Dad's New Year's Manifesto

Dad Unit here. It is hard to believe that 2008 is about to slip away. Some may see it as the end of a great year; others may just be glad that the whole thing is finally over. Whatever it is, it has been a fast-paced, crazy year! As for me, I'm 20 pounds heavier, several dollars lighter, and very blessed to have shared a healthy pregnancy with my best girl (that would be Wendy, in case any of you were wondering).

With 2009 about to dawn, our thoughts here have been primarily focused on welcoming our baby girl in February. We still have much to do, but our hopes sit high and our love runs deep. As with any New Year, it's the traditional time to contemplate one's resolutions. Not surprisingly, I've been focused on those resolutions I'll need in my new role as a dad. So, I thought I'd share a few of them with you. Maybe you'll also have a few suggestions for me! Here they are, in no particular order of importance:

First, I resolve to sustain an unfailing sense of humor. This is going to be a key resolution, not only for dealing with the unexpected worries of pregnancy and delivery yet-to-come but also for dealing with the challenges of being a first-time dad. Let's be honest, diapers filled with the most unspeakable things since H.P. Lovecraft penned a tale, spit-ups just when I cannot find a towel, and inconsolable crying are my immediate future. Nothing but a wily - some would say devious - sense of humor will keep the creatures of anxiety restrained. Besides, with the exception of the gift of love, what other tool can I offer my little girl to help her deal with life's obstacles and to fill her soul with glee?

Second, I resolve to be patient with baby. Flipper will at first be able to communicate only through crying. There will be those moments where she will be incredibly frustrated with no way to tell me why. Patience will be a necessary thing to help me lovingly work through all the aggravations she and I will face together.

Third, I resolve to be patient with Wendy. I appreciate that Wendy has endured much during her pregnancy, and there will be more to go. Once the baby comes, she'll need time to recuperate physically, mentally, emotionally, and even sexually. Wendy deserves all of the understanding, caring and support I can give - and more. It helps, too, that I happen to be crazy in love with the girl.

Fourth, I resolve to be patient with myself. Those of you who know me know that I tend to lack grace towards myself. I understand that I'll be anxious, I'll be tired, and I'll want to beat myself over the head for every time I think I didn't get it quite right. I'll have to find the persistence of Sisyphus to keep myself healthy for my family. I'll also have to give myself permission to rest and recharge whenever I can; doing that without guilt will be nearly impossible for me.

Fifth, I resolve to participate in every aspect of my baby's care and life. This one should be a given, but we still live in a society where the importance of fathers is downplayed. Dad heads to the office; dad goes to lodge; dad meets with his associates - all while mom stays at home. That's not me, though. My friends and colleagues will have to get used to me not being available like I have been in the past. That is going to be hard, for I shall feel guilty about it. I shall also undoubtedly delay, or even forfeit, a few good opportunities; I may even lose a few good relationships. I'll try my best, but - and I say this selfishly - I never thought I'd be a dad. Now that it is happening, I so much want to with my family. My participation in Flipper's care and nurturing is essential to both of us - physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I've yet to meet my little girl, but I already love her so very much. I want to be the guy who changes diapers, does the feeding, and, most of all, shares a wonderful life with her, her mother, and her sister.

Sixth, I resolve to make time for both my wife and my stepdaughter. A new baby means that a lot of energy will be going one place - the baby. I'll need to remind myself from time-to-time that I must also continue to nurture my life with Wendy and with Kennedy (who is as much an actual daughter to me as Flipper is).

Seventh, I resolve that my intentions and actions shall be born from a place of Love and Light. No need to say more here.

... And that is my list of "Dad" Resolutions so far. In closing, to all who have been keeping up with this blog, we wish you each a Happy, Prosperous, and Loving New Year.

Grace & Peace to all!

Belated Merry Christmas!

