Well, here we are at the end of the first decade of the 21st Century - 2010. I still don't have a personal jetpack, a flying car or a robot servant; and the only opportunity to ride a moving sidewalk is when I go to the airport. I guess The Jetsons was a lie. But what I do have is a little girl with some strong legs!
The other night, we were watching The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Lisa was sitting next to me on the couch, and my leg was folded and resting against her belly. I guess Jocelyn wasn't too happy about me getting all up in her business, because she began kicking at my leg - two soft taps followed by a big kick. It was like she was trying to kick down a door. I guess I would be upset too. After all, I was sitting in a big room and she has a tiny little womb to call home. It was pretty amusing, though, to have have her seemingly conscious of my leg and with a growing desire to get it off of her.
We just need to work on her verbal assertiveness and she will make one heck of a riot cop.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Friday, December 11, 2009
Technology is Amazing
That picture you see to the left is my little girl. Look at those big eyes and that cute little nose. She is sucking on her little wrist and, at one point, we could see her sticking out her little tongue. Yep, technology is amazing.The third ultrasound was yesterday, and these awesome 4D images are one of the benefits. We get to see our baby and get some idea as to what she will look like. She is freaking adorable, and I love her so much.
On a funny note, when the ultrasound technician was taking measurements, she had to measure the spine 3 times! Seriously, the spine went all the way across the bottom of the screen. She simply stated, "That is one long spine, and I have been doing this for years." My little girl is going to be a snake - a beautiful snake!
Take a look at the other pictures by clicking on this link.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Thoughts on a Blessing
I have been thinking quite a bit about the blessing of my daughter. Things are different now that we know we are going to be having a little girl. For a boy you expect, or hope for, certain things in their life. For a girl, those things are different. I am going to write down my thoughts now so that Jocelyn will know those things that I hope for her to enjoy as a blessing in her life.
To my beautiful daughter,
I would bless you in this life with the gift of discernment - that you would make wise choices in all things; especially in your choice of friends. I would bless you with a hunger for knowledge and a profound joy in the undertaking of learning, both formally and through practical experience - that you will be innately inquisitive and desire to learn in all aspects of your life. I would bless you with the desire to be a strong example to any future siblings, that you would be slow to anger and quick to forgive. I would bless you with a strong desire to know your Heavenly Father, to have a passion for the gospel and a desire to be a faithful and strong member of the church. I would bless you with health and strength. I would bless you with a companion who honors the priesthood and is worthy to take you to the temple. I would bless you with the knowledge that your mother and father love you very much, and that your well-being is paramount in our lives. But most importantly, I would have you remember that your mother and I have waited many years for your choice spirit to enter our home, and that we will do everything in our stewardship to help you hold to the iron rod and keep you on a path that will return you to your Heavenly Father.
You are my daughter, my firstborn, and I love you very much. I hope that you see in me a strong example of how a woman should be treated as you watch the interactions between me and your mother. I will always be there for you.
I love you.
To my beautiful daughter,
I would bless you in this life with the gift of discernment - that you would make wise choices in all things; especially in your choice of friends. I would bless you with a hunger for knowledge and a profound joy in the undertaking of learning, both formally and through practical experience - that you will be innately inquisitive and desire to learn in all aspects of your life. I would bless you with the desire to be a strong example to any future siblings, that you would be slow to anger and quick to forgive. I would bless you with a strong desire to know your Heavenly Father, to have a passion for the gospel and a desire to be a faithful and strong member of the church. I would bless you with health and strength. I would bless you with a companion who honors the priesthood and is worthy to take you to the temple. I would bless you with the knowledge that your mother and father love you very much, and that your well-being is paramount in our lives. But most importantly, I would have you remember that your mother and I have waited many years for your choice spirit to enter our home, and that we will do everything in our stewardship to help you hold to the iron rod and keep you on a path that will return you to your Heavenly Father.
You are my daughter, my firstborn, and I love you very much. I hope that you see in me a strong example of how a woman should be treated as you watch the interactions between me and your mother. I will always be there for you.
I love you.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
The First Movement
Well, the first movement I could feel, anyway...
