Tummy Monster

Please update your Bookmarks and/or RSS Feeds, with photos!

2008-01-02T12:34:00.000-05:00

What happens when a Tummy Monster stops being in a tummy and starts being real? Welcome to The X Spot. Go here to read all about how Alexander Beckett Howell came into being and where he goes from there. Of course, that site will be under construction for a bit (hard to make a new website AND care for Mom and newborn), so to mollify his adoring public, here are some pictures from the Monster's first day of life. A truly happy new years to all!

Stef, just prior to going to hospital.

Oh, hai. I'm a baybee.

Proof of Xander's largess (8 lbs, 6 oz).
Please note full (misshapen) head of hair.

= happyprideloveexhaustion

Goodnight, my minions.

The "Loss" Of The Tax Break

2008-01-01T12:17:00.000-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today we mourn not just the loss* of the potential tax deduction Stef and I could have claimed on our 2007 taxes, but also the never-ending source of conversation having a child on the last day of the year would have brought us. Also, there was a neat onesie that said "Tax Break" I was totally going to get for the Monster, but since he's late it doesn't make much sense.

* Yes, we know, a "qualifying child" is from birth to 17 years. So if we had gotten the 2007 deduction we would have been unable to claim the 2024 deduction. But, first off, we hopefully won't need the deduction in '24, and more'n likely we won't qualify for it even if we did thanks to our potential salaries (note: not complaining about that!). Secondly, pointing out how the deduction actually works is less funny than, you know, talking about how much we love our little Tax Break. That's the sad part.

PS - Happy New Years!

Monster Update: 40

2007-12-29T11:37:00.000-05:00

It's hard to say for sure how big the Tummy Monster will be, but the average newborn weighs about 7.5 pounds (a small pumpkin (pictured)) and is about 20 inches long. The biggest part of the Monster's body is his head, but his still-pliable skull will give it the flexibility necessary to squeeze through the birth canal. If and when he deigns to make an appearance, that is.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Another Bad Haiku

2007-12-28T11:00:00.000-05:00

Today you are due.
What is the hang up, Monster?
Man, what a slacker.

Doctor Visit: 14: A Haiku

2007-12-26T13:33:00.000-05:00

We... are... still... waiting...
I... must... not... be... impatient...
Please... ring... telephone

Doctor says Stef's weight gain has normalized (she's actually lost a bit of weight), and there are a couple of other indications that she's nearing the end. Like, jeez, ya think? Maybe one of those indications is that the Monster's due date is FRIDAY - JUST TWO DAYS AWAY?!? Or that my wife is as big as a house and massively, ridiculously pregnant?!?

I could totally be an OB/GYN.

Monster Update: 39

2007-12-22T14:14:00.000-05:00

Just about a week to go and the Monster is just waiting to greet the world. He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, the size of a small watermelon (pictured). Try walking around and sleeping while carrying a watermelon in your waistband, and you'll understand how Stef is doing and why we're totally ready for him to be here now.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Doctor Visit: 13: a.k.a. the Hold Steady

2007-12-19T11:37:00.000-05:00

So we sit here, waiting on pins and needles for the Monster to eventually, you know, EXIST, and the Doctor basically tells Stef: same old, same old. Heartbeat's slow decline is holding steady. Position (normal) is holding steady. The Monster's exponential weight gain? Holding steady. About the only thing not holding steady right now are my nerves.

It's like if every kid in the world knew Christmas/Hanukkah was coming, but no one, anywhere, had any idea as to WHEN. They just knew it was SOON. Imagine the collective anticipation of every 6 year-old in that scenario, and then multiply it by HAVING A BABY. I would really like to meet this kid soon, but it's not like I have a say in when he pops. So I suppose I'll just sit here, twiddling my thumbs. I'll get him when he's a bit older, though, when I tell him his birthday is "in the Winter sometime" and let him sweat it out.

Monster Update: 38

2007-12-15T22:32:00.000-05:00

The Tummy Monster has really plumped up. He weighs about 6.8 pounds and he's over 19.5 inches long (like a large bunch of leeks (pictured)). He has a firm grasp, which we'll soon be able to test when we hold the Monster's hand for the first time! Also, his organs have fully matured and are ready for life outside the womb. So long as he doesn't come while I'm stuck in 5-hour traffic due to inclement weather, we're all set!

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Another Monster Friend

2007-12-15T20:25:00.001-05:00

CONGRATULATIONS to Justin and Saru on the birth of their healthy baby boy, Ryan Sohan!

Doctor Visit: 12

2007-12-13T11:00:00.000-05:00

Stef had two Doctor's visits this week. The first was an ultra sound which confirmed that the Monster is in the correct birth position (head down, facing Stef's spine), and the second was an uncomfortable and long visit with the OB. Unfortunately there were no good pictures from the ultrasound - he's actually too big and squished to get a good picture, but the nurse reading the device said that he looks healthy and has all the necessary parts. This is better news than a picture. We can't wait to meet him!

And the winner of the Middle-name contest is...

2007-12-12T14:16:00.000-05:00

Beckett.
In a nail-biting, 9-7 victory, Beckett beat out Scott in your hearts and votes for best middle name. And, amazingly, Stef and I agree. Or, rather, we really like Scott and Beckett as the Monster's middle name, but since Bekott or Sckett wasn't doing it for us, and we had to choose just one, we decided (just like a majority of you!) on the one with more cultural significance. Now we just have to hope that Theo doesn't trade Beckett in the off season. You can expect a post on how to change a Monster's name if he (Josh Beckett) ever becomes a Yankee.

Monster Update: 37

2007-12-09T16:14:00.000-05:00

Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Tummy Monster is officially full term! This means that he pops out now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though Stef's due date is still three weeks away. It also means that spicy food is on the menu and the trampoline will be arriving any day now! (Just kidding. We're not going to induce - or even try and homeopathic induction methods - unless the Doctors tell us to. We're all about having a healthy Monster and just forget about the "inconvenient" timing of the thing.)

Anyway, the Monster weighs about 6 pounds now and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard (pictured)). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 0.5 inch to 1.5 inches long (and possibly in color not at all similar to the parents), but I was bald when I was born and Stef hasn't had any indigestion yet, so it's unlikely the Monster has any hair at all right now.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Doctor Visit: 11

2007-12-05T13:41:00.000-05:00

Stef went to the Doctor's again today, and she will be going back a lot more in the coming weeks. At this visit she and the Doctor mostly talked about logistical issues, but the important thing is that everybody remains healthy. It looks like the OB Stef has had throughout the pregnancy likely won't be around for the delivery, but we'd rather have a different doctor on the big day than induce early, so what are you going to do?

Next week, Stef's getting her second ultrasound to get a better idea of how big the Monster really is, and which direction he's decided to face. And it also looks like she'll be stopping work for the year in a few weeks. Already, a normal day is too taxing for her, and the availability of early TDI means we can worry about keeping Stef and the Monster happy and healthy and not worry too much about our finances.

There Can Be Only One

2007-12-04T13:33:00.000-05:00

The boy's name Scott (skaht) is of Old English origin, and its meaning is "from Scotland, a Scotsman." Mainly used in the 20th century, it reached peak popularity in the mid-1970s. Famous people with the name Scott include actors Scott Glenn and Scott Caan; authors Scott Peck, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Scott Turow; and musician Scott Joplin. It can be derived as "Scottie," which rhymes with "hottie" (good) and "snottie" (bad). Initials: "ASH". It would go nicely with a nickname of "the Great" - both because of this guy and this phrase (H/T Josh Summers). Try it on for size:

Alexander Scott Howell

The name Beckett (BEH ket) is of English origin, and its meaning is "beehive." In comparison to it's opposition in these finals, "Beckett" is neither historically nor currently popular. However, in their 2005 book “Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores The Hidden Side Of Everything,” authors Levitt and Dubner predicted that, among a few others, "Beckett" would be one of the most popular baby boy names of 2015. So far, their prediction has been spot on, as the name went from being off the map in 2005 to debuting on the SSN top 1000 list at number 758 in 2006. And that was before this guy (pictured) had the super-amazing-awesome season he had last year with the World Champion Boston Red Sox. Initials: ABH. Try it on for size:

Alexander Beckett Howell

Make up your mind and vote, people! This is the last chance for you to have any say whatsoever in the Monster's middle name. Both of these names are viable options - actually they are our two favorites - so your vote MIGHT ACTUALLY DECIDE what Xander's middle name will be. Of course, it also might not. This isn't a Democracy, people.

Monster Update: 36

2007-12-01T09:28:00.000-05:00

The Tummy Monster is gaining about an ounce a day, now. He weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon (pictured)) and is more than 18.5 inches long. Nevertheless, Stef's being a trooper, even though the Monster's clearly staring to weigh her down and tire her out quickly. Inside, the Monster's shedding most of the downy hair that covered his body, as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that protected his skin (like a round of cheese!) during his nine-month amniotic bath. Next week, the Monster will be considered full-term, so the nervous, anticipatory waiting has begun.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Who Ya' Got?

