Well, I'm finally able to sit for a few minutes at the computer while Annikah naps - it's been an interesting weekend playing Mr. Mom! 

For the first time in Annikah's 18 months of life, I've spent the entire weekend taking care of her while her momma got some much needed time away.  Sure, I play my part as her caretaker as much as possible given my daily schedule (which usually involves waking her up, changing her diaper, playing/cuddling, then leaving for work.  More playing/cuddling when I get home, bath time, and then reading and putting her down - about 1.5 hours each day.)  I also try to do as much as I can to pitch in and relieve Roxanne on the weekends.  I've taken care of Annikah for entire days before - just not an entire weekend.  I can honestly say it's been fun (for the most part) and that I've learned quite a bit from my experience:

Things I know now that I didn't prior to 10 AM on Friday, 3/7:

• I understand why Rox hates me leaving the coffee pot in the sink!  It makes it a lot harder to clean the high chair tray with a coffee pot in the way!
• I also understand why Rox likes the kleenex box at eye level sitting on the book case vs. my preference of under the coffee table - it's a LOT easier to grab that much needed kleenex for nose wipeage when it's in between the kitchen and the family room and out in the open.  I've now put a box under the coffee table and on the book case :-)
• Making a demanding toddler a meal while she's begging you for "UP" is not easy!  The baby backpack comes in handy - but it's T-Minus 5 minutes once you put her in there before she's demanding "UP" again.
• I finally understand the complaint I've often heard from Roxanne before - and believe me I sympathize with her much more having gone through this weekend.  The issue: taking care of a young child is repetitive, demanding work.  No matter how often Roxanne told me her life often feels like a Groundhog's day of cleaning/cooking/diapering/and more cleaning, it has been hard to fully grasp what that meant until now.  I've noticed a pattern about the day - it is centered around the kitchen (often the sink) and moves between the family room, Annikah's bedroom, and the basement for laundry.  Repeat.  Basically, you make a meal, feed her, clean up the meal, leave the kitchen for some play, then its back again for the next meal.  A lot of repetition here!
• With all the clean up that goes into a day's work, and with a toddler that can only communicate 20 or so words, there is a lot of time to think about things.  This has actually been enjoyable for me - a mild introvert - and this very post is a product of that time.  My job now leaves me little to no room to think about anything but the tasks at hand - having some time to reflect has been fabulous!
• I can make a mean blueberry pancake and have perfected the microwavation of Dino Nuggets.
• I can successfully be a full time papa!
• Finally, I understand why often times Roxanne is conked out by 9 PM.  This is tiring work!

All of the above sums up why I love Roxanne even more now - she is a rockstar mama!  Of course I always knew a full time stay at home mom leads a challenging life, but I can appreciate just how difficult her role is as a mama even more now.  And when I think of who she is - someone that is good at just about anything she does but certainly prefers doing many things over cleaning, cooking, and diapering, I love her even more for the sacrifices she has made for our family.  Having a daughter raised by such a loving and caring woman is a gift.  I know many days Rox would rather be laying the smack down on her South Side students, planning a Christmas play at church, or fighting for any number of noble causes - but she lays this all aside to bless her family.  Thank you Rox.  I love you!

Finally, being a statistics guy, here are some numbers for the weekend:

• Diapers changed: 11
• Disaster diapers changed: 1 (Thanks Greg, for sparing me the other one!)
• Meals prepared: 7
• Miles driven with Annikah: 24
• Miles driven while Annikah was beside herself wailing uncontrollably: 5
• Grapes fed to Annikah while wailing: 43
• Number of Large Pizzas consumed by 3 other "Mr. Mom" dads and I this weekend: 2
• Elmo's Worlds watched: 3
• Safety Deposit Boxes Visited: 1
• Trips to Target: 1
• Minutes overslept due to daylight savings change: 60
• Church services attended: 1
• Minutes above and beyond Annikah's threshold for being happy in the church nursery: 20
• Minutes I have been priveledged to father a wonderful child this weekend: 3,240
• Minutes spent writing this post: 25
• My love for my family: Beyond measure

Hey whadd'ya know, my luddite wife is showing me up in the blogging department!  That's right - she started a blog dedicated to her new role as a mother.  It's called Lil' Monkey Days, and there are some really cute vids of my beautiful daughter.  Check it out!  It's much more entertaining and more often posted to than my own! 

Way to go Rox!!

Baby Engy says "Hello, World" with a flash of her hand! 

That's right, Baby Engy is a GIRL!  We just found out at our 20-week ultrasound appointment yesterday that our baby is a girl.  Wow...the ultrasound machine is an incredible piece of technology...to see a young life before it enters the world is a mind-blowing experience.  However, such a complex piece of man-made machinery pales in comparison to the wonders of Almighty God!

This whole process of conception of life and the subsequent pregnancy has only reconfirmed to me the absolute miracle that is life, and the incredible complexity and wonder that this whole experience unveils only strengthens my faith in our Creator.  That we came about from a process beginning with primordial goo can only be laughed upon after experiencing such a miracle.

Here's a profile of Baby Engy:

And here's baby Engy's bum and feet!  The lack of any appendage here is proof that our baby has two X chromosomes ;-)