Big things are happening...

(Though it started out rather tiny)

Welcome to the inaugural posting of Pokey's Blog!

Okay - so you're probably wondering, "who is this Pokey and why such an unfortunate name?" Well the answer to the first part of the question is it OUR baby!!!

For anyone who read our Christmas letter last year, there was a hint that we were hoping for something big in 2006, and it turns out that we were not even a month into the new year when Jenn and I found out that Pokey was coming.

Funny story - I was in Las Vegas on business (no, really I swear) when Jenn found out. I was at the World of Concrete trade show, 3:00 in the afternoon and about to give a interview to a trade magazine when my phone rang with the most wonderful news ever. Fortunately, the reporter didn't mind waiting to chat and was rather charmed that she got such an "exclusive". So a reporter, several colleagues, and a rather interesting mix of cab drivers, chamber maids, waiters, and Las Vegas panhandlers are among the first people who I happily gushed the news of my impending fatherhood to on that very special January day.

So why Pokey? Well, Jenn and I feel that there aren't very many true surprises in life, so we decided not to find out if Pokey is a boy or a girl. Being that nine months is a long time to spend with someone and not know their name, we decided to call the baby Pokey. Quite unisex, cute, and it just seemed to fit. If there's any drawback at all, it's that Pokey's five older cousins (all girls) are rather attached to the name, so it's likely to stick even after Pokey gets its real name.

What are the real name options you might ask? Well, for as long as Jenn and I have been dreaming of having children together, we've always loved the name Molly for a girl. For a boy, we had been partial to Joshua for a while, but somewhat recently became attached to Tyler instead. So, barring any last minute change of plans we'll either have Molly Nicole or Tyler Michael.

So when is Pokey coming? Well, the actual due date is September 22. However, nature signals that Pokey's arrival could be any minute now. We achieved 36 weeks on 8/30, so we're breathing a sigh of relief that we'd be considered full term at this point. Plus, Jenn's been dealing with Gestational Diabetes with Pokey, and as a result of that they would typically induce around 38 weeks (September 14). My guess from day one has been a birthday of September 16, but I suppose we'll have to wait and see. In any case, Pokey will be a Virgo, just like his Daddy.

I catch myself often referring to Pokey as a "he". Should Pokey turn out to be Molly, that would be just fine with me. Still, I have this hunch that we'll be bringing Jenn's side of the family the first grandson. The Howe side of the family is so beside themselves about Pokey being the first grandbaby (and first great-grandbaby for that matter), that there isn't much concern over the issue. Our less-than-scientific polling seems to be pretty evenly divided on the issue of Pokey's gender. From what I recall of college statistics, our small sample size leads to a high margin of error. Your mileage may vary...

The challenge of not finding out the baby's sex cannot be better illustrated than by taking a walk through Babies 'R Us or Carters. There is a lot of pink clothing and a lot of blue clothing and a lot of white clothing with, you guessed it, pink or blue trim! Finding enough unisex clothing to get started has been a little complicated, but we're on our way. Decorating Pokey's room also presented a challenge, but one that I think we succeeded at rather well. I'll post some pictures of Pokey's room soon...

Well that's a good start and there's lots more to tell, but it's time to say goodnight. Pokey's Mommy needs a back rub so it's time to log off...