2007-11-27T17:29:00.000-05:00

The Semi-Finals are here, and I've broken them into two separate polls (conveniently located on the top, right-hand side of the blog (this way! --->)). So go ahead and pick your poison. Two underdogs (Jackson and Evan) against two battle-worn contenders (Scott and Beckett). The one you pick may end up being the middle name of my first born son. Or, you could just call him that when I'm not around. Your choice, punk. Who ya' got?

Monster Update: 35

2007-11-24T10:18:00.000-05:00

The Tummy Monster doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5.25 pounds (the heft of a honeydew (pictured)). Because it's so snug in Stef's womb, he isn't supposed to be doing somersaults anymore (although he hasn't gotten that memo, yet). He's still kicking a ton and hanging out on Stef's spleen. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic monster development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight. That extra helping of turkey and mashed potatoes? All him.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

VOTE NOW!!!!

2007-11-20T12:57:00.000-05:00

Polls are open for the Elite Eight of Monster Middle Names. As always, you have a week to determine who goes to the Final Four. Right now I'm just jazzed that "Beckett" (pictured above, also jazzed) did so well against strong contender "Ryan".

Things We Learned

2007-11-19T13:31:00.000-05:00

This weekend was a weekend of knowledge for us: we went stroller shopping, we borrowed a newborn for a night, and we took an all day child birthing class. I'll tackle each issue one at a time.

First, strollers. Clearly, we are no longer living in the era of "one umbrella stroller and you're set." Sure, we could spend $12 and be done, but that wouldn't be sporting. If you haven't seen a stroller store recently, trust me when I tell you that it can be daunting to look for a new stroller. I've probably spent as much time researching strollers as I did determining where I wanted to go to college. However, there's only so much wisdom you can gain from the printed page or website, sometimes you have to just test the product out. To that end, Stef and I traveled up to Wellesley, MA, where my old co-worker Sheri and her husband, Eli, were opening their second (of three) baby/toy store (check 'em out). Now on our stroller shortlist: the Phil & Ted's e3 and the Baby Jogger Urban Mini. Now off our list: the Mountain Buggy Urban Single (just too heavy and unwieldy for Stef), and about 15 other strollers we were considering. Overall, I think it was a successful trip, but we've yet to really settle on a stroller, so more work needs to be done. Insane? Yes, I know it is. hopefully, all our friends-with-children can help us through the morass.

Later on that night, we borrowed a baby from our friends Scott and Julie, who were in town for a classmate of Scott's wedding. Kelan is a cute little dude who is curious and lovely and he just did not enjoy his time with us at all. So from between 7:30 and 11 pm we were just trying to get him to calm down while his Mom and Dad enjoyed their wedding. Things we learned: (i) the vacuum/dust buster is a magic baby-shut-off-switch, (ii) he also likes the white noise section of the Happiest Baby on the Block DVD, and (iii) when getting a baby used to the bottle, multiple types of nipples should be tried. Also, I have a million dollar idea: baby rentals. Parents pay to leave their kid with the service, who also rents out the same babies to young couples nervous about parent-hood or someone looking to scare their significant other out of pregnancy. The insurance would be crazy ridiculous, but you'd probably make money hand over fist.

Third, we woke up early Sunday and spent all day in a birthing class at a hospital. This class was helpful, and Stef is happy because half the class was about massaging her back, hands and feet. Of course, the other half of the class was mind-numbingly terrifying giving-birth type information, so it balanced out. And, of course, some of the class was a bit repetitive from the previous two classes we already took, so tonight's class will be our last for a while, we hope.

Monster Update: 34

2007-11-17T13:23:00.000-05:00

The Tummy Monster now weighs about 4.75 pounds (like your average cantaloupe (pictured)) and is almost 18 inches long. His fat layers — which he'll need to regulate his body temperature once he's out in the real world — are filling out, making the Monster rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. The Monster's central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well. Although it is good to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine, we'd still like the Monster to stay cooking for a bit longer to avoid a stay in the neonatal nursery or any short-term health issues.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Another Monster Friend

2007-11-15T13:21:00.000-05:00

CONGRATULATIONS to Jeremy and Sharona on the birth of their lovely baby girl, Lilia Katherine!

Polls Open

2007-11-13T11:26:00.000-05:00

The first part of the Sweet Sixteen of Middle Names saw some upsets and some pretty strong contenders. Which middle names will make it out of Round 2.2? This is why we have the polls.

There's only one Monster. There's only one Middle Name. There's only one... September-to-December-period-in-which-we-select-via- majority-vote-the-Monster's-middle-name.

Monster Update: 33

2007-11-10T11:13:00.000-05:00

This week the Monster weighs a little over 4 pounds (the heft of a pineapple, pictured) and he has likely passed the 17-inch benchmark that all fetuses aim for. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his tiny monster skeleton is hardening. The bones in the Monster's skull aren't fused together, though, but that's a good thing which will make it easier for him to squeeze the birth canal. These bones won't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Doctor Visit: 10

2007-11-06T09:43:00.001-05:00

Stef went to the Doctor last night for her now biweekly check-up. Things are well and progressing nicely. Both momma and the Monster are healthy and the Monster is growing pretty much as expected. Stef's belly is 32 inches across, which is some indicator of how many weeks pregnant she is (but we already knew she was 32 weeks pregnant, so that seems like a redundant and extremely coincidental indicator). This has really been a text-book pregnancy so far, and I, personally, could not be happier.

Schedule-wise, it was kind of a pain that Stef had to wait so long to see the Doctor, and that the appointment was so late to begin with. Particularly considering that all she had to do was pee in a cup, get her weight taken and her blood pressure checked, and especially since Monday night is our one night for TV shows. Which meant that after the appointment Stef was rushing to get home, and we couldn't get any chores done. It makes the night seem really short when you're only home and conscious for two hours. In the future, we're going to try and have morning appointments for her.

The Sweet Sixteen (Part One)

2007-11-06T09:27:00.000-05:00

We have arrived, ladies and Gentlemen, at the second round of middle name selection, wherein you select your favorite middle name for Alexander "Xander" _____ Howell (a.k.a. the Tummy Monster). You will note that on the poll there are now eight, not four, names to choose from. Please select as many names as you like, or we're going to end up with numerous low-scoring ties.

Overall, I am liking the wisdom of the crowds thing going on here. You all really haven't picked a name I don't like. My only disappointments from the first round are (i) "Danger" did not move on to the second round (Stef thanks you!), and (ii) I never made "Trouble" an option. The Monster just got a onesie that says "Trouble is my Middle Name", which I thought was more than appropriate. Good thing I'm not stuck with the winner of the bracket! Ha ha ha ha ha!

In somewhat related news, Stef says I'm not allowed to go to the baby records room by myself anymore.

Prenatal Bonding

2007-11-05T15:29:00.000-05:00

We have two female cats. One of them, Houdini (not pictured), is a bit skittish and disdainful of (most) human contact. The other, Jack Daniels (pictured above), is more of a lap cat. Er, scratch that... she's more of a Tummy Monster cat.

It used to be that Jackie loved me above all. I provided food, water and clean litter, and would pet her and play with her, so she would reward me with her presence. I'd sit down, she'd come sit on my lap. Lately, however, she's been ignoring me to hang with the Tummy Monster. Almost without fail, if Stef is sitting down, Jackie will run over and sit either on or near the Monster. It's a little sad but also super cute, so I'm okay with it.

But the best part is when we're sleeping, and Jackie cuddles with the Monster. A few nights ago, Stef says, when she did this he started kicking her, and she felt it, thought it was some kind of crazy shiatsu massage and cuddled closer, purring. So it's good that we're all getting along. I hope we can keep this up after the kid is born.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

2007-11-05T11:10:00.001-05:00

Dear friends and family members:

Saturday was Stef's baby shower. As you might imagine, we made off with quite a pile (a full car-load, in fact) of baby-loot from you, our more-than-generous friends and family. A special thanks to Stef's mom, Anne, for organizing and hosting the lovely event, and to Kate for helping out, too. Thanks to everyone who braved the Nor-easter to come down to Connecticut to share in the day, and thanks to those of you who couldn't make it but provided for the Monster in whatever way you could. Also, thanks to Katyland for telling me what a "dude" means and for helping me find out who the shortest adult is.

The Monster's room is now well-stocked and ready for his Monsterousness. He's got clothes and toys and books and everything he could want, and we, his parents, could not be more grateful. We could never have done this without all of you, and without our parents in particular. So, from the bottom of our heart: Thank you.*

Love,
Stefanie and Marcus

* Expect a card in the mail soon with identical sentiments.

Books Report: "What to Expect When Your Wife is Expanding: A Reassuring Month-by-Month Guide For The Father-to-Be, Whether He Wants Advice Or Not"

2007-11-05T10:17:00.000-05:00

Thomas Hill and Cader Books, 2007

This book/pamphlet was a gift from Jim (father of Brenna and Delamie), who is a funny guy and pretty smart, too. Now, some people will say that this book has almost zero useful information in it, because it's meant to be humorous (it calls itself a "parody" right on the cover there). However, every once in a while, the book would surprise me with some actual knowledge cloaked in "humor". Stuff that it helped me to know, even if it didn't change my actions, simply because it tempered my expectations. For instance, I wasn't going to skip any of Stef's doctor visits that I could possibly make, but it was nice to know that a bunch of them are just (i) Stef peeing in a cup, (ii) the Doctor reassuring her that her horrible symptoms are normal, and (iii) setting up the next appointment.

