Talk to the Belly / How Men Try to Understand Pregnancy (by Husband)

It's such a humbling place to see my wife talking to the heartbeat inside her belly. Some days it's soooo real, and the next, it's abstract all over again...until she starts reading the baby a book, or singing him/her a song. Then I wish I could feel that connected all over again. God is so good. For the first time, a couple days ago I woke up and forgot that we were pregnant. (Moment of silence) I’m reading “The Expectant Father” an excellent book given to me by the best coworker in the world, Nicole. In it, it says that pregnancy for men can be sort of “abstract,” where we don’t have the same kind of connection that the woman has. A woman is pregnant 24 hours a day, on weekends and holidays, day and night shifts, for 40 weeks straight. There is no off time, coffee breaks, lunches “out of the office.” Thus, I cannot relate, LOL!!! I feel this strange blend of emotions that range between guilt, awe, wonder, sympathy and compassion over my wife’s uncomfortable joy. I can’t push, can’t vomit for her, can’t take the pain away, can’t move the baby or her organs into peaceful positions, cant ensure she won’t wake up in the middle of the night as hungry as a bear out of hibernation. And because of this, it makes me want to do everything I can to ease the load everywhere else for my queen. If you’re a man, you’ll understand. If you’re pregnant, then understand that this is probably what your husband feels but can’t really put into words without sounding as crazy as I did in saying I “forgot” we were pregnant one morning when I started my morning routine.

Ice Cream in the Microwave (by Husband)

Charity is going to have a natural, at-home birth! She is amazing and I support her all the way. Please pray for us. I am all of a sudden a worker bee who wants a new house, new car, new job, new life that is the best for the baby. It's so exciting. I'll be rushing around off adrenaline to accomplish as much as possible, and then Charity'll say: "Babe, take the pressure off! You're a good enough provider for me..." But do you know the pressures of being a man and wanting to give the very best? The pressure to provide more than we had; nothing but the very best for my children. That is what my father gave me, and I’d be damned to give anything less to my children. But (sigh) what a relief to hear those refreshing words from my wife? “You’re a good enough provider already…” Women take note. This is what you say to melt away your husband’s stress faster than you can soften ice cream in a microwave!