Dear Tiny,
When Nana was pregnant with Uncle Steve she used to wear two maternity tee-shirts all the time. I don't remember their exact patterns (I was only 6 at the time), but I think rosebuds or little flowers were involved. It was a running joke that, whenever she wore those shirts, she would spill food on herself.
This week I ran out of laundry because every piece of maternity clothing I own had food on it. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, eh?
Love,
Mama
6/29/12
Dear Tiny,
Today I talked with a couple friends who are dads and who have kids that are about 10 years older than you will be. I asked them advice on things like college savings and life insurance and guardianship. These things are well outside our comfort zone (since neither me nor Dad are lawyers or financial planners), but we know it's important to think about this stuff in case of emergencies.
There are going to be aspects of your life that you are almost wholly uninterested in, bud. Things like student loans (and how they work) or savings accounts or planning for retirement. So here's a little piece of advice from your old mom: doing anything is better than doing nothing. Ask a friend to grab coffee to explain the way he or she tackles this stuff. Ask me or Dad about how we made our decisions. Talk to a professor that you respect or a boss who seems to have it figured out... the lesson here is that even taking tiny steps towards being financially (and legally) responsible can be so worth it.
And the best feeling in the world is when you tackle something really hard or uninteresting and finish it off!
Love,
Mama
Today I talked with a couple friends who are dads and who have kids that are about 10 years older than you will be. I asked them advice on things like college savings and life insurance and guardianship. These things are well outside our comfort zone (since neither me nor Dad are lawyers or financial planners), but we know it's important to think about this stuff in case of emergencies.
There are going to be aspects of your life that you are almost wholly uninterested in, bud. Things like student loans (and how they work) or savings accounts or planning for retirement. So here's a little piece of advice from your old mom: doing anything is better than doing nothing. Ask a friend to grab coffee to explain the way he or she tackles this stuff. Ask me or Dad about how we made our decisions. Talk to a professor that you respect or a boss who seems to have it figured out... the lesson here is that even taking tiny steps towards being financially (and legally) responsible can be so worth it.
And the best feeling in the world is when you tackle something really hard or uninteresting and finish it off!
Love,
Mama
6/28/12
Dear Tiny,
This morning I had to do a glucose tolerance test to see if I have gestational diabetes. There's no real reason to believe I have it, but I guess this is the protocol that people follow these days! I had to drink this gross little bottle of orange sugar stuff and then sit for a few hours while they checked my blood each hour.
For the first hour I was pretty out of it, but then I snapped to attention during the second hour and was able to get some work stuff done. I also made an ENORMOUS to-do list for things to prepare for your arrival. It reminded me of planning our wedding, when we kept a super-long list of things to do each month and crossed them off along the way. It relaxed me, in a way, to have it all written down somewhere and to feel as though I was somewhat in control of the crazy amount of stuff we have to get done.
You know what's funny? I think if my due date was tomorrow and you came out on time, we'd still be fine. It's a luxury to have so much time and brain space to plan all of these things… but in the end, whatever we get done ahead of time is a bonus.
Love,
Mama
6/27/12
Dear Tiny,
Tonight Dad and I got you a swing! We got it off one of the local neighborhood lists for free and it's in great shape... so great, in fact, that you feline brother Oscar decided to jump on in it. This isn't a huge surprise because he and Olie have laid claim to every baby item that has arrive in our apartment. Don't worry, once you're here we'll kick them out so you have places to sleep, swing and bounce!
Love,
Mama
Tonight Dad and I got you a swing! We got it off one of the local neighborhood lists for free and it's in great shape... so great, in fact, that you feline brother Oscar decided to jump on in it. This isn't a huge surprise because he and Olie have laid claim to every baby item that has arrive in our apartment. Don't worry, once you're here we'll kick them out so you have places to sleep, swing and bounce!
Love,
Mama
6/26/12
Dear Tiny,
Before I met your Dad I used to think abstractly about the man I was going to marry. Of course I had no idea what kind of job my future husband would have (though I guessed professor), I had no idea what nationality he would be (though for a while I thought maybe French) and I didn't know his name. My "husband" existed in template form, someone I would think about when I was a little lonely or in a bad relationship or scared that he wasn't out there.
