Mmmm...fried stuff....

Well, the doctor confirmed that Margaret is indeed pregnant, so now it's official. No we can begin to tell everyone else we didn't let the secret slip out to.
We went to the fair tonight, something we try to do every year, despite the high cheese factor. Ten years ago we both would have been hitting all the rides, but now we basically eat our way around the midway. With the Bean continuing to flourish, and noting the fact that Margaret usually eats fairly healthy, one has to wonder what it thought of the crap coming its way this evening. The list includes a corn dog (and Margaret doesn't eat meat, so it'll be interesting to see how that goes over), fried cheese, and an elephant ear (fried dough similar to a funnel cake, with cinnamon and sugar). I'm thinking that if the Bean were a bit more developed, it would be zinging off the walls of Margaret's womb from the effects of the grase, cholesterol and sugar.
With the admission, food and drink, and gas, the night out proved to be expensive. Margaret suggested not telling our child about the fair after it was born, and that if he or she ever came to us asking about it, we could simply say that the carnies feasted on small children, and that the risk was just too great. I personally feel that if the kid wants to go to the fair, we'll make it happen, even though the trip's expenses will be ridiculous. I plan to do all the parent things - ball games, a trip to Disney World, camping. My dad did all that with me, and I can't wait to pass it on.
I have been seeing commercials for the film version of "Jarhead," a book I am ashamed to say I haven't read yet. From what I've seen so far, the look of the film is dead on accurate, at least for the type of scenery I saw when I was out in the Saudi Arabian desert in 1990-91. I'm looking forward to seeing the film. I swear to god that if I had known that there was a possibility of getting published (much less a film deal), I would have kept better record of my time out there. Not that what I experienced was all that exciting, but it certainly was as interesting as this book I'm reading now, "Just Another Soldier," by Jason Christopher Hartley. I'm enjoying it, and Hartley is a great writer who tells it like it is. The book is basically his blog he kept while deployed in Iraq during the current war. I wish blogs had existed back when I was over there. Anyway, the whole reason for even bringing up military service is because I don't want the Bean to have to do anything of the sort unless he or she wants to. I wasn't pushed into my three years in the army, and I'm glad I did it for the most part, seeing as I got to live in Europe for almost three years. That absolutely opened my mind and changed my life. If the Bean wants to follow in my footsteps, then I will urge he or she to join the Air Force. They definitely have the best standard of living, not to mention the best jobs for use outside the military. Hopefully it won't be an issue. Hopefully the Bean will opt to go to college after high school.
There are so many things to consider.
We might call my dad tomorrow and ask him to lunch to tell him the news. We'll see how that goes.

Going Public

Another week gone. Man, if I thought time was going fast before, it is positively streaking by now. Nine months will have gone by before we know it, and yet I am already impatient. I want to meet the Bean. I want to start molding him or her into what we hope will be a little genius. I'm sure that this is what every parent hopes for in their child, but is that a bad thing? I just want him or her (man, I can't wait to know the sex so I can type "him" or "her") to have every possible opportunity.
So Margaret goes to the doctor tomorrow, and once she gets a clean bill of health, we'll basically begin telling the world. We've already told a few folks, but have decided to wait until after the doctor's appointment to send out a widespread broadcast. Margaret is beginning to get cravings, not for pickles and ice cream, but for turkey subs. We'll see how freaky the cravings get later on. I have already told her that I will go out, no matter what the hour, and find her what she is craving. Should be interesting.
Went to see Dennis DeYoung with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra this weekend. I figured it would be way cheesy, but it was actually quite good. But then I am a Styx geek from back in the day. I even got to meet the guy (that's him on the left...lol). Makes up for never actually seeing Styx. Found out that the company I'm with has health insurance that covers childbirth in the following manner: we pay a $10 co-pay for the first doctor's appointment, and the insurance company pays everything else. Rock on! That even covers post-natal stuff. Gotta love good health insurance. One less thing to fret about.

