Raising Boys

So I have been reading this book on raising boys and find it quite interesting. Actually it gives me anxiety but it's better to deal with it now than be unprepared. It basically says boys are a handful and we just need to learn to love them for who they are. I can do that right? According to the book it is important for boys to find mentors amongst family and friends. Besides having a great dad as a mentor I plan on surrounding my boy with strong male role models that can help us raise him to be the best man he can be. Another interesting thing the book mentions is that boys go through a period of growth in their ear canals that causes a temporary loss of hearing. A good warning to not always assume they are not listening, they actually might not be able to hear you.

There is a funny section in the "Testosterone" chapter titled Brains Go Out the Window. There is a period of time where hormones take over making your boy dopey and disorganized. You have to act as his brains until he can get control over the changes. Testosterone is what scares me most about having a boy. But the book makes a good point. Just as a good husband understands his partner's PMS, a good parent of a boy understands his testosterone.

And last but not least, a boy's brain develops slower than a girl's so it is your job to help it grow as much as you can. This will obviously call for more patience on my part. I think in general boys call for more patience than girls but with understanding and preparation I can rock this boy thing.

Today I had this neat realization that this baby is a complete union of P. and I. I was looking at our ultrasound pictures again and realized this little boy is a mixture of our physical features, our talents and abilities, and our hearts. How special is that? We made him out of love and he is half P. and half me. I wonder how it will feel someday to look at our son and see ourselves. I will be so proud.

6 lbs!

I have gained 6 lbs since my last appointment 4 weeks ago! Proof my appetite is back with a vengence. Guess it is time to cut back on the donuts and ice-cream. Darn. I knew it was too good to be true! But I am ok with that, I had a feeling I was eating too many treats and truly want to eat a better and healthier diet for our little man's sake. I can maybe chalk a few of those lbs up to the normal holiday weight gain most people experience so overall I am right on track....right? :)

My appointment went well today. Everything is going great! Like I said, I am gaining weight now, my urine test came out normal, the baby's heartbeat was at 146 (normal and healthy), and my ultrasound report came back perfect. My placenta is in the right place and my cervix is the right length. Looks like I got an A+ on my progress report.

23 Weeks!

Is my tummy smaller? It looks smaller. It has been 2 weeks since my last picture and it doesn't look any different. No one can tell I am pregnant let alone 5 1/2 months pregnant. This lady at church called me "tiny". No one has ever used the word tiny to describe me. It is kind of nice. I guess it is better than people calling me huge. But it would be nice to get a little recognition for all the work this pregnancy has been. I feel huge, but I don't look it. I really shouldn't be complaining.

Nothing new on the pregnancy end. I am enjoying my new appetite a lot. I was supposed to have my monthly doctors appointment today but my doc was called away on an emergency c-section so it is rescheduled for tomorrow morning. I have some questions to run by him and am looking forward to hearing the heartbeat but other than that the appointment shouldn't be anything too exciting.