Let There Be Light!!!!!!

We made it to the third trimester. Some amazing things are happening to Oda Mae. Apparently, eyes started to appear at around day 22 of Oda Mae's development. Since then she's been working on getting those eyes functional. (So that's what all the commotion has been about lately.) During the 27th week, Oda Mae has been able to get her retina to "receive light and light information, and transmit it to the brain for interpretation--what we know as sight."

She is so smart, already!!!! Can you believe it?

It must be very weird to be able to see what's going on in there. A matter of fact...there was a blurb on the "Roblog" several days ago that discussed something like this. Ah, yes check this out...Click Here. I bet Oda Mae could see my Christmas lights if I were to make Brenda put her belly up to my trees outside. I'll let you know how that experiment goes. :)

Happy Christmas Eve!!!

J.

10,900 Lights this year!! 

Oda Mae will love Christmas!!!! 

Feeling Oda Mae...

Today Brenda and I were in the midst of our new favorite pastime (watching the baby move around) when I put my hand on her belly. Guess what? I got to feel Oda Mae's little head. I was looking at Brenda and noticed a little round knobby thing poking out of her belly, and I said, "What's that?" I proceeded to put my hand on the little round protrusion and pushed a little. There was definitely something there. It was so cute. Imagine a tennis ball trying to get out of your tummy. That's about what it was like. Then it went away.

I think Oda Mae is going to be kind of shy. She tends to stop moving around when people are watching. I'm sure she was a little freaked out when I was touching her head as well. I wonder what she'll be like?

J.

Hmmmmm...

"Anonymous said...
The only way to go is BROADWAY SHOWTUNES!!!"

While the possibility exists that my offspring will indeed have red, curly hair, is it truly necessary to subject myself to prenatal preparations for her starring roll in "ANNIE"?

EVERYBODY NOW!!!!!! "Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I Love Ya!..."

-J.

Congratulations to our friends...

the "Purdmae" who just had their baby a couple of days ago. We just called them and they sound very happy to have a new "Oda Mae" in the house. They were pretty sure it was going to be a boy. They never had an ultrasound so they were just going by the old wives tales. I'm glad we have friends who are going through all of this before we do. I'm hoping for some helpful insight a few months in advance of my little girl. They said that the only thing she new how to do is "poop", and that they would have to teach her everything else. Guess it's time for me to read that chapter on "poop" in the "Dummies Guide to Parenting" that my sister bought me. They also said that she could recognize their voices and the music they played for her while she was in the womb. Which, incidentally, brings us to our next poll...

J.

What kind of music should we play for Allison while she is in the womb?
	Mozart
	Haydn
	Mahler
	Dixie Chicks
	Beatles
	Elvis
	Polkas
	Metalica
	Songs of the Whales
	Canadian Brass
Free polls from Pollhost.com

All is well...

We are at the 25+ week now. We had the doctor's visit on Monday and got to hear Oda Mae's heartbeat again. It's very interesting...since the last time I got to hear the heart beat the speed has slowed down dramatically. That whole thing about how the bigger you are the slower your heartbeat. In reading the book "Your Pregnancy Week by Week"...Brenda's "uterus is about the size of a soccer ball." Wow!!!! Oda Mae is working on being 2 lbs now and moving around quite a bit.

Just the other day I realized something...when we bring Oda Mae home from the hospital there won't be any INSTRUCTIONS!!! When I told Brenda this, she said "Jimmy, you don't read instructions anyway." I suppose she's right. I'm sure we'll manage just as the billions of people before us who have had children.

J.

P.S. We've decided on a "real" name for Oda Mae......ALLISON LEIGH :)

Broccoli, Coke, and Eyebrows

What do these three things have in common? Well, let me tell you!!!! It's been a while since my last post, but with the holidays upon us, life has been a bit hectic. (I know, I know...If I think my life is hectic now...blah, blah, blah...) I have been wondering when the "cravings" would start in. For a while there I thought that Brenda would be one of those ladies who didn't get them...boy was I wrong. It seems that broccoli is the food of choice for the hungry mother. Not only have I seen broccoli in rice-a-roni, but there has been substantial talk about broccoli on pizza with mushrooms, and in the mac and cheese. I suppose that's not too unusual, but it's really about the only thing Brenda talks about eating these days. I have to make sure that any meals that I prepare include a double dose of the leafy green vegetable.

