He's officially melted...

You're Dad has melted.  I really didn't think it would happen until AFTER you were born, but... I.WAS.WRONG!

See, your Dad has become cutely obsessed.  Obsessed with my belly, obsessed with you kicking, punching and rolling around inside me, obsessed with looking at your room and everything in it.  But mostly, (and yes, I'm sure he'll kill me for documenting this) he's become obsessed with...

watching "A Baby Story" and "Baby's First Day".  Actually, he seems to love it so much, he asks me to PVR it (record it on the digital box).  He comes home from work and gets REALLY excited to be able to sit, relax and watch his "baby shows" :)  I think it's adorable. 

He loves asking me questions about "how I feel" or "if it's okay if he does x, y or z, that the Dad's do in the videos" or "gets all pouty and excited when the baby is born and the Daddy gets to hold him/her for the first time.  He then tells me, "I think when the baby gets here, I might turn to mush"...

I look at him, very lovingly and usually say to him, "Honey, you already have".

Lastly though, he is already getting territorial.

He likes to tell me that since I will have "held" you for 9/10 months, I don't get anymore turns when you come out.  He feels/thinks that he gets to be the FIRST person to hold you and doesn't have to hand you over to anyone if he doesn't want to.  I just laugh at him, why burst his bubble? :)

I wanted you to have all of this to remember, because when days that your Dad defends that he's "too manly", "a tough guy" or is the "hard one" of us two...you can rub this in his face with me...hee hee!

Month 6...a slow moving month...

Month Six (January 2012):
Going off of work, exciting news from friends, serious belly growth and a surprise present in the works for Daddy...were all things that were really memorable this month.

Last month, Mommy and Daddy had another secret to keep (there's been so many while you've been growing!), that they were just bursting and overjoyed all of Christmas!  My most favourite Christmas gift that I received, was a phone call on December 24th, that was by far, the "strangest" conversation that I had ever had with our best friends, Kathryn and Gary.  Kathryn was inquisitive, yet vague and all over the place.  Then she hung up.  I immediately told Dad that I thought she was pregnant, but knew that she would have told me if she was.  Then a photo msg came on my phone, of Brayden wearing a Big Brother shirt!!!!!!!!!!  I knew it!  I was so thrilled to find out that we would get to enjoy pregnancy together and you were already getting your first friend, closest to your age!  We celebrated New Year's together, which was such a fun time to celebrate two new lives coming this year!

This month, I also stopped working.  While I enjoyed my co-workers, it was getting very difficult for me to stand for long periods of time, with minimal breaks and constant lifting/bending.  My fibromyalgia started to get worse, my sleeping affected the most, as well as my joints, so the midwives knew that I needed to stop.  They wanted me to be able to get more rest, still be able to exercise and keep healthy, rather than go to work, exhaust myself, be in pain and not be healthy enough to not worry about your growth and wellbeing.  I felt very guilty about this and had a hard time adjusting, but the better I felt, the more I had a chance to take care of myself, the better chance I had taking care of you.  It made it a very long month, but it was the right thing to do!

You have been VERY active off and on this month!  You also like to play games on us though, hiding for hours...sometimes DAYS on end!  You'll move like crazy one day and then I don't feel you for a whole day, which not only worries me, but your Dad and the midwives.  You spent 48 hours not moving one week this month and Dad and I had to make a Friday night trip to Labour and Delivery.  Of course, as soon as we got there and they put the doppler on, you tried to kick that thing right off!!!!!!!  You were a little stinker!  Dad had a stern "talking to" with you after this, telling you not to do this again, as neither of us enjoyed that time particularly much!

Your nursery is REALLY starting to come along now and fabric has been decided on for your room!  Both Dad and I are REALLY excited to have found the nicest lady to help us make your custom bedding.  We wanted something "gender neutral", but FUN and she helped us pick the perfect choices for a travel themed room!  Pictures will probably have to wait till next month, as the bedding is currently being worked on, but I am on the edge of my seat till then!  Daddy has bought a few new toys for your room (mainly two 5 foot stuffed animals), that he is obsessed with and Mommy has found some of the cutest clothes and shoes for you!  A sneak peek:

Landmark Scenery fabric for some of your bedding!

