28 Weeks

Dear Baby,

We made it! 28 weeks is such a big milestone, baby, and your Daddy and I are so happy and feel so blessed that you're still inside your Momma's belly. We're hoping and praying that you'll stay in there for many, many more weeks to come.

At the same time, we also can't wait to finally hold you and meet you, baby! Since you're at such a high risk for coming early, though, instead of saying that we wish we could hold you, now we say that we wish it was November and you were with us.

Your Momma went to the doctor's and saw you again in 3D - you are just so cute! You had your hand up by your face and your nose looked kinda funny because you had it smashed up against your Momma's belly!

The doctor said you weighed 2 pounds and 5 ounces - you sure are getting big, baby!

Love you,
Mommy

27 Weeks

Dear Baby,

You're getting so big! This week your Momma noticed that you were getting so big you were making her belly button really shallow - it won't be long before you're so big you push it out!

You are also developing a regular sleep cycle, baby. So far you seem to be very much a morning person - you like to wake up at about 2AM and don't go to sleep until 2PM. One morning while your Momma was still sleeping, your Daddy put his hand on your Momma's belly and felt you kicking and squirming around like crazy. Your Daddy thought it was the neatest thing ever.

This week you weigh about 2 pounds - roughly the weight of a head of cauliflower.

Love you,
Mommy

25 Weeks

Dear Baby,

Apparently you're a gymnast! We saw you again in 3D, baby, and you were all folded up like a little pretzel in there. You were folded in half and your feet and legs were up by your head. We were all laughing as we watched you wriggle your little foot at us and wave at us with your hand at the same time - all while we were just trying to take a look at your sweet face. Your Momma and Daddy don't quite know where you get your flexible abilities from - it's sure not from us!

Your Momma also got some steroid shots this week, which was no fun (and I'm sure you'll agree with me in time when you have to get your own shots). The shots will help your little lungs develop faster in case you decide to come really early. Of course while we want to see you, we don't quite want to see you until you're good and ready to come out - preferably not for another few months (plus we'd have nowhere to put you yet, as your nursery isn't anywhere near done). Nobody knows when you're going to make an appearance, though, not even the doctors, so everyone's playing it safe by giving your Momma the shots - at least for the next 7-10 days, anyways.

Your Mom has also really been nesting like crazy lately, and while it's probably mostly due to the shots, part of it is also because nobody knows when you're going to come, baby! The thought of you arriving soon and having no place to call your own has your Momma all up in a tizzy. She's been on a cleaning spree lately - organizing and cleaning out closets to make room for your arrival. Even though the doctor said to take it easy, your Momma just couldn't help herself (and was driving your Daddy crazy), but thankfully things are settling down again. At least now you've got plenty of closet space throughout the house all ready for you!

This week you're the size of a rutabaga, and you're starting to fill out and put on some baby fat:

Love,
Mommy

24 Weeks

Dear Baby,

You move all the time now! Well, not constantly, but you certainly move a little more each day. So far only Daddy has been able to feel you moving, although I'm sure it won't be long before other people feel you move, too.

We're getting really excited about meeting you, baby, and your Grandmas and Grandpas can't wait, either. They're already spoiling you with lots of clothes and gifts and books - and you're not even here yet!

This week you weighed 1.5 pounds, and you're about the length of an ear of corn:

Love,
Mommy

23 Weeks

Dear Baby,

We saw our first 3D photo of you, baby!

Your Mommy and Daddy were so excited. As we watched, you moved around and put your hand slowly up to your face. At first we thought you were going to suck your thumb, but no -- instead you picked your nose! Yep, your little hand just kept moving on right up past your mouth, and your little thumb went straight into your nostril instead. Your Mommy and Daddy (and even the ultrasound lady) got a pretty good laugh from that, baby. You're not even out of the womb and you're already picking your nose!