But then I met Dad. And now I know all of the facts about him, how he's an American technologist named Chris, and much, much more. It's hard for me to remember what it was like before knowing him because he has become the meaning of "husband" to me.
Today I was thinking about how you're still an abstract person to me, as close as we are, touching every moment. You're a baby; you're a boy. I assume you'll be blond, at least for a while. I wonder if you'll grow up to be a technologist like Dad; I wonder if you'll take to French like I did. But I don't really know these things yet.
One day you'll be born and suddenly you won't be abstract anymore. You'll have a name - all your own - and it will be hard for me to remember these days before I knew you, the real you.
Sometimes that really blows my mind...
Love,
Mama
Before I met your Dad I used to think abstractly about the man I was going to marry. Of course I had no idea what kind of job my future husband would have (though I guessed professor), I had no idea what nationality he would be (though for a while I thought maybe French) and I didn't know his name. My "husband" existed in template form, someone I would think about when I was a little lonely or in a bad relationship or scared that he wasn't out there.
But then I met Dad. And now I know all of the facts about him, how he's an American technologist named Chris, and much, much more. It's hard for me to remember what it was like before knowing him because he has become the meaning of "husband" to me.
Today I was thinking about how you're still an abstract person to me, as close as we are, touching every moment. You're a baby; you're a boy. I assume you'll be blond, at least for a while. I wonder if you'll grow up to be a technologist like Dad; I wonder if you'll take to French like I did. But I don't really know these things yet.
One day you'll be born and suddenly you won't be abstract anymore. You'll have a name - all your own - and it will be hard for me to remember these days before I knew you, the real you.
Sometimes that really blows my mind...
Love,
Mama
6/25/12
Dear Tiny,
Tonight I picked up some medium-sized cloth diapers from a lady in Carroll Gardens. When Dad and I compared them to the newborn size, we couldn't BELIEVE that one day your little butt is going to be big enough to fit into them.
Love,
Mama
Tonight I picked up some medium-sized cloth diapers from a lady in Carroll Gardens. When Dad and I compared them to the newborn size, we couldn't BELIEVE that one day your little butt is going to be big enough to fit into them.
Love,
Mama
6/24/12
Dear Tiny,
Hello kick-monster. Today you were batting me around my bellybutton, which means that you are GROWING! You have also been moving like the monster from the blue lagoon and Dad is finally able to see you moving like a little shark across my belly.
I think you were about done with our plane ride today (I know I was... holy discomfort). After all those planes and cars and weird sleeping places, I was craving some comfort and normalcy. Tonight when we walked in the door from the airport, your feline brothers were so happy to see us. I can't wait until you're out of my belly and old enough to get excited to see them too. Oscar and Ollie's snuggly faces after a long trip is totally what we crave.
This week we are going to take some long walks to stretch our legs after all that sitting. I loaded up some podcasts and we're ready to go. So hold tight, mister, it's time to walk our city!
Love,
Mama
Hello kick-monster. Today you were batting me around my bellybutton, which means that you are GROWING! You have also been moving like the monster from the blue lagoon and Dad is finally able to see you moving like a little shark across my belly.
I think you were about done with our plane ride today (I know I was... holy discomfort). After all those planes and cars and weird sleeping places, I was craving some comfort and normalcy. Tonight when we walked in the door from the airport, your feline brothers were so happy to see us. I can't wait until you're out of my belly and old enough to get excited to see them too. Oscar and Ollie's snuggly faces after a long trip is totally what we crave.
This week we are going to take some long walks to stretch our legs after all that sitting. I loaded up some podcasts and we're ready to go. So hold tight, mister, it's time to walk our city!
Love,
Mama
6/23/12
Dear Tiny,
Tonight there were so many people around us who were excited about you! We're visiting the Sarahs and our friend Fanny was there, but randomly Lindsay and Abby were in town for a conference. Dad and I found ourselves surrounded by a whole bunch of people who are part of your Facebook group (and who see weekly belly pix and updates)... it was like a Tiny Dary fan club. Some friends made you beautiful gifts and we all sat around talking about life and babies and birthdays and names and family.
