8.12.99

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Week 38

Congratulations are in order for Tom and Laura and big brother Taylor: Spencer Patrick Thomas Mullen was born August 11, 1999 about mid day! We went to see Laura yesterday evening and she looked great, but a bit tired. Little Spence was awake, quiet and curious! The funniest thing: on the bassinet that they transport Spencer in, there was a tag that said PAID. Guess that's how they know you've squared everything away before leaving the hospital.

As for us, not much going on this week in terms of new baby stuff . . .

Katie's up and running on her own laptop now!! It will really come in handy with her work now. This way, she can stay in touch with clients easier, arrange her schedule more effectively, and -- if she's out of town -- check on Jackson with the "baby cam" I might add later!

Anyhow, send her an email at katielee@zerofast.com to welcome her to the information age!

Oh, and she's really miserable now. It's hard to eat, tough to sleep, just hard to be anything . . .

It's all downhill from here!!

So, what's going on in the 38th week? Here's the scoop from Baby Center:

How your baby's growing: Your baby weighs about 6 1/2 pounds and is close to 21 inches long. This week, she sheds most of her downy coating of lanugo and vernix caseosa - the cheeselike coating that covers a fetus in utero and protects developing skin. Some may remain at birth. The baby swallows both, along with other secretions, and all will stay in the baby's bowels until birth. This blackish mixture, called meconium,will become the baby's first bowel movement.

How your life is changing: The next couple of weeks are a waiting game. Try to enjoy this time before the baby arrives and get plenty of rest. (If you need tips on getting through the pregnancy blahs, click here.) You may also want to look ahead and read up on what your newborn will be like.

Dads, don't delay - this may be your last chance to brush up on your labor coach duties.

Pregnancy Tip: Battling Boredom at the Hospital "Nothing beats a deck of cards while in the hospital - except maybe those hand-held video games. I really wish my wife and I had remembered to pick up a few before she went into labor. One other tip: Most hospitals won't let you hook up Nintendo or Sega game stations, but it can't hurt to check." - Bob Share your tips.

I was having a beer the other day and this one came on the jukebox -- it gets me every time. It's always hit me in a deeply personal way -- I guess that's why I'm looking forward to being a stay-home dad with Jax. Sing along if you know the words . . .

Cats In The Cradle
by Harry Chapin

A child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away, and he was
Talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew, he say
I'm gonna be like you, dad,
You know I'm gonna be like you

And the cat's in the cradle, and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home, dad, I don't know when
But we'll get together then
You know we'll have a good time then

My son turned ten just the other day, he said
Thanks for the ball, dad, come on let's play
Can you teach me to throw, I said not today
I got a lot to do, he said that's okay
And he, he walked away but his smile never dimmed, it said
I'm gonna be like him, yeah
You know I'm gonna be like him

And the cat's in the cradle, and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home, dad, I don't know when
But we'll get together then
You know we'll have a good time then

Well he came from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
Son I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while
He shook his head, and said, with a smile
What I'd really like, dad, is to borrow the car keys
See ya later, can I have them please

And the cat's in the cradle, and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home, son, I don't know when
But we'll get together then, dad
You know we'll have a good time then

I've long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, I'd like to see you, if you don't mind, he said
I'd love to, dad, if I could find the time
You see my new job's a hassle and the kids with the flu
But it's been sure nice talkin' to you, dad
It's been sure nice talkin' to you
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me

And the cat's in the cradle, and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home, son, I don't know when
But we'll get together then, dad
We're gonna have a good time then

And the Beat Goes On . . .

Check back next week --