7.24.19

Hi bahb –

Hope you’re feeling good in mom’s belly. Today we had to run a little for the ferry and you were not a happy camper moving around like that. Another cool little ferry tidbit… we see the same worker on the 8:30 ferry each time we get that boat. He’s a nice guy, says good morning, smile on his face, probably about grandma and grandpa’s age. Well today we pass by him and he smiles says hello, we say it back and when we get to our seats mom says did you notice that he looked at my belly? I hadn’t noticed, but about 10 mins later we’re sitting there, mom’s reading her book and I’m listening to a podcast when he walks by, smile on his face and says congrats pointing to mom and shakes my hand. First time a stranger noticed you! First time someone we didn’t really know acknowledged our little baby. Mom and I looked at each other and just started laughing at that point. I was so happy and proud. Then we passed him again when we were getting off the boat and he shook my hand and said congrats again. What a feeling. 

I really have to start taking more pictures of mom’s belly to document this journey. She’s finally starting to feel better. Getting energy back and *knock on wood* no morning sickness lately.

This weekend there’s an open house in West Orange, NJ. Here’s the address in case you ever want to look it up 14 Hartshorn Ter, West Orange, NJ 07052. And here are a few pictures. It’s ugly from the outside and it’s pretty tiny but I think it would be a good first house for me you and mom until we can save up a little more. Currently listed for $250K. Who knows.

There’s an open house for this place on Sunday too, but mom has Lyndsay’s bridal shower. 159 Holland Road, South Orange, NJ

I think this weekend I’m going to put up my official Instagram announcement about your little ass. Can’t wait to let the world know that I’m gonna be a dad. This past weekend we were in Target and we were looking at little outfits for you, so cool.

Little bit of life advice today. If you’re in a store and you’re going to buy something, before you look at the price ask yourself what you would pay for it. If it’s within $5-$10 up or down, I say pull the trigger. Or if you KNOW you’re going to be kicking yourself if you don’t get it, do it. But be judicious about how you spend your money.

I wonder if you’ll share this opinion but here goes. Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan and Jon Bon Jovi are wildly overrated. There are a billion guys who can sing like Sinatra, he just had the right mob ties and blue eyes. I genuinely don’t understand the worlds fascination with Dylan, his voice is GARBAGE. And Livin on A Prayer is Jersey trash in song form. Even his name is stupid.

As I’m turning 32 this year, I notice more and more how much I’m like my parents. I really hope you get my best qualities. I hope you’re confident and self-aware but that you don’t come off as arrogant. I hope you don’t take any shit like mom. She’s really good at speaking her mind in tense situations. Confrontation doesn’t come easy to me.

If I haven’t done this by now, remind me to show you how sweet Ken Griffey Jr’s swing was. And to look up all of Tony Gwynn’s stats. And to show you all my favorite baseball cards. And whatever grandpa says, Eli Manning was and always will be the man. He brought us two championships! I’m also going to teach you the name game, where you have to say the name of a person that starts with the same first letter as the first letter of the last person’s last name. So for instance, I say Kim Kardashian, you have to say one that starts with K, so maybe Kanye West.

I have a little saying, and it goes “people say I’m full of myself, but who am I supposed to be full of, somebody else?” – basically if you feel like you’re awesome it will translate to whatever you do. You think I ended up with your mom because I was a smokeshow? Nah fam. Also, I live by the saying “don’t forget how good you have it” because even if it seems like things aren’t going your way, there are always people in a less fortunate position so take stock of whatcha got.

One last super important life lesson if you end up being a boy. In a normal bathroom setting, never choose the urinal right next to another guy if others are available. Really the only time it’s acceptable is at a stadium where the line is out the door and you take what you can get or an airport where sometimes post-flight a similar situation can unfold. Don’t be a weirdo.

Okay, more tomorrow and every day for the rest of your life.

Love you big time,

Dad