I didn't think that my belly had grown too much during these weeks, but now that I compare our photo by the Christmas tree, to what my belly looks like by the end of this month, I realize that it has grown quite a bit, just not week by week!  Daddy still gets really EXCITED to my belly changing.  He loves to talk to you (sometimes through my belly button, thinking that you'll hear him better) and he loves to feel you kick!  He starts to pout when I feel you kick, he comes over and then you hide from him!  Lately though, your kicks have been getting SO STRONG, that it makes my belly bounce or my ribs REALLY hurt!  I beg you to move out of them, but it NEVER works!  You have yet to move "head down", so I pretty much spend the day, trying to push you out of my ribs, or get you to move from being sideways (transverse).  You have yet to let anyone else feel your kicks yet and are much more active when I keep my belly warm, then when I expose it...so funny!

 

A comparison of me at Christmas vs. me at the end of this month!

I guess that a lot HAS changed!  I don't know how much bigger I'll get, but I can only see it in my upper half.  It's starting to weigh down my hips and back, but I'll take that, over it spreading everywhere :)

Lastly, some cloth diaper shopping has been done for you and we have started our "stash".  Even Dad is getting excited about diapers and how soft they are, which are his favourites so far and how cute you will look in them.  He has picked out his favourite one to put you in first, which I think is beyond adorable!  We have great friends supporting us through this and giving us a lot of tips, so we are confident that this is a successful and good choice for all of us!  Dad's favourite minky diaper!

Only 3 more months to go!!!!!  I really hope that time starts moving a little faster soon!  Not only is your Dad getting more impatient to meet you, so am I!  Mom has also been working on a BIG surprise for Daddy, but that won't be revealed until next month!  All I can say is, that one very special lady helped Mommy make something for Daddy, that he is going to LOVE!

OUCH!

Dear baby...

If you could PLEASE turn head down, move your head/behind out of my rib cage and your feet/hands out from underneath my ribs, I would BEYOND greatly appreciate this.  It is not fun when I try to move you and you shove/kick/punch back harder.  My rib cage, is not a piano!

I understand that I have a short torso and therefore not much room for you to move, but at this point, with 10 weeks to go, IT IS NOT FUNNY.  Standing is the only way you stop pushing my ribs up and I can't stand all day.  So, now that Daddy AND I have begged you to choose one position (head down please), we'd like you to try and listen.

Yes, this is your first lecture.  I'd appreciate you co-operating ASAP.  Thank you so much.

Also, laying across my belly, taking up any and all space you can, is also not comfortable.  I have learned in these 30 weeks, that you ARE SO MUCH LIKE YOUR DAD, but you need to share space.  My hips, back, ribs and body will appreciate this.  Your exit strategy should be out my lady parts, not my throat!  Having two midwives and 1 nurse tell me that I am "carrying REALLY high" and that "you must be REALLY uncomfortable", is NOT helpful.

Thanks so much for listening,

Love Mom

Our first "live" view of you!

Yesterday, Dad and I had a 3D/4D Ultrasound.  We have known all along, that we wanted to do this.  See how big you've gotten, watch you move LIVE and get to see some of your ever changing features.  We were excited to find a place that could not only provide us with pictures, but with a CD and a DVD as well.

We weren't sure what to expect, but it was AWESOME!  We'd recommend anyone do it, that gets the chance.  It's a moment that you will remember forever.  It allowed us both to feel that much closer to you and excited about your arrival..in 10ish weeks!!!!!!!!!!

