Cloth Diapers how-to instructional video, its so easy!

 

 

This "how to" video is just so easy to use, special thanks to Star & Micey for this really silly, but super fun to make video.

ABC song never sounded so good.

Man, I know it is a bit early for little Miss Molly to start watching any type of videos, but I am still honing my skills in the art of soothing a fussy baby. I really enjoy off-key singing to her as I attempt to rock her and quite her down. I have noticed that she is becoming more ad more alert as time goes by so I thought I would try a few videos out on her. Oddly enough I found this Alphabet seem to mellow her out pretty good and her eyes are drawn to it. I think it has something to do with her natural ability to recognize faces in objects. It also has a nice beat and has been stuck in my head.

I also have just recently bought a new video camera or"toy"and tried it out for the first time today. Katherine left me up to my own devices and alone with Molly for a few hours. I was just trying not to make her mad. I made a quick video, very off the cuff, showing how Molly likes to be held. You can see how awkward I get as she gets more fussy.

I'll get better at this stuff.

No Insurance? Try this. -Ryan

One of my first blogs Got insurance?  I talk about how Katherine and I came to be pregnant with out insurance. When I first found out she was pregnant I got extremely over whelmed with medical cost. I looked all over the  internet for guidance and kept coming up empty handed. So, through trail and error, we have figured out a best practices of what to do if you are with out maternity coverage. I say "best practices," but I know no other way of dealing with it.

I wasn't planning on showing this video, because mostly I hate it. I made it off the cuff and it was all in one take, I ramble way to much, and over all I find it boring. I have been receiving some emails about it, so it might be helpful. For that reason alone, I will post it here.

Like I said the video is terrible, but here is a couple of emails I have gotten and a response. I hope it helps others.

 

 

 

thank you

Thanks so much for your post. I heard you mention "Baptist" ..are you referring to Baptist hospital in Nashville? I'm in Nashville! I currently do not have maternity insurance. Husband and I are self employed and I just found out that I'm pregnant. I have searched before on what to do about this. And have found that you can pre pay obgyn's and get discounts. I will have to review my policy. But from what I know is that if an "emergency surgery" needs to happen .. a c-section. That that is when your insurance kicks in and you get covered. I do want to re-review my policy however because I read a story and there was video on a woman who was in AZ and her BCBSAZ policy had all of these stipulations as to what fetal distress it. And she had to pay for c-section but is still fighting with the insurance company. I have researched midwifes..but get scared sometimes if I don't have a obgyn established and paid upfront. Did you decide what OBGYN your wife will use and what hospital? Did you pay the hospital upfront yet and do you know what hospital? I heard good things about Dr. Pashcall. Sorry for long message...but I'm very thankful for your video and grateful you took the time to put it up. Please let me know any tips or what ever you decide to do.
Thanks,
Ani

Another example:

i am in same boat !

Hi , It's Amish from Milford NH . i am also in same boat, we found last week that my wife is pregnant . we have no insurence . we are so worried abt the cost and we can't get any insurence now. please advise what will be the best way to deal with cost . even little information will help. Thanks, Amish 

So a typical response from me looks like:

Re: i am in same boat !

Hey Amish, congratulations on your big time life change!

I'll be glad to tell you what I have done and I can only hope it helps you.

First I would say that if you can get approved for it, there is absolutely nothing wrong with medicaid. With your wife pregnant, you are already considered a family of three which will raise the income maximum your family can make per month to get approved. I live in Mississippi, I'm sure our maximum of 2,500.00 a month for our entire income is a lot less then in NH. Keep in mind they go by monthly income, so if your paychecks very month to month then pick a low income month before you apply. Medicaid will cover 100% off all your birthing cost and will also pay you back if you have already paid some obgyn medical bills before applying.

If you have already checked with Medicaid and that is not an option, then it is time for you to be a smart consumer. I would get a list of all the hospitals with in a 30 - 45 minute radius. Call them and explain you have no insurance and would like to receive an estimate on the cost of a child birth. Every hospital I called had some type of discount for the uninsured. Prices will also very from one extreme to the next, so it is important to call a lot of hospitals when pricing. My cost after calling varied from 5,000 - 13,000 for a child birth, you can double that figure if your wife has to under go a cesarean. Once you find a hospital, and you're comfortable with the reputation and distances, then they can provide you with a list of doctors the use their facility. Shop your doctors in the same manner, they too will give you discounts for not having insurance. If you have the means to pay anything all together in cash, that also constitutes another discount. Our obgyn cost ranged from 2000 - 4000. We went with a little bit more expensive doctor because my wife was more comfortable with her. Some times your wife's comfort and practicability will play over cost.

