Pregnant Papa

2006 is a very subur year.

I personally know of 7 people who are pregnant.
And I haven’t included the one’s who are on the blogosphere!

4 of ‘em are my ex-schoolmates.
2 are ex-colleagues.
1 is my cousin.

2006 is a very subur year indeed.

The good thing about this is that I have loads of pregnant-buddies!
You know, friends you can discuss every single detail of upcoming motherhood.

Every single detail of 1st-Trimester ailings and pains.
Every ache, every twinge, every throb.
Every emotional roller-coaster ride.
Every bout of nausea.
Every disgusting detail of the color, texture and taste of one’s vomit.

Hehehe…
It would be decidedly unfair and just plain cruel to discuss all of this with non-pregnant friends.
Kesian mereka.
So it’s nice to have a wide-range of pregnant-buddies.

Among the many things we share, are the first reactions of our beloved husbands.

One husband “burst out crying and sobbed with overwhelming joy”.
Another husband “started giggling like he lost his mind”.
Yet another husband had “blood draining out of his face like he was about to faint dead.”
And another husband who “immediately picked up the phone and called his mom”.
And one who “hugged me and then went out to play golf.”

My own husband blinked a couple of times, then pumped his fists in the air and went “Yes! I’m a virile M.A.N!”
(Say it in Malay, and you’ll know how amusing this was)

*sigh*
Men – They’re just like ASTRO.
Macam-macam ada…

Pregnancy is a test of character.
Not just ours, but our respective partners.

Their patience in tolerating our erratic mood-swings.
Their zeal in fulfilling our every whims and fancies.
Their fortitude in facing our whines and groans as we endure physical discomfort.
Their resilience in witnessing our nasty bouts of nausea and persistent vomiting.
Their self-control in the emotional first viewing of the baby during ultrasound.

A friend of mine has a husband who is more excited about the baby than she is. He reads pregnancy books, he knows exactly what’s going on in her tummy every single week, he tells her what to eat and what not to eat. It’s awfully sweet, really.

Another friend has a husband who suddenly works overtime all the time. He’s fervently making and saving money as he has suddenly felt the heavy responsibility of fatherhood and wishes to give his child everything money can buy.

One husband spends his TV-time with his ear pressed against his wife's tummy, "listening for the baby" even though the wife is only 3 weeks pregnant.

Another husband comes home from work every day with a ‘little something’ for the baby. One day it’s a pair of powder-blue booties, another day it’s a Mickey Mouse rattle and the next day, it’s a fluffy pink teddy bear.

It’s no wonder that a baby is said to strengthen and fortify the love between husband and wife.

How can you not love to death the tough-guy you married when he does such adorable things like that?

May the gods grant you all things which your heart desires, and may they give you a husband and a home and gracious concord, for there is nothing greater and better than this -when a husband and wife keep a household in oneness of mind, a great woe to their enemies and joy to their friends, and win high renown.
Homer (800 BC - 700 BC), The Odyssey