Little guy, I hope you have wonderful friends when you grow up. It makes life so much better.
Love,
Mama
Tonight there were so many people around us who were excited about you! We're visiting the Sarahs and our friend Fanny was there, but randomly Lindsay and Abby were in town for a conference. Dad and I found ourselves surrounded by a whole bunch of people who are part of your Facebook group (and who see weekly belly pix and updates)... it was like a Tiny Dary fan club. Some friends made you beautiful gifts and we all sat around talking about life and babies and birthdays and names and family.
Little guy, I hope you have wonderful friends when you grow up. It makes life so much better.
Love,
Mama
6/22/12
Dear Tiny,
One of the fun things about having a baby is noticing all the parts of cities that we never have before. Tonight while walking home from dinner we spotted a Children's Museum only blocks from the Sarahs' house. The Sarahs are leaving Madison later this summer, but it was funny to think that we could bring you to places like that one of these days.
I don't know how often we'll be in Madison in the future (the Sarahs are headed to Nashville, so we will likely try to visit them there next time!), but if we find ourselves back here sometime we'll definitely swing by that museum.
Love,
Mama
One of the fun things about having a baby is noticing all the parts of cities that we never have before. Tonight while walking home from dinner we spotted a Children's Museum only blocks from the Sarahs' house. The Sarahs are leaving Madison later this summer, but it was funny to think that we could bring you to places like that one of these days.
I don't know how often we'll be in Madison in the future (the Sarahs are headed to Nashville, so we will likely try to visit them there next time!), but if we find ourselves back here sometime we'll definitely swing by that museum.
Love,
Mama
6/21/12
Dear Tiny,
Today we spent the whole day in Kenosha. We hung out with your Grandmama and Uncle Adam, got lunch, drove around Carthage College's campus (where Dad used to work) and played cards with Dad's best friend, Snavely.
There was a lot of catching up and hearing the news about what's going on locally. Over breakfast I paged through the Kenosha newspaper, taking in a few stories about the community. I was reminded of how my Dad used to navigate staying with his in-laws (my Nana and Pop-pop)... I remember him reading the local news, asking my Nana about local politics and bringing up current events that she might find interesting. He also used to take long walks and sometimes nap.
Spending time with family that is not the family you grew up with is very different! One day in a long time you may find the same. We (you, me and Dad) will develop routines, family jokes and a certain comfort level around each other as a new nuclear family. Then one day you'll have to figure out how you fit into other social circumstances. Sometimes you will be compelled to guide the conversation; in other instances you may decide to sit back and be part of the scenery. Both are important skills to learn.
Your Grandmama may be moving back to Kentucky sometime soon, which means another state for you to travel to! I have never been there and I think Dad has only been a few times. Isn't it strange-you'll have family in the South! Now that's something that I never had...
Love,
Mama
Today we spent the whole day in Kenosha. We hung out with your Grandmama and Uncle Adam, got lunch, drove around Carthage College's campus (where Dad used to work) and played cards with Dad's best friend, Snavely.
There was a lot of catching up and hearing the news about what's going on locally. Over breakfast I paged through the Kenosha newspaper, taking in a few stories about the community. I was reminded of how my Dad used to navigate staying with his in-laws (my Nana and Pop-pop)... I remember him reading the local news, asking my Nana about local politics and bringing up current events that she might find interesting. He also used to take long walks and sometimes nap.
Spending time with family that is not the family you grew up with is very different! One day in a long time you may find the same. We (you, me and Dad) will develop routines, family jokes and a certain comfort level around each other as a new nuclear family. Then one day you'll have to figure out how you fit into other social circumstances. Sometimes you will be compelled to guide the conversation; in other instances you may decide to sit back and be part of the scenery. Both are important skills to learn.
Your Grandmama may be moving back to Kentucky sometime soon, which means another state for you to travel to! I have never been there and I think Dad has only been a few times. Isn't it strange-you'll have family in the South! Now that's something that I never had...
