2009 is upon us... Year end review... and beyond

Well, it has come to my attention (not that I am not the kind of person who doesn’t pay attention) that it has finally hit me that we have less than a week until the new year… is here!

I know, sometimes it take a while for things to really sink in. I digress...

Now, have I accomplished everything I wanted in 2008? I guess you could say this year has been sort of a busy one. I mean if you look back three big milestones have been crossed off… #1. Getting married to Laura…#2. Honeymoon and #3. We got pregnant, okay Laura got pregnant, but I helped!

SIDE NOTE: Some people say our bundle of joy on the way was a honeymoon baby, but he isn’t. That is my story and I know it to be true.

Anyway, the year has kind of been a blur of events… January to June were all basically preparing for our wedding… all that was talked about or discussed was wedding invitations, tuxes, dresses, flowers, wedding showers, wedding gifts, wedding guests, well you get the picture…then the honeymoon! After we got back things sorta slowed down, that is, until we found out on July 16 we were going to have a baby!

July to the present have been… I am sure you can guess… baby, baby, baby… Which I do not mind in the least, but do you find a trend here? We like to plan big events! Hahaha

I guess come March we will be finishing up planning for our big family trip to Walt Disney World in September.

I mean, that is if he actually comes in March... I have figured I may have my son born while I am still 28... we will just have to wait and see.

We are now in our 27^th week on our way to week 28 which, soon-there-after, is the beginning of the, dum dum dum, 3^rd trimester!!!!!!!!!!!!Whoa.

Another thing that kind of hit me today was when Laura sent me an email asking me about the dates of our “birthing class” (all I could picture was that scene from "Baby Mama" HAHAHA) and then texting me a very interesting question…

“Do you want to cut the cord?” Now, being the knowledgeable person I am I figured she meant Mauldin’s cord… but what if she was talking about some other cord? That is such a big decision… I started wondering, well do I? Acting as if there were a choice of cords… like on a bomb.. the red one or blue one? Of course I do right? But, what if I pass out… what if I start sweating like some sort of farm animal and can’t do it… everyone is gonna call me a wuss… now is that where we are? Are we thinking of other people in this instance.. I should be thinking about my son… this is my son! I am never going to get this chance again… my one and only chance to do this. My child needs to have his umbilical cord cut, but will Laura resent me for cutting the cord that connected her and Mauldin for those long nine months? Of course not, that is quite preposterous, but welcome to my mind. So, what did I finally decide in those two seconds… yes, a person with ADD thinks that fast… “Y-e-s.” That is all I texted back to her.

So, here we are upon the end of the year 2008 and about to venture into new territory… What exactly will 2009 bring… well besides the birth of my first born man-child? I mean that is a pretty big, life altering difference, right?

Who knows… if we knew what would be the point of waking up if we knew what was going to happen? I mean if I seriously knew I was gonna wake up, go to work and come home and not have anything truly interesting happen to me… I might as well stay home and enjoy my new Xbox360 game… however, I was not blessed with the gift to see into the future as Cassandra did back in the ole’ Greek days… But, bear in mind, it didn’t turn out so good for her.

Alright 2009… bring it on. Lets do this.

Okay, so I will play along...

Enough said. Here are the rules:

1) Take a picture of yourself right NOW!
2) DON'T change your clothes, DON'T fix your hair... Just take a picture.
3) Post that picture with NO editing.
4) Post these instruction with your picture.
5)Tag 10 people to do this..

Like some before me… I'm only tagging five because I'm too lazy and don't want to take the time to do 10 links.
This is me at work...Enjoy the picture!

I've tagged:

Laura- (wife) Expanding Belly

Amy- (sister-in-law) A Maried Single Mom

Charles- (brother-in-law) My Year in the Wilderness

Jim - Busy Dad

Dawn- Baby Addiction

Thanks, Luke, I am your father!

Cravings

Alright, now, I know some pregnant women have cravings… yearnings if you will… and some pretty odd ones at that!

But, they are completely justified because... they are feeding not just them, but the baby within'.

I have a friend who loved chili-cheese fries (Megan), some ladies prefer salty crackers, sweet candy or sour pickles.

My wife, Laura, lucky for me, hasn’t had too many cravings. I mean honestly, I have had more cravings than she has! I have about four needs... for food! My vice for ice, my yearning for lattes, cheezits and can we say, "I scream, you scream, we all scream..."

Although, from what I have seen on television or known via stereotype, I have had it pretty easy. Whenever Laura has asked for something I certainly haven’t wasted anytime getting for her.

We were home just sitting in the kitchen and all of a sudden a look of both terror and delight was upon her gleaming face. It looked as if she had a feeling that she needed to have quenched, but was not sure how it would be done and it sent her into a trance of panic within her psyche.

I could tell she was thinking... "I want this, but how am I going to obtain it??? How will I convince Eric to go out with me to get it??? I need it now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

“What’s wrong?” I asked ever-so politely.