Despite my best efforts to have a couple of really cool posts prior to Christmas, nothing has gone up until today - oh well; that's just the way it goes. I forget many times just how much I can do before wearing out. Case in point, last Monday when I ran like a crazy person all day doing last minute stuff and was rewarded with an extremely sore body and a grumpy me. Of course, my other reward was a very patient and understanding spouse with a back rub. I do love that man . . .
Santa came to our house, regardless of how bad I was this year - of course, we did make him home-made sugar cookies, so that might have helped. Flipper scored some really cool stuff: a pair of slippers that look like duck feet and say "Flipper Slippers" (these are definitely going to the hospital with us), a Pooh outfit, onesie, hat and such (also going in with us), and a baby massage book (which was actually for dad, but the lucky recipient of said massage is you-know-who).
We have been bummed because we haven't been able to make the trip to northern Indiana yet - the weekend right before Christmas there was an awful ice storm up there, so we'll be headed up this weekend to visit with the rest of the family; hopefully I won't have to make too many bathroom breaks along the way!
December 24th was our most recent checkup with another on the heels on January 5th. Seems like time is going by so fast and it doesn't help when the appointments are two weeks apart (What? It's been a month already?!?!? Oh wait . . .). Anyhoo, things are looking good for Flipper - she's growing well (and how) and heartbeat is a steady 140 again. My blood pressure was just a teensy bit elevated (or at least elevated for me, seeing as how the levels were still within normal range), so I'm having to check the old ticker pipes this week to see how things are going; might be all the swell holiday food getting me all excited. Anyway, we'll let you know after the 5th what is up.
Hope everyone had a great holiday!!!!!!!

60 Days

Yep, sixty days left - at least until February 13th. According to the poll, a majority seem to think it'll be 61 days. We will see, won't we . . .
Friday's appointment went well; heartbeat at a healthy 140 and she's moving around as she sees fit; still transverse for the most part and thumping my left side when she's happy or annoyed (I can never tell for sure). Sometimes she seems to tap in an area - I noticed this the other night when I was trying to get back to sleep after a mid-evening bathroom break; I was lying on my right side, which appears to be where her head is, and she just started tapping in one place, over and over. it wasn't like the usual kick or stretch - this was definite tapping, like she was saying, "Ok, mom - make me stand on my head; I'll annoy you until you roll over." I believe it worked.
Flipper got to listen to big sister play at her band recital last week (for the record, Kennedy did exceptionally well). She either really likes or really hates trumpets because she would seem to react to trumpet sound. Drum sound, not so much, contrary to what you would think. I was doing some reacting to the reed-squeaking clarinet playing that seemed to dominate much of the proceedings, but she seemed ok with it. Maybe this means that she is not easily startled and pretty easy-going.
The diabetic thing is going ok - the doc seemed pleased with the results of the drug she prescribed and felt that my blood levels were pretty good. I expressed some irritation with holiday food and what it does to my system but she was pretty cool about it. I guess things are ok. That helps to justify making and eating brownies last night - of course, these were for a school assignment, so they had to be co-made with Kennedy as well as tested for quality control. As a result, my levels are just fine today - see, I've learned how to behave within the confines of my limits (for the most part - ask me about the Pop-Tart experiment). Now to get through the rest of the holiday season without going berserk!

Hormonal Rant Two

I think it's kind of funny how for most of your adult life, people touch other people on the shoulder, arm, hand, give hugs and whatnot but that walking up to someone and just patting or rubbing their belly unsolicited would get you at the very least yelled at, but probably smacked. Yet during pregnancy, we females (Oh, alright and one person who is legally a guy) can be walking around, minding our own business, and perfect strangers do it and think it's ok. Even acquaintances and friends do it, and while they do it they say stuff like, "Oh I know this is rude to do without asking, but I'm doing it anyway." That's kind of messed up. What makes it worse is that people seem to have this sixth sense about when I'm feeling physically uncomfortable and do it then, which is the worst time to do it - I'm a well-trained animal, but even the most domesticated beast can bite when in distress. For the most part, you'll get the eye-roll, which is the surest indicator that you have crossed a personal space line without permission, but I did bark at a student one day who came at me with both hands out and moving at full speed. Another person ran up and did it while I was in a work conversation with one of my office mates, which really, and I do mean really honked me off (this also happened to be the person who had rudely come up and asked if I was just getting fat a few months back - thank you, random person; my self-image really needed that kind of boost right about then). I do get looks from people who seem to want to touch but are respectful - and if they ask, I would be ok with it unless I just weren't feeling well. Bottom line, society expects preggos to be gracious about unsolicited touching in an area of our bodies that we feel very protective and sensitive about - but remember, society: please be respectful and ask.

Kickin' It with Dad

Dad unit here. Saturday morning was another proud baby moment. I was able, for the first time, to feel my little girl move inside the womb. I was reading the paper when Wendy beckoned me and asked me to put my hand on her tummy. After a few moments, I felt one big, solid kick. I don’t know what other fathers have experienced when they first felt their baby, but I must admit two things: 1) I was emotionally overwhelmed (yes, there were tears) and 2) my love for Wendy became even more profound (as if that were possible!). Yep, I’m still smitten over my wife, not just because she carries our child, but because she is my best friend and partner.

