A post from dad

Hello Everyone,

My wife has done a wonderful job keeping you all up to date on the goings on with us over here in Nebraska. She is such a good writer. With the impending birth of our little one growing ever closer I thought this would be a good time to give you a sense of how Dad is doing.

It has been a wild and fun ride, though challenging. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of our midwife appointments and childbirth classes. I love the ultrasound images and the heart beats on the Doppler. I am learning a lot as a new parent already, mostly that I still have a lot to learn. It is a gradual process, one that I am thankful to be blessed with.

The big moment for me thus far was finding out we were having a boy! That certainly cemented the concept for me. As my wife began to expand (I think she is absolutely gorgeous) our little guy began to take on a personality all his own. We are head over heels and we haven’t even met him face to face.

That will be a scary and wonderful day. I am reminded of something that my dad said to me recently, something he remembers from seeing me for the first time. As I was minutes old, he was minutes old as a father. There is no instruction book that comes individualized for each child. We learn together.

Dad and Levi have “tummy time” (when Dad puts his hand on Mom’s belly to feel Levi’s acrobatics). He tends to quiet down when Dad is around, whatever that means, but I absolutely love to feel him move. I talk to him often and he definitely responds to my voice or the vibrations anyhow. I think it is because it is deeper than Mom’s, which is with him all day.
We enjoy sharing this experience with those around us who are interested.

We (our life group from Church plus Jared & the Gipe family) surprised Melissa with a baby shower a few weeks ago. Everyone played their parts well and we totally got her. You should have seen the look on her face…priceless. (the picture below is us trying to cloth-diaper a stuffed bear - only using one hand each)

It isn’t often that you can pull one over on her, the little stinker. Her intuition is too sharp, or she is just nosey, I can’t say which – I’ll get in trouble :o) If she hadn’t been pregnant, there would have been no hope. It definitely leveled the playing field.

Our “babymoon” (visit to a local bed and breakfast) was wonderful. Mom and Dad are certainly enjoying spending time together before their little one joins the fray.

The new “space diapers” will be interesting. My my…have we come a long way from squares of cloth and diaper pins or what? I’m totally on board.

Rumor has it that the decision making continues for at least the next 20 years of this little guy’s life. It is good exercise for spousal communication that is for sure. Thank you all for your support and for sharing in this journey with us.

Until next time – Praise be to God,
Jonathan