We decided on your name on December 18th of 2010 while your mom and I were in the car waiting to see the Christmas lights. (Wow, I can't believe its already the middle of March!) Some other contenders were:
- Allistair
- Drew
- Andy
- Alex
- Charlie
- Brock
- Landon
- Nicholas
- Skylar
- Ethan
- Ian
We didn't come together on your middle name until some time later... We'll tell people that your middle name is "Dane" for a while, until you get a little older, I think.
Your mom and I have been to 5 weeks of classes that have taught us all about what to expect in the coming weeks. Our friends Mark and Melody are having their baby today - St. Patrick's Day (or the day after...). We haven't heard anything in a few hours, but it looks like their daughter isn't being quick about coming out. Our friends Joe and Edie are having their little girl, Aubrey, in June, so you'll have some kiddos to play with as you grow up, and we're pretty happy about that!
Your great-grandfather Robert passed away this last weekend, so your mom has just returned home from a week in Arizona. She's tired beyond belief, and you've been getting bigger and bigger, so she's pretty uncomfortable on top of it.
But, you're worth it, and she wouldn't have it any other way. Still, it's time for bed, so I'll check in with you later, my son.
I love you!
Dad
Friday, March 18, 2011
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
The Icing on the Cake
Drum roll please...
It's obviously anticlimactic for you to be reading this. This is a fact you have known all your life. No new information here for you, but for your mom and I, we now know that from this day forth, though we may still call you "our child" or "our baby", as we have in the past few months, now we can also call you "our son."
It is not flesh and blood, but heart which makes us fathers and sons.
~Friedrich von Schiller
After the cake was cut, and the blue icing revealed, our family played the Kinect XBox 360 games. Your grandmother signed off of the computer (she joined us via webcam from Colorado Springs), your Uncle Mike signed off from his webcam at work, your grandparents and Uncle Josh and your cousins Casey and Alex went home.
We spent the night talking about names, the room we're going to make for you, and the fact that we'll need to get you circumsized, but all the while, my imagination was looking to the future - to the man that you will one day become. But first, I have to make sure you get to be a boy, and to not rush the months and years ahead. For, one day, I'll be sad that I did so, if I am fortunate enough to grow old.
I hope that I can be a good father to you, and that I can provide more than food and shelter. I want to help give you all the skills that you will need for your journey ahead, even though I, myself, do not possess all of them.
I think the first skill we'll work on is the ability to use a toilet. (Luckily, that's one that I've nearly mastered...)
I love you, my son.
That's the first time I've said that, but it won't be the last.
Your dad.
P.S. Your mom was right! She knew you were a boy! (Listen to her counsel, my son. She's got the gift.)
It's obviously anticlimactic for you to be reading this. This is a fact you have known all your life. No new information here for you, but for your mom and I, we now know that from this day forth, though we may still call you "our child" or "our baby", as we have in the past few months, now we can also call you "our son."
It is not flesh and blood, but heart which makes us fathers and sons.
~Friedrich von Schiller
After the cake was cut, and the blue icing revealed, our family played the Kinect XBox 360 games. Your grandmother signed off of the computer (she joined us via webcam from Colorado Springs), your Uncle Mike signed off from his webcam at work, your grandparents and Uncle Josh and your cousins Casey and Alex went home.
We spent the night talking about names, the room we're going to make for you, and the fact that we'll need to get you circumsized, but all the while, my imagination was looking to the future - to the man that you will one day become. But first, I have to make sure you get to be a boy, and to not rush the months and years ahead. For, one day, I'll be sad that I did so, if I am fortunate enough to grow old.
I hope that I can be a good father to you, and that I can provide more than food and shelter. I want to help give you all the skills that you will need for your journey ahead, even though I, myself, do not possess all of them.
I think the first skill we'll work on is the ability to use a toilet. (Luckily, that's one that I've nearly mastered...)
I love you, my son.
That's the first time I've said that, but it won't be the last.
Your dad.
P.S. Your mom was right! She knew you were a boy! (Listen to her counsel, my son. She's got the gift.)
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Blue or Pink?
Well, my child, this may be the last entry that I don't make a reference to your specific gender. You could be "my daughter" or your could be "my son." The plan is for all of us to find out together on Tuesday night when I return home.
I'm in Kentucky right now, visiting your Great Grandfather, Haynes Carroll Atherton. (He goes by Carroll.) I hope that you'll get a chance to meet him one day, as he really is a super guy. His wife, your Great Grandmother, Alberta Mae Atherton, was also a super gal, and she passed away this week, which is why I wasn't able to be with your mom today, when your ultrasound pictures were taken.