Love,
Mama
6/20/12
Dear Tiny,
Tonight you arrived in Wisconsin for the first time! This is where Dad is from. It's very pretty here and it feels laid-back, especially compared to New York. This is where much of Dad's family lives and it reminds me in many ways of visiting my own grandparents in Pennsylvania.
I'm positive that, no matter where your grandparents live, you will find everything about their town slightly more charming than where you come from. (This is a phenomenon known as "grass is always greener,"which is what happens when you forget about your daily life while on vacation and idealize every other place. It's also what happens when someone LIVES to spoil you... this is a normal thing for grandparents to do!)
I remember visiting my Nana and Pop-pop in Schuylkill Haven. My Pop-pop used to take me down to the firehouse while he cleaned the bar on Sunday mornings and he would always let me choose a candy from behind the counter. I usually got a root beer too. My Nana taught me to crochet and we helped her take the stamps off of old envelopes to donate to one of the organizations she volunteered for. I never really quite understood what was happening behind the scenes, but it seemed like there were always random, fun things for us to do together.
We are staying with your Grandpa and Grandma Beth tonight and we just had a tour of their new patio. It is so nice! There are lovely little flowers growing, you can hear so many birds and there are a few comfy chairs too. I can picture bringing you here and letting you wander around the yard, asking what everything is, learning to love flowers and the Packers and other things that your family loves.
Everyone is very excited to meet you, little bear!
Love,
Mama
Tonight you arrived in Wisconsin for the first time! This is where Dad is from. It's very pretty here and it feels laid-back, especially compared to New York. This is where much of Dad's family lives and it reminds me in many ways of visiting my own grandparents in Pennsylvania.
I'm positive that, no matter where your grandparents live, you will find everything about their town slightly more charming than where you come from. (This is a phenomenon known as "grass is always greener,"which is what happens when you forget about your daily life while on vacation and idealize every other place. It's also what happens when someone LIVES to spoil you... this is a normal thing for grandparents to do!)
I remember visiting my Nana and Pop-pop in Schuylkill Haven. My Pop-pop used to take me down to the firehouse while he cleaned the bar on Sunday mornings and he would always let me choose a candy from behind the counter. I usually got a root beer too. My Nana taught me to crochet and we helped her take the stamps off of old envelopes to donate to one of the organizations she volunteered for. I never really quite understood what was happening behind the scenes, but it seemed like there were always random, fun things for us to do together.
We are staying with your Grandpa and Grandma Beth tonight and we just had a tour of their new patio. It is so nice! There are lovely little flowers growing, you can hear so many birds and there are a few comfy chairs too. I can picture bringing you here and letting you wander around the yard, asking what everything is, learning to love flowers and the Packers and other things that your family loves.
Everyone is very excited to meet you, little bear!
Love,
Mama
6/19/12
Dear Tiny,
Tonight I saw a friend who is also pregnant, about 2 weeks ahead of me. When we hugged, our bellies bumped. Weird! Did you feel the presence of that little boy inside her? Maybe you'll be friends.
Love,
Mama
Tonight I saw a friend who is also pregnant, about 2 weeks ahead of me. When we hugged, our bellies bumped. Weird! Did you feel the presence of that little boy inside her? Maybe you'll be friends.
Love,
Mama
6/18/12
Dear Tiny,
I'm pretty tired tonight, bud. Today I got to work really early to prepare for two client pitches. Pitching new work to potential clients is a bit like going on a first date. You dress up a little and put your best foot forward. After the presentations I went back to my regularly scheduled job, which includes looking out for the other people who work at our company and having interviews with people who might one day be hired.
That was a lot of selling and worrying about other people all day long.
Luckily I like my work a lot and I think I'm pretty good at it. I hope that you grow up and find passion for something that supersedes one industry; there's nothing better for job security than to enjoy a skill as opposed to an industry. I like helping people. There are lots of ways for me to do that in the world.
Your Dad has a very different skill set. He'll probably teach you how to code if you're interested when you're a little older. Dad is very good at what he does, but more important than the code that he writes are the ideas that live behind the code. Dad is always inventing things and often says "can I talk through an idea with you?" In fact, right now he is at Starbucks working on an idea he has that he can't stop thinking about.