As for the jokes? Some were funny, some were really not. I try and be really supportive of Stef, so it's hard for me to laugh at her misfortune, and a bunch of the "humor" in the book is in that vein. Every once in a while though, there would be something actually ha-ha funny, but for the most part, I laugh more at the conversations I have with Jim (or reading these blogs) than I did reading this book.

Book Report: "Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth About Pregnancy And Childbirth "

2007-11-05T10:13:00.000-05:00

Jenny McCarthy, 2006

This book is not intended to be a reference book, but instead tells the story of one woman’s pregnancy. Ms. McCarthy is an excellent story teller. She has an excellent upbeat tone even though she did not have an easy pregnancy or childbirth. She is funny and sassy and still manages to convey some useful information and advice in the process. I recommend this to anyone looking for an easy, lighthearted read. Seriously, it is “laugh-out-loud” funny.

Report by Stefanie (note: for what it's worth, Marcus also read this book, but he has nothing new to add to Stef's report (although she found it funnier than he did)).

Book Report: "Easy Labor: Every Woman's Guide to Choosing Less Pain And More Joy During Childbirth"

2007-11-05T10:06:00.000-05:00

William Camann and Kathryn Alexander, 2006

Overall I found this book to be interesting and useful. It describes each of the major pain management options available to women giving birth. It did strike me as being biased towards pain medications, but was still very informative on other options. I do wish they had provided more concrete information on some of the non-medicated methods rather than simply referring to various classes. Perhaps that would be too much to cover in one book. It was good to at least get an idea of what else I should be looking into. I just wish I had read it sooner because many of the non-medication methods requires months of preparation.

There is an interesting piece at the back that discusses the history of pain management, or lack thereof, which I thought would be great to have at the beginning of the book. In its current state, it just jumps right into the discussion of pain and kind of stressed me out at first. I just about broke into a sweat thinking about having to have an IV along with the epidural, but it’s not the author’s fault that I can’t stand needles.

I think the best advice this book gives is to be educated about your options and stay flexible.

Report by Stefanie

Book Report: "Girlfriends’ Guide to Pregnancy: Or Everything Your Doctor Won't Tell You"

2007-11-05T10:03:00.000-05:00

Vicki Iovine, 1995

I am not a big fan of this book. I found most of her advice/commentary to be shallow and narcissistic. She mentions various medical issues that can arise, but only glosses over them. Maybe it’s just because I was so sick during the first trimester, but I couldn’t get interested in her tough decisions on whether or not to dye her hair and paint her nails. The only part I found helpful and interesting was at the end where the author gives advice on what to pack in your hospital bag.

Report by Stefanie

Monster Update: 32

2007-11-03T09:57:00.000-04:00

By now, the Tummy Monster weighs 3.75 pounds (about the size of a large jicama, pictured) and is about 16.5 inches long (give or take), taking up a lot of space and moving around a ton. Stef has been healthily gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to the Monster. In fact, he'll gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Poll, One Day Late...

2007-10-31T11:16:00.000-04:00

Sorry about that. I was really busy yesterday, and there was no weekly poll. I know, you're devastated, and now you only have six days left to vote.

Keep in mind that this is the last poll of the first round. After this, it's all repeats to find the one y'all like the best. I don't know if I should tell you this or not, but my favorites are in this round. I mean, seriously, who doesn't want their middle name to actually be "Danger"?!? Imagine all the people the Monster could impress! And I _know_ he won't be the only "Beckett" his age in the Boston area. Obviously, I'm biased, but you still get a vote*!

* Your votes are, as always, for information and fun only. Stef and I reserve the right to name the Monster whatever the heck we want (and Stef says she reserves the right to make me sleep on the sofa for eighteen years if we name him "Danger").

Sox Sweep Rox In Series

2007-10-29T14:31:00.001-04:00

I'm sorry the Monster missed it, but it was still awesome. Is it too late to add "Lowell", "Jacoby", "Lester" or "Beckett" as a possible middle name for the Monster? Alexander Beckett Howell isn't actually too bad, IMHO.

Monster's First: Class

2007-10-28T20:20:00.000-04:00

After work on Friday night, Stef and I took the Monster to Women and Infant's Hospital for our first class (of, like, five) related to his eventual birth. The class was called: "Hospital Tour and So Much More," and it was helpful, if only to see what the room will look like where Monster will be born and to learn the administrative processes of the hospital. A map would have been nice for the tour, but other than that, it was useful. Mostly, it helped calm our nerves regarding the mundane questions like: how do we get there, where do we park... stuff like that.

Monster Update: 31

2007-10-27T20:16:00.000-04:00

This week, the Tummy Monster measures over 16 inches long and weighs about 3.3 pounds (approx. weight of four navel oranges) and he is heading into a growth spurt! He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's moving a lot, too, so is having some trouble sleeping because the Monster's kicks and somersaults keep her up. Her ability to walk long distances or handle bumpy roads is significantly decreased, as well. But all this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

World Series Is Here, Monster Is Not

2007-10-24T14:27:00.000-04:00

In 2004, just after the Sox won the World Series, as Stef and I slogged home against the flow of the Boston mob heading downtown for post-game drunken revelry and rioting, I lamented the fact that any child born after that day would have a long time to wait before seeing the Sox in the Series again.

It did not occur to me back then that this also included my own future child(ren).

And now, here we are. October 2007, and the Sox are once again on their way to the Fall Classic. Now, certainly, the Rockies don't look like the '04 Cardinals, but I am as confident as a member of the Red Sox Nation can be* about the Sox's chances, here. But winning would, for me, be kind of bitersweet, since the Tummy Monster won't be able to see the Green Monster for at least another few months now and share this moment with me. Poor kid is going to miss some great baseball here.

Well, at least his cousin Hunter (pictured) will be able to regale the Monster with the details of the games!

Let's go Sox!

* Max. confidence of any Sox fan = shy kid with acne, two lazy eyes and a stutter.

Nursery Photos!

2007-10-24T09:18:00.000-04:00

Dear everybody,

I attach for your perusal and enjoyment photos I took last night of the Tummy Monster's mostly-finished-but-still-mostly-empty nursery. Basically, the walls are painted, the furniture is all in place (except for the rocker), and the decorations are up. Now all we need is a bit more stuff and a Monster, and we'll be good to go. As always, higher resolution images and other pictures of things we have done are available here.

"Paddington Bear" and "Babar" framed pages

"Curious George", "Dr.Suess's ABCs" and "Are You My Mother?" framed pages

"Frog & Toad" and "Lil' Monster" framed pages

This is the bookshelf I finished and painted. There were originally two of them, but it was my first time staining anything, so they came out really horrible, actually. The one you see here isn't too bad (unless you look closely), but the one in the basement is staying in the basement.

Here's the room, pretty much, including a good shot of the Monster's dresser/changing table. That's the most expensive thing in our townhouse right now. And it's going to get peed on. Constantly. Off to the left of the dresser is a space for the rocker in what we're calling the Story Corner.

Here's the nursery's (Eastern-facing) window. The Monster's room has beautiful light for most of the day (not pictured), and a great view of our porch and quiet backyard (not pictured). The laundry basket (a gift from Fran's parents... thanks!) probably won't go there.

And, finally, here's the Monster's crib (a beautiful piece of furniture, IMHO), which also features a mobile (also a gift of the Behrs') and a Raggedy Andy doll made for me when I was a baby by my Aunt Becky. The quote above the crib is taken from Dr.Suess' "Oh! The Places You'll Go!" Attribution would've cost more, and we thought it was kind of obvious anyway. We got the lettering at a place called Wallwords. They went up really easily and look fantastic.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the photographic tour, folks! I'll take some more pictures after Stef's shower when everything is in place. In the meantime, we're just happy to be done for a few weeks.

- Marcus

Monster's First: Party

2007-10-23T13:25:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, Stef and I decided to start a new family tradition by hosting our first ever annual Harvest Party for all our "family-friendly" friends. Because fancy cocktail parties and ragin' beach keggers are kinda' out of the picture now for most of us. Also, because Stef says there's nothing inherently wrong with throwing a party where no one pukes and the cops aren't needed.

First, we went apple picking (since we live in Apple Valley and are quite literally surrounded by apple orchards), and then we had a bunch of people over to play games and eat October-y food and just hang out. The food we made was well-received, the weather was perfect (the leaves are just starting to turn!), and we had a wonderful time. Plus, the Tummy Monster got some gifts (thanks Jordi and Jen... and congrats!), which is truly the hallmark of any great party. I think young Master Jace will have a lot of company at the second annual Harvest Party. (Pictures to follow, if people send them my way).

Tuesday = Poll

2007-10-23T13:11:00.000-04:00

Get your poll on, people. The bracket continues.

