To my baby...

You are about to come any day now. I can't believe it is almost over, this time with you in my tummy. I know some moms can't wait until pregnancy is over and they have their bodies back to themselves, but I admit I don't feel that way baby.

I am going to miss your kicks and punches, your hiccups, the squirming and restlessness, seeing your foot or knee pushing against my right side. I will miss you waking me up in the middle of the night, me being the only one who knows what you're up to, knowing which way to roll over to calm you down.

I will miss carrying you everywhere, having you with me no matter where I go...having our own special just-the-two-of-us world.

I will miss reading every weekly update about how you change inside of me...imagining what you must look like, wondering if you're cozy in there, what you hear and dream about.

I am so excited to see you though. Your daddy is overwhelmed with anticipation and has done all the chores to prepare for your arrival. He still kisses you good night every night and lays with his hand on my tummy to catch you kicking. I know you will be best friends.

I already love everything about you...I can't imagine yet who you will grow up to be but I can foresee that I will love you every day just the way you are.

You are proof that life is visible...perfectly.

Parenting Magazine

While I have yet to deliver our little one, I have already come to a conclusion about Parenting Magazine...or really any magazine about child-rearing that I have found so far.

They bore me.

I'm sorry if that offends the lovers of this resource but I have tried...believe me. I have laid out copies by the bedside, in the bathroom, on the coffee table and every time I've opened one up I think to myself, "wow. There is this much Martha Stewart pre-strategy involved in getting it right?" Mind you, while I do find the value in the diagrams about what to do if my kid is choking, I can't bring myself to read the 4 page article comparing diapers or how to maximize my baby's cognitive skills through baby talk , how to make him more confident during tummy time or how much gear I will need to add to the diaper bag in order to raise a successful leader.

And mind you, EVERY store we have shopped at, every box we open with some tool or toy for the baby is pushing the magazine subscription. I bought a dress at the maternity store and started receiving monthly issues a couple weeks later in the mail. Without signing up! While I appreciate the thoughtfulness, I'm also afraid I will never get away from these periodicals!

(sigh)

and now they've made me write about them.

My Daddy built a rocking chair

Mom's 30th birthday

On Mom's 30th birthday, baby turned 27 weeks old. Kevin took me for an amazing birthday surprise to the Boulders Resort in Cave Creek. It was so relaxing...we first had lunch at the spa and then he dropped me off for a mommy massage. When I was leaving I picked up the cutest pair of puppy knit booties for the baby (Kev thinks they are ridiculous...just wait til the baby puts them on and melts his heart). I was walking to the room and Kev came up the path dressed in his suit for dinner. We went to Binkley's in Cave Creek which was (and I know I exaggerate but not here) THE BEST DINNER I HAVE EVER HAD. It was an experience. We each had a 5 course tasting menu. Kevin had an appetizer of smoked salmon done up all fancy and I had an asparagus soup with lemon creme fraiche. I had a purple and yellow beet salad. We had Kobe steak and pork chops for entrees, cheese fondue and a cheese plate served with popcorn for our final course...it was exquisite. They made me a woo-woo drink with liquid nitrogen that steamed and the menu had "Happy Birthday Bri" on the top just for me. In betwen courses, the chef presented all these weird delicacies like a "disco shot" which was some sugary reduction in a shot glass that was served on on LED disk that changed color. He served mini (MINI) sloppy joe's that were no bigger than the tip of my thumb, a little sip of celery soup...I should stop now or I will start craving it.

25 weeks and he's a rutabaga

We had our monthly check up yesterday with Dr. Reuss and baby is doing great. At 25 weeks, he is about a pound and a half, lungs are maturing more and more, and he's starting to pack on the baby fat. His nose which has been plugged up until now is starting to unplug and he practices breathing.

He's kicking up a storm. He kicks throughout the whole day. The only time he's really not kicking is when I'm walking around (they say it rocks them to sleep...not sure how they know that).

I saw my stomach move this morning. It makes me smile to know he's rocking out in there getting used to having legs and arms.

Still no name for all those curious folk out there. Matildo is still his alias.

More to post later...we're finishing up some baby room decorating so I will post pics next week.

Poppy's first sonogram picture

Poppy hadn't ever seen a sonogram...I totally took the experience for granted. I put the image in front of him, he picked it up, put his glasses on, looked around confused and finally asked: are you pregnant? (a provoked question after much giggling around the table). Bless his heart. His first viewing of his great grandchild in an indistingusihable photograph that probably only a mother could love.