Dad likes to help people too, though. Tonight, when I was so tired of helping others and talking to people, I went right into our room after work to be quiet for a while. I soon heard the vacuum; Dad was cleaning the apartment. I felt very taken care of when I heard that vacuum.
I think this is why we'll probably be a good team in raising you. Kindness and respect, combined with a desire to help each other and share good ideas, is what our marriage is about. I'm happy that you'll get to witness that firsthand.
Love,
Mama
I'm pretty tired tonight, bud. Today I got to work really early to prepare for two client pitches. Pitching new work to potential clients is a bit like going on a first date. You dress up a little and put your best foot forward. After the presentations I went back to my regularly scheduled job, which includes looking out for the other people who work at our company and having interviews with people who might one day be hired.
That was a lot of selling and worrying about other people all day long.
Luckily I like my work a lot and I think I'm pretty good at it. I hope that you grow up and find passion for something that supersedes one industry; there's nothing better for job security than to enjoy a skill as opposed to an industry. I like helping people. There are lots of ways for me to do that in the world.
Your Dad has a very different skill set. He'll probably teach you how to code if you're interested when you're a little older. Dad is very good at what he does, but more important than the code that he writes are the ideas that live behind the code. Dad is always inventing things and often says "can I talk through an idea with you?" In fact, right now he is at Starbucks working on an idea he has that he can't stop thinking about.
Dad likes to help people too, though. Tonight, when I was so tired of helping others and talking to people, I went right into our room after work to be quiet for a while. I soon heard the vacuum; Dad was cleaning the apartment. I felt very taken care of when I heard that vacuum.
I think this is why we'll probably be a good team in raising you. Kindness and respect, combined with a desire to help each other and share good ideas, is what our marriage is about. I'm happy that you'll get to witness that firsthand.
Love,
Mama
6/17/12
Dear Tiny,
Today was Father's Day. I got Dad a FitBit, which is a little device he wears that tells him how much exercise he's done and how much sleep he gets. I've had one for a little while and I know he's been jealous. I bought it for him so that he will stay healthy and fit for a long time... long enough for us to be grandparents one day! That is the plan, anyhow!
We also went to the movies today because that's Dad's favorite thing to do. We saw a silly musical featuring 80s music and it was pretty fun. I think you were really into it because you were kicking a ton during "Don't Stop Believing"... I can't blame you. That is some good music right there. It made me want to go to a party or a wedding so I could dance an evening away.
Love,
Mama
Today was Father's Day. I got Dad a FitBit, which is a little device he wears that tells him how much exercise he's done and how much sleep he gets. I've had one for a little while and I know he's been jealous. I bought it for him so that he will stay healthy and fit for a long time... long enough for us to be grandparents one day! That is the plan, anyhow!
We also went to the movies today because that's Dad's favorite thing to do. We saw a silly musical featuring 80s music and it was pretty fun. I think you were really into it because you were kicking a ton during "Don't Stop Believing"... I can't blame you. That is some good music right there. It made me want to go to a party or a wedding so I could dance an evening away.
Love,
Mama
6/16/12
Dear Tiny,
Today Dad and I put your crib together. It was pretty easy, I must say! Although the cats have already started sniffing around and wondering what this new apparatus is, taking up all that room. It doesn't have a mattress yet but it's already bizarre to walk into your room and see the bed where you will actually sleep!
Love,
Mama
Today Dad and I put your crib together. It was pretty easy, I must say! Although the cats have already started sniffing around and wondering what this new apparatus is, taking up all that room. It doesn't have a mattress yet but it's already bizarre to walk into your room and see the bed where you will actually sleep!
Love,
Mama
6/15/12
Dear Tiny,
Cameo time! This is Dad here. I wanted to write because, hey, I'm a part of this thing too! Hopefully your Mom doesn't mind the intrusion too much.
I've been thinking lately about you and your life and how open to possibility it is. What are you going to be like? Will you like sports? History? Science? Swahili? With your Mom and I as your gene pool, it's pretty much a tossup.