Doctor Visit: 09

2007-10-22T13:21:00.000-04:00

Not much to report other than Stef's healthy weight gain (five pounds in two weeks), and her flu shot. We're all signed up for pregnancy classes, so hopefully any questions we have will get answered between now and late December.

Monster Update: 30

2007-10-20T13:16:00.000-04:00

The Tummy Monster is a bit longer than 15.5 inches now, and he weighs almost 3 pounds! A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds the Monster, but that volume will decrease as he gets bigger and takes up more room in Stef's uterus. The Monster's eyesight continues to develop, though Monster-eyes are apparently not very keen; even after he's born, the Monster'll keep his eyes closed for a good part of the day. When he does open them, he'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means the Monster will only be able to make out objects a few inches from his face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

Meanwhile, as he continues to get bigger, the Monster is really getting kicky. At one point Stef had to stand up and bend over just to get him to stop playing the mambo on her internal organs.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

You Can Do Better Than I Can!

2007-10-16T11:50:00.000-04:00

Dear Readers of the Tummy Monster blog,

It occurred to me this morning that, after the Monster is born, he's going to need a new Blog, since he will no longer be a "tummy" monster. So, then, the question is, what should the name of the blog be? Also, what should the URL of the blog be (keeping in mind that most of the nice and simple blogspot URLs are already taken)?

Here's what I came up with so far (all URLs are available as of this morning):

Xander the Mander (xantheman.blogspot.com)
Alexander & the ____, ____, ____ Day (alexandtheday.blogspot.com)
Xander's World Wide Web Log (xwwwl.blogspot.com)
The Xander Update (xanderupdate.blogspot.com)
Xander Land (xanderlander.blogspot.com)
What Xander Did Today (xandertoday.blogspot.com)
Xxxander (xxxander.blogspot.com) [Ed.'s note: clearly running out of viable ideas, I make a lame joke at my unborn son's expense based on the name we have selected for him]
Xander Pod (xanderpod.blogspot.com)
Xands Of Time(xandsoftime.blogspot.com)
The X Spot (thexmarksthe.blogspot.com) [Ed.'s note: Okay, I kinda like this one.]

I know you can do better than those, because most of those were LAME, so let's hear your suggestions in the comments, please!

Tuesday=Poll

2007-10-16T11:44:00.000-04:00

Wow. Last week there was the first shut-out of a middle name suggestion. Allen was just really, really unpopular for whatever reason (I really didn't like it either... it happens to have unfortunate connotations here at my new office). Anyway, go ahead and vote for your favorite(s) this week. Only three more weeks of new names and then the bracket narrows to the next round, which will go faster since you've already seen all the names at least once.

Monster's First: Airplane Trip

2007-10-15T17:35:00.000-04:00

This weekend we took what will probably be our last airplane trip for a couple of months to visit my parents and attend the beautiful wedding of family friend Rebecca Willens to Adam Walker (who seems like a really nice guy considering we've met him, like, once and he still invited us to his wedding). The Monster kicked a bit on the plane (mostly on take-off and landing), but any abnormalities could easily have been a function of Stef's lingering cold rather than internal pressure fluctuations or the Monster's sudden realization that he was miles above the ground. We also had the opportunity to raid my parents' stash of kids' books while we were in town, so soon the Monster's library will triple or quadruple in size.

Monster Update: 29

2007-10-13T17:21:00.000-04:00

The Tummy Monster is growing rapidly now (mostly due to Snickers bars and Bryer's chocolate ice cream). This week he weighs about half a pound more than he did last week (about 2.5 pounds total) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. The Monster's muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is getting bigger to accommodate his growing brain (HIS GROWING BRAAAAAAIIIINNNN!!!!!) — which is busy developing billions of neurons (which he will eventually destroy in his teenage rebellion years). Every day, about 200 milligrams of calcium is deposited in the Monster's skeleton, which is now hardening. Of course, Stef takes Calcium supplements, so I'm hoping the Monster's skeleton will be super-hard, like a super hero. With this rapid growth, it's no surprise that his nutritional needs are reaching their peak during this trimester, which explains why Stef is ravenous pretty much all the time, but that still isn't easy to get used to.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Doctor Visit: 08 (or thereabouts)

2007-10-11T13:31:00.000-04:00

One of these days I'll get Stef to actually post to this blog, but in the meantime, I thought I'd let everyone know the latest slew of Doctors' appointments have confirmed that that the Monster is doing fine, and so is Stef (who, as you can tell by the picture on the side, has gotten much bigger in the past few weeks), and there aren't going to be any RH antibodies or something which is good news now and if we have another kid later.

Also, Stef said she was "shot in the butt with Rogaine" during her last visit, but that doesn't make sense to me at all. Now that we're in the third trimester she's going to be going to the Doctor biweekly, so expect more health updates as the Monster's eviction date comes closer.

Nursery Theme Images

2007-10-09T09:40:00.000-04:00

As some of you may already know, we have a baby registry (here), and are slowly putting together a nursery for Xander (before and after pictures will come post-shower). And we think we're doing a pretty good job, even on days when I am pretty sure I broke the electricity. Our theme is BOOKS, because Stef and I love to read, and odds are good the Monster will, too. And, sure, we've got the bedding and all the various prefab decorations that go with the bedding, but we also wanted to add some personal touches to the nursery.

To that end, we went to the library and checked out some children's books to scan, and I spent some of last week and weekend scanning and cleaning up the images to print out and frame up in the nursery, even going so far as to tweak some of the colors in the images to fit the colors of our nursery. I then created a website so we could kinda' sorta' see what those images would look like on our nicely painted new walls before printing them out. Here's that site, if you're curious to see those images for yourself. Unfortunately, the internet doesn't do "dark brown" very well, so you'll have to use your imagination with the frames. Additionally, there may be some more tweaking of images if they need it. But overall, this was, we think, a nice way to incorporate our love of books with the prefab design of the bedding set we selected.

Another Poll

2007-10-09T09:37:00.000-04:00

It's Tuesday, so that means another middle name poll. Last week "Evan" got a record number of responses. I'm not sure if that's because you liked it, or because you could suddenly choose multiple middle names each poll. The link below will show you the "bracket" we've got going on, in case you're curious about what's next or the results from previous polls.

Another Monster Friend

2007-10-07T11:42:00.000-04:00

CONGRATULATIONS to Jim and Eileen on the birth of their second baby girl, Delamie Jane! Hope she's as adorable as Brenna!

Monster Update: 28

2007-10-06T11:34:00.000-04:00

By this week, the Tummy Monster weighs a little over 2 pounds (or, as Stef says "more than two giant bags of M&Ms") and measures almost 15 inches from the top of his head to his heels. The Monster can open and close his eyes, which now sport lashes. This movement is more of a reflexive blink than a deliberate opening and closing, but it won't be long before he's batting those beauties at us.

Meanwhile, Stef went from very little eating in the first trimester, to eating normally in the second, to eating pretty much every hour or two during the third trimester. There have even been days when she's woken up in the middle of the night and eaten, and then gone back to sleep. It's crazy. Whoever invented Ensure, though, is a life-saver. The Monster is going to be huge!

Text adapted from Baby Center.

New Poll

2007-10-02T10:49:00.000-04:00

As you may have noticed already, there's a new poll for middle names today, and if you participate you'll also notice that you can now vote for multiple names at the same time. Good luck with that.

Monster Update: 27

2007-09-30T08:33:00.000-04:00

The Tummy Monster is really starting to get big, now, and Stef is pretty much always hungry. This week he weighs almost 2 pounds and is about 14.4 inches long with his legs extended. He now sleeps and wakes at regular intervals, which intervals normally coincide with Stef's ice cream ingestion. He may also be sucking his fingers or having hiccups now, basically doing baby stuff. And although the Monster's lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with assistance — if he were born prematurely. Which is good to know in theory, but we have no plans to put this little nugget of information into practice.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Kicky McGee

2007-09-25T17:06:00.001-04:00

So for a while, Stef was telling me she could feel the Monster kick around in her belly. Every once in a while she'd grab my hand and excitedly put it on her belly, amazed that I could not feel him at all. He apparently moves more (or, at least) Stef can feel him move around more) when (i) Stef is being less active, and/or (ii) post Breyer's chocolate ice cream binge (a now daily occurrence for Stef), so quite often a fair part of the night would be her going "oh!" and grabbing my hand, me shaking my head, and her looking disappointed and bewildered.

And then, a few days ago, the Monster grew up enough so that I could feel him kick. And kick. And kick. And kick. And kick. Basically what I'm saying is: the Monster's an active little guy.

It's a surreal experience that is hard to put into words, feeling your first child move around inside your wife like some kind of parasitic alien creature. I can only imagine it freaks Stef out slightly more than me, if only because she feels it all the time. It also makes me proud for some reason, and very excited. I mean, feeling the Monster kick pretty much makes him that much more of a reality.

Sorry For The Delay

2007-09-25T15:26:00.001-04:00

Huh. So, it is taking us much longer than expected to get back on track here at Tummy Monster's public relations firm, but in the meantime, you should know there's a new poll for middle names, and the Tummy Expansion animation has been updated to the most recent image (taken this Saturday). As you can tell, Stef is looking very big and healthy. We could not be more excited, but we're also in the process of nesting, so we're pretty distrac - hey! cute baby stuff. Neat!