Remember you can always make payments, and as long as you pay something (anything) each month, then no interest will be added to your medical bills.

I hope I helped, your baby is blessed to have you looking after them.
- Ryan
Please feel free to give me extra input you think I may be leaving out in our comments box, or email us at allthingsdaddy@gmail.com


I will be remaking this crappy video as soon as I get a new camera, don't judge!

The Greatest Generation

 The Greatest Generation is a book written by Tom Brokaw. It is a book written about the generation of people born just after the turn of the twentieth century up through the 1920's (also known as the GI generation). Brokaw is quoted saying, "it is, I believe, the greatest generation any society has ever produced." He argued that these men and women fought not for fame and recognition, but because it was the right thing to do. These words epitomize my Great Grandfather, a man I said goodbye to this last Saturday.

Hubert S. Rutherford  was ninety-four and a half when he passed on the 10th of this month. He suffered a massive heart attack a week prior and had sustained tremendous damage. We knew it was a matter of time before we lost him, but you are never emotionally prepared to say goodbye to a loved one. After the heart attack, I received a very somber phone call from my grandmother that if I wanted to see him alive then I would have to leave now, or I could wait for the funeral. With Katherine teetering in the ninth month of pregnancy and my G-pa, living 700 miles away, I thought it best to leave immediately so that I could return before her labor.

I have heard some cases that certain people will cling to life until the have had the chance to say or hear goodbye from their loved ones, then, having that peace of mind, they slip away. My grandfather was the type of man who would do that. He grew up during the Great Depression, fought in WWII, earned two Bronze Stars, and raised three children. His son, Keith Rutherford, was nineteen when he lost his life in a car wreck less then ten miles from his home. When that happened, it did everything but destroy Keith's mother, my great grandmother, giving her a nervous breakdown. Hubert stood strong. He was always strong. He was the family rock, and as Brokaw said, when he did something, "he did it because it was the right thing to do."

Hubert was much more than the family "Rock," he also was funny. I mean side splittingly funny. He was one of those guys who would pop off with a joke so quickly and unexpectedly, you may find yourself too in awe of his cleverness, trying to figure where does he come up with this stuff rather than laugh. Usually, by the time I would get it, he would have already left the room & I'd be left there just giggling awkwardly, by myself. Once he was helping me install a windshield wiper motor on a old Buick. I was crouched over the engine and he would point at the different nuts and bolts for me to twist. Suddenly, a group of his buddies pulled in behind us (the whole town had him working on stuff). One of the men pointed at me, trying to score points with Hubert he asked, "who you got there with ya?" I was expecting a proud introduction, Grandpa stopped and gave me a long stare, he then looked back at the older fella and said "I don't know who he is, but I'm letting him call me Grandpa."

As most people knew him as a tough old bird, I also knew him as a sensitive man. We would usually get a chance to visit him and grandma a couple times a year.  Several times I could remember him getting emotional when it would come time to leave. The first time I saw him tear up he was talking with my mom, my grandma was having a variety of issues and had to be rushed to the hospital the night before. He was worried at the prospect of losing her and often looked to my mother for support. Seeing that man cry was as hard for me emotionally as it was watching him in the hospital this past week. He was sensitive when it came to his family, he loved us. It took a week for all of us to gather with him in his room Saturday evening, my aunt Charlotte was the last to arrive straight from the airport. She knelt beside him and spoke for us all. She was reading all of our hearts when she thanked him for being there, always being there. My grandpa and grandma were home to us and she let him know. She then called my mom and let her speak into his hear. His ear lobes relaxed and we all decided it was best to regroup at home. He passed away minutes later.

He was the type of person who would wait for us to all say our goodbyes, before passing to heaven. Up until the very end he was still there for us. He was our Rock.

I am sorry this post isn't about parenting. I needed to write it for Molly, so she can read something about him while I have him fresh in my mind.