This week you've developed feeling in your face (which might explain the nose-picking), and you have a sense of movement. You can also hear noises around you. Right now you're the size of a large mango:

Love,
Mommy

22 Weeks

Dear Baby,

You move everyday now, baby, and it never ceases to make me smile. Your Daddy has been able to feel you punch and kick several times this week, and his whole face lights up and he has this huge grin whenever he feels you moving.

Your Mommy and Daddy like to play games with your movements, and have even started noticing a few patterns. Every time your Mommy eats Chinese food or ice cream, you have a little kicking session and just go crazy! We've already decided that those are your favorite foods, baby. Curiously, Mexican food doesn't seem to have much effect on you, though.

This week you're the size of a spaghetti squash, and developing tiny tooth buds under your gums:

Love,
Mommy

21 Weeks

Dear Baby,

This week has been one wild ride!

First your Daddy and I were flying high and were so ecstatic because he finally felt you kick for the first time! Your Momma was lying in bed and reading when you went on a little kicking-spree, and I called your Daddy over to see if he could feel you. He put his hand on my belly and we waited with bated breath for you to do something... and you did! I knew your Daddy felt you because he got this big grin on his face and he asked if that was me or you he felt, baby! I told him it was all you, and he was so happy and excited, baby - he's been waiting and waiting for you to get big and strong enough so that he could finally feel you, baby.

The very next day we went to the doctor for a checkup and found out that apparently you were very eager to come out to see us! Your Momma had to have surgery so you could stay in there a little longer, baby. Even though I know you want to meet your Mommy and Daddy, you're just not ready yet, baby (and neither are we!). So you be good and just stay in there and keep growing and being healthy, okay?

This week you're the length of a carrot, baby, and you move and kick all the time! Sometimes I can even see my tummy moving as you wiggle around in there.

Love,
Mommy

20 Weeks

Dear Baby,

We found out that you're a BOY!

And we're so excited, baby. Your Daddy was surprised because he was so sure you were a girl, and I really wasn't all that surprised - I had a feeling you were a boy all along. But either way, we're both so happy to find out and ecstatic that you're healthy - that's really all that matters to us!

To reveal you to the families we threw a little Gender Party, and your Grandma and Grandpa on your Daddy's side came, along with your Uncle Jon. Your Mommy's parents couldn't come because they live far away (and were in North Carolina at the time), but we made sure they felt included by sending them photos as the event unfolded.

We ordered a special cake with "It's a...?" written on it and blue frosting inside and whipped up some yummy dinner and had a fantastic time!

We let your Grandma M. cut the cake (because we knew she'd love to have that honor!), and as soon as the knife went in she started screaming, "Ahhhh! I see blue! I see blue!" and then it was pandemomium as everyone was laughing and yelling and crowding around the cake to see!

Then we called Mommy's Grandparents (and relatives) as we were sending them the photos, and couldn't help laughing as we heard yells and screams over the phone. I think at one point your Great-Uncle was yelling "I see green!!" and your Grandpa C. was repeating "It's Cleatis! Cleatis!" (that was the second thing out of his mouth when we announced the pregnancy to him, too - "You should name him Cleetus if he's a boy!", the he's been pulling for that name ever since, hahaha! Your Grandpa's such a joker.)

You even received some unexpected gifts, too, which just made the party even more fun. Your Grandma M. even had the cutest idea to bring two different colored gifts - one blue, one pink, and told us we only got to open one of them after we cut the cake! (we think she was also trying to devise a way to figure out your gender before the cake cutting part, too!) And she also showed up with two adorable knitted booties - one blue and one pink, of course!

There was lots of laughing, joking, and excitement, and we all had a great time. Before the party, your Daddy and I weren't sure how the whole Gender Party thing would work out, but we are so glad we did it! It was so much fun and such a memorable way to announce you to the family, baby, and is something we'll never forget.

This week you're the size of a banana, and you're halfway there, baby!