Anyway, I'm not a big fan of making promises I am not sure I can keep, but you can probably expect some backlogged content to be popping up on this site by the end of the week. Yeah, I know, you can go ahead and breathe out again.

Monster Update: 26

2007-09-22T16:39:00.000-04:00

The Tummy Monster now weighs a little less than 2 pounds and measures about 14 inches. His weight will more than triple between now and birth as he rapidly puts on baby fat, and makes Stef expand like a giant balloon. The Monster will need that fat to help adjust to colder temperatures outside the 98.6 degree plus womb-spa he's in now, and also as a source of energy and calories in the first days of life. Apparently, it's not uncommon for newborn monsters, especially those who are breastfed, to lose weight (sometimes as much as 10 percent of their birth weight) in the first week after birth.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Monster Update: 25

2007-09-15T16:36:00.000-04:00

Head to heels, the Tummy Monster now measures about 13.5 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — doesn't sound like much, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for a more rounded one. As the Monster gains weight, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more like a mini newborn. His hair is probably recognizable now in color and texture, although both will likely change after he's born.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Another Monster Friend: Cousin Special Edition

2007-09-13T08:31:00.000-04:00

Hunter James Sicard, a.k.a. "Ribs", born September 12, 2007, at 9:47 PM; weighing in at 7 lbs, 3 oz and measuring 20 inches. The Monster has a cousin, and our family is now plus one. Happy (Jewish) New Year, indeed.

To Tide You Over

2007-09-10T12:24:00.000-04:00

So... it has been a little while since the last Tummy Monster post, I realize. The delay may have to do with the fact that in the span of two weeks we closed on a townhouse, we moved half of our stuff from Providence to Smithfield, we moved the other half of our stuff from Mystic to Smithfield, we probably bought another half of stuff and had to put it together/install it ourselves*, I finished one job on a Friday and started the new one the next Monday, we held a Fantasy Football draft party/BBQ and Stef helped prepare for a friend's baby shower. Or it may be because I'm lazy. Who knows?

Anyway, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to wait a bit more for updates and whatnot, because we're still kinda' busy and reeling from the move. Updates will be sporadic for a time. Until then, there's a new poll of middle names to vote on. Hooray!

*Everything but the gas dryer, of course. That we had to hire a plumber to install for us.

Monster Update: 24

2007-09-08T16:33:00.000-04:00

The Tummy Monster is steadily growing, gaining about a quarter of a pound since last week. Since he's almost a foot long, that makes for a pretty lean figure, but his body's filling out proportionally. The Monster's brain is growing rapidly, and his taste buds may be working now. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily. The Monster can hear more now, and Stef may even start to notice him startle at loud, sudden noises. But he's probably getting used to the regular noises she hears around the house, such as me barking at the TV during a football game, or the purr of Jackie resting on Stef's belly.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Monster Update: 23

2007-09-01T16:25:00.000-04:00

The Tummy Monster is more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound. He may be able to feel Stef's movements now. He looks red now due to blood vessels showing through his transparent skin, but his true skin tone will develop over the course of his first year. Blood vessels in the Monster's lungs are developing to prepare him for breathing, but complete lung development will take many more months. The lungs are the last organ to fully develop.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Monster Update: 22

2007-08-25T16:30:00.000-04:00

The Tummy Monster now looks like a miniature newborn, checking in at almost 11 inches and almost 1 pound. The Monster's skin will continue to appear wrinkled until he gains enough weight to fill it out. The Monster's eyes are developed, though the iris (the colored part of the eye) still lacks some pigment. The Monster's lips are becoming more distinct, and the first signs of teeth are appearing as buds beneath his gum line. However, he won't have his first snaggle-tooth until he's around 4 to 7 months old, unless he's one of the rare babies who are born with teeth.

On "Alexander"

2007-08-22T14:10:00.000-04:00

Alexander
Sex: boy
Language(s): Latin (Greek)
Meaning: defender of mankind
History: The name was probably coined originally as a title of the goddess Hera, consort of Zeus. Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) conquered and ruled the greater part of the known world before his death at the age of 33. History describes him as a man of high physical courage, impulsive energy, and fervid imagination. It was a royal name in Scotland.
Variant Forms: Al, Alasdair, Alastair, Alaster, Alaxander, Alcander, Alcinder, Alcindor, Alec, Aleco, Alejandro, Alejo, Alek, Aleko, Aleksandar, Aleksander, Aleksandr, Aleksanteri, Alesandro, Alessandre, Alessandri, Alessandro, Alex, Alexan, Alexandre, Alexandro, Alexandros, Alexei, Alexi, Alexio, Alexis, Alic, Alicio, Alick, Alik, Alisander, Alissander, Alissandre, Alistair, Alister, Alistir, Alix, Alixandre, Allie, Allistair, Allister, Allistir, Alsandare, Alyksandr, Iskander, Iskender, Lex, Lexo, Sacha, Sander, Sandero, Sandor, Sandro, Sandros, Sandie, Sandy, Sascha, Sasha, Saunder, Saunders, Sikander, Xander, Zander, Zandro and Zandros.
Popularity: 2006 (12), 2005 (12), 2004 (15), 2003 (16), 2002 (15), 2001 (20), 2000 (20), . . . , 1990 (28), 1980 (92), 1970 (137), 1960 (231) (Note: Rank 1 is the most popular, rank 2 is the next most popular, and so forth. Name data are from Social Security card applications for births that occurred in the United States.)

Alexander ?!?!? Howell

2007-08-21T14:59:00.000-04:00

In case you didn't know, it can be a bit intimidating naming an unborn child. For instance, if you name your kid "Orangejello" or "Female"* the teenage years are going to be a problem, and odds are that you will be paying a lot for bail or therapy (or, likely, both). Thankfully, Stef and I have had a wonderful boy's name picked out for a few years now: "Alexander," which friends naming their own children have avoided on the chance that we have a boy. Thanks people!!! Naming the Monster "Alexander" is more than just nod to our favorite male TV character from the bestest TV show ever, it is a traditional way to honor both of our maternal grandfathers, Albert and Anthony.

Nevertheless, we remain in a quandry as to the Monster's middle name. See, the middle name doesn't really get used in today's society unless you're filling out a government form or getting yelled at, but you still want it to be cool. If for some reason the Monster doesn't like "Alexander" or any of its derivatives one would hope he chooses to be known by his given middle name. Which leads us naturally to this blog's second round of polls.

Because democracy is awesome, and so are sports-type brackets, we're going to have a fast a furious couple of week-long polls wherein you get to help name our child. This is not to say that we will actually choose the name you pick by popular vote. Just look at how badly you performed at the last poll; we can't trust your input at all! However, your votes will be a jumping off point for our internal discussions, and therefore your votes may very well sway us to pick a name in the end. So go ahead and vote early and often for your favorite middle name. For those of you who use RSS readers, I'll remind you each week when a new poll goes up.

* Actual names of people with horrible, horrible parents.

Boy Oh Boy

2007-08-20T21:04:00.001-04:00

This morning, Stefanie and I visited Rhode Island Hospital's Women & Infants Prenatal Diagnostics Center ("conveniently" located as far from the spot we parked and through as much construction as possible for a building in the same complex), so that we could get a good look at the Monster. I mean, it's one thing to read about how big the Monster should hypothetically be, and another thing entirely to, you know, see it for yourselves. After a long walk and some quick "genetic counseling" (which basically consists of a young MD collecting a somewhat lackadaisical family medical history) Stefanie's belly was slimed, and pictures of the Monster were taken by Ultrasound (Level II, in case you're curious). What you see above is a still from our apparently hyper-active fetus. The technician called the Monster a "smart alec", because he kept moving away from the camera, dancing the placenta cha-cha and sucking his thumbs the whole time.

Yeah, that's right. He. His. The Monster has boy parts. And while news of the Monster's gender doesn't make us happy or unhappy in and of itself, it does, as Stef said, "make the whole pregnancy-thing more concrete in our heads."

In related news, 67% of you got our first poll totally wrong. You're terrible at this. See if you can do better with the next poll. See next post for further details.

News that did make us happy when we got it this morning was that the Monster was, as far as the technician and the OB doing an echo-cardiagram could tell, perfectly healthy and within all tolerances for size and shape. It also looks like the due date is what we thought it was. And that's all the news for now.

Monster Update: 21

2007-08-18T08:08:00.000-04:00

The Monster now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long. It is really on the move now. Fetal researchers say babies move about 50 times an hour even while sleeping. All that movement helps stimulate the Monster's physical and mental development. Stef doesn't always notice the approximately 50 kicks, punches, and twirls during the day, but as she's settling down at night she feel the Monster dancing the night away, totally oblivious to our schedule. Plus! the Monster has fully-formed eyebrows, its taste buds have formed and it can suck its thumb.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

BREAKING NEWS: Grandparents Spoil Baby, Parents

2007-08-14T10:58:00.000-04:00

For my 30th birthday, the Tummy Monster's paternal grandparents came up to visit us and share the love. We had a very hectic but very nice weekend, wherein much spoiling was done of both parents and the Monster, and much yummy food was consumed (restaurants visited included: the Waterman Grille, Box Seats (a.k.a. Huge Portions), the amazing Mill's Tavern (with both sets of grandparents, and many fine gifts), Blaze, and Roba!Dolce for a perfectly sweet ending to the trip).

