Wait, wait...

Cervicus splenius quadratus lumborum spinae erectors gluteals.

If you read Latin that sentence reads something like "cervical neck square back spine support butt."

If you are familiar with anatomy, you'll recognize that as a list of muscles.

If you are Erica, those are the muscles that are causing the most amount of discomfort and if you are me, those are the muscles that I have to spend a fair amount of time massaging.

As the belly expands, it stresses and pulls on the surrounding tissues, causing discomfort. Due to my time as a college athlete I've had my share of problems and I paid a lot of attention to my rehab and treatments. I know what to do to relieve muscle tension and pain.

So our evenings are spent with Erica laying on her side with my elbow or fist or thumb sticking into her back, neck and hips. Not the most fun or entertaining times, but as we learned in our birthing class: this time is all about making the mother the most comfortable she can be.

And Now We Wait

O.K. We are less than a week from the due date (although I think our little girl is gonna take her time). The nursery is put together, the diapers and clothes have been washed and put away, and curtains and valances are hung.We've had the carpets cleaned. We've packed a lot of boxes and put extraneous items in storage.

There is nothing else to do.

There is nothing else to prepare.

Erica and I just have to wait. This is the hardest part of the whole pregnancy. It is quiet but it's the quiet before the storm. Maybe it's because I'm a guy and I like to just take things head on. But after all the preps and all the waiting I just want to get on with it.

So all I've got to say now is to our tiny, sweet little girl.

"Bring it!!"

3 Weeks To Go...

...and Erica still hasn't been sick. She really hasn't slowed down much at all. Mostly she complains about how difficult tying her shoes is. I don't know many women this far into their pregnancy can still go to the gym and do this (well, I was making the assumption that she could do that before - which I don't think she could):




Or this!! Granted, her defensive stance isn't real great and she may have travelled and double-dribbled. Anyway...

Entertainment Value

{{Mark and I did our baby entries independently of one another... but it may make you chuckle how similar they are!}}


My life is filled with laughter.

Giggling, actually.

Erica used to be amused by me. But not anymore. I could crack jokes and she’d laugh. I would make some funny, astute comment about current events and she’d laugh. Now she does all her laughing without me.

I’ll hear laughter emanating from the other rooms. I run in and catch Erica lying on the couch or the floor with her shirt pulled up above her belly (that’s actually what got her pregnant in the first place).

“Did you see that?” she giggles.

“What?”

“Your baby sure is kickin’ up a storm….he he he haw! Did you see that one?”

Naturally, I’ve turned away and missed whatever is making her so happy. “What?”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All Erica does anymore is stare at her belly and giggle; unless, of course, she’s looking at her belly button, which frightens her. She’s afraid it’s going to turn around and stick out.

Our baby moves a lot. She dances on Pointe on Erica’s bladder. Sometimes she does some funky hip hop thing that makes Erica’s belly vibrate. We will watch her explore the boundaries of her world by sticking a foot or fist toward the noise and light.

Erica interprets the movement arbitrarily. We go to a musical and girl baby moves around – she likes the play. A loud motorcycle drives by and girl baby moves – she hates motorcycles. Erica listens to Frank Sinatra, baby moves – likes. I listen to Beastie Boys, baby moves – hates.

We watch a movie about basketball; baby moves…well, I have to interpret that as she likes it. She’s gotta’ get a college education somehow.

Sympathetic Weight Gain

Erica's gained 30 pounds since getting pregnant...

Hm. So have I.