Will my Baby Love Me? I Don't Have a Curly Tail and I Can't Breathe Under Water...

Although he has no idea what the heck I say to him through Jen's fleshy baby cage, I read to the gestating Gaius for the 1st time the other night.

The book was Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle. It is a story about the different kinds of fish-fathers that care for their young fish-babies (Mr. Seahorse, pictured right, is one them).

Although I am not a fish, I enjoyed this story very much. And I must admit, I felt scared and self-conscious when I started to read it aloud.

But why?

Maybe it's because I am still a little frightened at the prospect of becoming a Daddy. Or perhaps it's because I am afraid that Gaius will emerge from Jen's womb with the expectation that I am going to carry him around in my belly, just like Mr. Seahorse.

Whatever the psychological reasons for this initial fear, it abated halfway through my reading of Mister Seahorse. I started to enjoy reading to Gaius through Jen's belly. Some of you will think this is hippy nonsense, a waste of time. That is fine. I used to think it was hippy nonsense, too. But the closer our due-date gets, the idea of a baby is being replaced with the fact of a baby. This is causing me to want to do real baby-type-things. Like reading books, singing, and shaking.

Seriously, it was such a joy to read this book to Gaius, and I look forward to reading it to him again when he is here, in the baby flesh.

I want to thank my very-generous friend Maria for giving Mister Seahorse to me on my 33rd birthday (she also gave us a huge amount of other baby-stuff that I will tell you about later).

It was the perfect gift for an expecting father.

Even for one that can't breathe underwater or carry a baby in his belly.