Last night, I got to feel my little girl moving around for the very first time. Lisa has put my hands on her belly so many times inquiring, "Did you feel? You had to feel that!" To which I always replied, "Nope, I got nothing." But this time, I finally felt her. It wasn't a massive kick, just a little tapping. Though I can only imagine that the kicking that I feel will get stronger from here. I seriously wonder what she is doing in there? In my head, I always liken the womb to what I have seen on television. You know that stupid movie, 'Look Who's Talking'? Yeah, in my mind, the womb is a place with a soft light and a perfect venue for comedic interplay. Of course, my little girl sounds nothing like Bruce Willis, but I imagine her having a little voice that makes some pretty funny comments. I always envision Jocelyn grabbing that umbilical cord and, while tugging, demanding, "Hey, let's get a little apple juice down here!" But my favorite mental movie is of her seeing Lisa's bladder, grabbing it and giving it a good squeeze. Think how fun that must be? "Hey, this bag keeps filling up! Ima give it a good squeeze." Then when Lisa goes to pee, I imagine Jocelyn kinking the line like a hose so nothing comes out. Yep, that's the interplay that is going on in my brain.
Anyway, my little girl is on her way to being quite the swimmer...
Last night, I got to feel my little girl moving around for the very first time. Lisa has put my hands on her belly so many times inquiring, "Did you feel? You had to feel that!" To which I always replied, "Nope, I got nothing." But this time, I finally felt her. It wasn't a massive kick, just a little tapping. Though I can only imagine that the kicking that I feel will get stronger from here. I seriously wonder what she is doing in there? In my head, I always liken the womb to what I have seen on television. You know that stupid movie, 'Look Who's Talking'? Yeah, in my mind, the womb is a place with a soft light and a perfect venue for comedic interplay. Of course, my little girl sounds nothing like Bruce Willis, but I imagine her having a little voice that makes some pretty funny comments. I always envision Jocelyn grabbing that umbilical cord and, while tugging, demanding, "Hey, let's get a little apple juice down here!" But my favorite mental movie is of her seeing Lisa's bladder, grabbing it and giving it a good squeeze. Think how fun that must be? "Hey, this bag keeps filling up! Ima give it a good squeeze." Then when Lisa goes to pee, I imagine Jocelyn kinking the line like a hose so nothing comes out. Yep, that's the interplay that is going on in my brain.
Anyway, my little girl is on her way to being quite the swimmer...
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Babies Need a Lot of Stuff!
At least, that's what Babys 'R Us would have you believe. We went to that behemoth store last weekend to complete a registry for baby items. Now that we know what we're having, we can plan accordingly. I had no idea how much junk you could buy for a baby. Of course, the baby couldn't give a hill of beans, but they sure know how to market to the parents.
In the couple of hours we were there, we registered for a car seat and stroller, a crib, baby monitor and myriad other items. However, Lisa went nuts with clothes! We indoctrinate little girls early that they need lots of clothes, I guess... Lisa registered for quite a few articles of couture, even including a pair of sparkly jeans on the registry. Me? I got to use the magic gun under careful supervision. The only items I managed to get in without her seeing included baby gates and a cute little brown and pink stuffed puppy.
I have a feeling people aren't going to buy half of the items on our list, especially since it's a little girl. After all, who goes to baby showers? Women. What do women like to buy? Clothes. I rest my case.
In the couple of hours we were there, we registered for a car seat and stroller, a crib, baby monitor and myriad other items. However, Lisa went nuts with clothes! We indoctrinate little girls early that they need lots of clothes, I guess... Lisa registered for quite a few articles of couture, even including a pair of sparkly jeans on the registry. Me? I got to use the magic gun under careful supervision. The only items I managed to get in without her seeing included baby gates and a cute little brown and pink stuffed puppy.
I have a feeling people aren't going to buy half of the items on our list, especially since it's a little girl. After all, who goes to baby showers? Women. What do women like to buy? Clothes. I rest my case.
Friday, October 16, 2009
It's a Girl!
We had our second ultrasound yesterday and it was with nervous anticipation that I waited for the appointment time to arrive. I left work early to head over to the doctor's office, and we were seated in the room and Lisa lifted her shirt and lay back on the table and the ultrasound technician did her work. We waited with excitement to see what our little blessing was to be - a rambunctious little boy or a beautiful little girl. For so long, Lisa has thought of this baby as being a little boy. However, last week, she changed her tune and confided in me that she thought it was a girl. Of course, this change was due to her looking at little girl clothes while she was out shopping...
