Dear baby: Ten

Dear Baby,

This week your dad and I had time off from school and work, and were able to get some things finished in your room. This upcoming week we are going on a trip for the week, and we will get to see how we both do in the hot Las Vegas sun! You are starting to grow (as evidenced by my newfound bump!) more and more each day and soon it will be time to see you at your ultrasound!!! Which is great because we can see you AND it marks the 1/2 way mark of this pregnancy! 1/2 way closer to getting to meet you in person!

Here is what you are up to this week: "Your baby's bulking up, too! He/she now weighs in at a whopping three to five ounces, and he/she's four to five inches in length. His/her tiny muscles, especially the ones in his back, are gaining strength, so he/she can straighten out a little more. And those eyes are finally working, making small side-to-side movements and perceiving light (although the eyelids are still sealed)."

Grow, grow, grow little one....and soon enough we will meet you face to face!

Love you lots,
Mommy and Daddy

Dear baby: Nine

Dear baby,

I hope this letter finds you doing well and happy in your little "house." This week has been very hard as I have been incredibly tired, and getting a little disgruntled that you are not here, AND that you are sooo far away from being here. Your dad has been having to deal with a lot of attitude, but he's hanging in there (I hope you have at least 1/2 of your dad's patience)!!!!

This week this is what you are doing: "Your baby is about the size of a clenched fist and he's sporting a downy coating of hair (lanugo) that keeps him nice and warm. Not to worry — you won't give birth to a monkey; baby fat will accumulate over the next few months, keeping your baby warm and toasty — and allowing most of that hair to shed."

This week you got a new present from your friend Jerra, and I'm sure you will enjoy playing with all the stuff she got you! I'm also searching for a special hat for you to wear after you are born instead of those funky hats they give you at the hospital - not sure they will let you wear it, but I'm going to try!!

Well I better get back to work - your dad will be home soon and I can't let him find me slacking!!

Love you to the moon and back,
Mom and dad

An unexpected blessing.....

I have read all the websites and books about symptoms of pregnancy, but one was never mentioned and naturally I have experienced it. It was something that I use to get frequently as a small child and I had trouble coping with it back then and it's actually worse when you are a 30 year old woman.

A few weeks ago in church, after I had experienced this symptom a few times before but simply though it was a "freak" of nature, I was standing with my Primary (sunday school) class and I felt something warm and slick run down my lip --- fabulous --- a bloody nose. I ran to the restroom, which was packed out with moms and kids all staring at my bleeding nose. I ran into an empty stall, sat on the toilet and buried my face into a big wad of TP. This was, like most of my bloody noses, not working and I knew what I needed to do. Running my nose under cold water usually does the trick, but those dreadful mothers and their children!! Didn't they have somewhere to be?!?!? However, no one seemed to leave, but rather lingered - chatting - laughing -- all the while I was having this medical emergency (ok not emergency, but close!). To add to the stress my class was supposed to do something special and I was going to help, but THANKFULLY my teaching partner carried on in spite of me being MIA.

I finally got the bleeding to stop and headed for the primary room - I made it half ways when that old familiar feeling came back. Yup, it started bleeding again!! I headed back to the bathroom but it was bursting at the seams, and I turned and walked away. I literally went to a corner and pulled out my trusty bag of tissues from by purse and tried to fade into the distance. As soon as I convinced myself I was safe I felt a tap on my shoulder - it was a member of the bishopric coming to "invite" me to participate in some activity. The whole time I was holding this tissue to my face, shifting my feet, sweating profusely and I could tell he was creeped out at the sight of me. He hurried through his time with me and walked away confused and probably wondering why I wouldn't take the tissue away from my face. I retreated to my corner until the bleeding stopped. I headed to the car to hide - why I didn't do this from the start I don't know?!

We asked the baby doctor if this was "normal" and she said it was -- something about my sinuses swelling and drying and an increased flow of blood -- blah blah -- so take away message DEAL WITH IT!! I have now regressed to that 10 year old little girl with her nose gushing blood after being in the sun too long........

Anyone who has managed to glamorize pregnancy is either insane or has never been pregnant.

Dear baby: Numero Ocho

It seemed as if I just wrote to you....well mommy got a little behind last week and posted her letter to you a few days late (you will soon learn this is a wonderful quality I possess!). Today we went to see your doctor, and she said everything is going great. We also listened to the sweet little hum of your heart beat. 160 bpm. Perfection.

It's one thing to watch other people go through the process of having a baby. You see them grow, talk about feeling sick, hear their story of delivering their bundle of joy, and get to see the baby all cute and cuddly. It's a COMPLETELY different experience to be the ones having a baby. I think about you all the time - what will you be like? will you be healthy? will you have hair? will you cry all the time? how do I feed you? bathe you? We are learning about babies this week in class and I just LOVE hearing all about you - what you'll do, how you'll grow, and how you will come into this world. I read books about babies...talk about babies....think about you -- dream about you....about the day when you will be really here. That is why we love to go hear your little heart beat -- it's like you are communicating with us and saying "I'm here!!" We are glad! You have a lot of people who are excited that you are coming - grandparents, church members, and of course us (oh, all of those nursing students are dying to meet you!).



This is what you are doing this week: "That big old noggin is now about half the size of her/his crown-to-rump length. By the time you give birth, her/his body will catch up, measuring three-quarters of her/his total size. In other news, the intestines are beginning to move from the umbilical cord to the abdomen, and the vocal chords are well under construction (the first step toward one day saying, "I love you, Mommy/Daddy!").

So in 5 weeks we hear your heart again and in 6 weeks we get to see you (in the ultrasound of course) more vividly -- oh and find out if you are a boy or a girl!! Dr. Garcia said we'll be able to see your facial features, heart beat, etc.... Let me tell you kiddo I have never been so excited for Sept 17 in my whole existence!!!!

Love you,

Mommy and Daddy

Dear baby: Se7en

Dear baby,

This week has been an overall great week with you - no morning sickness and minimal fatigue. I hope we are seeing the much talked about upward swing (in a positive way) into the 2nd trimester which is now just 1 week away!!

This week you made out like a bandit - spoiled rotten already! You have almost all the furniture for your room, all the decorations, and some new outfits and, of course, more diapers!!! This upcoming week we get to hear your heart beat again when we go visit with your doctor. This way we can make sure that it's beating in perfect rhythm and get the joy of hearing FROM you as best as you can communicate with us for now.

The little website says this about you this week, "By now, your baby weighs a full half-ounce and is about the size of a large plum. Most of his/her systems are in place, though there's still plenty of maturing to do. For one thing, his/her fetal digestive system is beginning to practice contraction movements so he can eat someday, and his bone marrow is busy making white blood cells — weapons against germs once (s)he's out of your safe haven. The pituitary gland (at the base of the brain) has started producing the hormones that'll enable him (or her) to make babies of his (or her) own in a couple of decades or so!!!"

Again keep up the hard work little one - every day that passes we grow more and more excited at the prospect of your arrival. I just know you are going to be a great baby and we are going to have so much fun together!!! There is so much of this world for you to see, and we want you to take it all in. We are so excited to be a family soon!!!!

Love you to infinity + 100,

Mom and Dad