Days 3 & 4 of Birthing Class... not a riot. -Ryan

If the cart of babies being wheeled by doesn't frighten you, she then asks you to take one. It then sits there in front of you and lays motionless for the next three hours. I knew we were to learn how to preform CPR on a newborn, and I didn't like it. Not one bit.

Last night was full of the stuff you need to know, but didn't want to, about your baby. It's a good class and I am really glad I went, you just can't help but empathize with all of those parents who actually have been put in the scenarios we were training for. God bless them. I found myself uneasy with most of the conversation and techniques, although they were hypothetical. So much in fact, I didn't write about class three for fear of the whole post being one giant buzz kill.

I had to learn this stuff so now I will share, in country guy talk. "If yer kid ain't breathin, then don't you hesitate. Ya gotta grab hold of 'em like a football, with that face of theirs down looking at yer crotch, and wack 'em with your palm 5 times right between the blades. Than again front side, this time only use two fingers in between the belly button and the nipple line. Five and five."

If you discover your child's not breathing, then you must remember the Bee Gee's hit staying alive. Even if you have poor rhythm like me, you can keep that beat. Don't waste anytime and get to work, place two fingers right in between the nipples and press 30 times. Breathe twice into the child's mouth covering the mouth and nose, repeat. I guess they used to have other the steps like listening for breathing, or checking for an obstruction before CPR, but it was too much to remember & intimidating, and so now they just want you to get right to it. Thirty and two is the important part.

Mrs. Manning referred us to this video. I was happy to know that she too is an Office fan.

Another strange phenomenon I learned about is Plagiocaphaly, otherwise known as "flat head syndrome."  According to the American Association of SIDS prevention physicians    (AASPP), They highly recommend you lay your baby on their backs while they sleep, this is supposed to be the most effective way to prevent SIDS. As mothers have been doing this, the pressure from this position over time is causing the skulls of the child's head to flatten. One half of all children will suffer from this to some extent and (in some children) can even become severe enough to cause brain damage. We were recommended to look into getting a "noggin nest," which has a hole conveniently cut out to relieve that constant pressure. Also to have "tummy time" during the day.    


Molly's due date will land somewhere in the middle of October, which means she will spend her first six months during the peak season for RSV. Respiratory Syncytial Virus is a highly contagious germ that causes lung and airway infections in infants. From what I understand, this can create a very grueling regiment for the parents- constant monitoring is in order because it can lead to much more serious problems. The number one cause of this bug is exposure to large crowds, such as Wal-mart, daycare, and other overpopulated places. The second leading cause is second hand smoke, either from breathing it in the same room, or off of clothes and hair. I always thought the parents that kept hand sanitizer in every room were way over protective, but I get it now. Don't get me wrong, I do plan on taking Molly out, and like it or not, family and friends who smoke will get to hold her. I will just be a little overly cautious for those crucial first six months when she is most susceptible. This means, very few trips to the store (completely covered when out) and smokers will have to get used to the hand sanitizer and removing smoking gear, jackets and such.

Well, that's it for this round of baby fear factor. Next week we are planning on having a 4D sonogram! If you have ever seen these things then you're going to find that post very boring. I you haven't, then prepared to be wowed!

Talking about poop is not always funny. -Ryan

Good intentions are all the buzz right now in the Munson home. As with most soon to be parents, I believe when you're expecting, you try your very best to do everything perfectly. Already we are quickly finding out that things most certainly will not be. If I was rich I could do a whole lot better by just being able to provide more, be it learning experiences, opportunities, or even just being able to spend less time working and more time being involved. That's alright though, life isn't perfect and your kid will learn a lot more about finding happiness through watching you adapt to mishaps, than living like Barbie in her dream house.

So on our good intentions board, we'll be trying out a few things. But if it doesn't work out, I'll chalk it up to what friend of mine once told me, "nothing will take the hippie out of you like having a baby."

  

   Breast feeding 

Yes, I'm talking about boobies. Everyone is telling us that breastfeeding is crazy important. It gives your baby antibodies, helps with her immune system, cuts down on the cost of formula, & just all sorts of other wonderful benefits. Mrs. Manning (our birthing class teacher) said just about everything a person can (without begging us) to stress the importance of breastfeeding.

So why wouldn't Katherine want to breastfeed?