In addition to the consumption of good eats, we were able to do lots of productive and entertaining stuff with my parents. For example, on Saturday morning we packed up the kitchen and then drove to Smithfield to showed off the new townhouse. We also stopped by the huge nearby shopping mall. While driving around the Crossing we just happened to find a maternity store which we just happened to walk into, where Stef just happened to find an entire wardrobe's worth of clothes she liked - and which my folks were more than happy enough to buy so that the Monster stays warm and stylish. We also saw Stardust, which was a very good movie. On Sunday, we went to IKEA and Jordan's furniture and saw many, many, many dining room sets. Although none of them really grabbed our fancy, we did figure out some things we were/weren't looking for. We also visited Baby Furniture Warehouse and found a crib and a dresser/hutch (more on this later), which Stef's parents had previously given us money for.

On that note, we want to take a moment and publicly thank both sets of grandparents for their generosity. Obviously, we would not be in the position we're in without all of the support (financial, emotional and otherwise) we've received from them, and which, of course, we hope to continue to receive. In this day and age you really can't buy a place and start a family on your own, and we want to make sure that my parents and Stef's parents really know how much we love and appreciate all that they have given us.

Monster Update: 20

2007-08-11T09:52:00.000-04:00

The Monster now weighs about 10.5 ounces. It's also either around 6.5" long (from head to bottom), or about 10" (from head to heel). That makes the Monster the size of a small cantaloupe (pictured).

In grosser news, a greasy white substance called vernix caseosa coats the Monster's entire body to protect its skin during its long submersion in amniotic fluid. (This slick coating also eases the journey down the birth canal.)Also, the Monster is swallowing more, which is good practice for its digestive system. The swallowing and some cell loss produces meconium, a black, sticky substance which will accumulate in its bowels, and we'll get to see it in the first messy diaper. So that's something to look forward to.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Doctor Visit: 04

2007-08-07T13:17:00.000-04:00

For the second time in a row, we waited for quite a while in the doctor's waiting room before a fairly routine five-minute check-up. Apparently, Monday nights are extremely popular at the Ob/Gyn's, so we're going to try and have the next appointment on a quieter day. Hopefully, this will help to minimize or even eliminate the Monster's prenatal exposure to Oprah.

As for the Monster itself, it's doing just fine. Stef has gained 3.5 lbs, which is right in keeping with all the books and charts and what-have-yous. The Monster's heartbeat is still chugging away at a clip of about 160 BPM (and, no, that is not indicative of a gender, sorry). However, perhaps the best news of the entire visit was that Stef got express permission to eat the occasional sushi roll or deli meats - advice which is in keeping with every pregnancy book written in the past decade that I've read, but against the "conventional" wisdom and habits of some of our more cautious pregnant friends.

The Venerable Nanny

2007-08-06T13:59:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, the Monster got to "meet" Nanny, its great grandmother from Florida, who was up in Boston for a few weeks of vacation and senior-oriented education. Nanny was "trilled and delighted" to see Stef, who at least has a little bump, even if she isn't as far along as other friends we got to visit while up in Boston (cough*Sharona*cough). And, of course, Nanny took the whole family out to dinner at Stefanie's on Newbury, because the first rule of this family is that food=love!

Monster Update: 19

2007-08-04T12:57:00.000-04:00

The Tummy Monster weighs about 8 1/2 ounces, and it measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the length of a small zucchini (pictured). Its arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of it's little body now. The Monster's kidneys continue to make urine, and the hair on its scalp is sprouting. This is a crucial time for sensory development: the Monster's brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Monster's First: Sporting Event

2007-08-01T13:05:00.000-04:00

For a few months now, I've been in a Rhode Island lawyer's softball league. I'm on the Law Clerk's team, and it is a bit of an understatement to say we've lost a few games (all but one, really), but it's been a lot of fun and a nice way to be social outside of the office. Back at the beginning of the season, Stef was regularly attending our games and cheering us on. But, as you know, shortly after we found out she was pregnant Stef started feeling poorly, and so I started going to the games by myself.

Thankfully, Stef's been feeling much, much better. So good, in fact, that last night she suggested going to the game with me, and, as a result, the Monster got to "see" its daddy "play" sports for the first time. Of course, I cracked under the immense pressure, going 0-for-2 and letting two catchable balls drop in right field. The team lost, no thanks to my horrible performance, but everyone was good sports about it, so the Monster at least learned a bit about sportsmanship. Maybe next week I'll do better.

Book Report: "From The Hips"

2007-07-31T15:41:00.000-04:00

Rebecca Odes & Ceridwen Morris, 2007

So, after a brief hiatus from reading pregnancy-related books (not to mention dealing with an actual pregnancy), I'm back on topic with From The Hips, which I had heard was made with our generation in mind. Unfortunately, it wasn't as helpful as I'd have liked.

Sure, the book is very pretty. It certainly gets style points over all the other books I've read for its illustrations* and its use of color and interesting design elements and what-have-you. And it definitely uses more "hip" (pardon the pun) language. However, content-wise it was a bit lacking. This is mostly due to the book's two main conceits - (i) the "fair and balanced" approach to data presentation, and (ii) the use of thought bubbles conveying anecdotal information which re-enforces the author-created content on the page.

For example, there's a section of the book wherein the authors discuss whether or not pregnant women should eat sushi. They present an argument pro and an argument contra, and basically leave it up for you to decide. Fair enough, I suppose, as every pregnancy is different, and I understand the trepidation they might have regarding litigation in this day and age. But "fair and balanced" is not very helpful. Even less helpful are the (visually arresting) thought bubbles surrounding this "debate" on the page, wherein anonymous mothers present one-sentence snippets which repeat, albeit in first-person format, the pro and contra arguments already discussed by the authors. As someone who frowns on the use of one-off anecdotal evidence, I was more than a little distracted by these quotes, and they took up about half of the book!

Nevertheless, some great information did come through. Although the first third of the book (which focused on the pregnancy) really just repeated information I had read in a more condensed format earlier, the second two-thirds of the book really expanded my knowledge regarding (i) birth, and (ii) post-birth issues. Clearly, the book isn't big enough to make me an expert, and the presentation of the information is, as stated above, not the most useful. But it, I think, is good to know about the major issues women have with giving birth, and some of the physical, emotional and practical problems that come with actually, you know, having a baby. Overall, not a book I would recommend unless I knew a pregnant person with ADD who needed all the graphic doodads to keep them interested.

Monster Update: 18

2007-07-28T10:48:00.000-04:00

Head to bottom, the Monster is approximately 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a large sweet potato (pictured)), and it weighs almost 7 ounces. The Monster is busy flexing its arms and legs — movements that Stef will hopefully start noticing. Myelin (a protective covering) is beginning to form around the Monster's nerves, a process that will continue for a year after birth. Oh, and genitalia (male or female) has been pretty much fully formed. We won't find out which kind until August 20th, though, so hurry up and vote in our poll.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Gimme Shelter

2007-07-27T15:47:00.000-04:00

This here is a little scale model of the townhouse Stef and I just bought. I made the model in Google's free Sketchup program (which I really, really wish existed back when I was an industrial designer). Photos of the place can be found here. We're super-excited about moving, as anyone who has seen our 480 square foot apartment can imagine. Our closing date is August 23rd, and if you want to help move we're getting a U-Haul on the 25th. The Monster will now have its own room!

Reunited, and it feels so good!

2007-07-23T13:52:00.000-04:00

About two-and-a-half months after their first prenatal meeting, Ribs (a.k.a. Hunter) and the Tummy Monster got to hang out again at Fran's baby shower, which Stef (with the occasional help from her Mom, her sister and her loving husband) somehow organized in the throes of first trimester illness. Being contained within their mothers' stomachs and only a few months apart in age, the Monster and Ribs had a lot in common and got along fairly well, for not being able to talk, see, hear or otherwise communicate or comprehend anything.

