(Foreword: Being the tech nerd that I am, I found myself referring to this day as BabyDale 2.0, BabyDale ver. 2, etc. However, Amy quickly made me change my verbiage because of the implied “improvement” that comes along with those terms. So, BabyDale #2 it is!)

The title says it all. Or, it at least says the important part. Amy and I will be welcoming a new little bundle of joy (and poop, and crying, and sleeplessness) into this world. The due date is set at Groundhog Day 2015. As funny as that is, it’s not funny. This daddy can’t handle that day being repeated in the same way that Bill Murray handled it.

So, in normal Amy Dale fashion, here’s a picture of BabyDale #1 sporting her announcement shirt:

Photo by Jim Heine (jimheinephotography.com)

Layla will be 2 years old and some change when BabyDale #2 comes along and we’re shooting for a very helpful role as Big Sister!

Updates will come as we get them, but no gender, name, college degree, or life track yet!

-Andrew

**Warning: Thoughts are scrambled. Sleep is lacking. Brain works slowly.**

Let me just say this: Raising a kid is crazy.

I know that every parent that reads this will say “I could’ve told you that!”, but seriously, no one who hasn’t had a kid could ever understand.  Every person always told me how hard it would be, blah blah blah, etc., but no words of wisdom (solicited or otherwise) could ever prepare a new parent for this adventure.  (I say adventure because that sounds better than “sleep-deprived nightmare.”)

However, I digress…

Layla passed the 1 month mark back on January 9th and, like any other birthday, nothing changed. We didn’t post some cheesy picture of her with a hat that had a big one on it. (We did try to get a picture of her flipping off the camera to say “one” from her point of view, but she wouldn’t cooperate — surprise surprise.) We still haven’t written any songs for her, but she has written some for us. I think she’s going to be into either screamo or death metal, can’t tell yet.

Amy and I would have this no other way, but man it is tough. Layla is very boring right now. I, personally, am looking forward to when she can start talking to me, moving around, playing with toys and the pups, and so on and so forth. Those days will be much more enjoyable, hopefully. (If you’re a parent and you’re here to tell me otherwise, just keep it to yourself and let me feel this little bit of excitement.)

……………

Reading back over this post, it seems very negative. NO! I have loved every minute of having Layla as part of our little family. I am beyond smitten with her and can’t help but let her sleep on the heater that is my chest. To say she is daddy’s little girl is a gross understatement.

This is my little family. There isn’t a thing I wouldn’t do to protect, provide and care for them. If you mean my family harm, don’t give me a chance to get in your way, because it won’t be pretty.

I gotta be honest… the pregnant belly is something else. It’s the universal sign of motherhood, excitement, and misery that results in one of the most beautiful miracles the Lord has our bodies encounter. You either look at a pregnant woman and go, “awww” or “poor thing”, but either way, you have respect and joy for that person’s journey as a new or experienced parent.

When you first find out you’re pregnant you’re thinking, “I don’t want my belly to be the size of a watermelon!” But, oooooh, how the grass is always greener. After 6.5 months, I was pretty sad I wasn’t really showing. I mean, I could tell I had a baby, my husband and close friends could tell (sorta). I could completely and easily hide the fact I was pregnant (if I had wanted to), until I was well into 7 months.  I got weird looks when I couldn’t make it up a flight of stairs. I mean, afterall, I look like I’m in good shape, why couldn’t I just jump that flight of stairs? Sometimes I would even forget I was pregnant and run myself in the ground with exhaustion. I feel that growing belly is there to remind you that you are FLIPPIN’ MAKING A PERSON INSIDE YOU. Well, I wanted to be reminded more… obviously.

I was jealous of those round little bellies popping up on mommies around me, even those that were months behind me. Complete strangers were excited for them, asking them questions and I’m just sitting there whispering to Layla, “Come on, woman! Give me SOMETHING!” But how she is growing, she is perfectly fine and I’ve loved still feeling and knowing she is there, even if others don’t.

I didn’t take weekly or monthly pictures. I know, I know… “I’ll regret it later.” Well, I can promise you, there was nothing to show until recently. But I did manage to take a shot at month 1 and towards the beginning of month 9. They are quick snapshots and I wore the same clothes in both shots. (Will I regret my choice of outfit? Yes, but I don’t care. I wasn’t going for cute preggers. Mostly because I didn’t think I’d ever share these images.)

On left: April 6, 2012 – 1 month along.                                             On right: November 10, 2012 – 1 month left.

So, there you go. Pure… vulnerability. My only regret? not wearing my socks in the pic on the right. My feet were cold.
More updates to come including Layla’s room and random other things that I wonder if other new mommies think to themselves.

I know I have been HORRIBLE at updating this. Things got crazy busy after the last post and are starting to wind down, just to start back up again with Layla’s arrival in less than a month. I simply just can’t believe it!! There is so much to share! I will do my best to fill you in as soon as I can. It’s been exciting, crazy, fun, painful, and more all at the same time. I wouldn’t trade it for anything!

So, for now, I leave you with the 4D Ultrasound we had done on October 5.
There Layla is… sleeping like her Daddy and sucking her thumb like her Mama…