I know you women out there are like "duh?", but I am going to assume I'm talking to a bunch of dudes.
First off, imagine someone sucking on your nipple all day long and how annoyed that would make you (and your nipples). Then, over time, your chewed up nips become prone to things like chapping, yeast infections, and other incredibly painful stuff that you can read about here. Yeast infections in your nipples... seriously? Also you have to do it all the time. If the baby isn't hooked up directly to the "tap," then she'll need to pump. No pumping means no more milk, just another challenge for the mom.

Being that I have no real role in this, (other than running filled plastic baggies out to the freezer for storage) I can only hope that Katherine can keep it up, but I'll support her regardless.

   Cloth Diapers

This is definitely something that will directly effect me. Katherine got about 20 of these one size fits all Baby Genius reusable diapers from a friend, and they honestly look intimidating. Snaps are all over this thing and pads are to be stuffed inside of a mysterious pocket deep within. The clean up on these diapers are pretty alarming, as well with sprays to buy and proper laundry bins for soiled ones. The benefits that cloth provides in cost alone is worth the shot. So in an attempt to figure these things out we started researching some videos and found this bunch All Natural Mama Blog. They gave us a nice run down as to how they work, but after watching I already felt a little wore out. I hope we can develop a system as efficient as they have.

I'm sure this is one of those blogs I may laugh at in just a few months from now, but I think if you aim high, then you're more likely to land in the middle if you fall.  

Bad Pregnancy Photo Winner!!

A couple of weeks ago I did a post:  Guess which photo Katherine and I reenacted!
In this post, I showed you a selection of horrible pregnancy photos that Katherine sent to me via Facebook when we first found out she was pregnant. Me having a tasteless sense of  humor, thought it would be fun to reenact one of these photos. With my humility intact I present to you the winner-

I chose to remake the original photo for it's flawless senselessness. His beady eyes, her care free smile, all poised behind the heat of his hand gun being pointed at you. Is he protecting her? Is he holding her hostage? Is this his wife or daughter? Questions I never want to learn the answer to, the mystique is the genius.  Thanks for playing.

What's in a baby's name? -Ryan

1. Isabella 2. Sophia 3. Emma 4. Olivia 5. Ava 6. Emily 7. Abigail 8. Madison 9. Chloe 10. Mia 11. Addison 12. Elizabeth 13. Ella 14. Natalie 15. Samantha 16. Alexis 17. Lily 18. Grace 19. Hailey 20. Alyssa 21. Lillian 22. Hannah 23. Avery 24. Leah 25. Nevaeh 26. Sofia 27. Ashley 28. Anna 29. Brianna 30. Sarah 31. Zoe 32. Victoria 33. Gabriella 34. Brooklyn 35. Kaylee 36. Taylor 37. Layla 38. Allison 39. Evelyn 40. Riley 41. Amelia 42. Khloe 43. Makayla  44. Aubrey 45. Charlotte 46. Savannah 47. Zoey 48. Bella 49. Kayla 50. Alexa 51. Peyton 52. Audrey 53. Claire 54. Arianna 55. Julia 56. Aaliyah 57. Kylie 58. Lauren 59. Sophie 60. Sydney 61. Camila 62. Jasmine 63. Morgan  64. Alexandra 65. Jocelyn 66. Gianna 67. Maya 68. Kimberly 69. Mackenzie 70. Katherine 71. Destiny 72. Brooke 73. Trinity 74. Faith 75. Lucy 76. Madelyn 77. Madeline 78. Bailey 79. Payton 80. Andrea 81. Autumn 82. Melanie 83. Ariana 84. Serenity 85. Stella 86. Maria 87. Molly 88. Caroline 89. Genesis 90. Kaitlyn 91. Eva 92. Jessica 93. Angelina 94. Valeria 95. Gabrielle 96. Naomi 97. Mariah 98. Natalia 99. Paige 100. Rachel

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here we have a list of the top 100 girl names for the year 2011.

We live in a time in which we are at liberty to personalize everything, our music, cars, bodies, hair styles, clothes, and so on. What could be more personal the picking out a name? Many people are very secretive about it. They like to hold on to the names they may have chosen until they lay eyes on the baby, making sure that the name fits the child's "look." Then, after deciding that the name is a match, they'll present the name as a "grand reveal." This approach, I assume, is meant to create even more excitement among friends and family by building anxiety over the wait, kinda like a company does with a new product line, or a movie does with a premiere. We however, must seriously get on these types of people's nerves. We found out the sex of the baby and were on the phone calling family with potential names within the hour. Over the next few days Katherine pretended to entertain some of my suggestions, but Molly was it for her. With that, we had her name. I was raised in a family that opened all our presents on Christmas Eve because we couldn't stand to wait, so we might as well tattooed Molly to my forehead.

