"boy, he looks just like ________"

Holden went out for his first "outing" today, since it's still unseasonably warm for November (and we need to take advantage of every minute of it before it's freezing cold and rainy ... like next week). We strolled down to the Gelateria down the street, and said hi to owners Dana and Chris (who confirmed that their daughter Nora would be able to eat Holden, he's so small). But most importantly, now that we're a bit more out and about, people are saying the infamous phrase: "boy, he looks just like _______."

This post has been a long time in the making, as we've spent months collecting baby photos of ourselves and various family members to see where Holden is getting his dashing good looks. Here is the visual data, so you make the decision. Most agree (including me) that Holden looks most like a Campbell; furthermore, that he looks very much like his mommy. However, I'm more recently making the argument that Holden also looks a decent amount like my brother, and a little like me (although not much ... sniffle, sniffle). Let us know what you think.

Pictures of Holden during his first 9 days (above).
Baby photos of Bryna (above).
Baby photos of the Campbell boys/men (from left to right, we have Bryna's brothers Bob and Will followed by her dad, now Grandpa John).
And finally, the Murawski brothers (me on the far left, and two pics of my brother Mark in center and to the right).

Mostly, Holden looks like Holden ... and that's OK.

38 weeks

Two weeks left, we're still here, and still waiting for the Short Stranger to arrive. The main difference between this week and the last one is that now we are seriously ready. Sometime in the last week Mike and I decided it doesn't really matter what the house looks like anymore, it is time to meet this little guy--any day now. And yes, I think I've had enough of this whole pregnancy gig. Besides, if it gets any colder here in Gloomsville, USA (the Lou without sun for 5 days), I'm doomed on the maternity clothing front.

The good news from this week's doctor's appointment is that the baby's dropped quite a bit. So basically, it now feels like I'm carrying a bowling ball when I walk. And luckily for me, I can still sleep fairly soundly, once I finally adjust into a somewhat comfortable position. Mike, on the other hand, has been having a harder time sleeping, apparently plagued by foggy dreams that involve waking up frequently to check on the baby. We're both convinced he's having his own hormonally based transformation that's prepping him for parenthood.

The Short Stranger's getting big, according to babycenter.com. And I promise that if we make to next week, you'll be treated to a much more exciting produce comparison:

Your baby has really plumped up. He weighs about 6.8 pounds and he's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). He has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! His organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If he's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If he's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time he's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after he's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)