I signed up for an account on Baby Center so I can start reading more information about the impending parenthood. Today, I received this email update…

Hello, Matthew!

Your baby’s beginning to look more like a newborn now, with more distinct lips, eyelids, and eyebrows. He’s even developing tiny teeth buds beneath the gum line. Your stomach may become a hand magnet - people will touch it without asking permission. It’s okay to say no. And if people are telling you that you look smaller or bigger than you should at this point, remember that all women grow and show at different rates. What’s important is that you see your practitioner for regular visits so she can make sure your baby’s development is on track.

Apparently I missed the “check this box if you’re a dad” box. I have been pointed in the right direction by my better half. Thank you.

I’m having some weird dreams about babies lately. Last night, I dreamt that I visited my brother and his wife for the first time since they had their baby. When I arrived, I was shocked to see one “Main Baby Thomas” and about 10 other “Secondary Baby Thomas’”. Well, after questioning my brother, I found out that his wife Liz, unbeknownst to me, had become pregnant with fertility drugs and there were a lot more babies than they had planned.

“Wow, Liz must be really tired breast feeding all of these babies.” I commented.

“Yes, she’s tired, but the other babies will be gone after about a year.” Ben replied.

“How so” I asked.

“Well,” Ben replied, “the babies were born with donated sperm and the donor definitely wants all of the left over babies.”

“Who would want 10 babies” I asked.

“Well,” Ben replied, “the donor is Bill Walton and he is excited about having the babies.”

“Wow”, I said, “Thomas is going to be TALL.”

“Yep.” Ben replied.

Yesterday, Andrea and I were able to see our babies for the first time in about two months. First of all, they’ve grown quite a bit (way to go guys!). But the best part is that we finally know what the sex is. Yes, Andrea and I are blessed to be expecting both a boy and a girl. I guess you could say we’re very efficient in the baby-making department (those of you who know Andrea wouldn’t doubt that for a second). The other interesting thing is that personalities are starting to develop. In a scene that I hope does not become a regular thing after they are born, the boy kept kicking his sister in the head during our ultrasound. He was so wiggly that the ultrasound lady commented, “don’t ask me to babysit him!” In another scene that I hope doesn’t become common, once we saw his little “tally wacker” (as the ultrasound lady called it), he kept wanting to show it to us. It seemed every time she moved the wand over him, we got a “thumbs up” from the little guy - only that wasn’t a thumb.

We’re now throwing around some names but nothing is definite. Andrea and I both have fathers who passed away when we were young and we wanted to honor them but my nephew Thomas is already named after my father and John (Andrea’s father) is not a first name that Andrea and I are really attached to. So, it remains to be seen what we are going to do. I’m sure it will turn out fine.

Knowing the sex of the babies has made this a lot more real. My excitement level has grown (if that’s possible) and I can’t wait to meet “whats-her-name” and “whats-his-name” real soon.

Want to know the sexes of the babies Click here.

My cousin Maggie runs an online shopping guide called Mighty Goods. She profiles a shirt that brought back some fond memories. You see, I AM a Whiffle Ball Legend. My brother Ben and I would spend hours in our driveway playing whiffle ball. Because I am five years older than my brother, I would often bat left handed (imitating the sweet swing of Will Clark) to even things out. Ben was a scrappy player that would often take advantage of any hole I gave him. We would have great battles that would last all afternoon.

In fact, one of the last times Ben and I played whiffle ball was one summer after I returned from college. I soon learned how quickly Ben had grown. As I was pitching to him, I got into a jam by floating some pitches up there. He quickly loaded the bases with imaginary baserunners. I realized I was going to have to bring the heat to get myself out of this. I had done this many times over the years and I had no doubt I could do it now. I reared back and fired a strike towards my much bigger little brother. He swung and launched my pitch onto the roof of the house on the other side of the street - a place only I had managed to reach in all of our years playing. Ben laughed and ran gleefully around the bases, reveling in the grand slam off of his big brother. My little brother was now an equal.

Perhaps we could each get this shirt.