Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Perhaps a glimpse into our future...
For every parent, the topic of reproduction will eventually come up. Here's one funny account of the conversation, and a white lie that Julia Sweeney told her daughter (soure).
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Anticipation
Niu-niu,
Many months ago we went to see your mother's doctor and she confirmed that you were there, inside mama. The doctor showed us a sonogram image of you. You were the size of a peanut. Now you are the size of a basket ball - or at least your mother's tummy is protruding like she is hiding a basket ball under her shirt.
We know you will arrive any day now. It could be tomorrow; it could even be later tonight! But your mother doesn't look like she is about to go into labor. The last couple weeks I thinks she's had more energy and she seems to move about with ease. She is healthy and happy and does not seem to mind the extra burden that she is carrying.
Now, when you kick or move we can see the movement from 10 feet away. Stay strong little one, soon you will have more space to flail your arms and stretch your legs. You'll be able to breathe oxygen into you lungs and use your voice to let us know how you are doing!
Waiting for you to arrive is the most wonderful feeling; waiting for the little person who will change our lives forever. I can almost not believe that soon I'll be able to hold you and cradle, cuddle and comfort you.
It's time for me to go to bed. We have to rest and save our strength for the day that you are ready to come out and meet us. Sweet dreams. Be safe on the last leg of your journey. Soon we meet!
Many months ago we went to see your mother's doctor and she confirmed that you were there, inside mama. The doctor showed us a sonogram image of you. You were the size of a peanut. Now you are the size of a basket ball - or at least your mother's tummy is protruding like she is hiding a basket ball under her shirt.
We know you will arrive any day now. It could be tomorrow; it could even be later tonight! But your mother doesn't look like she is about to go into labor. The last couple weeks I thinks she's had more energy and she seems to move about with ease. She is healthy and happy and does not seem to mind the extra burden that she is carrying.
Now, when you kick or move we can see the movement from 10 feet away. Stay strong little one, soon you will have more space to flail your arms and stretch your legs. You'll be able to breathe oxygen into you lungs and use your voice to let us know how you are doing!
Waiting for you to arrive is the most wonderful feeling; waiting for the little person who will change our lives forever. I can almost not believe that soon I'll be able to hold you and cradle, cuddle and comfort you.
It's time for me to go to bed. We have to rest and save our strength for the day that you are ready to come out and meet us. Sweet dreams. Be safe on the last leg of your journey. Soon we meet!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Your Power
Niu-niu,
You are not even born yet, but you are already bringing joy and hope and love to our lives.
We've only seen grainy sonogram images of you on our doctor's visits. And your mother's tummy is becoming more beautiful and round every week. But beyond that you are just an "idea" - just an image in my mind.
We haven't yet heard you cry, fed you, changed your diapers or dressed you. Neither your mother nor I have any idea what it is going to feel like when we hold and cradle you. But already you have become everything that is important. Thinking about you quiets my mind and gives me the energy I need to build and cultivate our lives together.
You are so tiny yet, but you create a force that is strong enough to keep me standing upright against whatever may come our way. You are the reason for my smile today.
You are not even born yet, but you are already bringing joy and hope and love to our lives.
We've only seen grainy sonogram images of you on our doctor's visits. And your mother's tummy is becoming more beautiful and round every week. But beyond that you are just an "idea" - just an image in my mind.
We haven't yet heard you cry, fed you, changed your diapers or dressed you. Neither your mother nor I have any idea what it is going to feel like when we hold and cradle you. But already you have become everything that is important. Thinking about you quiets my mind and gives me the energy I need to build and cultivate our lives together.
You are so tiny yet, but you create a force that is strong enough to keep me standing upright against whatever may come our way. You are the reason for my smile today.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Building Memories
Dear Little Tiger,
We planted new plants in our front garden today. By the time you are born we hope the plants will have taken to their new environment and be growing famously.
On one side of the driveway we planted a small camellia tree with ornamental grass and flowers around it. On the other side, three white lilies and more varieties of ornamental grass. Your mother and I do not have a lot of experience gardening, and I have to admit I didn't have much appetite for it either. Our house is on a steep slope which limits the opportunity for a delicate garden - the garden was fairly rough, but nicely settled. All of this implied "low maintenance", which quite appealed to me.