Daddy built a crib

It's a BOY!

So, Maybe Matilda is now for sure Not Matilda...we are having a boy! We found about a little over a month ago and unfortunately it has taken me this long to post. The 18-week ultrasound was awesome...the room was like the deck of the Enterprise. High-tech gadgets everywhere, the technician was manning what looked to be the command station of a spaceship.

After a bunch of pushing and probing, we finally saw the baby's face, legs, hands, spine, and of course "his business." Kevin walked across the room to the flatscreen on the opposite wall to get as close as he could. And yes, papa bear is welcoming a son as his first born. We couldn't be happier! I think Kevin is also a little relieved to be able to break himself in with a boy child. I think the possibility of a girl had him prematurely worried about raising someone through puberty. (the saying goes: if you have a boy, you only have one wee-wee to worry about; if you have a girl you have to worry about all the wee-wees)

Posted are some images from the ultrasound. We are now at 23 weeks if you can believe it and mom and baby are doing great.

17 weeks, we're having a turnip

Matilda is 17 weeks along today. This week, the cartilage of the skeleton is turning into bone. The umbilical cord is getting thicker and the baby is the size of a turnip at about 5 inches long and 5 ounces weighed. Sweat glands are also developing. The baby is developing the sense of hearing and can move all her/his joints

I looked at a sample 3-D ultrasound and it still looks like a little alien is growing in there.

But we love the alien.

My belly is starting to pop. Actually, Kevin commented the other night that my belly button is about half as deep as it normally is. I look like I just got off of doing a keg stand. It's kind of cute if you know I'm pregnant, but it also kind of looks like I just came from an all-you-can-eat.

Pancake Dinner

Dear Dad,

Thanks for making us pancakes for dinner last night.

Delish!

Love,

Matilda

week 16 check up

Today we met with the doctor and everything looks great!

I'm a little anemic apparently and my vaccine for Rubella has worn off or something but the baby is doing great with a heart beat of 152.

We could hear the heart beat so strongly today which wasn't the case last month...nothing was wrong, just harder to hear sometimes.

No pictures to post this time but we are scheduled for our first 3-D ultrasound in a couple weeks!

Apparently I got my days off and we are officially 16 weeks today. I thought we were in the middle of the 15th week...someone's math is off!

to my daddy on his birthday

Dear Dad,

I hear from mom that it's your 31st birthday today. You are really old.

I'm still hanging out in here with a few months to go but I already know a few things at 15 weeks about how cool my dad is.

You take very good care of mom. When she's not feeling good you are very gentle and give her foot rubs and back rubs like it was your job.

When she feels better, we celebrate. You take her on long walks for sun and fresh air and make her laugh. You take her to lots of movies and make runs to the store for her cravings (which really benefit me...thanks for that watermelon by the way)

You kiss mom's belly goodnight every night even though I'm not big enough yet to be obvious. You never take anything for granted and mom notices this.

You already put my crib together which means you're excited about me. I'm excited about you too. I already love you and I hope you have a wonderful birthday. Mom's excited about steak for dinner.

See you this summer,

Matilda. (we'll talk if I come out a boy)

15 weeks

This weekend, I rationalized the baby was getting enough calcium through the extra cheese we ordered to go with my nachos as we got our goodies in line to see Lovely Bones (quick review: 4 thumbs down...and I'm using the baby's thumbs to help swing my vote, it was that bad)

I have a book sitting on Kevin's desk about eating well for pregnancy and I'll be honest, I haven't even opened it. After a a first trimester of not being able to touch a chicken breast, let alone think about how to keep 4 servings of anything down, this book has really only been good for making me feel guilty for not opening it. I find myself apologizing all the time to the little cherub inside me for eating a Big Mac instead of my daily broccoli ration...or bringing 3 string cheeses with me to get through a 3 mile morning walk (1 for each mile only seems fair).

I have also convinced myself that the leftover muffin top I had from BEFORE pregnancy is really still there because I am "starting to show". But after standing next to a 7 month pregnant friend yesterday, I admit that the Big Macs haven't been devoting themselves to the baby's growth as much as they have to my own gut.

I am in no way turning over a "new leaf" here as I admit any of this out loud. I am merely allowing a glimpse in through the window of my pregnant reality. We're kind of going our own way at this. So baby, on your 15th week of getting ready for the world, know that so far I have been trying...I have avoided wine and Brie, scowled at smokers passing by, gone to bed early and woke up late...and every time you get a Big Mac thrown your way, it was given to you with love and I imagined it was tofu the whole time.