Love,
Mommy

19 Weeks

Dear Baby,

You move every day now, and those little tickles and flutters make my day. It is like a secret between us - nobody else in the whole world knows when you're moving except for me, and it never ceases to make me smile. Last night your Daddy put his hand on my belly to see if he could feel you, but it's too early yet. He will have to be patient until you get a little stronger. Until then, it's just our little secret, baby.

This week has been difficult for both your Daddy and I, as time is passing much too slowly for both of us. It seems that Friday will never arrive and we will always be anxiously waiting to find out if you're a boy or a girl. We both try to busy ourselves with other tasks to make the time go faster, but it doesn't work. I know that all too soon we'll be looking back with bittersweet feelings on these days and moments and wishing we had slowed down to savor and enjoy them more, but right now we are too excited and caught in the moment. But that's okay, because this is the stuff life is made of - life is for truly living and breathing every moment, and we are doing just that.

This week you're the size of a large heirloom tomato, about 6 inches long. But even more exciting is that you can hear sounds now, baby! We haven't really talked to you yet, but I'm sure we will start talking to you more in the weeks to come.

Love,
Mommy

18 Weeks

Dear Baby,

This week you've been so active! These past couple months I'd rarely feel you move or poke me, although it was always special when it happened. But this week you're really squirming around in there! The other day I felt you roll over, and I knew it was you because my stomach physically moved when you rolled. And later that day I guess you decided to try out those stronger legs of yours, because all of a sudden I felt a strong poke, which surprised me! It was much stronger than the little taps and tickles I'd felt from you before.

I've also found out this week that you're a sugar-fiend, just like your Momma! Whenever I eat something sugary (Teddy Grahams and Ice Cream seem to your favorites so far) you must go on a sugar high because you'll move so much I can't help but imagine that you're in there just dancing around! It's pretty entertaining, and when I tell your Daddy that I can feel you moving he gets this big grin on his face and it makes his day. We're both anxiously awaiting the day he can actually feel you move, too!

You're also continuing to get bigger, and this week you're the size of a bell pepper (your Daddy loves bell peppers!).

I love you,
Mommy

17 Weeks

Dear Baby,

Everyone is asking: are you a boy or a girl?

We can't seem to help ourselves, either. Will we have a daughter or a son? Will you be wearing pink and playing with horses or sporting blue and impersonating superheroes? Your Daddy thinks your a girl, but I think your a boy. In just a couple weeks we'll know for sure whose right!

Although everybody thinks we both have a preference to whether we'd like a daughter or son, we really don't. We're just happy to have you on the way, baby, and that's all that really matters.

This week you're 5 inches long, from head to bottom! And you also weigh 5 ounces, as much as a turnip:

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Your skeleton is turning from soft cartiledge to bone, and you can now move your joints. You're also developing sweat glands, which I find pretty amusing, haha!

Love,
Mommy

16 Weeks

Dear Baby,

Time seems to be flying by! You're growing fast now, and as the ever-increasing size of my belly proves. We have no trouble finding your little heartbeat with our monitor whenever the urge strikes us now, where before it was a bit of a feat. You're still active as ever, and only stay put in one place for a few seconds before you're off again, and to hear you we have to go searching across my belly again.

Now you're 4.5 inches long, and roughly the size of an avocado:

Your legs are getting longer, baby, and you are even getting some hair pattern on your head. Your toenails have even started growing, and I just can't wait until I can actually play with those little toes of yours. You're growing fast, baby, and in the next few weeks you'll be going through a big growth spurt.


Your Mommy and Daddy celebrated 3 years of marriage this week, baby, and while it was a sweet occasion, knowing that it was our last as a couple only made the occasion all that much sweeter. We are so excited to start a family with you, baby.

I love you,

Mommy

15 Weeks

Dear Baby,

This week you've grown so much - you're now the size of an apple, and 4 inches long! It's hard to believe that just a couple months ago you were only the size of a tiny little lentil bean.

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Right now you're forming taste buds, and you can sense light! If we shined a flashlight on my belly, you'd move away from it. It's so exciting how big you've gotten, baby, and we feel so lucky and blessed that you're in there and growing.

