I spent the full nine months of pregnancy bonding with my baby. For her cerebral stimulation, I played Mozart and read aloud from Ralph Waldo Emerson. I regaled her with stories of a family steeped in history (no sense disillusioning her too early). I named her, nicknamed her and shared girl talk with her. We bonded in every aspect imaginable.

Walt, my husband, used this prenatal time to bond as well. However, his aim was a bit misguided. During my regular Wednesday afternoon OB exams, he bonded with my doctor. They became fast friends, and before I knew it, my Wednesday appointments were changed until Thursday, so they could squeeze in 18 holes of golf together. Unfortunately, our medical bills did not reflect their closeness.

While attending our sonogram appointment, Walt met a new playmate – the sonogram technician. He explained the procedure and equipment in highly complex terms. Walt's eyes brightened in discovering their shared interest in technical gadgetry. Later, when we shared the pictures with family and friends, Walt beamed with pride as he explained how the ultrasonic frequencies and 220v power resulted in a picture of the, oh yeah, baby.

Imagine Walt's elation when he bumped into the Lamaze instructor's husband at the local pool team tryouts. I brought my sister to subsequent Lamaze classes as my alternate coach. Walt's attentions lie in learning to "put a little English" on his pool shot instead of aiding me in the breathing exercises for labor. Minnesota Fats would be proud.

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