Well, here goes — might as well just spill it:
We’re going to have a baby. 😉
Deanna’s due November 20, and we couldn’t be happier. We went for our second ultrasound this week and crossed the twelve week mark, so it’s time to share the good news!
Looks just like me, huh?
Answers to most common questions upon hearing this news:
– So will the baby be born in Australia?
Nope, we don’t go down until mid-January, so we’ll have a seven-week-old (or so) on the plane, and have a little bit of time to connect with family before we go.
– Does this change any plans for your future?
Not for Australia, or rather, not for me in Australia. It means that Deanna probably won’t start working there too soon, as we had originally planned.
– Are you going to find out whether it’s a boy or a girl?
We’re torn. Still trying to decide.
– Was this planned?
We’ve struggled for years with this question. It’s not that we didn’t care one way or the other, but that we were strongly drawn in both directions – to the freedom of not having children and to the joy of having them. In January I had a real change of heart. It had something to do with a book I had just read, and the confluence of some various ideas, but suddenly I found that I was very clear on this question. Deanna and I had a big talk in a parking lot in Asheville, and it turns out that she had been moving in the same direction. Suddenly, it was abundantly clear.
So we opened that proverbial door in late January (or at least unlocked it), and this little one must have been pushing on the other side of the door, because Deanna was pregnant by the end of February.
And I was only home for four days in February. It was February 26, actually. Strangely, we know for sure.
Deanna outside of the midwives’ office
She’s just starting to show her first little signs of belly pooch, which I think it adorable. Life’s good. Thanks for celebrating with us!
My last chance to sit on Deanna’s lap for a while. Soon there won’t be room!
Congrats David and Deanna! I’m so happy for you. What a blessing! You’ve blessed the world with a little person who is going to be raised by two of the nicest people I know. You are going to be wonderful parents. Enjoy every minute of watching that belly grow!
So Exciting!!! What a lucky baby; I remember watching you hold Robyn when you were in Rochester and thinking what an amazing Dad you were going to make. Robyn is now two and a half, and she welcomed her new baby sister, Sylvia Lin in to the world on May 7. It’s an amazing journey, and I look forward to hearing your take on things through your writing. Love to you three!
R
Congratulations to you both!! No amount of telling you how your lives will change will prepare you for how your lives are about to change. But, oh joy!!
Gotta tell you, David, that your rendition of “Garden Song” on SS Bathtub has been our saving grace for 12 months. It was on repeat for 30 or more minutes at a time while rocking a colicky baby to sleep. I never grew weary of it, and it soothed Cadee. Now, it’s our “bedtime” song. Every night. Every single night. If we play the CD during the day and Track 7 plays, Cadee gets upset… “Bedtime already?!?!?!”
Thanks for all your beautiful music over these years, and Godspeed with your new adventures. Maybe we’ll get lucky out of your becoming a parent and get another children’s album!
What blessed news! Thanks for letting all of us share in this happy announcement. We are so looking forward to having you with us at Mount Vernon in November and hope deanna is feeling up to coming along.
HappyHappy! JoyJoy!
Hi Crystal,
Thanks much for your note and support. Yes, the decision is about as serious as any decision could be, and even then, it’s only a decision to open the door. There’s no telling whether or not anyone will then come through it.
The book is Free Bird, by Greg Garrett (http://www.amazon.com/Free-Bird-Greg-Garrett/dp/0758201400). I should be abundantly clear, though, that the book has nothing at all to do with that decision in any sort of linear way. It’s a novel about a guy who has been avoiding dealing with his own grief and guilt around the death of his wife and daughter in a car accident. He’s been half-alive, and in the end he chooses to begin to come alive again. Somehow, that led to some musing on my part about what it means to be alive, to die, and some other small ideas like those. 😉
It’s a hugely personal decision, and I wouldn’t want to push you in any particular direction. For me, in the end, it seemed that the reasons to invite this new life into ours were mostly about being fully alive and embracing the choice to live, whereas the reasons not to were mostly about fear. I don’t want to base my life on fear.
First of all, Congratulations! Second, I was wondering if you would share the title of the book that had a part in your change of heart about having children. Making the choice to become a parent is a difficult one. My husband and I also feel, as you say, “torn in both directions,” and I’m wondering if the book you’re speaking of could possibly help us with our decision as well. Congrats again, your child will be blessed to have you as parents!
Congratulations, repeatedly. So glad I saw you, though much too briefly.
I have an e-friend in Australia (yes, I know, it is even bigger than Texas) and I hope you get convinced to play a little music round there maybe. ??
Oh, congratulations! It is an amazing journey.
And I’m so excited to see you are using a midwife!
How wonderful!
I’m sorry our Martha couldn’t arrange a venue in New Hampshie or Maine but delighted that you and Deanna have something better to do than complete a personal Book of Records. Ruthmary and I wish you two fullness of joy.
You’re a Stud… Congrats!!
So now you better enjoy sleeping in whenever you can — that aspect of life will be over soon, or… should I say replaced by something new?
Just a note to say this is fabulous news–if you have any questions about breastfeeding, don’t hesitate to e-mail me.
Peace,
Kendall
An Obama Mama in Mississippi
Congratulations you two! As a long time fan, well, since a Homestead / Miami show a few years back, I just wanted to say congrats and happiness to you both. Best of luck my friends. I know you two will be amazing parents. My thoughts are with you.
I am so happy for you!! Being a dad is the best thing in the world!
~Mitch
You will really enjoy this! Congratulations to both of you. Get your clocks out, because it begins now. In eighteen years you will not believe the time passed so quickly.
m
OH – Happy Day! Congrats & best wishes always.
You are going to be so good at this!
Great news Dave!
Welcome to the club.
Kind of terrifying isn’t it?
Do they have mini vans down under?
Congratulations again! Love the pics.
Get off her lap, ya big ox!!
Congratulations indeed!
We had a much easier time flying with a seven week old than a six month old!!
Best of thoughts to you all.
Wow!!! Congrats!!
Woohoo – congrats! 🙂
Sweeet. Congrats!
I had heard rumors of this (from the usual suspects). Congrats to you and Deana. This youngun has good taste in parents.
Yes! It happened, at last. I was waiting for it. Please make a lot of little babies, because the world needs more people like you and Deanna. I guess it’s time!
Bless your family, Petra
Congratulations!
I suspect your work — both in peace and music — will take on new depths. Good luck with everything!
WOW! Congratulations!