reason, and the vast majority of people are screwing up the works because they want to be more fun! Look, I know that when people might be shopping for Erin's showers/pre-birthday party they might see this adorable little outfit they'll think we'll love. And we probably will, but you know what, there aren't any clothing items on our registry. Why? Because thanks to each of our mothers, we're pretty much covered until Erin is a year old already! We don't need clothing, we need that other stuff we put on there! I know some of it is boring and to you it might seem like an anti-climatic gift, but trust me, we'll be ecstatic to get it when we (or she) opens it up! Why? We put it on the registry!!

USE THE DAMN REGISTRIES, PEOPLE! Most systems are inherently broken, but this is a system that works for once and you people are mucking it up!

So...(a needle pulling thread)

La, a note to follow so.

Te, I drink with jam and bread.

And that brings us back to do do do doooooooo.

Sorry, got distracted by insanely annoying song.

As some more astute people may have noticed, I did update that little countdown so that it says Heiress, though to be fair, an Heir knows no gender. Jessie/The Queen sort of left it up to me whether I'd divulge her name or not, which I thought was thoughtful, though kind of silly. I mean, not exactly a celebrity or anything, nor will her name topple foreign governments...though how awesome would that be?

Anyway, she shall be called...

Wait for it...

Wait for it...

WAIT FOR IT!

Nymphadora Ignatia.

Just kidding.

Erin Noelani.

Okay, Less Cryptic This Time...Sorta.

I'm gonna be a father.

The reason for the general crypticness was it was really early then. It's still really early, actually. The Queen is only 8 weeks pregnant, so we can't even hear The Heir's heartbeat or anything yet. But we (well, she) had her first appointment today, and it seems like so far so good. Lots of "homework" to do, though. Forms and such.

We're leaning towards natural birth, or at the very least having a midwife attend Jessie at a hospital. I'm nearly infamous of my distaste for hospitals, and we watched a movie yesterday called "The Business of Being Born." Watch it if you are thinking about, going to have, or have had, children. Seriously. I already had my suspicions about "modern birthing techniques" especially the rationale of "why be in pain if you don't have to?" but there are some very scary things brought up about how, and why, certain things are done. The pitocin/epidural vicious circle issue for one, and the alarming amount of planned cesarean sections at this point in time.

Jessie's worried about the pain of labor of course, and I can't blame her. But I also think she's selling herself short. Our midwife (who is a guy...do you ever hear feminists complain about that?) seems to be wonderful and suggested a technique called Hypnobabies, which he thinks would work for her wonderfully. So I'm excited about that. But even without that sort of technique, I think she could "handle" the pain. Think about it. This race has been around for a pretty long time. Women have been doing pretty darn good. And what about all those countries without access to our so called modern birthing techniques? Some of the statistics brought up in the movie were eye opening. So yeah, given my distrust and distaste of hospitals in general, I'm supporting her in her original desire for natural childbirth, and acting sort of as a crutch for when she falters. Plus, our midwife told us they do have the ability to prescribe and administer a certain painkiller, so that also helped assuage her a bit as well.

Well, anyway, I'll keep you posted as we hear stuff and everything. Maybe Jessie will revitalize her blog as a pregnancy journal of sorts, that might be an idea for her, I don't know. Oh, and I am accepting handouts. I'm not shy about that. At all.

Our midwife put our due date (which of course has that two week pre/post window) at October 21st. I'll be finding a countdown clock in the near future and putting it up.

I'm Not Saying...

But I'm saying...