We are in about the 24th week now and some fun things are starting to happen. Every night we watch Brenda's belly for entertaining movement. Last night we saw a pretty good jab. We laughed!!!! Sometimes, Oda Mae will (according to Brenda) kick her bladder. You can only guess how often she has to make a run for the potty. I can only imagine how much of a pain in the rear this must be to Brenda, but it does provide some much appreciated entertainment for the expectant father :)

Little Oda Mae is a little over one pound by now. You know that Coke your drinking right now...before you drank any, it was one pound. (Yes I put a Coke on the scales this morning to check it out.) Her crown to rump length is about 8.5 inches. A couple of weeks ago the eyelids and eyebrows were "well developed", and she has fingernails. SHE IS SO CUTE!!!!

J.

The Thanksgiving Feast...

is nearly upon us. Brenda and I are cleaning the house, Oda Mae is cleaning her womb, and the Christmas Lights are just about ready. I am truly thankful this year for my good fortune. I have a family cooking! I have house where me other families can come for Thanksgiving. I'm working a lot, and most important...My wife is the cutest pregnant woman I have ever seen!!!!! Pic to come soon. :)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVE!!!!

J.

Proud Parents

You know that you are becoming a parent when the Friday night (Date Night) that used to be spent going out to eat, going to a movie, a concert, or hanging out with friends turns into two hours of looking at your wife's belly hoping to see it move.

Oda Mae has been moving around for a couple of weeks now and just this last week I've been able to see her move myself. I actually felt her push my hand from the inside just yesterday. Fascinating!

J.

The Room

Okay, Brenda and I are in disagreement on the decor of Oda Mae's room. I think Oda Mae would like all kinds of bright colors including the yellow on the walls. Brenda thinks we should go with something more subdued like a pastels with green on the walls. Maybe you all could help us decide.

What colors would Oda Mae like best?
	Bright and Cheery Solids
	Subdued Pastels
Free polls from Pollhost.com

IT'S A GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, the Chinese calendar was right! I don't know what to do with a girl!!!!! First we have to come up with a name. We were going to name a boy Elliot (like from E.T.). But now, we have to come up with something else. Elliot's sister's name in the movie was "Gertie". I don't think that's going to fly with the family.

Everyone is very excited to be able to dress a little girl up in frilly clothes. I'm going to put bows on it's bright RED hair. How fun!

The Dr. said that all the organs looked alright and that she was being pushed around a little by Brenda's bladder. So here's the story. Brenda was told that at 20 weeks she was supposed to drink this 32oz cup of water one hour before the appointment. So, this morning, what does she do...she forces down 32oz of water at 8am. We're setting in the waiting room and Brenda is understandably a little squirmy. (I would be too if I had drank half a gallon of water this morning.) We went in and the Dr. started checking around looking for the baby and said "Wow, your bladder is really full." Brenda says, "Yes, it is." Dr, "Would you like to go empty it?" Brenda, "Yes, please." After a short while Brenda comes back in and we get started again. The Dr. said that she didn't know why they kept telling patients to come in with a full bladder. I figure it's supposed to be a funny joke so that the nurses can have a good laugh once in a while. The Dr. asked us if we wanted to know what it was; we said yes. She said that it was a little girl. I said, "Are you sure about that? I wore my blue shirt today and everything." The Dr. takes a second look and says "I'd be willing to put money on it. Girls can wear blue too." Me, "Oh, well, alright."

We go back in two weeks for another general check up. Oda Mae was .8 pounds today. You can look at the pics below. Don't be too frightened by the first pic that looks quite a bit like the alien we saw on TV last night. I'm sure that will change.

J.

Here is Oda Mae's Face. I'm hoping it looks a little less "Alien" like when she get's here. 

Here is Oda Mae's Elbow 

Here is Oda Mae's Profile 

BOO!!!

