4 1/2 Inches, 3 1/2 ounces

Now the size of an avocado. At 16 weeks, baby movements may be felt by Ashley. According to the books, the earliest movements feel like gas bubbles. I find this interesting because Ashley has already turned our home into the horns section of the San Antonio symphony. I guess we have future athlete on the way.

Hard to believe we are almost at the halfway point in this pregnancy. Marty and Cheryl sent us a Discovery DVD that details conception to birth. All the baby books in the world can't compare to the actual images of this miracle. The hardest thing for me to grasp is the actual size of these babies at birth. I look at our 'lil Ashley and the math does not compute. And the delivery itself- the experts really tagged it perfectly when they called it "labor".

Put on your Sunday clothes...

Because we are going to Sears! I wonder if our little one knew this as he/she posed for the first official photograph. I apologize for the viewing challenge. 2 inch figures viewed through pea sized cameras typically limit the color and shape reproduction. However, Ashley promises to get a wave to the family for the next series of photographs. Though my money is on the "I am sleeping in a hammock look".

We've got a couple important dates to look forward to. May 24th and June 9th. According to the books, gender can be determined around the 17th week. I don't think the fancy HD camera was scheduled for this date, but we may get lucky and find out something. June 9th for sure. So will Mama Kennedy get her wish for another granddaughter? Or will Grandpop Leanord and Grandpop Bob be fighting over the future allegiance of their grandsons favorite baseball team? Only time will tell.

Super Saver

This isn't a story about getting a good deal at your local supermarket. Nor is it a lecture about the new wave of 529 plans designed to cover that future 300K tuition bill in 2030. I am talking about the 2010 Kentucky Derby winner "Super Saver".

For the 4th consecutive year, the Golia's blew it out for the most famous horse race of the year. Baby Golia had a good time watching everyone else consume bubbly drinks all while feasting on mass quantities of natural fruit juice and whole grain snacks. Who needs Coca Cola marinated baby back ribs when you can enjoy a nice piece of whole wheat toast?

Anyways, as the horses took to the starting gates I couldn't help but notice the unique naming convention used for thoroughbreds. Starting with a "Homeboykris" only to be followed up with others like "Awesome Act", "Lookin At Lucky", "Sidney's Candy" and "Devil May Care". So my question for the group- is it time to start a new trend where including adjectives, verbs, nouns or conjunctions in our children's names becomes the standard? Sound silly? Not to the original owners of the land you are occupying. I would be willing to bet that a "Dances with Wolves" or "Kicking Bird" once hunted the space you now call the "backyard". Why didn't America adopt this cool tradition? Imagine that first day of school- the teacher is pouring through the names of his/her future nightmares...Starting with Timmy, then Mary, then Mike...and then the teacher sees it- "Work Ethic". Can you say deans list?

What is that mysterious figure?

No I am not talking about the frog vase that has yet to hold a plant. And no I am not referring to our LUX-osaurus Rex tearing into another chew toy (wait- that is UGA!).

That figure is our dear Ashley. And she is growing!

This picture challenges world renown research by an acclaimed astrophysicist which spent 10 years of his life only to conclude that two objects cannot occupy the same space (Pauli exclusion). Try and explain that theory to a five year old while looking at the next pregnant girl.

So what you are seeing in the picture above is an "Ashley" and a "baby" sharing space together. So riddle me this Mr. Wolfgang Pauli- maybe the atoms and electrons aren't converging, but right now they are hanging out in the same house, sitting in the same chair, eating the same mint chocolate chip ice cream, reading the same People magazine...just about to take a nap at the same time.

I should write a book on this topic...The Golia inclusion! Too bad only five year olds will buy it :(

Daddy! Can I have some ice cream?!?!

Those kinds of questions will fill the air of the Golia household in the next few years. I wonder how we will react to such requests.

Growing up, certain items were forbidden (sugar cereals, soda, candy, etc) and others were made available only when vegetables were consumed (ice cream, cookies, etc).

But here is the problem as I see it- I love ice cream. I love milkshakes. I love cookies. I love chocolate milk. I just forget about them most of the time. So what happens when our child reminds me of our affinity to delicious snacks? Do I say "no" because it probably isn't good for a person of any size to consume a 1000 calorie treat? Or do I gratefully say "yes", because who wouldn't want to enjoy a brownie sundae.

My little lemon...

Dear son/daughter without a name,
Now that you are about to turn 12 weeks old, we should celebrate your accelerated growth rate. In less than a few weeks, you have grown from an olive to a lemon. Wow!

Your diet is changing by the day...Last week it was Mexican with a fruit flare, this week it is Tastykakes (thanks to a wonderful Philadelphia gift pack from Yvonne and Tim) and String Cheese.

If there is one thing that hasn't changed, it is your love for the couch and laying in bed. Even at 12 weeks old, you have developed a love for People and US magazine. And like many others in your generation- Facebook is your news source. You were involved in your first auto accident...Still trying to find the at-fault part here. Current suspects include:
Ashley
The trash can
The recycle bin
The garage door
The trunk opener
You.
As far as I'm concerned, you are innocent. But that is up to the USAA claims department. Let's just be happy we have accident forgiveness.

November 2 Birthday Astrology

According to how stuff works.com, our childs life/personality is predetermined. I am not sure how to react to this, so I will save the comments for you.

Scorpios born on November 2 are stubborn individuals who possess emotional and spiritual stamina. Although they often seem quiet and introspective, they are fighters who support the status quo and expect it to support them. Every emotional scene in their lives is high drama. They do not enjoy being disagreed with and so often get their way.

People born on this date are intensely loyal to their friends and demand similar loyalty. There are a great many control issues with them, which can be a challenge. In love, they can be very jealous. They love deeply so may not be aware of how controlling they can seem, even to those who love them in return.

Like many Scorpios, November 2 people are plugged into childhood memories. The past is not dead to them -- it affects their lives every day. Though they want to see their children become independent, they may be clinging and demanding. This is usually done out of love, yet it can create a rift between parent and child.

People born on this date are iconoclasts when it comes to their health. They understand the value of exercise and proper eating and generally obey these rules, but on their own terms. They enjoy solitary sports such as running or hiking. They pursue these interests less for physical exercise than for a need to be alone with their thoughts.

People born on this date have talent for acting, speech making, speech writing, teaching, and creative work. They are often religious and may seek to work within their faith. Money rarely tempts them to do something they prefer not to do. They're dedicated to ideas, not their pocketbook. Because they prefer to live simply, they may appear parsimonious. In truth, they're generous.