Baby Letter #8– October

It’s time for my final baby letter. If you’re new to my blog, my husband and I are expecting our first child in just over two weeks. Each month since I found out I was pregnant, I have written a letter to my baby, both for our bonding now, but also for my son/daughter to have as a memento. You can read through the other letters below. But this one is my favorite.

 

Baby Letter– October

Hello Nemo,

Well my tiny darling, we made it. There were many times this year that I thought today would never come, but it has. This is my last letter to you. It’s time for you to come out now.

It’s a strange feeling for me. On the one hand, I see myself in the mirror, and I think that my body can’t possibly expand any more. My stomach is comically large. It looks ridiculously out of place contrasted to the rest of me. I can feel your weight independent from my own. The pressure that you create at the bottom of my abdomen sometimes feels unbearable. Honestly, Dad and I are still worried that you’re going to come a bit earlier than anyone expects. Especially these last few days. You get a wild hair every once in a while.

A Peter Pan Nursery

For the past two months, we’ve been hard at work on our little Nemo’s nursery. I’ve known for years that I wanted our first baby’s nursery to have a Peter Pan theme. It is one of my favorite Disney films and, I think, especially suited to a child’s imagination. Brandon came up with some preliminary designs, and we got to work. All of the paintings in the room are on canvas– that way, if we have a second baby in this house, the Peter Pan things will go with Nemo to a larger bedroom, and the nursery can be redesigned for the new little bit.

Baby Letter #7– September

This is the second to last letter in my series. I can’t dwell on that too much. We are counting days instead of weeks.

Baby Letter —September

Hello Nemo,

We are getting so close my little bit. A few weeks ago, the idea of your arrival switched from something sweet and abstract to something imminent and very, very real. Your dad and I are a little terrified, frankly. We’ve never faced anything as important as taking care of you and making sure that we do it well.

You are almost 34 weeks in uterus age. You weigh about 5 pounds, and the average baby would be around 18 inches tall (we imagine that you’re a bit taller). Honestly, you’re mostly finished growing. You will continue to add a little more fat in the coming weeks (this is very important, as it will allow you to regulate your body temperature after you’re born), and your organs will keep perfecting their functions.

Baby Letter #6– August

This is the sixth letter in the series I am writing to our baby. If you’re looking for something warm and fuzzy, read one of the older letters. Honesty follows.

 

Baby Letter— August

Hello Nemo,

You and I are in our third trimester now, which means we are approaching the end of our first adventure together. I could not be happier. You see, I like you, but I don’t like being pregnant.

People make it seem lovely and dreamlike, but it isn’t. Being pregnant is extremely uncomfortable — at least it is when the mom is slightly smaller than average and the baby is way beyond average. Dad made you too tall, and you don’t fit in my abdomen anymore.

Baby Letter #5– July

Time for July’s letter, #5, and telling our first child about his/her heritage. The letters are starting to creep up in word count, as I feel a slight pressure to hurry and say anything I want our little bit to know before the big October birthday.

 

Baby Letter– July

Hello Nemo,

It is July now, and you and I are finishing up our second trimester. On the one hand, I am nervous to enter the third trimester because number two has been so fabulous to us, but on the other hand, I am dying to meet you and I honestly want the wait over as soon as possible.

You are 25 weeks in uterus age, and most days you are discontent with the size of my abdomen. You measure just over a foot long, and you are somewhere between 1.5 and 2 pounds. You kick, punch, and head butt me every hour to let me know that a little more room would be appreciated. You are absolutely killing me with rib pain.

Baby Letter #4– June

On to baby letter #4, which means that half of all the letters are now posted. I only have four more to post (two yet to be written) until our little bundle arrives in October.

 

Baby Letter– June

Hello Nemo,

We have officially made it halfway. You are 20 weeks in uterus age (I should mention that doctors call this “gestational age” but uterus age is just more fun). We are doing even better than last month, and compared to your first few weeks, Mom has very little to complain about.

I get tired if I stand for long periods of time, or do big bouts of walking, since we have 1.5x as much blood as I would normally have. All that blood pools in my legs and makes them feel like heavy logs. You make my ribs hurt terribly, especially at night, as you rearrange everything in my abdomen.

Baby Letter #3– May

Time for another baby letter! This is the third letter that I have written to our child, debuting this fall. Letter one and two are down the page.

Baby Letter– May

Hello Nemo,

It’s May, we are officially in our second trimester, and I am no longer tempted to mutter hexes at you while I cling to my puke bucket. The clouds parted, the sun is shining on us, and it is wonderful!

My nausea disappeared almost completely around week 14 or 15. While some things still get to me—bumpy car rides, the smell of the detergent aisle in the grocery—my queasiness is now much rarer. Much, much rarer. I am a person again, and fairly competent at getting through an average day.