“I finally got a craving,” said Laura.

“Oh wow,” I said. “What is it???”

“Cinnamon rolls…” she said, and continued. “and chicken salad!”

“Ewawhhhaaaa…” I said. “Are you sure?”

“Yes!”

So, we got ready and set out to the car and headed to the store to suffice her craving from the pregnancy gods.

“Do you just wanna buy some chicken salad?” I asked.

“No, I wanna make it, but I need to call dad to see how to make it!”

So, after we picked everything up at the store, we went straight home and Laura started creating her masterpiece of a craving.

“I feel like Steve Carrell’s character on the forty year-old virgin.” She said. “What if people ask me what I did this weekend? I will have to say, well I had a craving for chicken salad, but noticed I didn’t have all the ingredients, so I had to go to the store and get the chicken and the mayonnaise, and the ecrutrameau (sp)”

HAHAHA!

Well, if you or someone close to you has a craving… I mean they do not have to be pregnant, but anyway, if you have this issue arise, there are support discussion forums for this! Yes, I kid you not, check it out at:

Weird Cravings and more...

*I stand corrected by my wife... EGG SALAD*

The Progressive Belly... hits 25 weeks!

15 weeks to go...

We have been pregnant for 174 days...

I cannot believe how fast it has gone by!

Before we know it we'll be at the delivery room... then at Mauldin's graduation! AHHHHH!

:)

Hope everyone has a fun and safe weekend.

Chicken Noodle Soup & Grilled Cheese

Tonight was one of those nights where we decided to stay in for dinner.

It was for more than one reason, okay basically just two reasons:

1. my wife, Laura, is still feeling a bit under the weather and 2. the weather has just been nasty and we didn't want to get out after getting home from work.

I thought it might be a nice gesture if I would offer to make our dinner tonight, since it was such an easy receipe. Although, I will say that when I offered I would of never thought Laura would take the offer, however, she said...

"Yah! That sounds great!"

So, I went all out, grabbed the apron, cheese, bread and two cans of cambells chicken noodle soup... Laura being so surprised by this went and grabbed the camera!

The dogs even took part, they were probably hanging around the kitchen because... dad never cooks and so they were hoping I would drop something!

Well, aren't I just a wonderful husband to cook my pregnant wife a wholesome and scrumptous dinner?

I think so!

Me and My Brotha'-in-laws!

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Decorating for the Holidays isn't easy...

For some reason, this year, my wife, Laura, and I have been slow on putting out our Holiday decor'.

Being pregnant causes her to not be able to lift the decoration tubs... etc... I help of course, but she is usually the one who fuels the fire of "decking our halls." Last year she made bows and put a wreath, complete with glittering gold bow, on every window of our house.

Now, granted, we were sure to put out the trees, yes, you read that correctly, my wife insists we have TWO Christmas trees, versus the normal one.

However, she grew up in a house that had multiple trees, so my compromise is two. Anyway, we have somehow lacked and missed putting out the outside decorations... ie. the Christmas lights, wreathes on the windows, garland on the mail box, etc...

Now we are supposed to be having a Holiday get together this weekend and how will it look if our guests show up to a house with no Christmas decorations when they are coming to our home for a night of well-mannered and joyous frivolity?

"Don't you think we should at least do something outside?" I asked Laura.

"Well, I mean, yeah, but it has been hard to this year... either I have been sick, you have been sick, it's been cold ... etc..." said Laura.

"Yah, but I feel weird about having a Holiday gathering and there is no holiday decor for anyone to see! It will just be a get together in December, won't it?" I said.

Now please note our dinner party is Saturday, it is Wednesday and we are running out of time.
And, now, again, something has come up so we can't put out the Christmas decorations...

Rain. It is raining. And, I don't know about you, but putting electrical equipment out on a house touching a latter that would be a very good eletrical conductor as well as the gutters, I would think... maybe it isn't such a good idea.

So, maybe Thursday, or even Saturday morning! HAHA!

If not then next year we will be sure to "deck our halls" for Mauldin's first Christmas!

I've gone and caught a sniffle...

What is it about pregnancy lowering immunity?

I, honestly, was very impressed with myself, until today that is.

My wife, Laura, had caught some sort of sore throat and sniffle virus, most likely from her job of teachin' those little snot nosed... okay, anyway... my point being I was thinking to myself...

*Sniff*

"Wow self! You are doing pretty good. Laura has been sick for three days now and you haven't gotten her bug at all... you must have a good immune system!"

*Sniff*

Well, here I am now at work with a tissue in my hand.

I mean it isn't the flu or anything, but getting a cold, well lets just say it... sucks!

So lets say it all together, will we?

"Get well soon, Eric!"

If you haven't noticed...

If you haven't noticed yet...

My wife is seriously starting to show!

24 weeks!