Now that we have our little girls name, what does it mean?
At number 88 on the top one hundred list of 2011, Molly (Mah-lee) It is of Irish and Latin origin, and the meaning of Molly is "star of the sea". Pet form of Mary. In use since the late Middle Ages. In the past, "moll" had meant a prostitute or a gangster's girlfriend, making the use of this name uncommon. visit that site by clicking the blue, also we have the Hebrew meaning, "Uncertain, maybe bitter."

So when my little girl one day comes to me to find out what her name means, I have these four options:
1. star of sea
2. a gangster's girlfriend or prostitute
3. uncertain, maybe bitter
4. another name for Mary

I'll choose option one, four is good too, but it's when she gets old enough to look it up herself, that is when I'll really have to dig deep,  look at her honestly, and say, "your mom named you... not me."

What is in a baby's name?

I heard a story about a guy who named his first son "Winner" and the second "Loser." No father of the year awards were ever passed out to that Dad. I would have expected this to be a horrible burden to the little brother, but oddly enough, Winner ended up in jail and Loser got a college degree, later on becoming a police officer. link I guess this weird social experiment goes to show us you create yourself, and as parents you may think that all of your choices have such an effect, when in more ways your child will make themselves. 

STOP... it's shower time!! -Ryan

Such a great weekend, what can I say? All three F's showed up; Fun, Family, and Friends. We had a blast! Star and Micey always brings the entertainment and we had guests from all around come and stay with us. Two of our fellow bloggers Lance and Jake (and their beautiful families) also happened to make it out as well!

The night before the shower we all trickled down to The Princess Theater here in town to watch the boys play. There were about 13 of us in our party and I live just a few blocks away, so it made for a nice walk. We positioned ourselves right in front of the speakers. This made it great for watching, but was terribly loud and not so good for catching up with old friends. After the first intermission, I was very surprised when the band asked me up on stage to play a silly song I wrote. My Mom snatched this photo on her phone.

Due to the noise and a need to get sleeping arrangements in order, we had to leave a bit early. Soon after, our guests came filing in one after another crashing in their designated spots. A few members held strong and (in true Mississippi fashion) hung out on the front porch until the wee morning hours.

The next morning we were up early, making breakfast, and ready to get our shower on! Katherine has three really great friends who all stepped in an made it happen (from left: Melissa, Katherine, Katie, and Lee). I wish I was more prepared with my camera, I didn't get any shots of the decorations, food, or even people for that matter. I spent most of my time battling the great flames spewing forth out of my grill... I could seriously do a whole post on the dangers of that grill. I even missed out of some of the gift unwrapping trying to smash out a few last                                                                                                   remaining flaming burgers.


As I sat and watched Katherine open up the gifts, I had another one of those "this is so weird" moments. We appreciate everyone who came out, and trust me when I say we can use all the help we can get,  but the ritual of opening baby gifts in front of your friends and family is weird. I know Katherine had to feel awkward having people stare at her, but imagine being the guy being stared at, staring at his wife... that was me.

             A town celebrity, "Mother Goose" admittedly crashed our  party, busting in half way through the unwrapping process. I'm not complaining, she is always welcome and added a entertaining intermission. If you ever get a chance to partake in any event in Columbus, Ms., you will be sure to see (and hear) her.

After the unwrapping, we set up a pinata for some of the kids, I thought it would be nice to share a few of the photos. Some of them turned out to be really nice.

It is almost overwhelming to have so many good people come together to help us out. I always get a little sentimental after an event like this. It is nice to feel loved, and Molly will be very loved.

Birthing class take 2.... ouch! -Ryan

We made it out Tuesday night to birthing class once again. As I expected they started the class out with a few videos. Mrs. Manning told us that is would not be as graphic as the videos from class one... Mrs. Manning was a liar.
Yes, the videos were computer animated and maybe I can see why that might factor into her poor judgment, but computer animated or not, watching an episiotomy is awful. Much worse then watching real people give child birth. We also watched a caesarean in a 3-d animation, not fun either, but I did have an idea on what I was about to see before that. I know that we have come so far in technology in so many areas, but I'm still really surprised to see how primal child birth is. Man has yet to figure out a smooth way to get a cantaloupe through a .... ah, I dunno, I just sat here for 5 minutes trying to think of a inanimate object to compare a woohoo to. Any how, mad respect to all the mothers out there for putting your bodies on the line to make life happen, I learned something.

