This has been a roller coaster ride of a year. Looking back it is hard to believe the amount of shit that happened. I accomplished a major career milestone, my mother was diagnosed, and recovered from, colon cancer. Meghan and I decided to start trying to get pregnant and then, a month later, we found out we were successful.

New Year’s Resolution? Mine is to make having a well balanced life a priority. My life wasn’t exactly balanced this past year. I spent a lot of time focusing and studying in order to kick the most ass at my job. I did a pretty good job too . But the reason I did that was so that Meghan and I could have the option to start our family on our own terms. My resolution is not to waste that opportunity.

Also, I need to get healthier. I’m 29 and I can feel my body changing as I get closer to 30. I don’t want to be one of those guys who wakes up one day and realizes “hey I’m a fucking slob”. This year, all my previous life routines are going to get blown out the door. It will be my chance to set up some new ones. So I’m going to try to eat better and exercise more. the road to hell is paved with good intentions, but I’m actually going to make a plan and do this. I have some nice running shoes collecting dust right now.

Happy new year folks! I’m looking forward to it.

We have known that we are having a baby for awhile now, but it hasn’t really been real yet. But today we had our 8 week appointment with the doctor. This was a big one because today was the first ultrasound. Up until now, the pregnancy has all been symptoms. Meghan has been nauseous and sick, but really, that could be anything. Sure she’s gotten 6 positive pregnancy tests, but who knows really?

Well, here is the proof!

That little blob with the line through it is our baby!

It’s really hard to describe all the feelings that were going through my head while Meghan was lying on the table. I knew that if there were any major problems with the baby, we’d know very quickly. I was a little nervous but I hadn’t really said anything to her about it, since I didn’t want to freak her out. But when the doc pressed that wand onto her stomach, he very quickly removed any fears I had. He showed us where the head was, pointed out all the signs of a healthy pregnancy, and then we actually got to hear our babies heart beating! I wasn’t expecting to be able to hear that so quickly and it took me by surprise. I was just amazed at what I was seeing and hearing. Meghan kept laughing, which is what she does when she’s excited.

The doc was great. We thought we were excited before but now it’s so much more real!

In order to break up the continual monotony of my morning and evening commutes, I’ve started downloading and listening to podcasts. I know, I’m a little late to the party. I’ve had my iPod for a year and I’m just now getting around to it. But better late than never.

Here are the casts I’m listening to now: ESPN: Pardon the Interruption, NPR: Car Talk, San Francisco Zen Center Public Lectures, and the Alan Watts podcast.

Anyone have any recommendations? I’m also trying to find a good podcast for new dads to listen to, but I haven’t had much luck. I may end up having to make one.

We had a good weekend but it was too short. Meghan is getting into the groove of being pregnant, despite her fear that it will all be some illusion. She won’t be truly convinced until we see the ultrasound. I’m convinced though, since she has all the signs. She’s been eating all kinds of weird stuff, plus she’s tired all the time. Almost narcoleptic. She will sleep at any given moment.

We spend Friday night at her brother-in-law’s condo in Smyrna. I have a great time hanging out with him and his wife, Heather. We went out to eat at Ippolito’s off of Roswell Rd. Then on Satuday we went to Lenox Mall and then Ikea. Amazingly, we didn’t buy anything, other than some food.

I’m dreading this week at work. Nick is on vacation, and I’ve got a large install to do. This usually means that I will get slammed with trouble tickets and other crap. I’ll just have to tough it out.

Note: This is not baby related.

So today the Falcons coach quit after less than one year and went to Arkansas of all places. The Falcons are in pretty bad shape. Then I read this article in the AJC.

What are the odds that Arthur Blank will attempt to hire Bill Cowher? That would make me an instant Falcons fan (Steelers come first though). It seems too amazing to even consider. They will probably end up with some shmoe. But wouldn’t it be cool?

Well, the shock has started wearing off and Meghan and I are getting down to the business of having a baby.

Obviously, she is in the first trimester. I won’t get all biological on you, but right now a lot of crazy things are going on with Meghan’s body. Her hormones are going nutzo on her. One of the “benefits” of being pregnant is that as a woman, you get to have a 9 month reprieve from your period. What isn’t as obvious is that with all of the hormonal changes, it can be like having PMS for 9 months straight. Everyone says it tapers off as the first trimester ends, and then picks back up towards the end.

What meghan didn’t know was that I knew about all of this already. I’m mentally prepared for the mood swings and all the inherent difficulties that are going to be coming up. She can’t believe that I could possibly deal with her moods without going out of my mind. Honestly, if she weren’t pregnant, I would have lost my shit. But the fact that she is pregnant with our child makes a tremendous difference. My patience is limitless.

I was upstairs on Sunday doing some work on my home pc and I found my old journals. I wrote in a couple of journals starting about 6 months before dad had his heartattack, right up until a couple months before I moved up to Erie. It is pretty amazing to read my thoughts from back then. I’m thinking about starting another one. how cool would it be for my son/daughter to read it when they grow up?

Meghan and I are expecting! A baby! We have procreated!

We found out on Thursday. Meghan called me at work hyperventilating. She had taken a test and it showed that she was pregnant! I calmed her down and made her go to the store to get another one, and a big thing of water. She drank it, then took it again. And it showed that she was pregnant again! My coworker Nick, himself the father of 3, said that false negatives happened, but there were no false positives.

So it’s official. My mind is really not wrapped around what this means fully, but we had been trying to get pregnant for a month, and it was something we’d decided after thinking about it for many years. We are as ready for this as anyone could be. I think we’re going to have an amazing experience, and I can’t wait!