KnipSter Journal

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February 01, 2003

New Children, Pregnant Wives, & Life

So even with work being an ever interesting place of late, my family life has been more so. Lori, of course, is pregnant with BabyToo and has an ever earlier due date.

Due Date
I'm at a lost on this one. With an original due date of approx. March 20, I figured that any time in March would be reasonable, and particularly early since Maura was a calendar month early. Of course, the calculation of this due date is date of conception and duration of gestation. In our case, I really believe that the possible error in our conception date is limited to 5 days.

But at our 20-week ultrasound, the doctor mentions that the head measurements really indicate a 22-week fetus. He backs this up with a strong and generally accepted correlation at this stage of development.

Now Lori is a Type-I Diabetic, and was a large new born herself, so a big baby is expected, but her Blood Sugar control is excellent. At Lori's last ultrasound, we get an estimated Fetal Weight of 8 lbs, at this point, they are preparing to test fetal lung development and deliver via caesarian. This could be before March 1.

My only conclusion is that Lori is the fetal Turbo Cooker.

I'm sure she doesn't mind a 30-week gestation, and I don't mind either. But it does blow my mind sometime.

Pregnant Wives
I'm a fortunate soul to have friends I work with and coworkers with whom I am friends. Similar backgrounds and experiences are shared, but we generally find ourselves in slightly differents stages of our lives. Of course its not a race, but the single, pre-engaged, engaged, married, parenthood, multiple kids path seems like a train we find ourselves on.

With this child, 2 coworkers are having their 3rd child, 1 coworker is having his 2nd and 2 more are having their first. We are particularly close with 3 of these couples and I wonder how Lori's ever changing due date is effecting them, particularly since 2 of them are also in their 3rd trimesters and ready for it to be over.

Of course, all of the pregnant wives have good supportive husbands, but when the wives want it over, you can be sure the husbands do as well.

Life
As a little kid, I couldn't wait to grow up and know all the answers. I figured it would make life so much easier, I'd know what to do, and be big enough to do it all. As the years go by, life seems to lose so much of that black and white, and grey begins to crop up all over (maybe thats what happens with hair!). I learn that I don't even know the questions, that everything is a balance, and that it isn't easy or straightforward.

Don't get me wrong, I have a great life, wonderful family, excellent friends, great job, plenty to learn. Its so easy to forget to step back and appreciate it all when I keep trying to move "forward."

I've been stressed out a lot recently. The general theme is the responsibility for others that I feel and wanting to take that role seriously. Perhaps this is warped. Certainly I have a responsibility to others (family, friends and coworkers), but perhaps my responsibility for others is limited to a my family, and shared with my wife. It may be arrogant of me to presume to take responsibility for the lives of my friends and coworkers: that's their privilege. So long as I am a honest, decent human being and treat people with respect, I am meeting my responsibility to them.

Being stressed about more than that is my problem. Maybe I should just get over it.

Posted by KnipSter at February 1, 2003 10:18 AM

Comments

Now that we are part of the techno era with our web page and know what effort that goes into designing and updating one, I am now a frequent visitor to your journal. I find it very fascinating to read and enjoy being part of your lives at least in this small way. The Jurgovsky's are very strong when it comes to family loyalty (at least some of us). Lori was always a very special niece and now, with reading your journal, realize what a special nephew-in-law we have. I know you are and going to be again a wonderful daddy!!!!!! Good luck!

Posted by: Auntie Donna at February 16, 2003 11:23 AM

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