Monster Update: 17

2007-07-21T14:31:00.000-04:00

The Tummy monster weighs about 5 ounces now, and it is around 5 inches long — about the size of a large onion (pictured). The umbilical cord, the lifeline to the placenta, is growing stronger and thicker. The Monster can move its joints, and its skeleton — until now, rubbery cartilage — is starting to harden into bone. Some of it will remain cartilage for years after birth. A newborn's skeleton has 300 parts (a combination of bone and cartilage). As children grow, some of these parts harden and fuse together. By the time the Monster reaches adulthood, it'll have just 206 bones.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Monster Update: 16

2007-07-14T16:03:00.000-04:00

At 4 1/2 inches long (head to bottom) and 3 1/2 ounces, the Tummy Monster is about the size of an avocado (pictured). In the next three weeks, it'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, though, doubling its weight and adding inches. The Monster's lower limbs are much more developed now. Its head is more erect than it has been, and its eyes have moved toward the front of the head. Also, the Monster's ears are close to their final position, too. Some of its more advanced body systems are working, including the circulatory system and urinary tract. The Monster's heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, circulating its total blood volume through her body many times. (By the end of Stef's pregnancy, this will increase to about 190 quarts.) The patterning of its scalp has begun, though no hair isn't recognizable yet. Although closed, the Monster's eyes are moving (slowly). Plus? The Monster has started growing toenails.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Doctor Visit: 03

2007-07-10T15:56:00.000-04:00

Overall, this was a pretty routine, although slightly frustrating visit. We waited for a really long time because the doctor was out last week for the holiday, and apparently everyone rescheduled for our day. Being extremely impatient people, this wait made us cranky and hungry, and I wanted to throttle the newscasters on the TV we were forced to listen to (or, rather, the politicians said announcers quoted without question). And then we saw the doctor, heard the Monster's heartbeat, and pretty much forgot all our cares and worries. I can't wait for this kid to get here, but I still think it's beyond rude to make little beeping noises while playing with your cell phone in a full waiting room.

Overall, Stef is feeling much, much better (thanks for all those who wished her well during the first trimester), although she's still pretty tired and occasionally she still gets sick (especially when she's stuck in a waiting room for almost two hours).

Another Monster Friend

2007-07-09T09:12:00.000-04:00

CONGRATULATIONS to Ken and Annie on the birth of their baby girl Charlotte Mae (a.k.a. "Maisie")!

Monster Update: Week 15

2007-07-07T07:44:00.000-04:00

At around 4 inches long, crown to rump, the Tummy Monster now weighs about 2 1/2 ounces, what I'm assuming is about the size of a baby potato (pictured). It is busy inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, which will help develop the air sacs in the lungs. Its legs are growing longer than its arms now, and the Monster can move all its joints and limbs. That means its hands are more functional, too. Sweat glands are appearing, and although the eyelids are fused shut, it can sense light. Cool trick, if we shine a flashlight at Stef's belly, the Monster is likely to move away from the beam! There's not much for the Monster to taste at this point, but taste buds are beginning to form anyway. When we have an ultrasound (in late August), we may be able to find out whether the Monster is a boy or a girl (and I can stop using non-gender pronouns)!

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Monster's First: Gifts

2007-07-05T06:42:00.000-04:00

Above is a picture of the first of what we are sure will be many, many cute gifts for the Monster. It arrived in the mail recently, just ahead of a huge package for Stef. Thanks, Anne Y., for the lovely, homemade bibs, and thanks Eileen for the box o' maternity clothes! I love the Dinosaur on the skateboard side, and Stef is partial to the care bears, so we each have a bib we can use while we wait for the Monster! And Stef really perked up when she got to try on new clothes. Thanks again, you guys rock.

On Being Web-Savvy

2007-07-03T14:56:00.000-04:00

For those of you who already have this blog on an RSS feed, feel free to ignore this post (except the last paragraph!). However, for those of you who check back every day or so to see if there is an update or not, we have some suggestions which will save you a bunch of time and heartache.

First, you should consider subscribing via an RSS reader. We like Google's, because it's free and easy. And free. Here's a link to a pretty good video that explains what RSS readers do and how to go about getting started with them. Once you watch that, come back here and copy and paste the following url into your "add subscription" area:
http://tummymonster.blogspot.com/

Now you can use that site to not only view the updates to this awesome blog, but all the other less-awesome blogs and news sites you read on a daily basis, saving you tons of time, which you can then use to think about ways to thank us for saving you so much time.

But let's say you don't read that many blogs or news sites on the web. In fact, if you just use the internet to read this blog (because it rocks) and check your email, you might want to be emailed when there's a new post. If that's the case, shoot us an email with your preferred email address, and we'll add you to the Tummy Monster email group.

Finally, if you look at the sidebar of this page (which you wouldn't see in your RSS reader, natch) you'll see a new poll feature which you should go ahead and participate in. It's in beta-testing at Blogger, which is why it looks all wonky, but eventually it'll be nice and neat and it will tell us things like what gender you all think the Monster is, or what it's name should be, or when you think it'll actually arrive, or any other little thing we feel like polling you on. Fun, right? Anyhoo, we hope this helped.

Another Monster Friend

2007-06-30T23:46:00.000-04:00

CONGRATULATIONS to Heather and Steve on the birth of their baby boy, Jace Owen!!! He took a long time coming, but it was totally worth it! More info and photos here.

Monster Update: Week 14

2007-06-30T13:56:00.000-04:00

Head to bottom, the Monster is about 3 1/2 inches long — about the length of a lemon (pictured) — and weighs about 1 1/2 ounces. Its body is growing faster than its proportionally giant head, which now sits upon a more well-defined neck. By the end of this week, the arms will have lengthened and will be in proportion to the rest of the body. (The Monster's legs still have some growing to do, though.) It's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair all over its body (called lanugo). The Monster's liver starts secreting bile this week (not gross at all), a sign that it's already functioning properly, and the spleen starts contributing to the production of red blood cells. The Monster is also producing and discharging urine into the amniotic fluid, a normal process that it'll keep up until birth. Stef still can't feel the Monster's movements, but we're told the hands and feet (which are now half an inch long) are more flexible and active. Thanks to brain impulses, little facial muscles are getting a workout as the Monster squints, frowns, and grimaces. It can grasp now, too, and it may be able to suck its thumb.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Another Monster Friend

2007-06-26T10:56:00.000-04:00

CONGRATULATIONS to Randy and Bethany (and big sister/photographer Kylie) on the birth of their baby girl, Sophie Sutton!!! More info and pictures here.

Monster Update: Week 13

2007-06-23T06:35:00.000-04:00

The Monster is only about 3 inches long crown to rump — roughly the size of a jumbo shrimp (pictured) — and weighs just about an ounce. Despite the small proportions, there's a fully formed baby inside Stef's womb now. Much more proportional than it was a few weeks ago, its head is now only about a third the size of its body. Tiny, unique fingerprints are already in place. Kidneys and urinary tract are functional, and it's starting to urinate out the amniotic fluid it's been swallowing. That's not gross at all!

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Another Monster Friend

2007-06-20T14:06:00.000-04:00

CONGRATULATIONS to Sabrina (Stef's cousin) and Ed on the birth of their baby girl, Ariel Lynn!!!

Whew! It's been quite a day so far.

Monster's First Friend

2007-06-20T06:43:00.000-04:00

CONGRATULATIONS to Lance and Cheryl on the birth of their baby boy, Reed Jeremy! More info and photos here.

Monster Update: Week 12

2007-06-16T18:57:00.000-04:00

The Monster has hit the 2-inch mark (about the size of a lime (pictured)) and weighs half an ounce. Its face is beginning to look more human. The eyes, which started out on the sides of its head, have moved closer together on its face, and its ears are near their final positions on the sides of the head. The Tummy Monster's intestines, which have grown so rapidly that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into the abdominal cavity about now. Its kidneys are secreting urine into its bladder. Nerve cells have been multiplying rapidly, and synapses (neurological pathways in the brain) are forming. The Monster may have acquired more reflexes by now, including sucking, and it'll even squirm if we prod Stef's abdomen, though she still won't be able to feel the Monster's movement for several weeks.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Doctor VIsit: 02 (The Beat Goes On!)

2007-06-11T20:10:00.000-04:00

There are absolutely no words that I could use to describe the pride and joy I felt this afternoon hearing the Monster's heartbeat. Sure, it was really weird being at someone else's doctor's appointment, and, yes, I was a little freaked out watching another person look at my wife's naked parts. But all that sort of melted away at the very first wet-sounding thump coming out of Stef's tummy. Seriously, though, if I'm this messed up about an internal, automatic, uncontrollable bodily function, how emotional am I gonna' be when the kid poops for the first time?

Oh, and and big, fat "Hello!" to everyone who has decided to drop by our unborn child's blog. We're very glad we can finally discuss everything out in the open-like with y'all. Of course, the Monster will now probably be all we talk about for the next few years, but at least it's better than law stuff, right?

License To Ill

2007-06-09T09:54:00.001-04:00

Stef was feeling pretty lousy this past week or so, as in: nausea. This was the onset of the dreaded "morning sickness", a reaction to the increased hormones in the body that more than half of all pregnant women get (typically between the 6th and 12th weeks of pregnancy). Of course, when Stef would get sick to her stomach, it would happen all-of-a-sudden and almost never in the morning (misnomer!). Actually, we found that it happened most right when we got home from work. This was particularly bad timing, though, because it was messing with her dinner time and her already-screwy appetite (which is very small but very frequent right now), so we took the advice of one of the books I had read and Stef started driving home each day. This seemed to do the trick; although she still had an upset stomach, she was able to keep her food down and even eat dinner. Score one for book-learnin'!

Despite this temporary victory, the being nauseous was really frustrating Stef, and my reassuring her that "[m]any health care providers think morning sickness is a good sign because it means the placenta is developing well" (or, as the saying goes: "the sicker the mom, the healthier the baby") wasn't really helping. What did end up really helping was talking to Fran, and hearing from her that everything Stef was experiencing was normal. More importantly, it was important for Stef to know that the sick part would go away soon and that she'd start being hungry again soon. Voracious, even. So we've got that to look forward to.