To all of those dads out there who kept telling me, “Just wait until you feel the baby kick,” thanks. I get it now. Ultrasound pictures and feeling the “baby bump” are one thing, but feeling your child move – well, that makes it all the more real and wonderful. Up to that moment, there are times when you wonder if she is really in the womb. You contemplate how two small particles can come together, and, trillions of genetic events later, produce a living, loving being. Then, you feel a kick, and suddenly you are possessed by the miracle that is your growing child.

I’ve not felt her move since, but, on Sunday, Wendy and I watched as her stomach pulsed up and down for a while. It was so cool to see this happening, and to wonder what the baby was up to. I like to think she was tapping her feet to some Beatles or ELO tune, but who knows. She may have just had gas. Later that evening, I put my mouth down on Wendy’s tummy and started talking to Flipper. It was the weirdest thing, as we saw the opposite side of the stomach push out. Don’t know if she was trying to get away from the old man or what, but it was just amazing.

One thing is for certain, we have a lot to be grateful for this Thanksgiving.

We wish each of you a Happy Thanksgiving, too.

Hormonal Rant: Opus One

It was going to happen sooner or later - something was going to set me off. Many of you know that I have this "thing" about Christmas advertising and whatnot occurring before Thanksgiving, but today I reached a zenith in my explode-o-meter over the subject - thankfully no one was hurt, seeing as how I saved it for the car. While waiting for my food order during lunch today (yes, it was healthy - except for the Cheetos), listening to some God-awful rendition of "Do You Hear What I Hear", I realized that I had been subjected to Christmas music and advertising since November 1st - that's 17 days of holiday harassment and at the time, we still weren't through the two month long election harassment, which is why this snuck up on me. Next thing you know, we'll be hearing Christmas music in October - I want to know what clown thought it was a good idea to start the whole shebang early, completely ignoring the fact that there's a perfectly good holiday sandwiched very nicely between Halloween and Christmas. And no, I'm not talking about the Mexican Day of the Dead, although that is a pretty cool holiday. Veteran's day is also awesome, but it's mostly commemorated by only some people getting off of work (which doesn't include me - note to self: find potential employer who gives more holidays off) and going to big sales. I'm talking about Turkey Day, Thanksgiving - which now is the biggest shopping day before Christmas for many people, not the day after. Oh, if only our forefathers could see us now, dissing a holiday based on the idea of sharing and togetherness in order to get the best deal on BlueRay players and passing out while watching the Lions getting their butts handed to them. Actually, I made that sound pretty good . . .

So She Really IS Sugar and Spice?

We had the first real snow here this morning - my favorite kind, too - that big, fluffy stuff that sticks in all the branches and tall grasses. Makes for some nice scenery . . . and some bad drivers.
Ok, so here's the news from last week's test: unlike other people, who will either be well below or well above a threshold, I am just over - four points over the limit after a fast, and one flipping point over while zooming on glucose. Still, according to the doc, one point over is still considered in the zone for gestational diabetes, so I have it. Poopy. The good news is that they are planning to treat it with diet, as opposed to insulin shots (at this point, anyway), so I will meet with the dietitian tomorrow to find out how to test my own blood sugar (sounds ominous) and learn what I shouldn't be eating that apparently I have been eating but didn't know was giving me issues. Unfortunately, the first thought that comes to mind is that I can't have sweet stuff, which I normally don't gravitate to much, but now WANT. And what really honks me off was talking to a person the other day who gained 56 pounds with her recent bundle, having eaten ice cream, milk shakes, chocolate and all the otherr junk food crap that you're supposed to do in low doses (or balanced with good stuff) and she never contracted gestational diabetes - nor has she had a problem loosing all that baby weight. Makes me sick. Of course, I am old enough to be her mother . . .but that is beside the point. Maybe it was because she had a boy and I'm having a girl - girls are made of sugar and spice, right?

