What Else? :)

It's been a busy time for my wife and I as we pass the 31 week mark of the pregnancy. In the past week we've had two baby showers, one last Sunday for friends and family living near my parents and another yesterday given by Julie's co-workers. The one over the weekend was planned by our friends Jen and Chuck with help from Chuck's Mom and Aunt. My brother and his family were there along with my parents and friends of theirs in a room at the Golden Arrow Resort in Lake Placid. And I would say without a doubt that the highlight of the event was revealing the gender of our little one: IT'S A BOY!!!

We were able (or should I say my wife was able) to move up our ultrasound appointment to last Friday when it had originally been scheduled to take place after the shower had passed. I think a few people suspected and my Dad was even able to guess the name! I can't express fully how happy we are to have a healthy baby boy whom we no longer have to refer to as "it"! According to our OB, the baby is exactly the size and weight he should be and Julie's sugar levels are right on target. However, she started non-stress tests this week which will continue until he is born and, if they believe he isn't responding the way he should be, they could take him at any time. For now, though, he's looking good.

We got a lot of very nice gifts at the shower, including a handmade blanket from my mother, about a dozen books, and two "tubs" of baby stuff from Jen & Chuck! Eveyone was so happy for us, although my neice Breanna thought it would be a girl. But, don't all 8 year old girls think boys are icky? :) I'm quite sure she'll come around. Jen and her crew put on a wonderful event with homemade food and a welcoming atmosphere. The shower yesterday put on by my wife's co-workers was more low key, but it always feels good to have your workplace show support for an impending birth.

So, as I look forward to the weeks ahead I'm going to try to post more regularly. The inevitability of the baby's arrival has never seemed more real as space in the nursey shrinks at almost the same rate that he grows inside my wife's belly. We have birthing classes, an increasing number of OB visits, and so much baby gear to get organized. So, I'll do my best to keep up with more frequent entries! Sometimes I wonder how we'll fit the little man into our already busy lives, but once we're holding him in our arms I don't think any of that concern will be left. In fact, we'll probably start to wonder how we ever got along without him.