| Dad's Diary |
| Archived Journal |
| Week 31 Less than 8 weeks to go!? The Health Update Those late pregnancy difficulties are starting to set in. Erika is getting more leg cramps, having more difficulty sleeping, forgetting things and is short of breath. She went to the ATM this week and realized she forgot her PIN number. I think I helped her remember it, but I've never had to use it before. We'll see the next time she goes to the ATM. Now, I don't want to throw any stones here. I once forgot my access code at the office--one that I had used every day for two years--so I realize this sort of thing happens. But, Erika definitely feels less "with it" these days. No major health maladies, just some inconvenience and discomfort, but I can see how by the end of the 9th month, you're ready for this to be over. The Maternity Ward Tour We took a tour of the University of Chicago hospital's maternity ward last Saturday. It was very educational. We saw the birthing rooms, the ominously-named "triage" unit and the nursery with lots of cute, itty-bitty babies. They are small, that's for sure. Interestingly, all the babies in the nursery last Saturday morning were girls. We saw one mother checking out of the hospital. Boy, did she look tired. Happy, but tired. So, that's what we have look forward to. I am beginning to appreciate sleep more and more, thinking that the only time I'll get 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep for the next 5 years is when I'm on the road. I've never been a coffee drinker, but maybe I'll start when we have the baby. At the hospital, we heard one woman in labor. As we walked through the halls, we could hear her moans. It must have been early labor because she didn't sound in too much discomfort. However, it was still a bit disconcerting to hear someone else's labor pains. There were lots of husbands with the "deer in headlights" look on the tour, myself included. Two of the pregnant women took their moms on the tour (including Erika). The future grandma's asked all the good questions. The men didn't say a word. Of course, the best part of going to these appointments at the U of C hospitals is that we can go to Sammy's restaurant at 57th and Cottage Grove for lunch (thanks to Tarek for telling us about it). Best gyros and simple sandwiches in Chicago. That's not why we're naming our child Sam, however. |