Monster Update: Week 11

2007-06-09T09:33:00.000-04:00

Our fig-sized (pictured) Monster is now fully formed — measuring 1 1/2 inches long and weighing in at a quarter of an ounce. Its skin is still transparent, allowing many of its blood vessels to show through. Some of the Monster's bones are beginning to harden, and tiny toothbuds are starting to appear under its gums. The Monster's fingers and toes have separated, and it may soon be able to open and close its fists. The Monster is already busy kicking and stretching, and its tiny movements are so fluid they look like water ballet. These movements will increase as its body grows and becomes more developed and functional. As its diaphragm develops, the Monster may also start to get the hiccups. Because it's still so small, though, Stef won't be able to feel any of these workouts or intrauterine gulps until sometime between weeks 16 and 20.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Monster Update: Week 10

2007-06-02T09:31:00.000-04:00

The Monster is no longer an embryo! Though it's barely the size of a kumquat (pictured) — just an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, the Monster now has completed the most critical portion of its development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in its body rapidly grow and mature. The Monster's vital organs — the liver, kidney, intestines, brain, and lungs — are now in place and starting to function (although they'll continue to develop throughout the pregnancy). The Monster's liver continues to make blood cells, and the yolk sac, which previously supplied these cells, is no longer needed and begins to disappear.

During the next three weeks, the Monster's length will more than double to nearly 3 inches. Its head is proportionately smaller now than it was a few weeks ago, but the head is still almost half the length of the Monster's entire body. Its forehead temporarily bulges with its developing brain (!) and sits high on its head; it will later recede to give the Monster a more human appearance. Each day, more minute details — including tiny fingernails, toenails, and peach-fuzz hair — start to appear on the Monster's body. Its fingers are now completely separated; its arms bend at the elbow and curve slightly; its hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over its heart; its legs are lengthening; and its feet may be long enough to meet in front of its body. The Monster is busily swallowing amniotic fluid and kicking its legs.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Dropping The Bomb

2007-05-30T15:54:00.000-04:00

Here's how we let the cat out of the bag (finally): First, Stef told AJ and Fran that she may not be able to keep up or eat out too much... because she was pregnant. They were very excited for us and we all agreed that it's pretty cool that the Monster will be about the same age as Ribs (a.k.a. Hunter). Fran and Stef commisteratted/gushed about their shared experiences, while AJ and I played Nintendo. It was all very 21st Century Norman Rockwellian. Meanwhile, Auntie Kate called, and we decided to tell her, too, since we weren't going to see her in a few weeks and it was very unlikely Stef's family could keep it a secret from her for that long. She was happy, but feeling a bit left out, I think. I am sure she'll get over it after she smells her first diaper.

As for the Parentals, both sets were extremely happy. We had held back with some Mother's Day gifts... children's books related to being grandmothers, knowing that we were going to break the news during our vacation to everyone in person. I don't think anyone was particularly surprised (I mean, we've been married for four years now), but it's one thing to think you might be a grandparent, and another to actually find out that you will be a grandparent. Congratulations to everyone (mostly us!), and welcome to Tummy Monster's blog. We hope this keeps you well informed.

Monster's First: Road Trip

2007-05-29T14:19:00.000-04:00

This past Memorial Day weekend, we took a road trip to visit friends and family down the eastern seaboard. Our first stop was West Chester, PA, where we stayed with our good friends the "Hechlingers." Kylie was beautiful and amazing, Bethany looked healthy and happy, and Randy was--as always--in good spirits. They're expecting their latest brood member soon enough, and I've no doubt we'll be hitting them up for parenting advice sooner or later.

Stop number two was AJ and Fran's new home in Raleigh, NC. They seemed to be doing very well for themselves, as were their adorable pups, Luci and Rocco (see above). While in North Carolina we went to a flea market, a comic store, numerous grocery stores looking for fresh mint (MOJITOS!!!), and a dog park where we saw a pony (actually, a Great Dane), and met Chandler Bing (the Cocker Spaniel). We also introduced AJ and Fran and their friends to the awesomeness that is the Wii. Oh! And we FINALLY got to tell people about the Monster (see this post).

Our third stop was Northern Virginia, to see my folks, and tell them the good news. This was followed by the requisite hugs, kisses and phone calls to relatives, along with more Wii playing, dinner at Reston Town Center, and Settlers of Catan (h/t DeLanceys).

Finally, we made our way back north, with only a brief detour at Mystic, CT to tell Stef's folks the big news. They fed us steak and sent us home, and we got a very good night's rest, even though the cats puked on our bed while we were gone.

Monster Update: Week 09

2007-05-26T09:45:00.000-04:00

The Monster is nearly an inch long — barely the size of a grape (pictured) — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce, but it's poised for rapid weight gain now that its basic physical structure is in place. The Monster is also starting to look more and more human. The embryonic "tail" is now completely gone and its body parts — including organs, muscles, and nerves — are kicking into gear.

The Monster's eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. It has earlobes, and by week's end, the inner workings of its ears will be complete. The Monster's upper lip is fully formed, too, and its mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The tips of its fingers are slightly enlarged where its touch pads are developing. All major joints — shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, and ankles — are working, enabling the Monster to move its limbs. As for the heart, it has divided into four chambers now, and the valves have started to develop. External sex organs are there, but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Monster Update: Week 08

2007-05-19T15:35:00.000-04:00

The Monster is now 5/8 of an inch long, about the size of a kidney bean. Its constantly moving and shifting, although Stef won't be able to feel these womb wiggles for several weeks yet. Its embryonic tail is disappearing, and its eyelids practically cover its eyes. Still slightly webbed, its fingers and toes are growing longer. The Monster's arms have lengthened, too, and its hands are now flexed at the wrist and meet over its little heart. Its knee joints have formed, and its feet may be long enough to meet in front of its body. With its trunk straightening out, its head is more erect. Breathing tubes extend from its throat to the branches of its developing lungs. The nerve cells in its brain are also branching out to connect with one another, forming primitive neural pathways. In case you're curious, its external genitals still haven't developed enough to reveal whether we're having a boy monster or a girl monster.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Happy Anniversary, Us!

2007-05-18T16:03:00.000-04:00

Dear Monster,

Yesterday, your Mom and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary. It was really nice to share gifts, to go out to a nice dinner, and to just relax together. Even though we've only had a couple of anniversaries, I'd have to say that this one was probably our best yet . . . although that's mostly 'cause we're so super-excited about you!

Anyway, as it was our anniversary I got to thinking about how fast the past four years have gone by. Really, it's been a blur, and that's mostly a good thing, but sometimes you need nights like the one we had last night.

What's crazy is that, ignoring the fact that you can't even comprehend the concept of "time" yet, you'd probably think that four years was forever. I mean, four years is about 200 weeks older than you are now (or, alternatively, 26 times longer than you've been in existence)! Anyway, my point was that time goes by fast, especially when you're in love like your Mom and I are. I'm sure after you're born time is going to seem like it goes even faster. Nevertheless, I hope, for all our sakes, that we're able to slow down a little and just enjoy it like your Mom and I did last night.

Your Dad-to-be

Book Report: "The Expectant Father: Facts, Tip & Advice for Dads-to-Be"

2007-05-18T14:00:00.000-04:00

Armin A. Brott & Jennifer Ash, 1995

Yet another slim, easily-concealed, male-oriented pregnancy preparation library book. Also, I note here for the first time, written by a male and a female, for whatever that is worth. The Expectant Father . . . starts off a bit disorganized, describing some decisions regarding pregnancy that will need to be made in either the near future or down the line a bit (it's actually unclear at this point, and very little information is given regarding each of these decisions). The book then veers off into the cost of birthing a baby, and at this point I am thinking that the medical bills alone should have stopped humans from procreating long, long ago. Approximately $12K just to have a baby? I find it hard to believe anyone actually pays that much, and so I wonder what purpose the information serves other than to freak me out.

Anyway, eventually, the book gets a month-by-month guide of (i) symptoms (physical and emotional) to expect in the wife, and (ii) things to be worried about/look forward to that month. This is really the strength and saving grace of the book, because--let's face it--there's an overwhelming amount of information to process when you find out you're having a baby. It's comforting to know there's a priority of decision-making, and schedule of things to come; even if rationally you know that the "schedule" is illusory and much more flexible than the book makes out.

Of course, all of the really useful information in The Expectant Father . . . could have been summed up in a handy chart (or, more appropriately, a time-line or calendar), but interspersed amongst the good stuff is a bunch of touchie-feelie "here's how you might be feeling at this juncture-or not" hokum. Sure, the Monster may turn me into an emotional wreck, and I'm sure it helps just knowing that other guys have felt some anxieties regarding pregnancy. I may really need that stuff down the line. But I doubt it.

Overall, The Expectant Father . . . was somewhat helpful, but it relied more on dealing with hypothetical emotional baggage instead of providing more proactive advice for more practical issues. It did come with pregnancy-friendly recipes, though. So that was nice.