Been having some baby excitement the last few days. Kathleen started experiencing serious Braxton-Hicks contractions for the first time over the weekend…which is pretty much normal. And at work yesterday, she almost passed out a couple of times, probably because of abruptly dropping blood pressure. Again, normal, but it’s obviously disconcerting.
A guy at work poked her tummy, obviously thinking it would be marshmallow soft. He was astounded to discover that Kath literally has rock-hard abs. It’s all muscle and baby. Then the baby shoved back, and the guy actually saw the rippling of her stomach surface, and was totally skeeved. See, that’s why men couldn’t carry children. It has nothing to do with pain. It’s that by the third month, the moment it started moving around, guys would be flashing on “Alien” and would be screaming, “Get it out of me! Get it out! Ahhhhh!” for the next six months.
We’re going to the baby doc today. And no, we don’t know the gender. Brian Stelfreeze thinks it’s a boy. Julie Caitlin Brown thinks it’s a girl. And Harlan Ellison thinks it’s a tricycle. Maybe we’ll name the kid “Schwinn.”
PAD
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I didn’t know you were that close to Brian Stelfreeze or Caitlin Brown. (I assume it’s the same Caitlin Brown from Trek and B5, right?)
Have Ed Benes or Chris Wiliams given their opinion on the matter? 🙂
Whatever gender it turns out to be, congratulations in advance, Peter.
By the way, Peter, I’ve been trying to find out what issue of “Gotham Nights” Harlan Ellison’s “Funny Money” story appeared. I remember it announced two years when he was going to do it, but I never got it, and was reminded recently by coming across the CBG article on it. It’s not on his website, nor is there any email link on his site to ask him.
HELP!
Mazel tov, Man! That is fantastic news allright! It’s great to be a father, isn’t it?
How you know you’ve been reading too much Captain Marvel: you think in regards to the gender, “I bet Genis knows, but I don’t think I’d want to ask him.”
As them’s of us that is of the religious Jewish persuasion say to expectant parents, “b’sha’a tovah,” which means “(may the birth happen) at the best time.”
Best wishes for a speedy delivery and a healthy baby.
“See, that’s why men couldn’t carry children. It has nothing to do with pain. It’s that by the third month, the moment it started moving around, guys would be flashing on “Alien” and would be screaming, “Get it out of me! Get it out! Ahhhhh!” for the next six months.”
Naahh…we’d be saying “Dude, look at this sucker move!”
When a co-worker was pregnant and everyone was giving their opinion on the gender, my response was, “Whatever it is, it’ll have the head of a horse.” I never faltered from my statement and often brought it up out of the blue. While I was thrilled that she ended up having a perfectly healthy boy, I was slightly saddened that it had a regular head. Needless to say (yet I’m saying it anyway), I was extremely tickled by Mr. Ellison’s prediction.
Rob R.
Quoth Peter: “We’re going to the baby doc today. And no, we don’t know the gender. Brian Stelfreeze thinks it’s a boy. Julie Caitlin Brown thinks it’s a girl. And Harlan Ellison thinks it’s a tricycle. Maybe we’ll name the kid ‘Schwinn.'”
Personally, I think it’ll be a small fuzzy creature from Alpha Centauri.
—KRAD
Peter,
Best wishes on your growing family. But please, if the child’s a boy, do *not* name him David.
(BTW: I feel old enough as it is because I reading about Ariel’s birth.)
Re: Harlan’s suggestion — No. Be gone with the Schwinn.
I believe Harlan’s story, “Funny Money,” is part of the Batman Black and White trade collection. So you can certainly get it there.
PAD
Yes Harlan’s story is in the Batman Black and White HC. It’s one of the best stories in the collection, and that’s saying something.
-Greg
Congratulations! I hope everything goes well.
Our first child, Jennifer Elizabeth is now four weeks old. Ah, yes, my husband was amazed that he could see her moving under my skin.
Being a NF fan, it is obvious where the Elizabeth comes from. With her strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes she even looks a bit like her :-).
Well, nyah nyah, Baerbel. We named our kid “Shelby” ten years earlier. And boy, were we ever prophetic… 🙂
JSM
Peter said, “It has nothing to do with pain.”
Uh-huh.
Best wishes to you all, but especially to you, Peter, if Kathleen checks out your site today.
Thank you everyone for your kind wishes.
Doctor says everything is fine and on schedule. The baby’s heartbeat is strong and there is a lot of movement from the tenant “downstairs”. I just have to watch pushing myself beyond my reserves.
Brian is one of the “crossover” friends that Peter and I have. I knew him before Peter and I dated. He gave us the very beautiful cover he did for the Star Trek:New Frontier comic book.
Yes, JCB is that Julie Catlin Brown. She has become a good friend to the David family. Think good thoughts for her too. Her baby is due about 2 weeks before mine. (My current due date is Dec 18th)
Kath
And I thought Peter was a prolific writer.
At any rate, congratulations. To Kathleen, extra congratulations for having rock hard abs. I am, to put it mildly, a large pile of goo, so anyone who can stay in shape gets my respect. Indeed, I often ask pregnant friends if they have gotten used to no longer beinging able to see their feet, then tell them that it comes around the second year.
Well, I thought it was funny.
Also, re:names, how about Sherlock if it’s a boy?
Wolverine: Depends. You got something against boys.
My wife, Margie, was thrilled to be beckoned up to the podium by PAD during his ComicCon panel to see the ultrasounds. Best of luck to you both. We’ll be rooting for you!