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.