Your mom asked the technician to check off the box of "Girl" or "Boy", and no one has opened the envelope yet.
It's an exciting time, because we know that the room we create for you will largely be determined by the box that was checked. Your Christmas presents, the Baby Shower, and all kinds of things will be determined by which box is checked. And we'll start imagining all sorts of things - what your interests might be, what toys you might want to play with, what movies you might like. Of course, if our current life is any indication of our future, you'll surprise us no matter what!
Your mom has a suspicion of what color your booties will be (and she's very perceptive, so I don't doubt her) but we'll know for sure in just a few days.
I'm sad that I couldn't be there with her today, but I'm glad that your cousin Casey was there for your mom. She's constantly been there for us when we've needed her help, and I hope it will work out so that you can grow up close to her and your cousin, Alex, Casey's older brother.
We buried my grandmother today, and I hope it is a long time before you have to experience someone that you deeply love having to leave the Earth. But death is a part of life, and one day, your mom and I will have to leave you, too. Which makes savoring the mysteries and moments of life, like this, all the more important.
I do not hope that you are one gender or another. I will love you unconditionally. I only hope that you are healthy, and that your mom and I can help you grow into a happy person who is full of life, hopes, and dreams.
Good night, kiddo. I can't wait for Tuesday!
I'm in Kentucky right now, visiting your Great Grandfather, Haynes Carroll Atherton. (He goes by Carroll.) I hope that you'll get a chance to meet him one day, as he really is a super guy. His wife, your Great Grandmother, Alberta Mae Atherton, was also a super gal, and she passed away this week, which is why I wasn't able to be with your mom today, when your ultrasound pictures were taken.
Your mom asked the technician to check off the box of "Girl" or "Boy", and no one has opened the envelope yet.
It's an exciting time, because we know that the room we create for you will largely be determined by the box that was checked. Your Christmas presents, the Baby Shower, and all kinds of things will be determined by which box is checked. And we'll start imagining all sorts of things - what your interests might be, what toys you might want to play with, what movies you might like. Of course, if our current life is any indication of our future, you'll surprise us no matter what!
Your mom has a suspicion of what color your booties will be (and she's very perceptive, so I don't doubt her) but we'll know for sure in just a few days.
I'm sad that I couldn't be there with her today, but I'm glad that your cousin Casey was there for your mom. She's constantly been there for us when we've needed her help, and I hope it will work out so that you can grow up close to her and your cousin, Alex, Casey's older brother.
We buried my grandmother today, and I hope it is a long time before you have to experience someone that you deeply love having to leave the Earth. But death is a part of life, and one day, your mom and I will have to leave you, too. Which makes savoring the mysteries and moments of life, like this, all the more important.
I do not hope that you are one gender or another. I will love you unconditionally. I only hope that you are healthy, and that your mom and I can help you grow into a happy person who is full of life, hopes, and dreams.
Good night, kiddo. I can't wait for Tuesday!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
A Happy Anniversary!
Hey kiddo!
Your mom and I got to see you yesterday! You were squirming around in her tummy, and you had your butt up in the air at one point!
The technician who was trying to look at you wanted you to turn over on your back, so she told your mom and I to go for a walk and have a bite to eat. When we returned, you were on your back, waving at us! Thanks for cooperating!
Turns out there's only a 1 in 6,300 chance that you'll have a problem with Down's Syndrome (which can be a more likely problem if parents wait to have kids as your mom and I have). It was a nice 9-year anniversary present to see you yesterday, and then to also know that you are healthy and that your risk for having that particular problem is pretty low. Still, your mom and I got one of our first tastes of worrying about you - a habit which I'm sure you'll see us indulge in as you grow up.
Right now you're 82.2 millimeters long. That's about the size of a light bulb.
You certainly are going to bring a lot of light to our lives, and we are eagerly awaiting your arrival.
I got a video game for your mom, "Fable III" for her anniversary present, and she got me some episodes of Dexter (compliments of her brother, and your future uncle, Josh). But the best part of our day was the twenty minutes we got to see you.
All my love,
Dad
Your mom and I got to see you yesterday! You were squirming around in her tummy, and you had your butt up in the air at one point!