We'll be finding out if you're a boy or a girl in just a month, and we're so excited, baby. Will we have a daughter or a son? Will we be watching fashion shows or playing superheros with you? You already bring us so much excitement and joy, baby, and we can't wait for the future.

But while we know that you're in there, baby, sometimes it just doesn't seem real yet. We've seen photos of you (when you were even tinier than a lentil bean!), and we listen to your heartbeat every week, and I've even felt you move already - but yet you still seem so surreal to us. I imagine that as more time goes by and we really start to feel you moving around (both of us!), you will become very real to us. But sometimes, now, it's still hard to wrap our minds around the idea that you are growing inside of my belly, and oh-too-soon you'll be growing up and endlessly making us laugh and cry as the roller coaster of life unfolds.

We can't wait.

Love,
Mommy

14 Weeks

Dear Baby -

You just keep growing! We call you our little bean, and so far you've certainly been growing like a weed. This week you're the size of a lemon:

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This week you're able to frown, squint, smile and grimace, and we can't wait to see your little facial  expressions up close. For now, I wonder if you would be making a face if we looked at you through an ultrasound? I'd like to think you'd be in there making all sorts of cute and funny faces.

You can also stretch and move around - and boy, are you fast and active! We can only hear your heartbeat for a few seconds before you're off and on the move, baby. You're definitely going to be an active little one!

Love,
Mommy

13 Weeks

Dear Baby -

It's still hard to me to believe you're really there inside of me, baby. I'm growing a baby! It still seems so surreal to me, although my slowly growing belly proves that yes, this is really happening. YOU are really happening.

A week or so ago I felt you move, baby! Your Mommy and Daddy were in bed reading and all of a sudden I felt these little flutters down in my belly. It felt like you were busy popping some popcorn in there, baby! I've never felt anything like that before, and so I just knew it was you, baby. I told your Daddy that I felt you move, and he got the biggest grin on his face as he asked "Really? You did?". I have a feeling that you're going to be a very active little bean in there, baby, although with your parent's athletic history you never really stood a chance of being otherwise!

This week you're about the size of a large shrimp - is that why I've been craving shrimp so much this week?

You're now able to flex your toes and fingers, baby, and you now have fingerprints! It absolutely amazes me that while you're still so so so tiny you already have fingerprints, baby.

We sure get tons of use out of our Doppler, baby - we use it every week! We LOVE to hear your little heartbeat just thrumming away in there - the sound of it fills us with joy and reassures us that you're doing okay in there. Every time we hear it - no matter how many times - we can't help but smile. It's the most beautiful sound in the world, baby.

The other day we were even able to let your Grandma hear your heartbeat! She was so excited, baby, and couldn't believe that she was able to hear your little heart over the phone when she lives half the country away. It was so special, baby.

Everyone loves you already, baby.

Love,
Mommy

12 Weeks

Dear Baby,

This week you've gotten so much bigger - you're now the size of a lime.

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You have reflexes now, baby - you can curl your toes and fingers! And you can also make sucking motions with your mouth. I bet if we looked inside my belly at you we'd find you trying out all your new reflexes, and even sucking your thumb.

We have a Doppler at home to listen to you, baby, but so far have been unlucky - until last night! We squirted a big fat glob of jelly on my belly and moved that Doppler probe around until we heard a fast little heartbeat - that was you, baby! We were so excited to finally hear you in there! Your heart was going so fast baby, it sounded like a train just moving right along. Your heart rate was so high - 153! You must've been really working out hard in there baby - probably twisting and turning around and doing flips and spirals to get your heart rate that high.

When we first heard your heart on the Doppler, both your Daddy and Mommy got all teary eyed just listening to your heart beat away. We love you baby, and can't wait to hold you in our arms.

Love,
Mommy

11 Weeks

Dear Baby,

This week you're really starting to grow - you're about 1.5 inches long, about the size of a fig.

