Diapers, Diapers, Diapers!!

We went to a Diapering workshop this week. That's right, a diapering workshop. (Hey, this stuff is complicated and if there is one thing that we know about Jen, it's that she LOVES information. That is what is soothing for her. So at this point we'd go to a workshop on "Your Child's Nails and You," "Coochie-Coo: The Pros and Cons of Tickling Your Child," "How to Wipe Your Kid's Ass" (front to back if it's a girl), if they had them.)

Who would have thought there'd be so much to learn during a diapering workshop? Actually we have decided that we will be using cloth diapers so we went in with lots of questions. (I know, I know. Disposables are so much more convenient, right? The difference in resources used in cloth diapers vs. disposable diapers is practically negligible, right? Well... at least water is a renewable resource. And, cloth diapers have the potential for waaaaay more stories which benefits you, the blog viewing public.) So there are pocket diapers, pre-folds and all-in-ones. Plenty to learn there. We even got to practice changing a few stuffed animals.

Another disadvantage of disposable diapers is that you can't make them yourself. You heard me right. Jen has decided that she is going to make some of our kid's diapers. I don't know about you, but I'm impressed. She's set her sights on making 11 diapers. Not nearly enough in the long run, but a great first shot. There's not going to be anything better than wrapping a tiny tushie in a homemade diaper, made of material that we have picked out ourselves, sewn by Jen's own hands, as it leaks all over everything. You'll really get to admire the crafts-personship as pee pee and poopie seep out on to your hands, shirt, and pants.

Welcome to Week 26!!

Wow. Week 26 already!

Time has really flown by. I think that's mostly because Jen has felt so good throughout this whole ordeal. (Apologies to people who have had hard pregnancies.) There has still been no vomiting, heartburn, headaches, or pain. I can't say that Jen has been chipper, but she definitely feels very lucky.

These days we have been talking a lot about some ceremonies that we may want to do. We're not into showers (shocking, I know), but we are interested in what showers used to mean before being overtaken by gifts and eating melted candy bars out of diapers. We're really interested in creating a space that is honoring of the parents and what we have gone/are going through as well as getting that strong sense of community support. We're not really sure what that is going to look like quite yet and unfortunately many of the people who would want to participate won't get that opportunity. So far we have thought of:

having everyone bring a charm to put on a bracelet that Jen (and I) can wear during labor,

having a video booth that people can record jokes, stories and encouragement that we can view during labor,

and for people who have to bring a gift, we could collect the gifts and then donate them to a local shelter for struggling parents to give to their children.

We also may be decorating a "belly cast," reading poems/blessings, and some other crazy hippie stuff.

We're open to other ideas as well. Does anyone have any suggestions?

(We also want to do a "Welcome to the planet" ceremony after the kiddo is born, but the planning for that will come AB (after birth).)

The heartbeat...

That's right folks.

We have a heartbeat! Jen has NOT been lying this whole time just to score some extra sympathy and donuts.

So we had a visit with the midwife. Actually the midwife's apprentice and a replacement midwife. Our head midwife was having back surgery. Don't worry though. The apprentice and the sub were equally new-agey and hippy-ish.

So they whip out the fetus-scope which basically looks like a stethoscope for the hard of hearing.

The apprentice goes first, "Ooooh, I can hear a hearbeat!"

The sub goes next, "Ooooh, I can hear a heartbeat!"

Jen's turn, "Ooooh, I hear it too!"

Chris's turn, "Ooooh, ..."

"What am I supposed to hear again?"

To get a good sense of what I'm hearing, go grab a seashell, put it up to you ear, then grab a cell phone and have someone riding in a car on the other end. Now have someone across the room think a tapping sound in their head and see if you can hear what that other person is thinking.

So here I am with a mega-stethoscope in my ears and the other end which looks like a hubcap sitting on Jen's belly. Three pairs of expectant (female) eyes are staring at me waiting for my face to light up and the tears to start flowing. And all I can hear is the sound of one midwife saying to the other midwife after we leave "Well, that guy was a tool. What crappy father he's going to be. How is he going to hear his kid crying out for love when he couldn't even hear something so obvious as the heartbeat?!!"

So what do I say?

"Ooooh, I think I hear it!!"

"Wow, what an incredible experience. What an amazing day."

...

So I lied about hearing the heartbeat. Does that make me a bad father? I'll probably hear it someday right? When the kid is twelve I'll get a glass from the kitchen and put it on his/her chest. "There it is. What do you know. A heartbeat."