I’ve heard dads-to-be can have some sympathy pains for their pregnant partners.  I figured this surely must be made up, but it even has a name.  It’s called Couvade Syndrome.  I mean, there it is folks, on the Internet.  Who am I to argue with articles found after Google searches?

I’m no doctor, but I believe Greyson may have come down with a slight case of Couvades.  His symptoms aren’t physical.  He’s escaped heartburn.  But, sadly for him, he’s caught my pregnancy brain.  You may remember when I poisoned my “Baby”.

Here’s two instances that prove pregnancy brain may be catching…

1.  He forgot how old he was-  Greyson’s birthday was last week.  A few days before he says, “Gosh, I can’t believe I’m going to be 35!”  I stopped.  I looked at him very confused.  I said, “Well, you should believe it because you’ve been 35 for a year. You’re gonna be 36.”  “What?!  No,” he says.  He stops and thinks.  I pull out my phone and pull up the calculator.  “2010-1974=36,” I say as I show him my math.  We start laughing.  He says, “Seriously Amy, this isn’t like I just forgot how old I was today.  I seriously have gone this whole year thinking I was 34.”

2.  He made a Facebook faux pas-  Greyson is a very sweet and diligent dad-to-be.  Each weekend we’ve been making all our preparations.  Saturday he was making an updated list of who to call from the hospital after the baby was born.  He found a quick way to update his contacts was through Facebook.  He thought he created a contact list called “Baby is here” and hit save.  What he actually had done was invite a ton of our friends to join his group “Baby is here.”  Needless to say he had to do some damage control that afternoon, reassuring several dozen on the Internet that our baby was indeed still hanging out in the womb.  He even renamed the group “Dammit!”, sending out a note to everyone apologizing for his goof.  Our friend Brett said he couldn’t wait to call to order the first meeting of the “Dammit!” group.

I’m here for you Grey in these last couple of weeks.  I love you.  I feel so lucky you’re the father of our baby who’s working so hard before her arrival.  I understand the pain of pregnancy brain.  But, don’t expect any more sympathy from me since you haven’t had one case of heartburn.

When we started the planning process for the nursery I was nauseated at the amount of frou-frou-sparkle-princess-crap there was out there for baby girl rooms.  That’s coming from me! The self-proclaimed, queen of pink, girly-girl.  I thought we had moved into the more modern pink-and-green-paisley phase for girls rooms, which is much nicer.  But, apparently there’s still a market for ballerina bear crib sets.  (Barf!)

All the Internet searches, the planning, and the paint swatches never really prepared me for seeing the nursery complete.  (Well, almost complete, you’ll see.)  We wanted a more vintage-quilted kind of look with two yellow walls and two pink walls.  We used old things we used to have and tried to make it work for our modern baby.  I feel calm when I walk in.  I love it.  I hope she does.  Here’s a look at our bright little nursery…

I wasn’t going to write this post out of sheer embarassment.  I haven’t even told my family what I did the week-before-last.  Greyson and I only told some close friends the stupid, stupid thing I did.  I’ve tried hard these last eight months not to “blame it on the baby.”  But, I can only chock this dumbness up to my progesterone fueled body. 

I didn’t believe that “pregnancy brain” was a real thing.  There has been research as to whether the hormone filled, sleep deprived brains of pregnant women and new moms do cause forgetfulness or “brain fog.”  I’m slowly getting over the embarassment.  I’m posting this on behalf of pregnant women everywhere.  This is my confession…

We were getting ready for a three hour drive to Charlotte to see the Carolina Panthers play Sunday-before-last.  We were feeling hopeful even though our team is the worst in the league.  Greyson was getting ready.  I stopped at the ATM and grabbed us some breakfast to eat in the car. 

I drive a 2005 Jeep Liberty.  It’s the first big thing Greyson and I ever bought together back when we were engaged.  It’s the first brand-new car I’ve ever owned.  I lovingly call it the “Baby Jeep.”

I am not doing “Quick Quotes Friday” this week.  I’ll push it back to another day because I’m so excited I’m writing this post instead.

Remember our friends/neighbors Mike and Erin?  They were due about 1 1/2 weeks before us.  We all know children have minds of their own.  Well, I’ve learned the same is true with babies.  In the spirit of their speedy parents.  (They’re big runners.)  Welcome (a little early) Joshua Owen!  10-05-10 6lbs. 8oz.  20”

I’ve given up my beautiful bassinet dreams for parental practicality.  In the first trimester the only thing pregnancy-wise we had only spent money on was Sea Bands, so I wanted my baby to slumber in this beauty next to our bed…