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You're kicking and stretching in there, and your beginning to get your teeth buds! You might even be hiccuping already.

In fact, just the other night I felt you move, baby! I was about to fall asleep when I felt this fluttering sensation in my belly that I've never felt before. That was you! Kicking and squirming around in there. I told your Daddy that I felt you move, and he got this sweet smile on his face. I can't wait until you're really kicking and moving around in there so your Daddy can feel you, too, baby.

29 weeks left until we meet you, baby. We can't wait.

Love,
Mommy

10 Weeks

Dear Baby,

We're in the double-digits! And a 1/4 of the way to meeting you, baby.  We tried to put your Daddy's doctor-skills to the test the other day and attempted to hear your little heartbeat with Daddy's stethoscope. We think we heard it, but everyone tells us we're crazy! Either way, we know you're doing well in there and your little heart is just beating away, whether we can hear it or not.

This weekend is Easter, and baby, we just can't wait to celebrate this fun holiday with you when you're older! Coloring eggs, doing the Easter egg hunt, and of course filling up your basket with fun toys and goodies. We can't wait to shower you with gifts and love, baby.

This week you're the size of a kumquat.

 

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Now you can do flips and move your arms and legs, baby! Sometimes I imagine you in there, already doing fancy moves like somersaults to entertain yourself. Now all your organs are in place, and your little body is concentrating on growing and maturing them.

Your Mommy and Daddy can't help but daydream about who you'll be. Will you be an athlete like your parents? A movie lover? Will you be a bookworm like your Momma? Will you be fascinated by science and the human body like your Daddy? We can't wait to find out, baby. But no matter who you'll be, we'll love you.

No matter what.

Love,
Mommy

9 Weeks

Dear Baby,

You keep growing and growing! This week you're the size of a grape. A grape, baby!

 

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I've been pregnant with you for over two whole months now, baby. And roughly 7 months from today you'll be making your big appearance into the world! We can hardly wait.

All the grandparents know so far - and they're all so excited! Apparently they've been waiting awhile for you, too, baby!

This week your tiny teeth are forming, baby, along with your little fingernails. I try to imagine them, but they're so tiny it makes it hard. By now you're pretty much done developing baby, and from here on out you'll just concentrate on getting bigger and bigger in there.

Love,
Mommy

8 Weeks

Dear Baby,

You're already at 8 weeks! While it seems that sometimes time flies by, and that it was only yesterday we found out about you, other times old grandfather time creeps by slower than the steady ticking of a clock. I suppose it's just because we're so excited to hold you and feel you and meet you, baby, that time seems to be crawling by.

Your Daddy and I were able to see you again today, baby! And boy, have you grown - you're so much bigger than you were just two short weeks ago! The Doctor smiled and laughed when she pointed out that you were really busy in there, baby, because you were turning and flipping around and doing all sorts of acrobatics! It doesn't surprise me - both your father and I were serious athletes during school, and I have no doubt that you'll have the same high energy drive as we did. I wonder if you'll play your Daddy's sport of football, or if you'll end up a rower like your Mommy.

And just like a true athlete, all that exercise and work has given you a big appetite - there was hardly any yolk sac left in there for you to munch on! Just don't eat too much in there, baby, or you'll give your momma a hard time!

It was also the most amazing thing, baby - we heard your little heartbeat! Your Daddy smiled real big when he heard your tiny heat beating in there, and your Mommy, well, your Momma just gave up and cried. I had seen your little heart beating before, but hearing it beat for the first time just made you all that much more real to me, baby. You're really there! You're alive! Right here inside me! You are nothing short of our little miracle, baby, and we are so blessed and ecstatic about you.

 

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Now you're the size of a kidney bean, and your little fingers and toes that we'll play with and you'll use in the years to come are growing. I can't wait to count your toes and teach you how to use your little fingers to be creative, baby. I wonder if you'll be more scientific like your Daddy or more artsy like your Mommy. I can't wait to find out, baby.

We love you already, baby.

Love,
Mommy