15 Weeks

Hey everyone!!!

It's been a good week here inside Mommy's tummy! I'm growing like crazy. I'm four inches tall now, and that doesn't even count my legs, which are getting much longer but are still curled up underneath me. All that growing has sure made Mommy more aware that I am in here. She's always liked fashion, but now she is more into asking God to bless whoever invented elastic waistbands. It's pretty funny.

We had some excitement yesterday when all of a sudden Mommy started yelling and screaming and cheering. It scared me because I didn't know what was happening, but it turns out that it was all because Auntie Holly was the only freshman to make the varsity soccer team. That's really cool...good work, Auntie Holly! Still, maybe you could tell Mommy not to cheer so loud next time...it hurts my little ears! But by this time next year, I'll be big enough to watch you play if we can take a trip back there.

As always, I'm having Daddy post the link to what I look like now:

http://www.babycenter.com/fetal-development-images-15-weeks

Mommy and Daddy have a countdown until the day when they find out whether I am a boy or a girl. It's now at 32 days!!! That will be fun...I can't wait for them to know what I am, so they can start praying that God would hold the baby "boy" or "girl" in His hands. Maybe I'll get a name soon after that too!!!

The other fun thing I've been doing is exercising with Mommy. She is allowed to go to the gym again and we have fun doing the elliptical and lifting some light weights. Nothing too intense, but it's fun. Daddy must think that I am going to be an athlete because he always asks me through Mommy's tummy if I'm swimming my laps in here. He doesn't understand that even though Mommy is tall, there isn't THAT much room in here! Oh well, he'll figure these things out.

OK, I have to get back to growing now. I'll talk to you again next week! Love you all!

Love,
Baby

14 Weeks and Sucking my Thumb

Hi again everyone! I'm FOURTEEN weeks old now! Still doing good in here in Mommy's tummy. I'm learning all sorts of new things...like how to smile, frown, and even suck my thumb! I've also got longer arms, a neck and a little bit of hair all over my body. It's amazing how fast I am growing these days. I'm about as tall as a lime now...about 3 1/2 inches...almost twice the size I was a couple weeks ago. For a picture of how big I am now, go to this link:

http://www.babycenter.com/fetal-development-images-14-weeks

Oh, and here is what Mommy looks like at 14 weeks. She's wearing a baggy shirt today so you can't see me, but I am definitely in there! Mommy's getting a bigger tummy every week!

As for what I've been doing lately, Mommy and I took a fun trip together this week. Mommy had a work seminar in Maryland for three days, so of course she took me along! We had to sit in a lot of meetings, but we also got to eat lots of good food. Just like my Daddy and Mommy, I LOVED the french fries. I also liked the ice cream and brownies, but Mommy wouldn't let me eat much of that. We stuck with more fruits and veggies than anything. I like those too, but they aren't as exciting as dessert. But it was fun for Mommy and I to spend time together. I know, I know, we are always together, but it was still fun.

Mommy's been talking more and more about how to decorate my room. Daddy won't let her decide until they know whether I am a boy or a girl, though. That will be another six weeks...I don't know if Mommy is going to make it! :)

That's all the news for this week. I love all of you, and can't wait to come play with you!!!

Love,
Baby

13 Weeks and Fingerprints

Hi again, everyone! Here is a picture of Mommy and me at the 13 week mark. You can DEFINITELY see me in this picture!!! I figure it's about time for you to be able to tell that I am in here, because I am three inches tall now. The doc says I'm about the size of a medium shrimp. Even cooler than that...I have fingerprints now! Seriously, it's amazing...God gave me my own set of fingerprints. To see a picture of what I look like now, check out this link:

http://www.babycenter.com/fetal-development-images-13-weeks

Mommy's still feeling pretty tired, but I'm very happy that she is feeling better most of the time. She is really happy to be able to excercise again...I think that will help her a lot.

Well, since I wrote to you all a couple of days ago after my doctor appointment, I think that's all of the new information that I have for today. I can't wait to show you all a picture of me on April 1!

Love,
Baby

Another Doctor Appointment

Hi everyone! This will be a short note - I'll write more on Friday - but I wanted to let you all know that Mommy and I had another doctor appointment today. It was GREAT!!! Mommy and Daddy got to hear my heartbeat again, and I made sure it was nice and strong and loud for them! The doctor couldn't find it for a while, but that was because I was higher up in Mommy's tummy than the doc was expecting. Mommy says that Grandma G carried her high too, so I guess Mommy's just taking after her mom. Anyway, all is well...when the doctor finally found the heartbeat, it was 156 beats per minute! The doc explained that as I grow my heartbeat will gradually slow until it's more like what all of you have. She also said everything else looks just great! AND...Mommy can start excercising again!!! She's so excited about that!

