Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few questions that I am frequently asked...if you are curious:

1. When are you due?
The baby is due March 26th

2. How far along are you?
As of right now I am 26 weeks (which is about 6 months)

3. How are you feeling?
So far I feel great, no backaches no nausea and I still have a lot of energy.

4. Did you get morning sickness?
No, none.

5. Is it harder for you to bend over now?
Maybe a little bit. I can still do it but I do feel a little more pressure in my tummy now.

6. Do you have any cravings?
No. But I've heard some interesting stories. I talked to someone who told me when she was pregnant she craved starch. She would put it on her toothbrush when she brushed her teeth...yuck. She also told me that a friend of hers craved bubbles, so after her mom would do the dishes she would eat the bubbles. WEIRD!!

7. Are you more tired now?
No, no more than usual.

8. What are you going to name the baby?
We don't know for sure yet...we have some ideas but nothing set in stone. I suppose we'll see when he's born.

9. Where are you going to deliver?
Either St. Joseph or Elmbrook. We already had a tour at Elmbrook and we're going to get one at St. Joseph. We will decide then.

10. Are you going to take medication when the baby comes?
I am definately not opposed to taking medicine, but I would like to wait to see what I can do without it first. But if worst comes to worst I don't want to leave that option out by any means! So depending on what labor is like...I just might!

There you go...those are questions I am often asked.

CAN I TOUCH YOUR TUMMY?!

The other day, when I was working, the first stranger came up to me and said, "I have a question. Does it annoy you when perfect strangers ask you to rub your belly?" I laughed and said, "Aw so far no, you can if you want."

She was so sweet about it, and at least she asked before lunging at me. I thought it would bother me but I know that a pregnant belly is interesting and fascinating for people...at least for me it is (probably because they know there is a little someone in there.) And usually everyone who touches it is so endearing and sweet about it, so it's hard to be bothered by that. It's sorta relaxing too HAHA (like when someone rubs your back.)

Anyway most of my coworkers want to feel my tummy too. It's mostly been people I know wanting to do it. So I don't mind...you can touch my tummy!!

26 weeks!

Here I am at 26 weeks! My tummy is noticeably rounder than at 18 weeks. My uterus is the size of a basketball (according to the book "What to Expect When Expecting")

And yes...I've heard it all, from "OH MY GOSH YOU'RE HUGE!! I wonder what you're going to look like at 9 months!" to "Wow you're small for 6 months!" (I prefer the latter of course...haha!) But really I don't care any more. It used to bother me in the beginning, but I just laugh it off now. At least I feel healthy and I look healthy and YES my tummy is going to be growing more these next few months!

At this appointment the doctor just listened to the heartbeat again...it was about 160 or so.

I can feel more activity when the baby moves. It's pretty cool. It's sorta like a muscle spasm in my tummy but a little stronger. One day Chuck was laying his head on my tummy and the baby kicked him in the face...THAT was funny! Jenny got to feel it too. At times when she would try to feel for movement he wouldn't move. So when he did she spent a good 5 minutes or so with her hands on my tummy.

Otherwise really nothing is that new! I've been REALLY lucky so far with this pregnancy! It's been pretty uneventful (which is GREAT!) The only changes that I notice really is that my tummy is slowly growing and growing! I just hope the birth is this easy!! HAHA PRAY!!!!

BABY'S CHILLIN' OUT!

This might be a bit hard to see. BUT can you see the baby's face? It's at the top of the picture, and he is looking to the left (as you are looking at it...your left) But that would be his right.

Can you see his eye? You can only see one right now (that's his left eye.) Then his nose and his lips and his chin. That's his head...it looks good (a bit skeleton-like, but he hasn't got much fat on him yet.)

Then as you go down you see his belly and there is a black spot on his chest...that is his heart. And I think the next black spot down is his kidney.

And now for the best part...his right arm is chilling out behind his head (he was posing for the camera...he just moved that way as she was taking the picture.) HAHA!

CAN YOU SEE IT? Pretty awesome HEY!? That's a 4D picture! WOW!!

Wee Willy Winky...er...I mean, it's a BOY!

I'm not sure if you can see this very well, but this is a picture of the baby's goods. If you can see...the two legs are pointing upwards on either side and his "wee willy winky" is right in between. Can you see it? It's a BOY!

The Doctor was funny. She said, "Oh yeah here are it's two legs. Do you see that in between his legs? That's a penis. YUP, it's definately a BOY!"

So that was a suprise. I for sure was thinking I was going to have a GIRL. But that's okay, I'm happy and very excited!

She took about 20 pictures! Everything looks good, it's heart, kidneys, lips, arms, legs, eyes and everything is very healthy and normal! It's really neat to see the picture of my own little baby. It will be exciting to see what it looks like when it is born!

