A letter to my son...from his dad.

1/20/2010

It was a week ago today that your Mom and I went to the doctor and
found out that you were a boy. I wouldn't say that it was the moment
that released all the anxiety that I had from the day we found out
your mom was pregant with you. The anxiety was released when we
found out that you had 10 toes and 10 fingers, and that your heart, spine,
skull, and brain all looked healthy. Now your mom and I have entered a new
stage of anxiety. We've got less than four months before you enter the world
and change our lives for the better.
I look forward to the sleepless nights, the nights full of crying, and screaming that I know we'll experience from the very first night we bring you home. When your mom and I get frustrated because nothing seems to quiet your crying ... I know that we really shouldn't be frustrated, because in just a number of years you'll be in school and we'll look back and miss the time we had with you when you were a baby.
I can't promise that your mother won't get one of those "out of style "bare"skin rug photos; which shows off your hindend. However,if she does ... I'll make sure it stays in your baby book and only gets brought out when you are sixteen and introduce us to your date. I also can't promise that your mom won't spit on a kleenex to clean dirt off your face, or use a phrase that starts with "I brought you into
this world...".

I'm sure you'll hear one if not all of the following phrases from me: "Eat your vegetables", "No", "Your ass is grass and I'm the lawnmower", "Just wait till you mom gets home", "No you can't get that pierced", "No you can't get a tattoo", "I don't care if you want to watch television,it's nice out, now get your butt out there and
play.", "Don't make me put you back in your cage," as well as many others that escape me right now.
It's an interesting time in my life because I've started to think about how being a parent will affect my life (as well as your mother's). I, of course, don't regret a single thing. I love your mother and you as much as life itself. I know we will try real hard to not raise our voices at each other around you ... I can't promise that there won't be arguments or fights ... just know that I will always love you and your mother.

Love,
Your Dad.

Anderson Donald Kaplan

I'm due May 19, 2010. It's a boy. I started feeling him move two weeks ago today. Since then, I've learned to recognize what his movements are and what actually qualifies as gas. Surprisingly, there's less gas than what I thought.

For the first name we wanted something unique, something that wouldn't be repeated four times in his first grade class. For the middle name, we went with Donald, after my dad who passed away in March of 2009. So I'm looking forward to meeting Anderson Donald Kaplan.

Right now his feet are huge. The doctor says they should be an inch long. His measure an inch and a half. I'm not looking forward to his stronger kicks over the next three months.

It's a very unique feeling to have this child inside of me. I know that millions of women have experienced this before me. It still doesn't detract from this absolute craziness that is constantly tumbling around inside of me. I now understand why mothers always say, "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

As is becoming more usual than not, it's 8:00pm and I am dead tired. I think that is the thing which surprises me most. I'm used to surviving on five hours of sleep a night. Now I can sleep 12 hours and still be tired.

Sweet dreams to all!