Food, Glorious Food

Eating is always a topic of discussion when it comes to being pregnant - everybody's all about "eating for two"; interestingly enough, current conventional wisdom suggests that we only need about 300 calories more a day than we did prior to becoming pregnant. Current personal wisdom suggests that fitting more than half a plate of food into my gullet in one sitting would be a bad idea, seeing as how internal space is at a premium. Ironic that my favorite holiday is soon approaching and I'll barely be able to scratch the surface of my favorite dishes. Boo. Good thing Thanksgiving usually means eating leftovers for a few days, eh?
So what has "pregnancy craving" meant for me - oddly enough, Flipper has had some interesting effects on my usual dining proclivities. While there have been no late night runs anywhere, or pickle and ice cream pairings, the first real and true craving I had (and within days of finding out about Flipper's presence) was for the very thing I had turned away from some nine years ago: meat. Yes, sports fans, this pesco-vegetarian (a vegetarian who eats fish) fell waaaaaaaaay, waaaaay off the tofu wagon. And guess what the mouth-watering, mega-craze item was that I could not live without for nearly a daily basis for the first 2-3 weeks . . .an Arby's roast beef sandwich. But here's the deal - now I won't touch it with a ten-foot pole; this is the other odd effect - my taste crave changes every so many weeks. For about a month, I may want carne asada tacos and tostados, or for six weeks it'll be Chinese food, or a trimester of egg and cheese croissants, or two weeks of blueberries. For the most part, I roll with it; apparently whatever I want is filling a basic need and for the most part, it's pretty healthy stuff - except the week I was all over those pumpkin doughnuts . . .oooooooh yes. The only item of real concern was at about the second trimester, I had a deep need for unsweetened iced tea (and still do); this needed to be passed through the OB because tea, while not a bad thing, does contain some caffeine - Kim said, "No big deal, and the caffeine thing is only an issue during the first trimester." So, I roll with that, too. Right now, though I am in an ambiguous phase; I don't get super cravings, so I don't always know what to eat. This gets frustrating. With Kennedy, the formula was pretty simple: Taco Bell. Anything with beans at Taco Bell. This would explain why she is so gassy.
Related to the food thing is the newest issue. Today's checkup went well - heartbeat is at a happy 145 and she's growing well. The issue is the glucose tolerance test in which my results came back one point over the cutoff for normal. What that means is that there is potential for gestational diabetes, although with it being one point over . . . chances are low. Anyhoo, this means a mandatory three-hour test with fasting, more glucola crapola drink and four more blood draws (a fasting baseline and three more draws at hour intervals). I look forward to this in very much the same way I look forward to getting stitches or speaking in front of 4,000 people. On the bright side, at least we'll know what's going on and how to deal with it. On the not-so-bright side, the glucola drink ruins Sunkist soda for me because it tastes just like it; good thing I don't drink soda much anyway.
So - cross your fingers for an "all clear" on Thursday!

As of today, there are 100 days left - well, according to the countdown thingy. Flipper will ultimately decide how many days are left, but it would be nice if she gave notice or something - maybe a letter of intent.
She's really been moving around (or at least thumping my innards with her appendages); the other day, Steven was lying with his ear on my belly to see if he could hear her, since he hasn't been able to feel her; he thinks he's heard her tapping. Once, from my perspective, she kicked him in the head - he heard it, but didn't feel it - I still thought it was funny.

Doin' the Civic Duty

Today is a pretty significant day in American history, and we've done our civic duty. It's rather sobering to think about the outcome of today - the new president and vice-president will barely have been sworn in when Flipper is born. These people will be integrated into her own personal history, and what's so . . .interesting, amazing, sobering, or what have you - is that Flipper will never have known a time when there hadn't been a non-Caucasian or a female in the White House. Isn't that something? From the get-go of her life, things will be different in our country and I think that's pretty cool. I hope you all played a part in making your voice known.
And one more thing - at least the TV ads and automated phone calls will be OVER, no matter what the outcome! If my write-in plan works, it'll be Gumby and Pokey . . .
Never the less, no matter what side of the "fence" you play on, remember to be civil, to value and respect one another, and to appreciate the differences - they are what make us truly . . .human.

What's In A Name?

Dad Unit Here. As we march (or waddle) inevitably forward to our due date, we’ve been focusing on names for our Flipper. [And yes, Wendy has already vetoed “Flipper” as a name, although I’m still holding out hope that I can get the “Gibbous” in as a really sweet middle name.] The difficulty, is, of course, finding a name that is not a) too old fashioned, b) too outlandish, or c) too trendy.