So I'm talking to Brenda the other day and I asked how the baby was able to breath in there, and she says that pre-born baby's at some point in their pre-lives have gills. (Hence the Halloween post today.)
And I'm like "no way".
And she's like "yes way".
I say, "Like a fish?".
"Yes, like a fish.", she says.
"How wierd is that?!!!"
"Very wierd."

I get home from Abilene this week and Brenda has found an article about the whole "gill slit" thing. Here it is...GILLS.


I was really hoping they would disappear before the baby was born. I wonder If any humans HAVE been born with "Gills"?

Poll of the day...

Next year, the baby will have it's 1st Halloween. What should he/she go as?
	Pumpkin
	Scary Fish Gill Person
	Scary Three Eyed Baby
	Frankenstein
	Astronaut
	Bumble Bee
	A Grown Up
	Vampire
	Prince/Princess
	Frog
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Happy Halloween!!!!! Don't forget, tomorrow we find out..."BOY or GIRL"!!!!!

J.

Week 18...

has finally arrived. On Monday we went to the doctor and got to listen to the baby's heartbeat. It was kind of a swooshy sound. Like swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh,... Take a glass bigger than your ear, and move it back and forth on and off your ear at about 160 beats per minute. (check your metronome) That's pretty much what it sounded like. On November 1 we will get to find out if it is a Bubba or a Oda Mae!
The Dr. pushed real hard on Brenda's belly and said "That's your uterus. Can you feel that?" And she proceeded to push Brenda's hand into her stomach. I was like...What???!!!! Then I pushed real hard on Brenda's stomach when we got home and all I felt was a punch in the arm.
The baby is supposed to be about the size of Brenda's spread out hand. That's pretty big for something growing inside you. About the size of a small grapefruit on the baby fruitometer.
Some of you may have heard that the Osteopathic Medical Center of Texas here in Fort Worth closed. That's where the baby was supposed to be born. I figure we'll just have it here at the house now. We have hot water. Anyone want to help????? Actually, the baby will now be born at Baylor All Saints Hospital south of downtown. All saints...I guess that's better than picking just one saint. Anyway, I'll have a poll next time for all you pollsters out there.

J.

A Note From BRENDA

I think I felt the baby move around for a few seconds this morning. It was awfully weird, which is why it think it might be the baby instead of gas or hunger pains or something.

It felt like a little part of my stomach did a back flip. Then I read on the internet someone describing it as feeling like a little goldfish swimming around, and that describes what I felt pretty well.

Maybe the baby, maybe not, but let's say it was. I knew you would all want to know ;)

-BT

P.S. Jacob, I know I owe you some cookies. I'll send them soon, I promise!

It's going to be a.....

GIRL!!! So says the "Chinese Calendar". At least two people have told Brenda to look up the birth prediction on the Chinese calendar, so we did. She had a Chinese friend look it up for her. She said it was going to be a girl. Another friend had asked if we had looked it up on the Chinese calendar. This friend said that the Chinese calendar was 99% accurate. I did my own search on the internet and what came up?...a girl. Of course my search on the internet also said that the Chinese calendar was only 50% accurate. I SHOULD HOPE SO! It's not like there's much more of a choice than a boy or a girl. You do the math. So, according to our Asian friends, we need to concentrate on girl names. We are NOT going to name it Jessica!!!! That has already been decided by the overly protective father.

On the other hand...not many girls have been born into the Tullos family. My sister was the first since Francis C. Tullos born in 1910. See, I knew that my genealogy hobby would come in handy some day. My dad...one of 3 boys...my sister...3 boys...Brenda and Jimmy....we'll have to wait and see.

What will Bubba or Oda Mae do?

Sometimes it's fun to think about all of the different things that Bubba or Oda Mae could do with their lives. I'm sure all parents go through this (I hope...or are we just delusional?). I don't want our child to be president of the US. I do want our child to be an astronaut. First, you have to be really smart. Then you have to do something really cool like fly those awesome jet fighter planes that fly around over at the Naval Reserve Base. Then you get really good and are selected to fly the space shuttle to Mars or someplace cool like that.

