Dear FetusGeeding –

Hi, I’m your dad.  I hope you’re doing well, your mom is doing a great job of taking care of you.  From the look of things, you seem to be doing just fine.  I figured I would take some to to write you a little letter.

Yesterday was an important day, we got to figure out if you were going to be a boy or a girl.  That’s a pretty big thing in case you didn’t know, because for the rest of your life when you fill out a form, that’s something they usually ask.  You should have seen your mamma, she was so anxious (I hope that’s not too big of a word for you) she had trouble sleeping the night before, but that could have been because of the heartburn and her big belly, or that she’s excited to get to know you a little more.  You should have seen her excitement yesterday morning as she was getting ready for the day, heck, you should have seen her outside of the doctor’s office smiling from ear to ear.  One thing for sure, kiddo, you’re gonna be loved.

FetusGeeding, I’m going to honest with you, I want you to be a boy so very badly, and I wholeheartedly admit it’s mainly for selfish reasons, and a bit of fear.  See, I really don’t have much family.  My mommy and daddy, your grandparents on my side of the family, are in Heaven.  You’ll get to meet them one day, but it won’t be on this earth.   I’m very sorry you won’t get to interact with them as you will with Mommy’s mommy and daddy, who I think  are called MomMommy and GrandPapa or something like that.  You’ll have an aunt who is my sister, and she’ll be around for visits, but she lives  far away in one of the greatest cities of the world.  So I was hoping for some father/son bonding time.  I know fathers and daughters bond, and all kids have special connections to their parents, but there’s always something special between father/son and mother/daughter relationships.   I just think it would be so cool playing catch, watching football, talking about sports, working around the house, playing video games and all other kind of guy stuff that I don’t get to do anymore because I don’t have my daddy around or have any really close friends anymore.  To be honest, I’m lonely, and I want guy time, and because I don’t have a real popular last name, I want someone to carry the last name – that’s important to me because the men who I have shared this last name with are some very great men that I want you to be a reflection of.

As for the fear part, well, that’s just my nature to blow things out of perspective.  See, off hand, boys can defend themselves better than girls, boys generally don’t get raped, or get knocked up in high school, or appear on Girl Gone Wild videos.

There’s a movie with the great Liam Neeson called Taken. In the movie, a teenage bratty girl tugs on her father’s heart to allow her to go to Europe only to become kidnapped and be forced into a prostitution ring, and then he has to fly over there to beat up the bad guys and bring his daughter home.  I fear some kind of similar situation with a baby girl, and you know what, I hate to travel and I haven’t been in a fight in ages.

From a cost factor, girls are more expensive than boys.  Boys don’t wear make-up, well, real boys don’t wear make-up, and boys don’t need those feminine products.  Girls also get a little crazy when it comes to things that just cost more for them, like prom.  Also, the bride’s parents are responsible for paying for a wedding, and that’s just a lot of cash for a one day event.

Even though boys tend to be more goofy and stinky, girls just get too emotional, and let’s face it, I’m not good when it comes to that emotional stuff, but I sure can be goofy and stinky, just ask Mommy.

I guess I’m just thinking that I will be able to bond and have that much coveted guy time if you are a boy, and you will feel more like family to me.  See, Mommy still has a lot of family, but I don’t.  You are going to be making lots of trips to see mommy’s parents and your numerous aunts and uncles and all your cousins – all family on your mother’s side.  They are all very good and loving people, but sometimes I feel a bit left out because as much as they love me because I married Mommy, there’s nothing like the bond and history of a blood-related relative.  And, I don’t want you to get the impression that when we say family, that family only means relatives on your mommy’s side.  I’m sorry you are going to miss out on getting to know Grandma and Grandpa Geeding, kiddo.

So as I was saying before I got off on a tangent, something you are going to have to get use to, Mommy and I went to the doctor to find out if you were going to be a boy or a girl.  Since I work at a place that is very casual, that is, I usually just wear jeans, sneakers, and a t-shirt, I made sure to dress nice to go to the doctor.  See, I want people to think that I’m capable of being a good father and a provider for my family, and I want to make an overall good impression.  I’m doing what I can to not embarrass you or Mommy, and trying to make y’all proud of me.  A lot of life is about perspective, kid, but we’ll get to that later as you grow older.

You should have seen your mommy in the waiting room, she could hardly sit still, but finally her name was called and we went in for the sonogram.  When she was lying on that table she just couldn’t wait to look at that computer screen to see you again, and I was just sitting there like a nervous wreck – it felt like my heart was going to beat right out of my chest, but I tried to play it cool for your mother, and I think it work.

And then we got the news that you are going to be a girl.  Mommy was all smiles, but I was sad.  I tried to be strong and not show my emotions, heck, I was about to cry, so I just remained silent and smiled to support your momma.  But I have to admit, you looked really cute, and we could see your skeletal system for the first time.  Unfortunately it looks like you have inherited your mother’s freakishly long toes.  It was cute how you kept putting your hands in front of your face, as if you were playing peek-a-boo with us already.  It’s like you are already doing what you can to win me over.

Health wise you seem to be doing OK.  You were being a little stubborn (I’m sure this is a sign of things to come) and wouldn’t allow the technician to see your heart (maybe you are just very guarded) so we will have to come back for another sonogram in two weeks.  If you continue to be stubborn, we’ll have to see a specialist just to make sure your heart is working as it should.  So do us a favor and show us your heart and save your father some time and money and keep us from worrying.  But I tell you one thing, we got to listen to your heart beat again, and it was just as great as a U2 song.

We also learned you weigh close to a pound, so keep bulking up.  Mommy on the otherhand found out she is gaining weight faster than she should.  One thing you will  learn about your mamma, she’s an over-achiever.  We also learned that her placenta is a bit low in regards to location, which may mean you will come into this world by C-section, so do what you can with that placenta while you are in there cause mama don’t want no c-section.

So you’re a girl. I guess I’m going to have to live with that.  I know this is all your mother’s doing.  Medical evidence suggests that somehow it’s the father’s, but I know it’s all a conspiracy theory created by women.  See, women get to choose what sex they want, but they won’t let us men know that. But I’m trying to cope.  Your mother and I arrived in different cars to the doctor’s office, and as soon as I got in my car and shut the door I screamed.  I don’t think Mommy could hear the scream or the crying, but the birds outside the car sure did as they flew away.

So now I need to man up and do what I can to love and accept you just as you are, after all, you are God’s gift to me, and somethings are just left out of my hands.  You gotta play the cards you are dealt, I just hope you are no joker.  I’m already searching around for a good karate school so you will be able to take care of yourself when I’m not around, and Mommy and I will do what we can to rear you in a house to make you proud of who we and you are, and to live a life that pleases your maker, and by maker, I’m not talking about your parents.

Thankfully Mommy and I are in agreement that we both don’t like a lot of pink and will not put a bow on your head until you have sufficient enough hair to actually justify having a bow.  Hopefully you will be Daddy’s little girl, and perhaps I can teach you throw a spiral.  If not, maybe you won’t mind spending time with me watching the Cowboys play every fall and winter.  Either way, I’ll be proud to one day walk you down the aisle, but let’s just keep the wedding cost friendly and tactful.

Mommy and I already have a great first name picked out for you, it’s a great one with lots of meaning, after a very dear friend.  We’re really close to a middle name, but we still have some time to figure that out.

For now, just keep chillin’ and doing what you do.  We’ll take care of the rest.

Love,
Dad

PS – I have a feeling that my mommy and daddy are already very proud of you.