I'm so incredibly excited for you and all the possibility you have built inside you that you don't even know about yet. It comes at a great time for me, as our lives are starting to solidify a bit and I'm starting to be able to get the haziest picture of how our life will be for the next 5-10 years, it's exciting to know that, through you, I'll be able to see all sorts of -new- opportunity in our lives.
I feel a little bit on the sidelines with your Mom carrying you around every day, but I promise that when you're out of there I'll be carrying you around just as much.
And then we'll teach you to walk. And then run.
Love,
Dad
6/14/12
Dear Tiny,
I've been so full of ideas and energy this week, wanting to read everything and learn about so much! I've finished two and a half books this week and overall I just feel in the middle of a huge learning period. Some of what I'm interested in is related to childbirth and you, but some is not at all. I feel very inspired and I wonder if that's part of what they call the second trimester burst of energy?
On the other hand, I'm competing with what feels like a very necessary early bedtime. Even now as I type this I feel ready to sleep. But I have so much more book to read tonight! I remember feeling this way when I was a kid, voraciously reading paperbacks all day during summer vacation and getting annoyed that I had to stop just to get some sleeping done. I wonder if you will love to read like that. We will definitely be having nightly storytime as soon as you're born, so I hope so!
Love,
Mama
I've been so full of ideas and energy this week, wanting to read everything and learn about so much! I've finished two and a half books this week and overall I just feel in the middle of a huge learning period. Some of what I'm interested in is related to childbirth and you, but some is not at all. I feel very inspired and I wonder if that's part of what they call the second trimester burst of energy?
On the other hand, I'm competing with what feels like a very necessary early bedtime. Even now as I type this I feel ready to sleep. But I have so much more book to read tonight! I remember feeling this way when I was a kid, voraciously reading paperbacks all day during summer vacation and getting annoyed that I had to stop just to get some sleeping done. I wonder if you will love to read like that. We will definitely be having nightly storytime as soon as you're born, so I hope so!
Love,
Mama
6/13/12
Dear Tiny,
Last night I had a bad dream. It wasn't about you at all, it was about a ghost letter from Elizabeth Cady Stanton (your mother is a history nerd, btw) and some zombies coming down the street to kill us. I woke up scared and reached over to wake up Dad. He told me it was fine, it was all a dream, and in telling him what had happened in the dream, I felt ridiculous.
Some day you will have a bad dream and it will feel ridiculous but it will still take a few minutes for that terrified feeling to go away.
I needed to get up to pee but was scared to go alone and Dad asked if he should come. (Our bathroom is 12 inches from our bedroom. He is a saint.) In the meantime, Oscar had jumped onto the bed and come up to our heads to snuggle with us. He is good at sensing when we need him. Well, wouldn't you know it but that cat went with me to the bathroom! He walked with me and stayed while I peed, then walked back and jumped right back into his spot between me and Dad.
"I love this cat!" I said to Dad and we both laughed a little. And then YOU started kicking up a storm! If I had felt alone and scared only minutes earlier, I now felt totally out of the dream and surrounded by little buddies.
Thanks for the help, mister. You and Oscar really tag teamed it and I'm sure that won't be the last time.
Love,
Mama
Last night I had a bad dream. It wasn't about you at all, it was about a ghost letter from Elizabeth Cady Stanton (your mother is a history nerd, btw) and some zombies coming down the street to kill us. I woke up scared and reached over to wake up Dad. He told me it was fine, it was all a dream, and in telling him what had happened in the dream, I felt ridiculous.
Some day you will have a bad dream and it will feel ridiculous but it will still take a few minutes for that terrified feeling to go away.
I needed to get up to pee but was scared to go alone and Dad asked if he should come. (Our bathroom is 12 inches from our bedroom. He is a saint.) In the meantime, Oscar had jumped onto the bed and come up to our heads to snuggle with us. He is good at sensing when we need him. Well, wouldn't you know it but that cat went with me to the bathroom! He walked with me and stayed while I peed, then walked back and jumped right back into his spot between me and Dad.
"I love this cat!" I said to Dad and we both laughed a little. And then YOU started kicking up a storm! If I had felt alone and scared only minutes earlier, I now felt totally out of the dream and surrounded by little buddies.
Thanks for the help, mister. You and Oscar really tag teamed it and I'm sure that won't be the last time.
