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Dear Holly: The Concept of Getting Sleep While We Still Can

34 weeks.

Dear Holly: The Concept of Getting Sleep While We Still Can

Dear Holly,

While I know good and well there is no such thing as proactively making up for all the sleep I’m going to lose when you are born, by sleeping more now, I still attempted it anyway.

Last week when Grandma was in town from California, Mommy and I were able to get to bed by 9:00 each night, since Grandma sped up our nightly routine. With her doing dishes and cleaning up afterwards, it added an extra free hour to our night; which we as the parents used for sleep.

However, this process simply reinforced to me how I am physically wired: I get more exhausted when I get 8 hours or more of sleep every night.

So for a week, I slept much more than I’m used to: I usually sleep about 6 and a half hours each night.

That extra 90 minutes per night was not a good thing for me.

This week I switched back to about 6 hours of sleep per night, and now I feel great!

I feel so well-rested, energized, and aware of life. I am in a great mood. Whereas last week with all the sleep, I was so groggy.

So while I obviously recognize that my sleep schedule will be greatly reduced when you are born next month, and it will remain that way for months to follow, I’m actually basically ready for that chaos.

As for Mommy, her sleeping needs are different than mine. She can’t function like I can if she goes to bed at midnight; she’s often falling asleep by 9:00 at night anyway.

In the end, there’s no true way to prepare for the sleep we will lose when you are born, but it’s no big deal.

I’m not worried about it. I’m just glad you are healthy and going to be here shortly.

Love,

Daddy

P.S. You are 34 weeks old in the womb this week… while I’m 34 years-old outside of the womb.

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Fuller House Recaps: Renewed for a 2nd Season

Fuller House Recaps: Renewed for a 2nd Season

Just a few days after the 1st season of Fuller House was released on Netflix, it was announced that a 2nd season has been ordered.

Therefore, that means there will also be a 2nd season of Fuller House Recaps. I look forward to continuing to be your host and guide not just through the rest of this first season, but the next one as well.

Here’s my video recap of this historic event:

I imagine that Season 2 will answer some of our unanswered questions:

“Why does Uncle Joey wear a wedding ring but never mention his wife or bring her to the house?”

“What about Danny’s wife? We briefly saw her kiss Danny, but I don’t believe we even got a name.”

“Who will DJ choose: Steve or Matt?”

Plus, is there a chance that Mary Kate or Ashley will reprise the role of Michelle? (Either one will do; we don’t have to have both.)

And will Stephanie, age 34, finally start acting like she’s 34?

The fact that Fuller House was so quickly renewed apparently tells us something about the money being made from the show.

Obviously, Netflix must have greatly benefited from the number of viewers that turned out to watch. They realized that whether or not the critics liked the show was irrelevant; what matters is that it’s a popular show.

In other words, the free market decided to make Fuller House so popular it would actually be financially irresponsible to not make a  2nd season.

Ultimately, the whole concept is pretty weird: A feel-good family sitcom from 1987 is resurrected, not on a major TV network, but on a streaming service people can watch anytime.

It was a plan just crazy enough to work. And even if we are mainly here just for the curiosity side of it, we still are indeed coming back.

Good job, free market. Good job, 1980s kids. Good job, Netflix.

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Dear Holly: Your Newest Sonogram Pictures

33 weeks.

Dear Holly: Your Newest Sonogram Pictures

Dear Holly,

This week our family went to Mommy’s newest check-up at Vanderbilt; even Grandma got to go with us because she is in town right now from California.

To our surprise, one of the newest sonogram pictures was 3-D. Your brother Jack immediately responded as we all saw the picture for the first time, up on the giant TV monitor:

“That picture is creepy. It’s an old rock man.”

While it’s always great to see new pictures of you, the most important thing is that the technician confirmed you are looking real good. In other words, you are a healthy baby.

We have prayed every night as a family for your health. So we didn’t take it for granted to hear that you are doing well.

On a lighter note, the technician explained to us that your butt is up high at the “top” of Mommy’s baby bump; which explains why Mommy keeps getting poked in her right side, that’s your elbows and hands.

Plus, she confirmed you are (still) a girl. I admit that Mommy and I had doubts in the backs of our minds that we might be that family who learned they were actually having the other gender baby.