Wendy and I agreed from the outset that we did not want a name that was too old fashioned. Names such as Gertrude or Ethel may be perfectly fine names, but they just did not speak to us. Outlandish names were right out. So, sorry, no Shadrak Smiseck, as in “Shadrak, Meshak and Abendigo.” The problem with such names, outside of potentially being silly, is that it can be hurtful to the child, both in terms of childhood taunts and acceptance as an adult.

So, we are now left with finding a name that we both think is groovenatious but that is not too “trendy.” I refer to the trendy trap as the “Dave Syndrome.” Those of you who know your Dr. Suess may remember a very short story he wrote called “Too Many Daves,” which reads, in part:

Did I ever tell you that Mrs. McCave Had twenty-three sons, and she named them all Dave? Well, she did. And that wasn't a smart thing to do. You see, when she wants one, and calls out "Yoo-Hoo! Come into the house, Dave!" she doesn't get one. All twenty-three Daves of hers come on the run! This makes things quite difficult at the McCaves' As you can imagine, with so many Daves ***

The lesson we learn from all of this is crystal clear: “Groovenatious” would be a great name for a rock band (Thanks, Dave Barry).

Actually, it’s that we want to avoid a name that may be shared by lots of others. The current bane seems to be the name Taylor. Go anywhere and shout, “Taylor, come here!” You’ll see at least three girls and two boys all come on the run. The name might be perfectly okay, but we do not wish to inflict such anarchy on our little girl. We’ll let all the other precious snowflakes sort it out. Unfortunately, this issue has caused us to question some names we really love.

So, Wendy, Kennedy, and I are still plowing through the baby-name books (for those with a quirky sense of humor, how can you have a list called the 100 most popular unique names???). We hope to find a name that is strong and successful and loving and beautiful and reflective of who we think our little girl may be. Leading names are Katherine, Julia (a name shared by Wendy's great-grandmother and my great-grandmother - a beautiful soul, for those of you who knew her), Grace, and Ophelia.

Your suggestions are, of course, always welcome. You may have an idea that we’ll love. Just post it in the comments section of this tremendous blog. We’ll let you know what we think.

Until then, Grace & Peace!

Got a Suggestion?

Since everyone is asking about names, here's a chance for you to give your two cents. Click on "comment" and rattle off your suggestion(s). We've floated some name ideas out there to some, so if you like them, just say so; if you don't, come up with something you do like and we'll THINK about it.

Reminiscing

There are a lot of nice, fuzzy things about pregnancy - the fact that you're growing a new little being and knowing that in a matter of months you'll be holding a sweet, naked little pinkish thingy (to paraphrase "Babe: Pig in the City") can give you a pretty big lift. You'll hear people talk about this stuff all the time. What people don't often talk about are the things that, upon reading them, you think, "Oh, that's not a big deal - stuffy noses are mere child's play". Having forgotten these minor irritations, I am now remembering some of the less nice and fuzzy aspects of pregnancy that are rearing their heads - I will, however, spare you the somewhat icky or more personal aspects in my list of what I am now missing as a part of my pregnancy journey. Please note that this does not mean that I am not enjoying the experience - merely recalling fondly some of the abilities or indulgences that after about five months now I am realizing I am doing without.

Things I miss:

• my feet
• lying on my stomach
• an un-stuffy nose
• lifting things that I know I am capable of lifting
• getting out of bed or off of a chair or the floor without making it into a production of "Cirque du Soleil"
  
• wine with dinner
• being able to ignore (or at least tolerate) many smells
  
• the ability to speak articulately
• control of my gastronomic desires
• not being winded after walking upstairs
• memory longer than a nanosecond
• some of the foods I really used to groove on but now have no taste for (see "control of gastronomic desires")
  
• sleeping through the night without having to get up to pee at least twice
  

Early Career Option

Not happy with the Presidential candidates this year? Try this one!

At 22 weeks, impersonating Julie Andrews atop Mt. Jeez near Malabar Farm State Park in Richland County, Ohio.
We took a mini family vacation this weekend to enjoy the fall colors, celebrate Steven's birthday, and get in touch with nature. Mmmmm, nature. We did a lot of tromping around!
If you're ever in the neighborhood of Richland/Ashland County, check out the farm, stay at a castle, do some leaf peeping, and visit a prison (which unfortunately we could not do due to haunted house age restrictions - yes, I am too young).