After the videos we went on a tour of the Baptist hospital delivery rooms. There were only two women in labor when we got there and no one had delivered at that point, so unfortunately we didn't get to spy on any new life through the viewing window. Instead, we found out that Wednesday is the busy day in the maternity ward. "How is this possible?" I wondered. How do you know what day your going to be busy in a labor room? It turns out that many of the doctors around town have so many patients that they prefer to schedule and induce all of their expectant mothers on one day in order to stream line their productivity, the American way. I don't find anything wrong with inducing if its the mother's decision, but I have learned that when induced, your body has less time to prepare for labor, which means that you will be much more likely to take more damage during the birthing process. I refuse to force my wife into any more pain then necessary, so that my very well paid doctor can catch his Sunday morning golf game.

After our tour we went back to our class and Katherine got to practice her breathing technique. As she laid on the floor trying to relax, I knelt beside her and stroked her hair. I thought to myself how blessed I am to have a woman like this in my life, giving me meaning, and taking on challenges I am certain I couldn't face alone. This life I have been given, is a gift from God.
 

The remodel

Less then two months left and I feel like we are making a mad dash to the finish line!  Time to finish up a bunch of preplanned projects before Miss Molly comes!

Our hopes lay on turning our upstairs "mother-in-laws" suite, into an all round real apartment. This calls for a remodel to the kitchen, outside entrance, and a fresh paint job. I wish I had taken more photos before we got started, but here are some during shots.

 Here we have the outside entrance leading on up to the apartment.

A very poor shot taken from the top.

This room will be the foyer. When you walk in, the closet will be to your left and main bedroom dead ahead.

 This very messy room is the bedroom. The door you see in the picture leads to the bathroom (no pic) and the other room off this takes you into the kitchen.
        (My room looked just like this up until I got married.)

 Once again, I have given you a very poor photo. This (once completed) will be the kitchen, at least the window.

This is the internal stairway leading to the bottom level. We are running plumbing up threw a step, blocking off the door, and creating a laundry area.

My favorite room, the living area. Hardwood floors and a very well done hardwood ceiling makes this a very fun room to entertain in.

I will be sure to post more pictures once all the hard work is over so you can see the finished product.

Belly painting

 I've been thinking a lot about painting my wife's belly. Found some images online hunting for ideas. I think I might be surprising her soon when she comes home from work!

Busy,busy,busy

We are getting ready for our Baby shower coming up. I know baby showers aren't traditionally worth the Dad's time, or least nothing for them to get excited about, but I am!

We have all sorts of family and friends coming down to hang out. Some of my favorite people and very good band Star and Micey will be here the night before playing the Princess Theater. If you have never seen them play, they are a site to see. 

I found this video to be more appropriate with all the fun neighborhood kids running about!

Day one of birthing class -Ryan

So last night Katherine and I got a chance to go to our first birthing class. It runs every Tuesday night from 6 - 9 pm, for a total of four classes. We tried to sneak in (running 15 minutes late) and were welcomed by a very sweet lady, Mrs. Donna Manning. Mrs. Manning greeted us very warmly, and told us she promises never to start the class on time or keep us there until 9pm. She won me over quickly.

Only two other couples were in the class when we first arrived, all were around our age. A few minutes later reality walked into the room in the form of a very pretty eighteen year old high school girl. She was unaccompanied by any family or spouse and quickly explained that she was still going to the New Hope High School.

I immediately went back in time and thought about myself at eighteen. What a sad piece of work I was. I had know idea what my future looked like or even cared for that matter- fun was it. I didn't think about consequences and was completely self absorbed. The thought of that kid trying to bring anyone into this world would have been bad (by bad I mean incredibly awful). I pray this girl has a strong support system at home. I applaud her for her courage and for facing this class alone, if she felt insecure or awkward, then she never showed it.