Yes, I want Bubba or Oda Mae to be an astronaut. Surely, they make good money. Anybody know someone who's an astronaut? Just think, Baby Tullos will write home from Space Camp to tell us that he's homesick. Then she will send us photos from space some day with a planet in the background. I'll frame it an put it on the fridge. :)

The poll for today...

What do you think Bubba or Oda Mae will grow up to be?
	Astronaut
	Musician
	Doctor
	Lawyer
	Fireman
	Politician
	Teacher
	Computer Guru
	Chef
	CEO of someplace BIG
Free polls from Pollhost.com

So today someone...

sent a comment about how I should be thankful that my body isn't going through these changes. All I have to say about that is that I would be happy to be the sole support of my family for the next 18+ years, so long as I never have to look like this....

MMMmmmm, anyone have some pickles and ice cream? 

Turn Up Your Volume and Keep Reading...

Saw the baby again today...

Yes, today was Brenda's second trip to the Dr's office. Everything seems to be going fine with the exception of a small pain near her leg. The Dr. said that everything should be fine and that we should keep watch to make sure the pain eventually goes away. Today we got to watch the Dr. put a little microphone up to Brenda's belly and guess what we heard?...........



............We heard this tiny little voice singing "Octopus's Garden", from the Beatles Abby Road album. How funny.

Really, all we could hear was a lot of what sounded like a hurricane blowing around in Brenda's stomach. So we went over to the ultrasound room and took a look. Little Bubba or Oda Mae was swimming around looking at everything. We were very excited to see a spinal cord. Yeah!!!! Our baby has a spinal cord. And, real arms and legs too; not just limb buds like before. We figure that Baby Tullos is about the size of a small apple now. (Ironic isn't it, considering last weeks incident.)

We've started the second Trimester now which puts Brenda at about 13 weeks and 6 days. At least that's what the nurse said. The Dr. said that the baby was very active and that when it was big enough to feel, then we'd be having some real fun. Have you guys ever seen that sci-fi movie called "The Amazing Journey". I figure, now that Baby Tullos has legs and arms, he/she will be running all over the place trying to figure things out. It'll be kicking things and pushing on stuff asking "Hey, Mommy...what's this?" Consequently, I think Brenda might get a little cranky. Any suggestions for the poor father would be greatly appreciated. :)

J.

Pretty uneventful week...

So, I've been waiting for something cool to happen this week so that I could post here on the baby blog. Note for future fathers....Week 11: totally boring!

I do have one story to tell, however.....

The ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL mother of my future offspring has still been pretty ill this week. And until this week, has been able to hold everything down. Mainly just oranges. One day this week at breakfast she eats an apple instead. (Yes...this is because the future father has yet to make a trip to the local Wal-Mart to buy more groceries, but that's beside the point.) The apple gets eaten...slowly, and what do we hear five minutes later from our future offspring...I kid you not there was this little baby voice from inside saying, "What that hell is this? Where is my orange???!!!!" The apple was promptly sent back, if you know what I mean. Today, I went to the very local Swaims Affiliated and bought oranges, a BIG bag of oranges.

This brings me to our poll of the week...I knew that you all liked the polls. See......audience participation makes everything more fun. Take a look and let us know what you think...

What is the best food to keep around the house for someone who is "with child"?
	Oranges
	Apples
	Saltines
	Soup
	Pickles
	Mushrooms
	Dairy Products
	Totino's Party Pizzas
	French Fries
	Anything she says she wants, you best get to Wal-Mart and get it...even at 2am, if you know what's good for you!
Free polls from Pollhost.com

J.

Happy Birthday Baby Tullos

Baby Tullos is 11/9 weeks old. Something weird about how the baby is really 2 weeks younger than Brenda is pregnant. According to Your Pregnancy: week by week by Glade B. Curtis, MD, OB/GYN...Baby Tullos is "about the size of a large lime."

I've noticed that Baby Tullos grows very fast during the first several weeks. Just last week Baby Tullos was "the size of a small plum." The week before that Baby Tullos was "the size of a medium green olive."

