"You just wait"

These three little words carry several different connotations. It could be a sweet plea from a mother to her child about crossing the street. It could also be a positive way of telling someone the good things their future has in store. However more often than not, when you hear this as a pregnant woman it comes out with flames attached, one eyebrow raised and a sinister chuckle. Usually the person leers at you from a peripheral angle because if they look you directly in the eye, lasers would surely beam and make you explode.


Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE hearing each woman’s story about pregnancy, labor and child rearing. I figure anything I can learn about my baby before he (yep, it’s a he this entry) blesses me with his presence, the better. What really irks me is the constant stress on the negatives. A friend asked me the other day how I’ve been feeling. I replied with the same complaint all pregnant women face – exhaustion. Her immediate retort? “Oh you just wait! You think you aren’t sleeping NOW? Pfsh.”

Really people? Do you have to rain on my parade? 1. You asked me how I felt. 2. I told you. 3. You shot laser beams at me. Seriously?

Here’s the truth – I know parts of parenthood just plain suck, particularly in the first couple of months. But why do moms spend so much time talking about the pains and less of the blessings? Just think about it the next time you complain about anything for that matter. Most of us are fortunate beyond our understanding…so why lament in our hardships?

Rant complete.

Now for Baby Welly…I had a check up last week aka an interrogation about my health. The nurse actually told me “this is one of the most boring health reviews I’ve had.” Which is good news I suppose. The only caveat was that my Rubella vaccination has worn off. Meaning: if you have German Measles, stay away from me. My weight gain leveled off – I gained 5 pounds in the first trimester which is on the high end but still on target. Thank God my boobs stopped growing for a little bit (says the wife – Joe may have a different take on the fun-bag situation).

Today I am 12 weeks and 5 days along. My pants / skirts are definitely fitting more snuggly. My hips are widening and my belly is fuller. No “bump” to speak of but I’m thicker all over. I’ve delayed posting pictures until there’s a noticeable belly. But stay tuned! I’ll be fat before you know it!

Once upon a time in Mexico...

Once upon a time in Mexico…


“I was having some problems with my teeth, and the dentist in T or C (Truth or Consequences, New Mexico) wanted to charge an arm and a leg to have a couple pulled. I thought it was a rip-off. So, I took my truck down to Mexico to see how much it would cost to have them pulled. Turns out those Mexicans are quite reasonable. Now his tools may not have been state-of-the-art, but I got a great deal!”

This is just one of the true-ish, totally-nutso real life accounts that my late grandfather shared.  My aptly-named Grandpa Burl was a man larger than life. As a military man, father, grandfather, and husband, he far exceeded everyone’s expectations of love and service. He drove a truck for years which was wonderful for us as kids. Every once and awhile he popped by our California home off of Highway 101 with some sort of quirky treasure, $2 for each of us (which was like a million dollars at the time), and crazy stories such as the one above. All he expected in return was a nice cup of black coffee and conversation.

While these recollections stick out of my Grandpa Burl, the most poignant memory is his love for my grandma. My grandmother is the most long-suffering, patient, and kind woman I’ve ever met. It was my grandpa’s mission in life to test that long-suffering as much as humanly possible. Which I’m certain he did until his last day! In all seriousness, while he drove my grandma absolutely nuts, he made up for his antics with love. Pure love. Real love. His heart may be eternally rested now, but I know that it will forever belong where it should – with my grandma.

This is the second grandparent we’ve lost in a year. My 1-1/2 year old niece, Brooklynn, will forever have my late maternal grandma guiding her from heaven. It is my sincere hope that little Welly will have Grandpa Burl’s guidance throughout his/her life…well, except when it comes to dentistry ;-)

Rest in peace, Grandpa. Your presence may have left us temporarily, but your essence and influence will always remain.