Our monthly checkup went off without a hitch yesterday (10/13); doc (Kim Shepherd) says things look good and reiterated that recent tests indicated that all was well. She did admit to laughing when she saw the report that Flipper was a girl; Kim was predicting a boy and told us a story about her own prediction woes with her three boys. Otherwise, Flipper is still playing hide and seek with daddy and Kennedy gained the distinction of having lost the last of her baby teeth yesterday while at the dentist's office. I, on the other hand, gained the distinction of having a small, molar cavity, but at least my teeth are clear of granite boulders.

She Likes to Move It, Move It

I remember the first time I felt Kennedy (some 11 years ago) - it was just like the books and all described it: like butterflies. With Flipper, she made herself known in no uncertain terms, skipping the butterfly phase and going straight for a healthy push. She goes through bouts of moving around, pushing and kicking, and I'm never sure of exactly what it means; some days are more active than others, though. One particular day about a week or so ago, she got fired up about us singing the Beatles' "Twist and Shout" and didn't quiet down for some time (hopefully this means she's a Beatles fan as opposed to punishing me for my vocal skills). All this movement, however, is felt pretty much by me at this point with no real impact on external feelers. I might be sitting around feeling a few notices of her presence and tell Steven, but by the time he reaches over it's done. It's almost like some game she's playing with him - I can almost imagine her giggling behind her little hand ("Ha ha Daddy! Try to catch me!"). She's lying on her side at this point, so at least we know where her feet are most of the time (and I know where her feet are every time she stretches and kicks- shees!).

The Specifics

Flipper Gibbous, a moniker to give us something to call the baby besides "the baby", is Flipper because all little guys start out with flippers and Gibbous because Steven is an Astronomy geek (plus, it just sounds cool - now I dare you to look it up).
Anyway, Flipper has gone through a few due dates: February 11, February 15, and now February 13 - the last two due to changes after ultrasound measurements (and how they know that Flipper is five and then two days behind original estimates is a complete mystery). The last date is kind of funny; February 13th is my brother's birthday, but it also happens to be Friday the 13th in 2009, a significant factor in that Steven was born on Friday the 13th and considers it quite lucky. I will consider myself lucky if I make it that long.
The most recent ultrasound (9/24) was very cool so wait for a hot minute because the photos should be up soon - things are looking good and we found out that we have a girl! It was neat for us because Kennedy and Steven's mom was there and it was great to share the experience with them; we've seen Flipper moving around before, but it was especially cool to see her doing her thing in front of big sis and Nana (well, that and she's much bigger now - oooo and she has finger and toe bones!). She wasn't as active as last time (thankfully, because it made taking the measurements easier), but she did do a really awesome karate kick, open and close her mouth, and move her hands around. She also tired of the attention, and like the apes at the zoo, turned her back when she was done with us. I could have watched her all day - in fact, when the technologist left and we were waiting on the doc, I was half tempted to play with the machine to look at what I wanted to see, instead of what the doc wanted to see; fortunately, the voice of reason stepped in before the doctor did - otherwise I would have been standing there like a kid with my hand in the proverbial cookie jar with a bystanding peanut gallery giving pointers. Still, it was a good day - we're happy, saw a healthy baby, and now have to get serious with girl names.

The Obligatory First Post

Some people start blogs like this the minute they think they're pregnant, others wait a bit to get some news, but people like me - well, we wait until we can figure out how to do this blog thing. A word of warning: don't expect anything over-the-top-firecrackers-shooting-out-of-your-keister fantastic; hormonal fluctuations will play havoc with my patience and ability to navigate the technical waters of the more advanced blog professional.

That having been said, here are the details concerning this blog, why it's here and the people behind it:

• Blogtastic Smiseck Baby is a blog site dedicated to the newest soon-to-be addition to our family; we're the Smisecks (Wendy, Steven and big sister Kennedy). For those who aren't aware of the name origin, it is Slovak, is pronounced "Smee-sheck", and means "smiling one" (pretty aprospo considering the general happiness factor in the household).
• Not everyone is internet inclined (believe it or not, we have relatives who require snail-mail announcement - *gasp*), but for those who are, they have requested a blog; maybe it's becuase they don't want ultrasound photos clogging up their e-mail. I don't know.
• The players: Steven (the dad unit), Wendy (the mom unit), Kennedy (the older sib unit and step-child to Steven), and Flipper Gibbous (the fetus unit - more on the name later).

So, there it is - a first entry and a teaser of info. Hopefully, the continuing development of this blog will be not only informational, but educational and entertaining as well. Feel free to comment or just look at it and wonder at the awesome skills I have attained in learning to blog.