What is it with FRUIT? By the time this baby is ready to come out, it will be the size of a small watermelon. LOL!!!!

J.

Here is a picture of what Baby Tullos looks like today. This isn't our baby, but a baby that is the same age as our baby. Is that weird? 

Important Decisions

As life becomes more complicated for us, we find that there are some decisions that need the input of those with more experience. We need your help! Here is today's poll...

Which do you suggest?
	Cloth
	Disposable
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Mark your calendar...

Bubba or Oda Mae will graduate from high school in May 2023. We will expect you all to be there. So mark your calendars.

J.

Fatherly Advice

I called my dad on his birthday and told him the good news. He seemed a little flustered at first and then the reality set in. He was very excited to be a grandpa again. He asked me how it felt to know that I was going to be a father and I told him that I didn't think it had really hit me yet. His response was that he knew when it would hit me. He said that when I was looking in at the baby through the window in the hospital, responsibility would hit me right between the eyes.
I can't wait!!! I'm going to wear a helmet just in case.

I figure it'll be something like this...

I'll be standing there in awe and wonderment looking at my new beautiful baby thinking, "I have to take that one home!"....

....."My wife is probably going to want me to help."....

and then....


BAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! On the floor.

J.

Baby Name Poll

Here is an informal poll to see what baby names you all like. No absolute decisions have been made and your opinion really doesn't matter anyway. But, it's fun to be interactive, don't you think? Feel free to write in votes via the comments button.

What's your favorite BOY name?
	Michael
	Aaron
	Gabriel
	Elliot
	Caleb
	Jimmy Jr.
	Bubba
	Big Tom
	Marshal
	Who cares? I want a girl!
Free polls from Pollhost.com

What's your favorite GIRL name?
	Jessica
	Noel
	Madeline
	Coryn
	Madison
	Brenda Jr.
	Oda Mae
	Big Cindy
	Allison
	It doesn't matter, you know it's going to be a boy.
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Everyone is sooooo excited...

Well, on Monday we had our first doctors visit. I'm just sorry I didn't bring the video camera. There was so much to see and do. I've never been to a "lady" doctor before! I was just going to see the baby on TV and man did I get my money's worth! I was trying to read a magazine just to be very nonchalant during all of the "tests", but it was a little hard to concentrate . Once we got into the sonogram room things started to pick up. I cannot even to begin to explain the feelings that came over me when I saw the shape of that little thing in there. I was fully expecting to see a clump of cells, but as you can see by the photo there is already a lot of definition. Up until now, I've known that we were pregnant, but after seeing the baby "swim" around and seeing the heart beat...I know now that we are about to experience joy and happiness like we have never experienced before.
After going to the doctor, we went to see Brenda's mom for "lunch". Brenda handed her the photo and after the realization set in you cannot even begin to imagine the excitement that ran through that lady's entire being. Watching other people find out about the pregnancy is just as fun as finding out youself. Brenda's mom works for DR. PEPPER. We got FREE soft drinks while we were there. Could this day get ANY better!!!!!!!
Brenda knew that she had to start calling some people and giving out the news before her mom got to them, so she called her dad. I wasn't there, but I'm sure that there was one very happy guy on the other side of the phone.
Then it was on to my mother's house. We thought we'd have a little fun......I told my mom that I had been working on my genealogy earlier that morning (I had indeed!!!), and that I had a picture of someone that I wanted her to identify. I handed her the sonogram photo. After an agonizing minute or two she said, "I don't know who this is." I prompted her to look at the photo more closely. When she noticed Brenda's name in the upper right hand corner it finally dawned on her who she was looking at, "Is this Bubba or Oda Mae?!!!!!" and I shook my head yes. Then she had to jump out of her chair. She was so funny to watch. She is a very happy grandma as well! When my sister came over we played the same game. The expression on her face when she finally realized what she was looking at was truly priceless. Again, I needed the video camera.
We finally went to visit Brenda's dad. He was playing things very cool. Jeanine as well. They were definitely standing a little taller and are very excited to be having a grandbaby.
Like I said before, watching other people get the news is just a much fun as finding out yourself. By the end of the day we were both exhausted. Our next appointment is in four weeks.
Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter in the beginning of the life of "Bubba" or "Oda Mae".