Turns out there's only a 1 in 6,300 chance that you'll have a problem with Down's Syndrome (which can be a more likely problem if parents wait to have kids as your mom and I have). It was a nice 9-year anniversary present to see you yesterday, and then to also know that you are healthy and that your risk for having that particular problem is pretty low. Still, your mom and I got one of our first tastes of worrying about you - a habit which I'm sure you'll see us indulge in as you grow up.
Right now you're 82.2 millimeters long. That's about the size of a light bulb.
I got a video game for your mom, "Fable III" for her anniversary present, and she got me some episodes of Dexter (compliments of her brother, and your future uncle, Josh). But the best part of our day was the twenty minutes we got to see you.
All my love,
Dad
Monday, October 18, 2010
Dangeresque!
Well, kiddo. We got our second glimpse of you today, and to be honest... You looked a little like this guy:
Yeah, I know it's weird, but if you look closely at the next ultrasound, you might see the same resemblance to "Strong Bad" that we did.
That's you peekin' at us! We also got some video that's currently on your mom's phone. We got to see your little heart beating! It was amazing!
I'm glad that I got to see you. I was so sad last week when your mom had to go to the doctor, and they checked on you. Everything was fine, so they were going to cancel our appointment today, but your mom made sure that they didn't, because she knew how much I wanted to see you. Plus, we got pictures today, and they didn't give your mom any on her visit, so now you get to see you, too!
Love you, kid. Stay safe in there.
Dad
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
140 Beats Per Minute
So, we found out yesterday whether I'm writing this to three kiddoes, two kiddoes, or one. And the answer is one! You will need to learn how to share at some point in the future, but right now, you've got your own room! (Or "womb," I should say...)
Your mom read in a book today that girl heartbeats are typically 160 beats per minute, and boy heartbeats are around 140, but it's way too early to tell if it's pink or blue shoes we'll be buying.
We went back to Disneyland today to celebrate (I wore my Binary Dad shirt), and you can now add the "Haunted Manision" to your list of rides that you've already been on. We also took in a 3D show in "A Bug's Land" called, "It's Tough To Be a Bug." We enjoyed it, especially knowing that soon we'd see it again with you! Spiders came down from the ceiling, we got splashed, and the seats felt like bugs were squirming under us and poking us in the back during an "attack."
We went for pizza afterward, and then came home. I picked up some nausea medication for your mom, and then read a book called, "A Storm of Swords" for about an hour before taking Maggie and Emily for a long walk. Your mom was fast asleep when I came back, and I'm thinking of hopping on the elliptical to exercise for a bit. I need to stay fit so I can be strong and healthy for you! Sitting down too much during the day, as my job requires, doesn't lend itself to staying in shape (well... "round" is a shape, but not the one I'm going for...)
I love you, kid.
It was neat to hear your heartbeat. Can't wait to welcome you into the world.
Dad
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Disneyland!
Your mom and I took you to Disneyland yesterday! Your very first ride was "Pirates of the Caribbean" and then you went on "Splash Mountain!" I hope you had fun, because your mom and I got SOAKED!
We have photographic evidence of your thrill first ride, as we dive toward the inevitable dunking, pointing at your mom's belly....
We were going to stay to watch the light show in California Adventure, but we were wet and the weather was a little cool, so we came back home early.
We can't wait to see your reaction to all the things at Disneyland. It's one of the things your mom and I dream about, as we wait for you to come into the world.
Your mom also threw a new name into the ring last night - Landon. We've got Riley, Ripley, Newt, Chase, Hunter, Madison, Parker, and now Landon on the list. (And maybe a few more that your mother has been hiding from me...)
In the next few weeks, we'll start to narrow it down! The good thing is, we'll have benefits in a couple of months, so that we can make sure you are healthy as can be when you come into the world!
Keep warm in there! I love you.
Dad
We have photographic evidence of your thrill first ride, as we dive toward the inevitable dunking, pointing at your mom's belly....
We were going to stay to watch the light show in California Adventure, but we were wet and the weather was a little cool, so we came back home early.
We can't wait to see your reaction to all the things at Disneyland. It's one of the things your mom and I dream about, as we wait for you to come into the world.
Your mom also threw a new name into the ring last night - Landon. We've got Riley, Ripley, Newt, Chase, Hunter, Madison, Parker, and now Landon on the list. (And maybe a few more that your mother has been hiding from me...)
In the next few weeks, we'll start to narrow it down! The good thing is, we'll have benefits in a couple of months, so that we can make sure you are healthy as can be when you come into the world!
Keep warm in there! I love you.
Dad
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