As we entered February, 1990, the times were filled with excitement and anticipation for the new baby. The first group to hold a baby shower for us was the Junior High Youth Group at the Beavercreek Church of the Brethren, where we were regularly attending.
I thought this was an incredibly nice gesture to have the kids take part in something like this. Afterall, a church would typically frown on a teenage pregnancy out of wedlock, but here we were celebrating. Below is a photo to commemorate the event from February 11. It was a full-fledged (male and female) shower complete with games, cake, and gifts. Christi kept most of the cards in a keepsake album and also loaned me these shower photos.
On February 17, my aunt Darlene asked us if we would like to babysit my cousins Brittney and Jacob. Brittney (seen at right with Christi at her baby shower) was three years old and Jacob was about four months. Christi tended mostly to Jacob and I to Brittney. 
While I am capable of handling newborns, I am better with and more enjoy toddlers than infants because it is easier for me to use my communication skills to interact with them. I recall reading Brittney a Mickey Mouse book and ‘doing Mickey’s voice’ throughout. Brittney stared at me, delighted and entranced, and Christi looked at me and said “You’re going to be a great father.”
Christi took her driving test on February 22. She was extremely nervous that she was going to fail. I took her to Xenia for the test and she wanted to practice her maneuverability beforehand, but we got yelled at by an instructor as she tried to drive through the test cones. This wracked her nerves even more, thinking that now the person who would be giving her the test now hated her. Fortunately, she passed with flying colors.
Christi’s mom held a shower for her on February 24. This was mostly for Christi’s friends. She had a good turnout and ended up with lots of great loot. Among the attendees were Denise Creech (from my work - Christi often babysat for her son Gregory), my sister Denise, my Mom, Jackie Moore, Kim Cummings, Lori Tobias, Lisa Butler, Jennifer Crum, and some of her Mom Joy’s friends. 
Christi had taken the day before off school to help her Mom prepare for the shower, but ended up using the day to re-arrange her room to fit in the baby’s bassinet.
On March 4, two days after Christi’s last day of school, when she went on ‘maternity leave’ and applied for a home tutor, my Mom threw Christi her third and final baby shower. This was attended by the majority of the females from my mammoth family. More gifts to arrange and cram into her tiny room poured in. Of course, Christi was also busy making sure my room was cleaned and prepared for the baby’s arrival as well.
Between Lamaze classes, showers, baby clothes and accessory shopping, baby toy-of-the-month offers that Christi found too hard to resist (could you resist wiggle worms or red rings?), baby showers, Christi’s M.O.M.S. (Model of Maternal Support) Group that she was in at school, babysitting, and doctor appointments, we were completely immersed in preparations for the big change that was coming.
One final anecdote from this time period that has nothing to do with the baby: On Friday, March 16, I was driving Christi from my house to hers, when a possum suddenly ran in front of my car. I had no choice but to hit it, but Christi still yelled at me, because it was so shocking and sudden. While we were still reeling from it a mile down the road, a second possum ran in front of my car and I rolled right over it as well. Not exactly funny, but simply incredible and ironic to hit two possums on the same night that far apart. I think I may have only hit one other possum in my entire life.
For additional baby shower photos, click here.
Up next: Ashleigh is born…
Other events of interest from this time period: my cartooning comic book and meeting members of Whitesnake.
I am still in shock about the, not one but two, possums you hit! That was crazy!!!
christi
January 3rd, 2007