J.

P.S. Our FUR has some fascinating skills related to sonogram reading on his web log, check out August 24th. ROBLOG

Here is Bubba or Oda Mae at 9 weeks 4 days. There is a head and 4 "limb buds". There is a heart beat and a big cheeseburger smile! 

From my blog August 4, 2004...Call me paranoid,

but when I went to the weekly shopping trip to Wal-Mart on Monday I picked up another test for my wife. Not one of those silly things with a line that is supposed to tell you if your wife is pregnant, no crazy color test; I got the test that clearly said "Pregnant" or "Not Pregnant". So this morning she took the new test and so far...2 out of 2 aint bad. She has a doctor's appointment on the 23rd of this month. I'll happily go with her. I'm hoping to get photos of our new baby!!! Then I can proudly show them off. The problem is the 23rd is 19 days away. We can't tell anybody. So I think we should simply hibernate for the next 2 and 1/2 weeks. The past couple of days there has been some nausea, but I think I'll start feeling better soon. LOL!!!!! I'm going to start a photo blog for our new person. That way when we do tell everyone, they will be able to track our progress. How fun!!!! Yesterday I practiced quite a bit. I'm getting ready for the big Marine Band audition and Austin Symphony auditions coming up.No running yesterday. The day before made me sick. I think it's the air pollution. I'll run this morning before it gets bad.

J.

From my blog on Monday August 2, 2004

I'm back from vacation. Had a great time driving around in Ohio in my 2004 RED Mustang. When we got home, our dogs were so happy to see us. I think they really missed us. Sis said that she thought that they started missing us about Wednesday. Our cat was pretty messed up when we came home. She is pretty scared of other people so I know she didn't like Sis, Chris and their little dog Linda being here for week. Mahly finally came out on Sunday to say hello to us. Too funny!Brenda started feeling kind of squirrelly over the vacation. She didn't have much of an appetite the entire week. I was really starting to get worried about her on the way home. She tends to get a little car sick as well and all of the hills and curvy roads in Ohio didn't help. Things started getting a little weird on Friday when we went to Frisch's Big Boy for their famous burgers and Brenda ordered a Burger, Salad, (so far not too bad), and Mashed Potatoes. Mashed Potatoes???? with a burger? Okay, whatever. Then on Saturday, she didn't eat anything at all until after we got home in the afternoon. Even then she was acting super weird. I ended up going to bed pretty late Saturday night. I had planned on sleeping late, but woke up early when Brenda got up before me and was surfing the net. DUDE!!!! Brenda never wakes up early!!!!!..........So I'm laying there in bed about to get up and she comes in from the bathroom and shows me this stick thermometer thingy that has two lines on it. "I'm pregnant!", she says.Oh-My-God!!!! I'm totally going to be a father! I asked her why there were two "negative signs" and she said that one was a "test line" and that the other would be blank if you were not pregnant. Why??? they should put a + or - or something like YES or NO on these things. She is going to make an appointment this week to see a doctor and confirm everything. She thinks she is about 1-2 months along. COOL! So yesterday we both just messed around the house in shock. I'm not totally sure when it will really hit me, but for right now I'm just a little dumbfounded. I did take some pictures of her and the test stick thingy. These are the first pics of little "Bubba" or "Oda Mae". LOL! We are not going to tell anyone (except the internet world) until we are sure everything is okay. I figure nobody really reads this thing anyway.I did a bit of practicing yesterday. I'm a little out of shape, but I'll be back to normal soon. I have to win an audition soon so I can take care of my family! I'm going running today to try and lose a few of those Skyline Chili pounds. MMMMMMMmmmmm.....Skyline Chili. I also want to be in shape for my kid when he or she gets here. Everybody wants a dad that is super cool and buff!

J.

Here it is...our first photo of the baby. I know it doesn't look like much, but we love him...ummm...her...errrr, well.....it!!