A glimpse of the future
We went to the hospital for a detailed sonogram earlier today and found out that we have a healthy baby boy. He’s absolutely the most precious thing in the world, and even the doctor says he’s "perfect." Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw in that sonogram: beating heart, fully formed brain, round tummy, little legs, little feet, little hands with wiggling fingers that curled up and pointed as if he were making forceful arguments. I’m astounded by the wonder of it all. I have a son growing inside the woman I love. If this experience gets any more powerful, I may explode from all the emotion. Heaven help me when this baby is actually born.
Speaking of which, I have no idea what I’m going to do with this baby. When I imagine having a baby in the house, I see things like lying on the couch while he takes a nap on my chest. I see myself singing to him as he lies on his back in the crib, smiling and kicking his legs. I see Mrs. Happy feeding him while I marvel at her angelic beauty. It’s all quite peaceful.
I’m afraid I’m in for something of a shock. A few weeks ago, I mentioned to Rey (who has two children of his own) that "I sure hope having a kid will be easier than building a Web site." I was mostly kidding when I said it. Mostly. I know children are more complex than Web browsers. But Web technology can be maddeningly difficult—a fact I tend to blame on Microsoft. And Bill Gates has nothing to do with how my son acts, right? I shudder to think that any child of mine might behave as poorly and obstinately as Internet Explorer. Even so, I think Rey may still be laughing at me.
July 6th, 2005 at 8:43 am
Internet Explorer won’t flush your watch down the toilet.
Congratulations on the news you are having a son!
July 6th, 2005 at 9:07 am
Oh boy am I still laughing. Hope you’re a light sleeper too. I can’t have the baby sleep because I’m not a light sleeper.
July 6th, 2005 at 9:48 am
I’m very happy for you. Going to the sonogram was the highpoint of the pregnancies for my husband. We couldn’t believe how the technology improved from our first (1989) to our fourth (1995). Ten years later, I can only imagine what you were able to see. Enjoy!
Our last baby was born in a birthing center, and they had my husband take off his shirt and hold the brand new baby on his bare chest to warm up, instead of putting him into a little warming chamber. It was very earthy and tactile and wonderful. My husband actually pulled out both of our sons, after the midwives had delivered the head and shoulders. He still can’t believe he had this privilege.
Birth and babyhood are a wonderful gift from God, but they go so fast. While you need to do a lot of preparation for birth and a baby, you need even more to prepare for the “whole person” who is coming to live on this earth. Two books I wish I had read before I had my children are, “Shepherding Your Child’s Heart,” by Ted Tripp, and “Age of Opportunity,” by Paul David Tripp (about raising teenagers). The reason it’s good to read these books early it that they have a lot to do with getting your own heart and life into submission to the Lord before you try to teach a child how to live. Not that you seem to have a long way to go, but none of us are perfect, and yet we want so badly to be perfect as we strive to parent these incredible gifts God gives us.
July 7th, 2005 at 9:26 pm
How absolutely wonderful for you. Babies are so precious. I send you congratulatory, internet hugs!
July 11th, 2005 at 8:03 am
Microsoft won’t lose your wedding ring when it is two years old, either, to add on to Mopsy’s note. *ahem* *cough*
I don’t know, though. While kids really aren’t my thing…I think that in the long run, the good, warm and fuzzy parts stick with you longer than the diapers, projectile vomiting, and finding cookies smushed all over the couch.
July 11th, 2005 at 9:20 am
Congratulations, Curt! I don’t know what to say… am so excited!
July 12th, 2005 at 1:18 pm
It’s the hardest job you’ll also love. Believe it or not, a lot of it comes naturally. Relax. You’re going to be a great dad. I don’t think I’ve chimed in with a congratulations yet, Curt. Congratulations.
July 16th, 2005 at 3:34 am
We are loving our journey as parents and I get all warm and fuzzy reading about parents-to-be as they wait and wonder. Nothing can prepare you for the love you will have for your child. It’s so different from any other kind of love.
As for the peaceful moments, you will have lots of them. A lot will depend on the kind of baby you have. One book that helped us in the practical aspects of caring for a baby was “Secrets of the Baby Whisperer.” Thought I don’t agree with everything she says, there is a lot of good practical advice, including how to interpret the baby’s cries, which we found very helpful. I may have recommended this book before on another comment. As I typed it, I realized that I had already given you a few titles of books we like.
I am reading “Shepherding a Child’s Heart” and I have to say it is revolutionary to me as a way to raise children. I highly recommend it. However, I have yet to put it into practice as our kids are still so young. But it definitely has gotten me thinking about how to bring the gospel into day to day life in training my kids.
As for having a boy, YIPPEE! Our first is a boy and we thought we wanted a girl, but when our little guy arrived, we were just so thrilled with him (still are). And now we have our girl too! Many heartfelt congratulations to you and Mrs. Happy.