Yesterday my wife woke up and told me that she thought that the baby had dropped, before she felt different and the baby did, indeed, seem to be lower. What that means is that approximately a month from yesterday, the baby will be born. By rule of thumb, anyway. What it meant for my wife is that the baby now rests very closely on her bladder, so her trips to the bathroom has been more frequent because Andrew Alex just doesn't like to share any room at all!

We went to the heartbeat screening thing today to monitor the baby's heartbeat, and he was doing a pretty average 135 bpm, but at one point he was doing jumping jacks or thinking about chasing cats or something, just it went up to 160 bpm. Overall, it seemed normal and my wife felt better later because she had been cramping up all morning. She's sleeping now while I continually avoid editing.

The baby room's even more decorated now, with the baby aquarium and the cool baby monitor. Really looking forward to having a baby yesterday at work. I was smiling thinking about being a father and a husband. I am really happy about all this fatherhood stuff.

Looking at my vacation time, I was quite disappointed to learn that I may not be able to take the three weeks as I had intended for the baby. My vacation hours basically equated to 29 hours, and I have 2 personal days. That really means, not a lot of time off. I think I would be able to at least get a week off, so that might not be too bad. My wife will have some problems about taking time off with pay as well. It's not equating to covering the full 6 weeks, and our eggs' nest has maybe some couch change in it. Oh well, we'll figure something out, like we always do.

Now that I've switched my shift from 7-4 to 9-6, I've been a little more alert, more willing to get up and do whatever it takes to do my job at work. And the cold that floored me last week is finally working itself out of my system, so I do feel tons better than I did before. Still, got so much weddings to finish, the first one that I've done is emailing me again, asking me when it might be done. I don't feel as bad for him because he'll get it soon, the wedding that I shot a week after his hasn't even been started though. I feel really bad about that one.

Another thing that I'm feeling bad about is how my friends are doing. Seems that everyone's in some kind of situation or another not to their liking, and I do feel a wee bit guilty that in about two months, I'll be on cloud nine with the arrival of Andrew Alex. Wife's daughter came over today with her newborn son (grand stepson!) and I thought I got to thinking that babies, infants specifically, are generally pretty funny looking. Not saying that my grand stepson was funnier looking, but just infants in general, with their shorten bodies, erratic hand gestures and crazy tougues peeking out of their mouths, and about a thousand facial expressions per second, these little legumes are kinda interestingly cute in a babyish sort of way. Their looks get more refined when they're older, and that's when most of the baby advertising occurs, but otherwise infants are just little versions of elderly people.

Right, I have to run from all the angry parents now.

Baby got Gifts!

Andrew Alex will be the most well provided for kid I know because of all the cool stuff that were given to us yesterday by friends and family at our baby shower. It was a dual baby shower, with a brilliant cake that was half for Andrew Alex and the other half for Kylie Lynn, who is Breeana's adorable little button of a baby. Kylie made the rounds yesterday, being held by a lot of people who wanted to see her tiny little nose and tiny little feet. It was really cool holding her, especially when she was lounging in your arms.

I got some photo albums up and running, so feel free to peruse at will. Thanks to my brother for taking so many good photos of everyone, and thanks to myself for not setting my camera correctly to produce pictures that weren't all so dark. Grumble, grumble.

Ron's Pictures --- and my pictures...

A few observations about the event. I started feeling really guilty about all the money and effort that other people have put into us this year, starting with the wedding, the bridal shower/bachelor party, and the baby shower. Beyond all the material and monetary loot that we have accumulated, it has really developed a sense of appreciation for me, for friends and family to show their support and love in however way they can. Thanks, everyone, it's nice to know that we're being watched out for.

My mom and brother and sister-in-law and mother-in-law were just a few of the people that showed, and it was fun seeing them again. So I'm all warm and fuzzy now, and realizing that the baby isn't that far away, getting really really stoked about meeting my son and holding him in my arms. Giving him lots of kisses and trying not to blind him with my flash, which apparently is possible since I noticed yesterday that Kylie doesn't blind when the flash goes, so flashes aren't that great probably for the baby.

Alright, I have to go edit now. Before noon rolls around.