Meticulously, the technician moved the wand across the expanse of my pregnant bride's belly. Measurements were taken, movement was seen. We saw little feet, a little face, hemispheres of the brain and then two tiny little butt-cheeks. When that little bottom came into view, I exclaimed, "Is that butt?!" The tech. confirmed my perspicacious insight and asked, "Would you like to know what it is?" To which I replied, "It's a girl. There is no twig and no berries to be seen!" Yep, we are having a little girl. We were handed a few images of the ultrasound and directed to wait for the doctor outside. While we were waiting, Lisa asked if I was 'okay'. I was definitely okay, but there was just one problem - we had a boy's name finalized, but were on the fence as to what we would name a girl. I told her I didn't know what to call it now that it was a little girl, and we decided right then and there that her name would be Jocelyn Kathleen Orrell. We had debated between Abigail Laurene and Jocelyn Kathleen, but we made the decision and now little Jocelyn will be the first child with which we will be blessed. Here are some images of my little girl - I will have to have a little talk with her about modesty based on her flashing us in one of these images...
Meticulously, the technician moved the wand across the expanse of my pregnant bride's belly. Measurements were taken, movement was seen. We saw little feet, a little face, hemispheres of the brain and then two tiny little butt-cheeks. When that little bottom came into view, I exclaimed, "Is that butt?!" The tech. confirmed my perspicacious insight and asked, "Would you like to know what it is?" To which I replied, "It's a girl. There is no twig and no berries to be seen!" Yep, we are having a little girl. We were handed a few images of the ultrasound and directed to wait for the doctor outside. While we were waiting, Lisa asked if I was 'okay'. I was definitely okay, but there was just one problem - we had a boy's name finalized, but were on the fence as to what we would name a girl. I told her I didn't know what to call it now that it was a little girl, and we decided right then and there that her name would be Jocelyn Kathleen Orrell. We had debated between Abigail Laurene and Jocelyn Kathleen, but we made the decision and now little Jocelyn will be the first child with which we will be blessed. Here are some images of my little girl - I will have to have a little talk with her about modesty based on her flashing us in one of these images...
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
That John Denver is Full of Crap...
So everyone kept telling me that the second trimester was the honeymoon trimester... the nausea goes away, she will not be as tired and she will be as horny as a toad. Well, one of the three is okay, I guess. She still gets sick and she is still pretty tired.
I feel so bad for her. I am starting to understand the humour behind the movies where the wife says to her husband, "You did this to me!" I don't know how she does it, but she is a trooper. I am beginning to understand just how big of a sacrifice this is, and I appreciate her more and more for it. If men had the babies, we would call in sick for 40 weeks. I am the biggest baby when I am sick - just leave me in a corner to die. But Lisa is so much stronger than I am. I guess this process is what forges a woman into a mother; it is what gives her that super-human ability to completely subdue her own needs to look out for her children. I think I am starting to understand what the saying 'moms don't get sick days.'
Still, every day I hope that the nausea will magically disappear. I was told by a couple of people at the office that week 14 is magical - all the sickness goes away. I feel like Harry and Lloyd on the way to Colorado - "That John Denver is full of crap!"
I feel so bad for her. I am starting to understand the humour behind the movies where the wife says to her husband, "You did this to me!" I don't know how she does it, but she is a trooper. I am beginning to understand just how big of a sacrifice this is, and I appreciate her more and more for it. If men had the babies, we would call in sick for 40 weeks. I am the biggest baby when I am sick - just leave me in a corner to die. But Lisa is so much stronger than I am. I guess this process is what forges a woman into a mother; it is what gives her that super-human ability to completely subdue her own needs to look out for her children. I think I am starting to understand what the saying 'moms don't get sick days.'
Still, every day I hope that the nausea will magically disappear. I was told by a couple of people at the office that week 14 is magical - all the sickness goes away. I feel like Harry and Lloyd on the way to Colorado - "That John Denver is full of crap!"
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