But no, we won’t have to be repainting the room or changing out your wardrobe. We specifically asked the technician, and she officially confirmed, “Yep, it’s still a girl inside there.”

Dear Holly: Your Newest Sonogram Pictures

Speaking of your bedroom, with Grandma in town, your room is a little fuller.

There is now a really cool lamp that perfectly matches the hair ribbon holder, which also matches the bird decals on the walls.

And I obviously am proud of the outfit Mommy picked out for you this week: Daddy’s Sweetheart.

We now officially can say you will be born next month. April 21st is just 7 weeks away.

Love,

Daddy

Dear Holly: Your Newest Sonogram Pictures

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Dear Jack: The Baby Doll Saga Continues

5 years, 3 months.

Dear Jack: The Baby Doll Saga Continues

Dear Jack,

Last week I wrote to Holly about how you are taking care of one of Holly’s baby dolls until she gets here next month around April 21st.

Well, since then, you have only further perpetuated the idea that you are, in some ways, “practicing for your sister” with the doll.

Last Saturday night at 11:30 as I was heading to bed, I walked into your room to check on you, as is the tradition every night.

I immediately realized I needed to go get my phone and take a picture. You had fallen asleep while tightly holding on to “Dollee”.

Now, in the event anyone might think for a moment that you are “playing with dolls” like a girl would, you easily disprove that theory.

The next morning, you took a Lego chain and fastened it around Dollee’s neck. You followed Mommy and me around all morning, as we prepared for Grandma’s arrival for California.

As you did, you announced at one point: “She has the chain so she can fly… and so she can’t run away.”

Dear Jack: The Baby Doll Saga Continues

There’s nearly something poetic in there about the concept of freedom; how it can actually imprison as if we abuse our freedom or simply make poor decisions along the way that entrap us.

But as a 5 year-old boy, I’m pretty sure that’s not what you were implying.

If I were to translate, I would say you that recognize, as a big brother A) the importance of entertaining and playing with the baby [hence, the “flying”] and B) the fact that the baby must be under constant supervision to keep them from wandering into a dangerous situation [hence, the “chain”].

By the time Holly finally gets here, we may have to clean Dollee up for her. Good thing Holly already has a few other brand new dolls waiting for her in the crib.

Love,

Daddy

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Fuller House Recaps- S1: E4, “The Not-So-Great Escape”

Fuller House Recaps- S1: E4, “The Not-So-Great Escape”e-guide-list

In the 4th episode of Fuller House, we are officially introduced to DJ’s veterinarian clinic, as DJ’s son Max is given the responsibility of choosing which spawn of Comet he wants.

The main plot line involves Jackson and Ramona getting into trouble together at school, and therefore, both being suspended; after Jackson makes a (smoke producing?) volcano underneath the smoke alarm in an effort to cause a diversion to help Ramona escape (?) from school.

I find that concept difficult to follow, but it takes even more imagination to figure out how Stephanie and DJ’s boys found so much tomato soup to soak in after the skunk sprayed them.

And speaking of Stephanie, my disappointment for her character (age 34) grows after learning that her career as a DJ (?!) isn’t even paying off: She has a collection of maxed out credit cards, causing her to be unable to pay her $18 coffee bill.

From there, a misunderstanding or two causes Stephanie to pretend to be a single mom in order to impress a guy at the coffee shop.

We also see DJ parenting Kimmy on how to parent, after they initially discipline their children much differently after “the not-so-great-escape”.

This episode is heavy on character development, as we see the character similarities between Jackson and Ramona (yearning 7th graders), as well as Stephanie and Kimmy (adults who lack self-discipline as well as the ability to efficiently discipline children), contrasted against the “real adult” figure of DJ tanner.

Though by the end of this episode, Kimmy (age 39) shows honest efforts to be an adult, Stephanie (age 34) shows she her character will continue to struggle.

Isn’t it at least a little odd that so early on in this series it is becoming evident this show is about adults who failed to grow up?

Must I remind you about Uncle Joey (age 56) on the episode right before this, leading the kids in trashing the house with slime?

Seriously, it’s a theme: Adults who forgot to grow up since Full House ended in 1995.

And don’t forget to watch my video recap here:

If you would like the full version, watch this one instead: