parenthood comes on little square feet

I had my first full-scale freak-out the other night after Lauren and I casually applied some crib measurements she'd found online to our tiny home. "You've got to be kidding me," I said as the measuring tape spanned half the room. "That can't be right. It just can't be that big. I've seen babies. They're very small." But she was right, and suddenly the challenge of fitting crib, dresser, changing table, etc. into the small, crowded room that serves as my office hit me like a ton of diapers. Lauren recognized as much and wisely went to bed. I stood scratching my head, muttering, and staring down the walls until late.

The next day, with the house to myself, I waged war with the office. It was ugly. The air was thick with my curses. At one point I furiously threw every article of clothing I own from the closet into the office just to make a point. By the end of the day, I had put everything I don't use on a daily basis into the attic, added a few "accent pieces" of furniture to our now even cozier living room, and, yes, cleared out nearly half of the office. In other words, readers, I prepared the nursery.

Small though it may be, it occurred to me that at approximately sixty square feet, the nursery will provide the baby with a living space that is just about sixty times its size. That would be like me living in a 700-800 square foot house! Which I do. Amazing how they inherit your traits!

Baby's First A, Bright Lights, Beer Guts

We have recently had a series of (noninvasive) tests, including a First Trimester Screen and an AFP, both performed by blood screening and/or ultrasound evaluation to identify risk for specific chromosomal abnormalities, disorders, etc. I am pleased to report that Critter Lynn aced them all.

I hit the 15-week mark this past Sunday. Supposedly, Critter Lynn is now measuring about 4 inches long and is about the size of an apple. Although his/her eyelids are still fused shut, s/he can sense light. We may have to break out some Glo Sticks and/or disco balls this weekend to see if that's really true (we keep both aforementioned items on hand at all times for a variety of occasions).

In other news, it appears as though I've been sucking down a six-pack of Budweiser every night. I have three pairs of pants that I can still wear, and two are brown pants, so my outfits are pretty boring these days. I ventured into a few maternity stores on our recent trip to Chicago, but found the experience rather unpleasant, so am waiting until the situation becomes more urgent before returning. Perhaps it's time to lead the charge in resurrecting the toga??