Next, the doctor asked Mommy and Daddy if they needed another sonogram of me, but said she'd prefer not to do it unless they were unsure about wanting to keep me. Are you kidding me?!?!?! Of course they want to keep me!!!! So, no picture of me today, but I'll get one on April 1 (don't worry...no April Fools joke) and all of you will be able to find out if I am a boy or a girl. Aunt Eileen says that I don't sound like a girl because I don't talk about frilly stuff, but she needs to remember that Daddy is typing for me and he doesn't know anything about that kind of stuff. Mommy's tried and tried to teach him, but he's not a very good learner when it comes to that stuff, so I've decided to skip trying to exlain it to him...if I am a girl, that is! Gramma B says I will either be born with a tiera if I am a girl or a baseball and a basketball if I am a boy. Mommy says if that's true, it better be a mini basketball.

OK, I'll talk to you all more on Friday!

Love,
Baby

12 Weeks

Happy Friday, everyone! Here's Mommy at 12 weeks. Sorry that you can see even less of me than before...Mommy's clothes are a bit loose today. But she's surer than ever that I'm in here, because she loves her sweatpants these days! They feel better to me too.

Daddy and Mommy are disappointed because the doctor told them that I won't be getting a picture taken next week after all. The doc said it's a good thing, because it means that everything is going well, but I was excited to show you all what I look like now. Mommy says that maybe the Baby Paparazzi are on strike. I don't know about that, but I guess we'll just have to wait until 20 weeks. By then, my pictures should show whether I am a boy or a girl! My Uncle Stevan says he already knows that I am a girl, but I'm not sure myself yet. Anyway, I'll still be getting a checkup on Wednesday, so I'll let you know how that goes.

The big news with me is that my reflexes are developing. I can open and close my hands, and when Mommy pushes on her belly, I can move around in response. That's kind of fun. Also, the synapses are forming in my brain...whatever that means...Daddy says I won't know what that means until they are actually formed. I think he thought that was funny, but nobody laughed when he said it, so it must just be his strange sense of humor. Oh well, all I know is that it is important, so Daddy and Mommy are praying for it and it would be great if you all would too. Oh, and here's the link to what I look like now:

http://www.babycenter.com/fetal-development-images-12-weeks

Pretty amazing...all my parts are here already even though I'm only two inches tall. Now I just have to grow. Speaking of two inches tall, Daddy got made fun of last night for saying "tall" instead of "long," but hey, how many of you want to be called "5 foot, ten inches LONG?" Maybe Uncle Isaac, but not me! Just because I can't stand yet doesn't mean I can't be tall!

OK, I think that's all I have for today. It's fun talking to you all. I want to especially say hi to my three cousins, Amaya, Elise and Bennett! Can't wait to play with you all!

Love,
Baby

11 Weeks...and Hiccups

Sorry I'm late, everybody! Mommy had to leave early for work yesterday, and Daddy got home late, so I couldn't get him to sit down and type for me until just now. But I'm here now, so here's the latest news from inside Mommy's tummy...

First, here's what Mommy looks like at 11 weeks and one day. She decided to give you the left profile today. If you look real close, I think you can see me just barely poking her tummy out. Not a lot, I know, but maybe just barely.

In other news, I'm about an inch and a half tall now, and my teeth are already starting to form underneath my gums! AND...I'm able to hiccup now...that's been fun! Lots is happening in here and I'm growing so fast it's hard to believe! I'm getting another picture taken in a week and a half, so you'll be able to see me again then. For now, I'm having Daddy post another link so you can see how much I've grown:

http://www.babycenter.com/fetal-development-images-11-weeks

I also wanted to let you know that Mommy's been feeling much better lately. That makes me happy. She's still really tired a lot, but at least she's not as sick as often. Every night we pray that she would have strength and that both of us would stay healthy. I know you are all praying too!

Oh, one more thing...I got a snugglie Cubs blanket from Gramma B last week! I'm sure I will like it eventually too, but for now, Daddy thinks it's really awesome! Thanks Gramma B!

I'll write to all of you again in a few days. Love you all.

Love,
Baby