Wong Fu, Ping and Yul ... The Real Scoop

We were just kidding about our top three names being Wong Foo, Ping and Yul. Our little boy will have a "normal American" name ... not to worry.

"What name did you pick?" will surely be the next question we get. We have a good idea on what his name will be and we'll let you know the day he's born. We like to have intrigue and suspense ... like a good mystery novel.

Parenthood Preparation - The Unintentional Method

When we moved into our home two years ago, our neighborhood was quiet and calm. But all that has changed. I'm sure you've experienced at least one of these yourself:

Noisy ATVs day and night
People fighting, screaming, etc. outside
Cars with really loud mufflers
The dogs that bark non-stop into the wee hours of the night
Smoke detectors that go off randomly (which is not a neighbhorhood thing ... its just the latest adventure in our house ...)

All of these annoying and noisy disturbances we encounter daily (more to the point, NIGHTLY) are very similar to the way our lives will be once Baby Lucero comes into this world. Only the disruptions to our sleep won't be once or twice a night … it will be constant throughout the night. And its not like we can roll over, put a pillow over our heads and ignore the noise. We'll have to actually get up and change, feed, burp and otherwise soothe that little baby.

When that day comes, I'm sure we'll come to appreciate the aforementioned annoying noises … because after a few minutes, they stop. However, after getting the baby back to sleep, it starts all over again in a couple of hours.

So here's to the screaming kids, annoying ATVs, and loud mufflers late at night. Hallelujah to the barking dogs and the obnoxious smoke detectors.

We'd like to extend a hearty "thank you" to each and every neighborhood annoyance for helping to prepare us for the first few months of parenthood!

Jennifer

The Baby at 23 Weeks

(I get daily pregnancy e-mails ... and my favorites are those that tell me what our little baby looks like. Below is the e-mail I got today)

Week 23: All Systems Growing...

At eight inches and slightly over a pound, your baby is the size and shape of a small doll. (But then, you already knew that you were carrying a living doll, didn't you?) This week marks the beginning of some serious weight gain. Your baby's weight in the next four weeks alone should double (and you may feel as though yours is too).

You have probably heard your baby's heartbeat through a Doppler a number of times already (though you never get tired of hearing it), but by now you can also hear it through a standard stethoscope. What a heart throb!

Your baby's skin is reddish in color now because of the developing blood vessels underneath (remember, the skin is very thin still). It also hangs loosely from his or her little body at this point. That's because the skin grows faster than the fat develops. But don't worry. By the time your baby is born, he or she will be pleasantly plump and filled out — from chubby cheeks to chubby toes.

Kids' Reactions to the Pregnancy

I am just so amused by the various reactions little kids give when they learn we're having a baby.

As many of you know, Jonathan and I teach the toddler class at church on Sundays. We have a different crowd every week and so from time-to-time, we announce to them that we're having a baby. The youngest of our kids are intrigued momentarily, and then go about their merry ways (just like when its story time in our class … ha ha! Such short attention spans!).

The older kids who come in to help us sometimes are really intrigued. Two of the girls have decided we're going to name our baby Charles. And each time an older kid comes around, they ask, "When is the baby coming, again?"

When I say November, those with November birthdays get all excited, "My birthday is in November!!" Come to think of it, adults do the same thing: "Hey, MY birthday is in November! Maybe he'll be born on my birthday!"

I was really amused yesterday at the reaction of one of our kiddos. Alicia is a very bright, mature three year old. When her mom picked her up from class yesterday, she noticed I was pregnant and happily announced to Alicia, "Your teacher is going to have a baby! It's in her tummy!" Alicia stared in amazement. It was then time for them to go, and so Alicia gave me her customary hug (awwwwww!) and walked off for a moment … and then turned around and started at my stomach. She started to walk away again and then stopped and looked at me through the classroom window, no doubt pondering the baby in her teacher's tummy.

I was talking on the phone to a friend of mine recently when she told her three year old, "Jennifer is going to have a baby!" and then explained that the baby was growing in my tummy. In the distance, I could hear the little girl proclaim, "I want to go back in your tummy, Mommy!"

Little kids make me laugh!

Jennifer