Listen(ooh-wah-ooh)Do you want to know a secret

It is no secret that both Margaret and I are lousy at keeping secrets. Okay, so Margaret is better than me, but with news like this it is painful to not be able to tell anyone. Margaret made a doctor appointment, which is a week from this Tuesday, so until then we have to keep the big news a secret from almost everyone a little longer. There have been some leaks. We called our friend LaDona in San Diego and told her, using the thinking that since she's 3000 miles away she won't blab. I also, in an alcohol-fueled moment of weakness, told some folks at the Windjammer last Sunday. Let's see, I believe I told Col. Bobby Ross, Hank Futch and Fred LeBlanc from Cowboy Mouth. Seeing as we were all a bit snockered, I doubt any of them will remember.
We went up to Margaret's mother's house tonight for dinner to break the news to her, and our niece, Noel. We had gone to dinner and a movie with Noel last night (Mellow Mushroom/Wallace and Grommit: The Curse of the Wererabbit) and she revealed over dinner (keep in mind that she had no idea that Margaret was pregnant) that she had made a bet with her cousin, Adam, as to when and if Margaret would have a baby. Noel said that Margaret would have a baby before she was forty, while Adam said she wouldn't. The bet was for $10. Over dinner, I non-chalantly discussed the "what-ifs" of parenthood with Noel ("What if we were to have a girl? That would mean you wouldn't be the only female granddaughter."). Noel seemed cool about the fact that it might someday happened. After we dropped her off, Margaret lightly scolded me for messing with Noel's mind. Hey, no harm done.
So today we head up to Awendaw, and on the way we discuss how we're going to break it to them. We decide to casually bring up the subject of Noel's bet. We also decide, just to mess with Margaret's mother's mind, to tell her that we've already picked names out. If its a girl, we'll say we're going to name it Hillary, and if it's a boy, it'll be Clinton Kennedy. I could almost hear her conservative brain lock up. Brilliant. Don't get me wrong - I love Annette, but this was just to good to pass up.
So we got to the house, and as planned we casuallybrought up the bet. I finally said, "Well Noel, I guess you'll have to tell Adam that he owes you $10.
It went right over both of their heads.
Margaret said, "Okay, guys...are you paying attention? Noel, Adam owes you $10."
No reaction from either, in fact Annette began to argue that Noel owed Adam money.
I looked at Margaret and said, "Realization should set in any second," and looked at my watch.
No reaction....then a few seconds later I could tell from Noel's face that she was beginning to understand what was going on. Annette was still confused about the bet.
I said, "Annette, why would Adam owe Noel $10?"
Annette thought for a moment, smiled, looked at Margaret, and said, "Because you're pregnant?"
BINGO! It took almost 60 seconds from the time I first mentioned that Adam would owe Noel money, to Annette catching on. It was pretty hilarious. Of course both mother and daughter shed a few tears and hugged, and so now some family officially know.

And so it begins....

Okay, so week has passed, and I have had time to think about the situation. The initial euphoric feelings I felt when it was revealed to my by my wife that we were expecting has been replaced by...well, actually the truth is that I'm still pretty euphoric. Am I ready for parenthood? Um, no, but who is ever really ready for something like that? I'm ready to start preparing, and I suppose it'll have to start happening soon, because by my estimate the baby will be here in June.
Wow.
I know that there will be plenty of trying times ahead, and lord knows I'll probably have diferent things to say after a few dozen 4am feedings, but I also know that this is going to be the best thing that ever happened to us. Man, I really want to be a good parent. I want to show our as-yet unborn child everything that life has to offer. I want to travel with him or her, to immerse "the bean," as we're now calling it, in the arts, sports, world affairs, and have it be smart and aware and, above all else, happy.
I promise to do my best -better than I have ever done with anything in my life.
I can't wait for you to be born, little bean....I love you already.

Hello There

Well, creating a blog wasn't originally on my list of things to do this evening, but considering the news I just received, I felt it appropriate. Earlier this evening Margaret announced she was going to Target (pronounced Tar-sjay, of course). When I asked what she needed, she replied "a pregnancy test." Cue the sound of a phonograph needle being whipped off a record. Amazingly, I was very cool with this, not that I had any control over the situation. So the Target run was made, and the required actions performed, and to make a long story short, the rabbit died.
Wow...
Unexpected, but not at all unwelcome. So we're going to be parents. Okay, I'm ready for it...I think...
I'm going to do my best to document the next however many months, mostly so that when Margaret and I are old and feeble, we can remember this time. Not that I plan on forgetting it. I could get all philosophical, but to tell the truth, I'm a little...no, a lot humbled right now. More to come...