However, this week your mother had a company come over to trim the trees and also cut back and shape some shrubs. She surprised me by also having them clear out the beddings in the front yard! Which meant we now had to plant something new in the empty space.
Your mom did the hard work to go find new plants, and I think she did a great job. But today I had to help plant everything. The ground is full of little rocks and roots, and consists of packed clay. Plus, everything here is on a slope. The planting was arduous! On top of that I didn't know if we were doing it right. Oh, did I mention I have a cold?
All this complaining is to let you know that I was doing the work under duress, and with a big frown. Finally your mother asked me why I looked so angry. In my mind the answer was: "The plants we had here before were perfectly fine, and I liked them them just fine. There was no need to have them removed... now we have to spend time, money and energy to put new plants in. For what? Why?"
Sometimes, you don't have to share everything that's on your mind.. instead of the above I said "I'm just trying to work out where we should dig the hole for the next plant." And then I started laughing. Why bemoan a situation that you can't change?! And besides that, your mom wanted to do this, so it had to be done.
So part of the little lesson today is, if your mother has decided to do something, you can either help her do it, or watch her do it, but you cannot easily dissuade her from doing it. She has her heart set on a beautiful garden, and you and I will certainly enjoy it too.
With that, I got into the spirit of things and tried to enjoy playing in the dirt. Before too long everything was planted, and some things planted twice because we realized they where probably too close together the first time. When we stood back to take in the result, I had to admit I was proud of the work... I even admit that I had enjoyed doing it. I liked that your mother and I were learning about gardening together.
Today also brought back childhood memories, from when I would hang around my dad while he was doing yard work. This made me look forward to when you will be big enough to hang around us when we do things in and around the house. One day, you will think we are doing a chore to rake up leaves or clear weeds, but I will know that the work will be incidental to the really important activity of building memories together.
You will live with your memories for the rest of your life, let's try and make them happy one's!
Here's what the yard looked like before, and what it looks like now. We have more planting to do!
We planted new plants in our front garden today. By the time you are born we hope the plants will have taken to their new environment and be growing famously.
On one side of the driveway we planted a small camellia tree with ornamental grass and flowers around it. On the other side, three white lilies and more varieties of ornamental grass. Your mother and I do not have a lot of experience gardening, and I have to admit I didn't have much appetite for it either. Our house is on a steep slope which limits the opportunity for a delicate garden - the garden was fairly rough, but nicely settled. All of this implied "low maintenance", which quite appealed to me.
However, this week your mother had a company come over to trim the trees and also cut back and shape some shrubs. She surprised me by also having them clear out the beddings in the front yard! Which meant we now had to plant something new in the empty space.
Your mom did the hard work to go find new plants, and I think she did a great job. But today I had to help plant everything. The ground is full of little rocks and roots, and consists of packed clay. Plus, everything here is on a slope. The planting was arduous! On top of that I didn't know if we were doing it right. Oh, did I mention I have a cold?
All this complaining is to let you know that I was doing the work under duress, and with a big frown. Finally your mother asked me why I looked so angry. In my mind the answer was: "The plants we had here before were perfectly fine, and I liked them them just fine. There was no need to have them removed... now we have to spend time, money and energy to put new plants in. For what? Why?"
Sometimes, you don't have to share everything that's on your mind.. instead of the above I said "I'm just trying to work out where we should dig the hole for the next plant." And then I started laughing. Why bemoan a situation that you can't change?! And besides that, your mom wanted to do this, so it had to be done.
So part of the little lesson today is, if your mother has decided to do something, you can either help her do it, or watch her do it, but you cannot easily dissuade her from doing it. She has her heart set on a beautiful garden, and you and I will certainly enjoy it too.
With that, I got into the spirit of things and tried to enjoy playing in the dirt. Before too long everything was planted, and some things planted twice because we realized they where probably too close together the first time. When we stood back to take in the result, I had to admit I was proud of the work... I even admit that I had enjoyed doing it. I liked that your mother and I were learning about gardening together.
Today also brought back childhood memories, from when I would hang around my dad while he was doing yard work. This made me look forward to when you will be big enough to hang around us when we do things in and around the house. One day, you will think we are doing a chore to rake up leaves or clear weeds, but I will know that the work will be incidental to the really important activity of building memories together.
You will live with your memories for the rest of your life, let's try and make them happy one's!
Here's what the yard looked like before, and what it looks like now. We have more planting to do!
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