The last time we saw you, was 12 weeks ago.  You were a long legged, skinny little baby.  WOW, are you ever different now!  I had an ultrasound earlier this week, to check on your movements (you still play games with us and scare us), where we found out that you, so far, are ONE BIG BABY!  They estimate that you are almost 4lbs, your femurs (legs) measure 30 weeks 5 days and your head measures 31 weeks 4 days!  This was confirmed yesterday, that you are one CUTE CHUBBY BABY!

We instantly fell in love with your cheeks!  They are pudgy and squeezeable already!  It looks like you might have the "Mosselman" chin, which is something that Daddy was hoping you wouldn't have :)  You also have the cutest little button nose!  We've been told that you will change much more, as you pack on more weight/fat and that the baby we saw yesterday, will look much plumper and longer than the baby we will see in April/May!  CRAZY!  It shocks me that I am carrying almost 4lbs of a baby and that there is still 10 weeks for you to get bigger and bigger!  Mommy feels big enough already!

You were sleeping for the first part of our ultrasound, but after some pushing, poking and prodding, you started kicking your legs, yawning, drinking and cuddling your arms up to your face.  You like to sleep with your arms over your face, just like Dad does.  I find it strange and don't know how either of you breathe like that, but it was fun to see!  We all thought it was really funny that the umbilical cord is near your face and not only do you like to play with it, but you like to "chew" on it too!

We got home and really enjoyed watching the DVD again, as we could see all of your movements, when you woke up, played a little and tried to get back to sleep!  We can't wait to share it with family and friends, down the road!  10(ish) more weeks till we see if you're a boy or a girl!

Here is your cute little self:

Our first 3D look of your arms and face, with the cord around your face!

We are all in love with your precious cheeks and nose!

You woke up to give us a precious little smile...:)

Cuddled up, just like Daddy, with your arms to your face!

The little things...

Everyone kept/keeps telling me that pregnancy can get really emotional.  They have warned me that silly things, important things, heart breaking things and sometimes NOTHING can make you cry.  I was wondering if or when this would actually "hit" me and had my doubts that I would be one of "those" women that cry at the little things.  Until Sunday...

Dad and I went to church and the Pastor was preaching about the things that we learn(ed) from our own Moms and Dads, from family, from friends and from anyone else in our lives.  He asked if anyone needed more friends, or needs family, as they aren't close by, to raise their hands.  The purpose of this, was for someone to reach out to them, as this month, at church, is outreach month. 

This week, your Dad and I talked a lot about friends.  How our friends either don't live in this country, or live a few hours away.  We have some "aquaintances" that we have been getting to know here, but no one that we could really count on/ask for/swap favours with, if in a crunch...or just needing to be with other people.  IT.MADE.MY.CRY.  First it was a few of those "blinking tears" (ones that well up in your eyes, but you think you can blink away) and then they just started falling.  It was impossible to explain to your Dad how I was feeling at that moment, but it really made me miss our FRIENDS.

Later on that day, Dad gave me flowers, these beautiful orchids.  He hoped we could put them on the kitchen table and watch them flower and grow.  Something beautiful to watch and wait for, while we waited to hold you.  Then, that made me cry.

It came with a card.  The cutest little baby card, with booties on them.  Inside, were some of the sweetest, most vulnerable words that your Dad has ever written me.  They don't happen often.  Or, I can actually say, they DIDN'T happen often...until we started watching you grow inside me.  His words, his card, his vulnerability, made me cry.

There are other things that have started the waterworks.  There has been a few disagreements, frustrations, tiredness etc, but I guess, I can now safely say, that even the little things make me teary-eyed now.

One thing, that I want to remember, hold close and write to you, is that lately, I have had to hold back my emotion, almost daily.  Your Dad, is becoming a REAL softy.  From constantly kissing my belly and therefore giving you kisses; to telling me and "the bump" how much he loves us.  It melts my heart, everytime he goes to work, coming to give me a kiss.  He exposes my "bump", gives you a kiss and tells us that he loves us and misses us already.

You've already got Daddy wrapped around your little finger...