The post where I talk about Life, Death and Life Insurance.

Exhibit A

We went and got an ultrasound today (see Exhibit A). Mimi thinks the baby has my nose.

It was really dumbfounding to see them take this ultrasound picture. We watched the baby kicking his/her legs and moving around his/her arms. The baby was really just going wild in there. I attribute it to the baby having a runner for a father.

Seeing such life can't but help you recognize your own humanity. As I'm looking at the pictures, I keep thinking back to what family and friends with children have told me about babies:

"Their lives are about eating, sleeping, pooping and crying--and they mainly cry about the first three." 

I tried to think about at what point my life I became a "me." When did I develop a personality? What will this baby remember, if anything of the first few years which will be so stress filled for Mimi and I?

And it reminds me of my own mortality. We went and spent an hour with a lady from New York Life last week. Her mother died when she was young so she had pretty wild story about why people should have life insurance.

She asked us how much we were worth. Once I realized what she was asking, I felt embarrassed about my answer--but I assured her I was a Wal-mart bargain.

Most of her lingo about the investment angle of it went over my head. I asked if this was a better bargain than buying lotto tickets and she assured me it was. We cut her a check.

PS. Mimi and I will share some ultrasound pictures here on the blog, but we won't share them on Facebook because that would be classless. So much more mature to put them on a blog accessible to the entire world. 

A Heartbeat Away From You

Yesterday at the doctor I heard Baby P's heartbeat for the first time. It was amazing. That visit really made everything start to feel real. The baby's heartbeat is 160 BPM.
A normal fetal heart rate is between 110 to 180 beats per minutes (BPM), but can vary.My doctor said this baby has a consistent and healthy heartbeat. I cannot wait for our second ultrasound next Tuesday.

Below are some tickers that give details about the baby's development so far. The photo ticker shows what the baby looks like so far "in utero." You can see the baby is now measuring around 2 inches in length.

Make a pregnancy ticker

Thinking of Baby

Today our baby is an inch and a half in length and weighs close to 5 ounces. It is hard to believe that is just six months it will be around 7 pounds. In 20 or so years he or she will be the same size as me.
This weekend was wonderful with people constantly congratulating Greg and I on our expectation. It does not seem too real just yet, but I have two appointments in the next couple of weeks that will make it even more real.
I'm starting to change my perspective on life to one that thinks about my baby. Right now this means thinking about purchases, what I eat, and the activities I do and how they will affect my baby's health and future. So much to think about, and so little time. Although there are so many questions in my life right now I know one thing for sure...
Baby I love you. I cannot wait to meet you.

The photo is of a gift from Lauren Goldsberry: Giraffe, card and some magazines for expectant moms.

Me as a Father

I have to admit that this all still seems a bit abstract. I'm very excited about this new journey and find myself talking to the baby already (he/she grew ears last week apparently).

Mimi's showing, but only for those who know her well enough to notice. We wouldn't have announced so early but that it was getting blatantly obvious. Seeing the bump makes it real, but otherwise it seems as if someone were telling me that a hurricane was coming--while the sky was clear and blue. So I at once feel overwhelmed by all that needs to be done and oddly calm. After all, the baby's not here yet.

Mimi's pregnancy has however made me reflective about my coming fatherhood, who I am and what I'm bringing to the family. I've thought a lot about my own failings. Will I be a good father?

I'm tempted to use this space to create a list of my own failings (in the process, perhaps showing myself to be self-centered enough to need to include "pride" and, er, "self-centeredness.") But I don't know that I could fit them in a list. And whether anyone would care to know them.

I just kind of wish that my child could be perfect. But he/she won't be. But perhaps if I could cause a limited amount of counseling for my child later in life (a joke). I want to be good at this. Nothing has mattered more in my life.

...Greg Lassos Stork

Today six years ago Greg asked me to be his wife and what a journey it has been.

It is with great pleasure that I inaugurate the online public space of the Perreault Family with an announcement of great proportions. Greg and I will be having a baby on October 12, 2011. We are going to use this blog to share with family and friends (since we have so many that live all over the country).

We are so excited!! So far the pregnancy has been going well and I have been feeling wonderful. We have our second ultra-sound next week were we will see the baby (that is now an inch an a half in size). The first time he/she was just a pulsing blob measuring at 4.4 millimeters.
We found out we were pregnant on Super Bowl Weekend, which was the weekend we had decided to celebrate Valentine's Day. Let's just say we had something bigger to celebrate!

In case you did not know what my headline reference is to, Greg's Favorite movie is It's a Wonderful Life. I spent all morning trying to find the clip where Mary shares with George that she's having a baby. She says "George lassos stork." I wanted to share the news that way, but the quote will have to suffice for now.