Two Little

We had our ultrasound this morning, and happily found out that Ethan is going to be a big brother. 

Here are the ultrasound pictures.  The first pictures is the one with the "goods" (they're circled) and the next is a view of the baby's face looking at you and waving.  It didn't scan as well as I would like.  The third is a close-up of a foot, and then the legs crossed kind of at the ankle.

I guess I haven't blogged much about this little guy yet. (I haven't blogged much at all though, have I?)  He was a slight surprise (though not an unwelcome one) so it took a while to figure out his due date --May 1-- and get the good news out.  We had to absorb it ourselves first!  I've been calling him squishy (think Finding Nemo).

Little Squishy's weight was estimated at 11 ounces today, which is exactly on for gestational age.  The tech said everything looked fine to her and we'll hear the doctor's final determination within a few weeks. I expect nothing but good news.

 

 

 

Salvation Army Pennies

Tonight I hurried through the walmart door to get Ethan out of the cold, passing the Salvation Army Bell Ringer with barely a glance.  And I felt guilty.  Especially when I realized that everyone around me was doing the same thing.  The thin, older gentleman with a scruffy face and worn clothes just kept ringing and smiling and greeting, but no one was greeting him back. 

I started wondering what must motivate the Salvation Army volunteers and I realized I have no idea, and want to find out.  But mostly I was thinking about what we're teaching our children when we have no time to stop and dig a few pennies out of our pockets for the less fortunate.  I looked down and my rosy cheeked, bundled, obvlivious little one-year old and knew that he had no idea.  I knew that he would have no idea what was going on if I had stopped.  But what stopped me, was the fear that next year I would be looking at my two year old and thinking same thing, and feeling but ignoring the same guilt.  And the year after that, a three year old and so on.

So, even though he had no idea what I was talking about, as we started our grocery shopping adventure, I had a little talk with Ethan.  I told him about the people who needed our help, and promised that on the way out of the store we would stop, dig some change of out mommy's wallet and I would show him how it all worked.

And we did.

Freezing cold though it was, Ethan smiled, waved and watched as I poured a handful of change into the red bucket and exchanged holiday greetings.  But I think he understood the bell-ringer's enthusiasm, and the way the air seemed to change a little as he waved goodbye and we hurried to the car in the crisp wind, high on the feeling of holiday giving and the anticipation of the holidays.

I think we started a little tradition tonight.  I can't wait until he is old enough to proudly put his own pennies in the bucket all by himself, and can experience all of the joy that such a simple act can bring.  I hope that Salvation Army Pennies are only the beginning of developing him into a generous, caring and unselfish little man.