As class went on Mrs. Manning explained we were to watch a video of a lady giving birth. She also explained that she would be blocking the door to prevent any men from trying to escape. The video picked up with a woman and her husband just as she started into labor. She spoke with excitement and you could tell she was eager to get started. They showed several clips from through out the labor, each one you could see a more serious expectant mother as the contractions grew stronger. At one point they show her walking up and down the halls and you could tell she was exhausted, she would have to take breaks and would need support from carrying her own body weight. Since she was in the middle of the hospital and had nothing to lean on, her husband would get down on the floor and act as a "table" for her to crouch on. I could see the excitement in Katherine's eyes at the thought of me being her table.

The birth finally came and it was gross, the after birth was sicker. It looked like some one took all the hair from the vacuum of a cat lady's house, dipped it in blood, and squeezed it out, gross. I think I can handle it, but I don't believe I'll cut the umbilical cord, I see no use in that.

Next week we will be talking about the birthing process and doing a long Q&A. I'll be sure to keep you all informed.

Baby accessories and other junt.-Ryan

 New video camera, computer, dishwasher, crib, crazy surveillance equipment, stuffed animals, bassinets, glider, wall art, paint, carpet, sound machine, clothes, diapers, formula, books, clothes, child proofing equipment, pack-and-plays, blankets, bottles, a pump, and did I mention clothes? I think I could do a whole blog strictly on equipment, "Does it suck or not"! At this point, I don't even know what qualities to look for in a product. I feel like I have to relearn how to shop. My number one question went from "how much?', to 'how safe is it?' Not to mention it seems everything baby related seems so expensive. Anyone who is already a parent knows this a lot better than me. I am just wondering what did I do with all my extra money before I found out Katherine was pregnant? The sad thing is I know it's only the beginning. I don't want to come across that I am complaining, I'm just really surprised at all this freaking stuff! Our shower is happening the 21st and we are sure to get a large some of relief from our great friends and family. We also have an endless supply of hand-me-downs being offered (which is my favorite way to shop anyhow). Why spend when you can reuse right?

Pregnancy Photo -Ryan

So today Katherine and I took some pregnancy photos together. We had a friend and very good photographer, Katie Mcdill http://www.katiemcdillphotography.com/index2.php, take some shots (at her suggestion) around an antebellum home located on north side. Although the heat was horrendous, Katie would comfort us by telling us we were so sweet, giggling after every 2 or 3 clicks, then scooting us along to the next shady scenic spot. She worked very quickly and had many poses figured out for us before we even made it to our positions. I just hope we gave her some good material to work with. 

As we sat (or stood) for each pose, I couldn't help but feel like "the Dad" in every awkward family photo, never sure whether I should try and blend into the back ground, or stand there strong like an alpha male, a dominant figure proclaiming the ownership of my new three piece family. It's a strange thing- family photos, if you haven't seen this website or its been a while, its always good for a laugh http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/ .

I guess this is growing up. -Ryan

Reality is beginning to set in, 2 & 1/2 months away and I am realizing I am not prepared at all.  Mr. Anxiety is carving his name inside my chest cavity and has me wondering, how does this all work anyhow?
When is see her for the first time, will some magical change come about and transform me from stupid man who is full of bad jokes to super dad who knows the importance of responsibility at every turn? I read in a book once http://www.normandoidge.com/normandoidge/MAIN.html "The Brain That Changes Itself" that men become attached to their children as soon as they lay eyes on them. A chemical is released from the brain amplifying the nurturer in him and creates a life long bond. All in one look, it increases your brains plasticity allowing you to adapt to this child and even learn at a faster rate than normal...  I'm so banking on this to happen to me. My insecurities do not lay on the fact I think I will be a bad father, just an irresponsible one. One that isn't prepared for things I know will happen. All of my faults that I know exist and haven't conquered, I am now at risk of passing that along to my baby girl. When I think of all the opportunities that may be closed to her, because I didn't study enough, or provide enough, it can really make myself sick.
I know I'm overacting and nobody is perfect. I am seeing some of the struggles my own Mom and others may have had raising me, yet at the same time they seemed like naturals. I try to tell myself that everything is going to be fine and I can't screw this up, besides I got a great partner that has sworn under oath to help me. We've got a nice home, and as of right now plenty of food on the table. Despite all of that, insecurities will still linger and I feel that I will just have to accept these inherent fears may just be one of the many stages that help in the transformation to fatherhood.