Lovin' the Rugrats

As I'm heading into daddydom I find myself thinking about how life is going to change and what it will be like having a little one around. Then I realized, I already have four great examples of how it is going to be right around me all the time. These four examples are our nieces and nephews, Marin, Sam, Sarah, and Dinah. These little guys have been giving us all kinds of experience with the exciting times ahead for Ash and I. So I figured I'd just share a few pictures of some of the fun times we've had together.

Marin is the oldest, so he's first. Sorry Dinah, but I'm the oldest too, and I make the rules here. Here Ash and I are with Marin sporting our cool psychedelic glasses. Just pop a pair of these bad boys on and you are set to see angels, bells, noel, or even a light bulb when you look at a light. This is a Christmas tradition around the Wallace house. As the oldest, he has a hard job to do, has to do everything first. Not just for his parents, but for his grandparents and his aunts and uncles. All of us adults push the oldest ahead and it is our first time too having a child, nephew, or grandchild, so thanks for being willing to take the first step with us.

Sam is next. We don't have a picture of us posed with Sam, but if you know Sam, you know why. When it comes to pictures, Sam is a bit camera shy. Usually he looks the other way. This picture is a good one though, somewhat representative of him coming out of his shell for the picture.

As the second, Sam teaches us that not all our kids will be the same. Each have their own personality, and we as parents need to adjust accordingly to the personality of each of our children. Sam shows us a sensitive caring side. He also stops us if we start to eat before praying. Thanks for being there for us Sam and keeping us in line.

Sarah is next. As the first girl, Sarah shows us the cuteness that a little girl can bring to the family. Sarah is the first one who was so adventurous and independent while at the same time having a quiet, shy side. She has that little smile which is a ray of sunshine and reminds us as that these little people can provide quite a bit of happiness. Sarah is tough to, you know she has a big brother. And with my experience as a big brother, I know she gets picked on sometimes.

Finally there is Dinah, the youngest. If I were to describe Dinah in one word I think it would have to be generous. Although she is only 18 or so months old, she has learned as the youngest, you have a little more freedom, but you have to give a little too. With older cousins running around, you are basically always sharing their stuff, or your stuff is shared with them. I guess that is why Dinah finds it fun to just walk around, pick things up, then hand them to someone. Dinah is also her own person and will tell you if you aren't doing things the way she expects.


Thanks to all of you for being who you are. Thanks for all of the fun times and the smile. And thanks for being there to give me a little preview of the fun it is to have you little rugrats around.

Gender Prediction?

Okay, so I know I am getting ahead of myself given the ultrasound to "reveal the goods" is in just about 2 weeks, but I was curious if any of my friends/family had any gut reactions as to the sex of our baby.

I have probably spent more time than I should have on gender prediction tests, especially since I have received such mixed results on each. After all, does it really just come down to wait and see, or is there validity in any of the crazy wives' tales that are available today?

So, I thought I would share the results of the various tests now just to see how accurate they are once we know the sex for sure. After all, this waiting and guessing period is part of the fun, right? :)

Test # 1 - Pencil Test
Performed by Uncle Nick two weeks ago, he was quite certain we would have first a GIRL and then a BOY. For those less versed in this "scientific" approach, a string is thread through a needle and the needle is then stuck into the eraser of the pencil. Depending on how the pencil swings or sways, supposedly determines the gender of the baby.

Test # 2 - Chinese Gender Chart
Legend states that the Chinese Gender Chart was buried in a royal tomb near Beijing over 700 years ago. The original is allegedly currently in the Institute of Science in Beijing. To sum it up...this is a chart which measures the mothers age at conception and the month in which she conceives to deliver the truly scientific results of the gender. So...Given I was 27 and Baby was created in April, I am predicted to have a BOY.

Test # 3 - Heartbeat Prediction
If the heartbeat during ultrasounds is over 150, then it is supposed to be a girl, whereas all heartbeats 100-150 are in the range of baby boy. So, given we have now heard heartbeats (in order) at 145, 170, 150, 148...I have no idea what gender that leaves us with.

Regardless of the results in just a few weeks, I can guarantee that T.J. & I are ready and excited to welcome this baby into our lives!

Take Me out to the Ball Game!

On Saturday night, we treated Tom & Shelley to a night out at the Cincinnati Reds game to celebrate Tom's Birthday. Yes, we are well aware that Tom's birthday was actually in March, but this was an event planned months in the making!

We began the evening by dining at Hofbrauhaus for some delicious German cuisine. After literally stuffing ourselves to where we could eat no more, we quickly walked across the bridge to try to get our very own Jerseys from the Red's Jersey giveaway promotion they had going on at the ballpark. Unfortunately, we must have enjoyed our dinner a little too much, because when we arrived, all 20,000 of the jerseys had already been distributed. But, we had a great time in spite of the missing jersey!

The pictures above are just a few of us celebrating and having a great time together. Thanks guys for making our Saturday night so special!

From the Daddy-To-Be

I know what you are all thinking, but you are all wrong. That's NOT a deflated basketball under Ashley's shirt, nor is it a small pillow. If you are thinking maybe it is just a trick of the camera, you'd be wrong too. What you (and I) are seeing is just our baby starting to poke out from her belly. Wait - not just our baby, it is the most exciting change in our life poking out from under that shirt.

I've been having a blast being a daddy-to-be. Taking care of Ashley and our little one has been so much fun. I've enjoyed watching her change and helping adjust to the trials of pregnancy. I've been learning patience, which I'm sure will come in handy with a little child. Ashley knows just what to do to prepare me in every way.

I've enjoyed talking about the future, after the little one arrives and sharing our news with everyone we meet - even the car salesman!

Thanks to everyone for all your love and support. We will continue to provide updates as the pregnancy moves forward. In the meantime, I'll just be sitting here, frequently rubbing an ever expanding belly, picking up the slack for a more tired wife, anticipating the future of my family, and enjoying every minute along the way. Until the next time. . .