How cool would this be?

As we were driving home from our last ultrasound, I said to CG,
“Ya know, it would be cool to have a machine of our own, so that I could just take a look whenever I felt like it.”

In the way that only CG can, she rolled her eyes and replied,
“yes Dear”.
I didn't have to take my eyes off the road to know that she rolled her eyes, as I have been on the receiving end of more than my fair share of “Yes Dear”'s in the time that CG & I have been together.

The next day however, CG sent me this link

Machine For Sale

The fact that she took the time and looked it up, is confirmation enough to me that she thought it was a good idea, DESPITE the rolling of the eyes. It seems like a good Idea top me, but then again, it would be CG's belly and not mine that would be covered in the strange blue goop that they use. What is that stuff anyway!

Of course, I wasn't serious about buying my own ultrasound machine. Well.. not for longer than 10 minutes anyway :) Proof that you can find anything on eBay...

Oh the Power of the Mango!

I have come to realize that having a Baby Ultrasound in your cubicle at work is a GREAT way to break tension.

Most of the people I work with are female, I guess that is the nature of Clothing / Home wares retailing. Since last year I have been proudly displaying the grainy ultrasound shots of the little mango in my Cubicle. Its nice to walk in and see the shots every time I return to my desk, and it makes me happy, if somewhat distracted sometimes. Over the past weeks, I've begun to notice that the little Mango has the strangest effect on visitors. It would seem that no-one can remain in a bad mood once they notice the picture. Even in the midst of the most serious of conversations, it seems that he mango has the ability to melt hearts and make just about everyone smile. (with the exception of the “Ice Queen” who seems to turn her nose up at the mention anything remotely human, so I'm not offended)

If I had realized this while still at my previous employer (heretofore known as “Hell Ltd”), I would have faked having a kid. Yeah, I know that in nine months I would have to fake being a dad, but, I could always just start the ruse over!

The Mango Moves!!!

Last night was the first time that I could actually feel the little mango moving in CG's Belly!

How cool was that!?

Pretty daw-gone cool I have to say. I felt a little kick while my hand was resting on her belly. In all honesty, it could have been a really big gas bubble. Not to say that my darling wife is capable of such intestinal air pockets, but, that's kinda what it felt like. CG has felt the little mango moving around for a while now, so it was nice to be able to share that experience a bit. Its amazing how everyday there is another outward sign that there is indeed a baby on the way. And each of these outward signs in another reminder that I am just another day closer to giving up my home office to turn it into a baby room... I will miss my lair.

I've currently nursing a minor cold. It feels like it has the potential to turn into a more major one though and my concern is about getting CG sick. Even the common cold has become a source of worry about the mango for me. I am SO becoming my father!!

Thumb... or Nose?

This is is the latest view of the Mango.

Yes, I know, to anyone else besides the genetic donors, these things are incomprehensible. My Mother-in-law's boyfriend said that baby ultrasounds always remind him of those old 3-D collage pictures that you have to stare at to see the boat, or something like that, come out of. He just doesn't see it.

Of course he's right. And of course i realize that when I take these pictures around to show people they are just humouring me by saying stuff like “awww how cute”. But, part of me still wants to show off the grainy picture. Lets face it, baby ultrasounds are not ideal pictures. They are barely better than the supposed pictures we see of the Loch Ness Monster. Yet, here I am, proudly showing these grainy two tone shots off to anyone that will give me the time.

After we had the ultrasound and got the pictures, CG and I drove 20 minutes out of our way to show them off to my sister. CG REALLY wanted to show them off and my sister was kind of near to the clinic, so over we went with our fresh views of the little mango. Ah well. I guess that all parents go through this.

In the ultrasound above, they Mango had moved an arm close to his/her face. Of course, the nice lady operating the machine said “oh, look at the little babe sucking the thumb”. While I said, "...either that or picking the nose". Its a tough call.

Whaddya think... Thumb or nose?
Can you even see a kid there?

That's one Heck of an Owner's Manual!

It seems that Baby books become an important part of expecting a child. CG has already built an impressive collection of books relating to not only her pregnancy, but also to child rearing. I am ashamed to say that aside from a few cursory glances over CG's shoulder, I have yet to dig into any of them. If I were married to any other woman, I know that by now I would have been subjected to a discussion (read Tongue-Lashing) about how my lack of interest in the books really constitutes a lack of commitment from me. For her part, CG knows that my commitment should never be in question (who's the one that started the Baby Blog after all!). Instead, she chooses to educate me on the more important facts she has picked up. I call it the “In the Car and Kitchen Child Rearing Lecture series”.

