The Best Thing I Ever Made Pt. 2

Welcome back to another installment of 'the baby'!

We just returned from a harrowing trip to the OBGYN and we listened to the baby's heart beat for the first time.

Terri is twelve weeks pregnant, which for some reason means that on Friday, the baby will be 10 weeks into it's development. This means that it is almost two and one half inches long, has developed it appendages and eyelids as well as fingernails. The heart rate was really good and we were psyched when the doctor said 'no irregularities' but the best news was that our first results from the Down Syndrome testing are negative!

Terri actually blew the numbers out of the water, as far as the birth ratio on both tests which were completed.

We are going for one, more complex blood test that will be more accurate in two weeks. This is a great relief to us because we are both in our late thirties and were at a higher risk of the baby having the above problem.

That said, the picture above was from an ultrasound Terri received last week when she was getting the Down Syndrome test.

The baby's head is on the left and it's obviously camera shy because it has an arm in front of it's face.

More thoughts on DNA/genetics:

I can say that Terri and I are very lucky to be genetic 'mutts' or 'Heinz 57's'. Natural selection dictates that the next generation will have all of the best parts from the last...as long as the gene pool stays deep.

And we have most of Europe covered.

Which is a good thing.

I'd hate to see an entire culture or branch of our species birth it's way off the map because of exclusivity. That would be a shame, SWEDEN.

You know what i'm talking about. HA!

So, in two weeks you'll have another photo and in the mean time will have to deal with me posting blogs about being young and fancy free. Or whatever else I'll be ranting about on any given day.

The best thing I ever made.

Around two weeks ago, Terri stopped me as i was going to the kitchen. She was holding on to the door of our funky bathroom, beaming me a look as though she had either broken my bass or had done something really cool. Well, the latter happened.

(We) are pregnant.

My biological part of the job is done for now.

I have been going through a roller coaster of emotions. I have been trying to figure out what it is to become a father and can only sight the two examples of dads that I have, my awesome father and my equally awesome step father.

But, it's something i'll have to work on and the eighteen to twenty year road ahead of me is going to be just as much of a learning experience for Terri and i, as it is for our child.

To tell you the truth, up until last Wednesday I was scared shit less.

That's when we went for the ultrasound.

Somewhere between the two cross hairs, is our embryo. Secure in a sack of amniotic fluid with a heart. A heart!

The little thing looked like a baby alien but it's a product of our love for each other and it's also the best thing I ever made.

All of my fears have fallen to the wayside. I am beyond happy and my goal until September 16th is to be there for Terri at the drop of a hat, maintain our home and learn as much as I can about children and being a dad.

I will be posting blogs (Matt you aren't the only one, Mr. Fancy Pants!) under the PRE WAR CONDITION moniker for you to see.

I think it's also going to be the name of my musical project...woah, lost my train of though here.

O.k.