18 and 1/2 weeks! Day of my Ultrasound!

This is me at 18 and 1/2 weeks...I will be 19 weeks on Friday.

It seems that my tummy has grown a bit quicker since week 16. Some of my pants are getting a bit tighter, but some I can still button up comfortably. Mama got me a band that I can put around my waist so I can unbutton my pants so it won't be as tight. That is pretty handy!

Well, this is the day of my ultrasound...9am! I'm pretty excited! I will find out if it is a boy or a girl!

16 weeks!

This is a close up of my Tummy at 16 weeks!

Maybe you can see a bit of a difference? Not much, but it's starting to grow a little bit.

At this appointment we got to hear the heartbeat again. This time Chuck couldn't come but Mama came and heard her grandbaby's heartbeat. That was nice that she could be there.

So far by this week I think I had gained about 4 pounds, which is normal and right on track, so that's good. The heartbeat was about the same, maybe a bit lower. The doctor said it was nice and healthy!

12 weeks!

This is me at 12 weeks!

Not much of a change yet.

This next appointment was MUCH shorter than the last. It was only about 10-15 minutes. But at this appointment we got to hear the hearbeat!

That was pretty cool! That was also another very cool and interesting experience. I could hear the little baby in there. Jenny also came with me and she said when she heard it, it freaked her out a little bit. I think it's because it also hit her that there was something in there. I mean...I didn't really look pregnant at that point at all so it was hard to think there is something in there.

The heartbeat was 174. So "old wives tales" say that a heartbeat over 140 "promises" a girl...we'll have to see about that!

9 weeks!

This is me at 9 weeks!

My first doctors appointment was my 8th week. This was the longest appointment so far because I had to meet with the nurse and answer some questions about health history etc. She laughed and said "wow this is great you guys are so laid back." I wonder if she was expecting us to be freaking out or nervous. But it's all part of the process I guess so I was just following along.

After that I met with the Doctor. She just checked to see if things were growing properly and I had some blood tests done.

It was a good experience and also a strange reality at the same time knowing that I actually DID have something growing in there!

We may have found the reason your wife has been throwing up in the morning...Congratulations Mr. Leonard. DOH!

The title may be a little misleading because Erin has never been sick. However, the end result is still the same. Oops. Oh Well, it goes without saying, and I'm sure you all know by now, that this was not planned. Am I upset? Not at all. Am I worried. Not yet. Just kidding. Everything is going to be OK. God has a plan and I guess it is his plan for us to have a child. The way I look at it goes something like this: I have been trying to plan out how certain things are suppose to happen at certain times throughout my life, but never wind up panning out how they were suppose to. All the good things that have happened to me in my life have come unplanned. The best example is my lovely wife Erin. Unsuspecting I meet a nice, pretty girl when I'm working at the zoo, and the rest is history. So, I know that this is going to be something great. I have no worries because I know Erin is going to be a fantastic mother. She is such an amazing woman, and I am so lucky to be married to her. God has blessed me with so much in my life. I'm a lucky man.
I really wanted to write something on this blog because I also wanted to share with everyone how happy I feel that I am going to be a father. It may not always show when I talk to people, but words cannot describe the elation I feel. I would be very happy no matter what, but I think it means even more to me since my father just recently passed away. Sometimes I think to myself that this is dad talking to me and saying that it is time for me to grow up and take responsibility for my life. What better way to give the gift of a child. I know he will be watching over me and helping me, and that is also why I have no worries. If I can be half as good a father he was for me everything will be OK. Thank you dad. I love you. Thank you to all my family and friends. Without you I am nothing. You make me the person I am. I love you all.

MY DREAM!!

My Grammy's name is SANDRA, and she passed away 3 years ago. Months before I was even pregnant I had this dream about her...I was at Mayfair Mall and Grammy was on the bottom floor just standing there kind of looking around. I was on the top floor and I saw her so I yelled down to her..."GRAMMY look!" I held up this big baby and said, "You're a Great Grandma...her name is Rosalie Sandra!" She looked up and smiled and nodded.

I thought it was a cool dream, and kind of weird that a whole name just came out of my mouth! Maybe it was a premonition or something. But if it's a girl I think I will name her that...and she will have a pretty cool story behind her name and about her Great Grandma!

HELLO!!!

Well...this is pretty much where it started. I peed on a stick and HELLO!!! This is what it said!

Did I expect this?...no, but I've had time for it to sink in and I feel pretty happy about it now.

I feel a little guilty being that honest about it, but it's true, this was pretty unplanned. I wasn't really ready for it, but someone else sure thought I was. I take great comfort in that. And if God thinks I'm ready for this Great Journey then I'm ready! God has blessed me with a great support system of EXCITED family, friends and a GREAT husband! And that is really all I need!