And Baby Makes Three: MID MAY, HALFWAY!

Grandma Tracy bought me this dress for Mother's Day,
which is a little back asswards but oh well. I'll accept it.
My coworker told me it looked like Kate Middleton.
So... HORRAY... I have achieved my goal!

Dear Baby,

This has been an incredibly painstakingly long week. I am excited to be at the halfway point, but I have been counting down every excruciating hour until we get to your appointment at 2PM on Friday. Also, “halfway,” though technically mathematically correct, is somewhat misleading. Out of the 20 weeks falling in the “first half” of my pregnancy, two of them you were not actually conceived, the next three I didn’t know about you, and for the next three after that I didn’t have a visual. So I’m thinking that the second half of pregnancy is going to be a whole other ball game.

Anyway, here we are, at 20 weeks. I have yet to feel you kick, but I don’t really understand what it’s supposed to feel like, so what I could be imagining as indigestion I suppose could actually be you. I would really like to feel something with certainty though, because you are making me nervous. I may be hallucinating or going crazy, but I swear the size of my bump has actually gone down the last couple of weeks, and I don’t like that one bit. Your father knows this is bothering me (as I am quite vocal with my worries) so this morning he said to me, “You look bigger than ever!” Probably the only time I will want to hear those words.

In any case, I am more excited for our 20 week appointment to see you again than I am to find out your gender. In fact, I am inflicting a little more self-torture by postponing your gender reveal by a day. We are going to have the doctor write down “boy” or “girl” and put it in an envelope, deliver the envelope to the bakery next door, and pick up a “gender reveal” cake on Saturday. When we cut the cake, the frosting in the middle will either be blue or pink. This is probably an unnecessary little gimmick, but your father suggested it, and whenever he is on board with something like this I have to encourage it. Plus, Grandpa Steve is always pushing the “wow factor” (or, as he says, the “wow fact-ah”). Plus I want cake. But there’s always a chance I break down at the appointment and say, “JUST TELL ME!” I give it 50/50.

I have tried to hone in on my “gear” research lately. The product of focus most recently has been the stroller. It actually made me delighted to discover that you can get a car seat and stroller in tandem (TWO items off my list! YAY). My biggest debate is whether I need one stroller or two. I really want to get a running stroller (or a “jogger” stroller, as is the appropriate vernacular), but I don’t know if I can get a good enough running stroller that serves all my purposes (car seat, maneuverable, etc). Also, most reviews seem to recommend waiting 6-8 months after birth to start taking you jogging. That threw me for a loop, as I expected to do it a couple of weeks later. We’re learning Baby, we’re learning.

Your Nonna is quite hellbent on your father and I naming you as soon as we find out your gender. She may be disappointed as we haven’t even discussed names since probably a couple of weeks after we found out about you. But maybe knowing your gender will give us the push we need in that department. I would love to give you a name sooner rather than later, but I’m not sure whether I’m quite ready to have the great name debate with your father.

Can’t wait to see you TOMORROW!

Love,

Mom