The most invaluable tome that Heather has picked up so far is called “What to Expect when You're Expecting”. I've looked at some of the pictures to compare Belly sizes and that kind of thing, and from what CG tells me, this is a very helpful resource. But, at 624 pages, so far has scared me off. And besides, Its not called “What to expect when I'm Expecting”!! (To any of the ladies out there, that WAS just a joke!)

What scared me the other day was while we were in a bookstore, I happened upon a book called “What to Expect the First Year”. This book weighs in at a whopping 832 pages and 1.1 KG!! Now, these two standard resources make a total of 1456 pages! No one told me that the owner's manual that covers JUST the first year and nine months was going to be that big! Why, that's even bigger than the repair manual for a Honda!! That averages out to 2.3 pages PER DAY of the the 1 year and nine month old! I've got my work cut out for me once the Mango gets here!!

Less room for me...

CG has been having trouble sleeping as of late. She has always slept on her stomach and needless to say she is having trouble with that now. For the past week she has been trying ever more creative ways to arrange pillows and still be able to sleep belly side down. This has caused me some consternation as I have bad thoughts of the poor little mango being squished! So yesterday we bought a long body pillow which she is using for back support. She seemed to sleep better as a result so THAT makes me happy. The problem is that the pillow ends up down the middle of the bed. The thing is so wide and takes up so much of our queen sized bed that it leaves very little room for humans in it. So, it seems that for the next few months I will be relegated to a narrow sleeping corridor. I sleep on my back, so last night I found that it works best if i just slide half my body under the big honking pillow. Obviously this made for a bit of a warm sleep last night.

Whatever makes the Mango Momma happy is good by me though!

CG claims that this is in retaliation for years of bed-hogging on my part. For my part I have never purposefully tried to steal sleeping real estate, but, apparently `Bed-Hoggery` is a subjective thing.

What's with the name??

Since my wife and I are expecting our first child in June of this year, I thought it would be fun to keep a journal of our experiences and maybe even have something to show our child later in life.

So, the obvious question… What’s with the title?

I have a pet peeve when it comes to unborn babies. I HATE it when people refer to babies as “IT”. It sounds so cold and impersonal. So I have been searching for other names to call the child. I experimented with “peanut”, “ the zygote”, just “the baby” among others but nothing really stuck. Then about 2 weeks ago, my wife, CG, mentioned that at 20 weeks the baby is the size of a Mango… Hmmm… Mango you say?? Well it has kind of stuck. Of course, I try to keep my naming scheme to people in the know. Being out in public, pointing at my wife’s belly and saying Mango will probably get me a few stares and perhaps a trip in the nice white van, wearing a nice white jacket. But then, the people that know me think that is imminent anyway.

I fear that even after the baby is born, if things keep going this way Mango will now remain a nickname. If that is the case, I apologise unreservedly.

So that is how a blog by a guy who’s wife is expecting their first kid came to be called “Waiting for the Mango”.

The cast of characters;

Mango – See above
CG – my wife. Incubator of the mango
JP – Narrator/Blogger

I hope that this blog ends up being an honest, no nonsense and, hopefully, fun look into our day to day. With any luck, I’ll be able to steer clear of this being a daytime talk show style schmaltz fest about having a kid. Yes it’s a Miracle. Yes it’s the greatest love… but if you wane hear about that stuff watch Oprah. I’m here to have some fun and document things from the dad’s perspective.

Is my Mango a boy?

CG has her second ultrasound scheduled for one week from now. This brings us to yet another of the interesting decisions we need to make. Do we want to know the sex of the child? There are some family members (not pointing any fingers DAD!!) who want to leave it as a “surprise”. There are some who want us to find out so that they can purchase the appropriately coloured clothes.

Now, CG and I both tend to like to think of ourselves as rational people, who like to think things through. I work as a Planner, so for me, looking ahead and coming up with solutions is just my day to day. Knowing the sex of the child in advance would help us to figure out names, and that kind of stuff. I’m not too concerned about the colours, however, if we have a boy, there is NO WAY I want my son is wearing pink! Call it old fashioned, sexist, narrow minded or whatever you will. I don’t care.

For her part, CG just doesn’t do “waiting” very well, especially around Christmas when the sight of wrapped presents sends her into fits of anticipation. What’s funny is that her excitement comes from keeping the secret of the gifts she is giving. She doesn’t keep secrets very well at all. So, if CG learns the sex than everyone will. CG is leaning towards finding the sex, and I guess I am as well.

In the end, we will find out anyway, but I think we are both just a bit too curious to leave it until after the labour, when the person taking the pictures knows.

In other news, I am listening to Serena Ryder. Came highly recommended from a former co-worker. I like.