Love,
Mama
6/12/12
Dear Tiny,
I'm reading a book of essays about raising a boy and I have to admit, I'm a little intimidated! Are you going to come out of the womb demanding a fire truck and set of firearms? I will love you no matter what but maybe you will also like books and want to learn how to bake cookies and maybe do some arts and crafts?!
The little kid stuff is not as scary to me, though, as imagining you as a teenager. I told Dad he has to have all the Official Talks with you. Also, please clean up your dirty socks. (I feel that I have to start saying that now to set a precedent...). I hope you know that I can't wait to still smother you with a million embarrassing kisses in public. I will secretly find it hilarious! You dude, you!
Love,
Mama
P.S. No football. Sorry champ, I've read too many Malcolm Gladwell articles for your own good. You can watch the Packers from the sidelines and choose a sport with less concussions.
I'm reading a book of essays about raising a boy and I have to admit, I'm a little intimidated! Are you going to come out of the womb demanding a fire truck and set of firearms? I will love you no matter what but maybe you will also like books and want to learn how to bake cookies and maybe do some arts and crafts?!
The little kid stuff is not as scary to me, though, as imagining you as a teenager. I told Dad he has to have all the Official Talks with you. Also, please clean up your dirty socks. (I feel that I have to start saying that now to set a precedent...). I hope you know that I can't wait to still smother you with a million embarrassing kisses in public. I will secretly find it hilarious! You dude, you!
Love,
Mama
P.S. No football. Sorry champ, I've read too many Malcolm Gladwell articles for your own good. You can watch the Packers from the sidelines and choose a sport with less concussions.
6/11/12
Dear Tiny,
Tonight I went to my first meeting of a Bump Club at my friend Laura's house. There were 9 women there and all of us were pregnant! One woman even had twin boys on the way... at one point I realized that there were 19 humans in that apartment. Did you feel the presence of all those other babies? Some of them will be born sooner than you and some later, but we all had a nice time talking about doctors and how to get comfortable to sleep and what products just aren't worth it to buy right away.
I have lots of good friends from many aspects of my life, but tonight introduced me to a new category: the moms of your future friends! I realized that you could be in Preschool one day with the unborn babies in the room tonight and I'd get to know those women as peers in a different community. That made me really excited.
So I guess what I'm saying is please choose nice friends who have nice moms... and that way I can befriend some of them along the way!
Love,
Mama
Tonight I went to my first meeting of a Bump Club at my friend Laura's house. There were 9 women there and all of us were pregnant! One woman even had twin boys on the way... at one point I realized that there were 19 humans in that apartment. Did you feel the presence of all those other babies? Some of them will be born sooner than you and some later, but we all had a nice time talking about doctors and how to get comfortable to sleep and what products just aren't worth it to buy right away.
I have lots of good friends from many aspects of my life, but tonight introduced me to a new category: the moms of your future friends! I realized that you could be in Preschool one day with the unborn babies in the room tonight and I'd get to know those women as peers in a different community. That made me really excited.
So I guess what I'm saying is please choose nice friends who have nice moms... and that way I can befriend some of them along the way!
Love,
Mama
6/10/12
Dear Tiny,
Today I read a memoir called Preemie about a woman who gave birth to her baby at 25 weeks. (That would be as if we had you less than 3 weeks from today. YIKES.) It was a really uplifting story that traced the mental journey that the parents went through in raising a tiny baby and dealing with some of the longer-term affects on her health and well-being.
I hope you will stay just where you are for another 18 weeks, for the record. But I did find the words of this memoir really encouraging... it spoke to what it's like to be a parent in the most fundamental sense. Dad and I are bringing you into this world and we are going to love you so much it's scary. (Even now, writing that sentence, I still have no idea of the magnitude of its meaning.) It gave me great perspective that it's important for me to focus on the what's really important - your health - and not worry too much about the rest.
Love,
Mama
Today I read a memoir called Preemie about a woman who gave birth to her baby at 25 weeks. (That would be as if we had you less than 3 weeks from today. YIKES.) It was a really uplifting story that traced the mental journey that the parents went through in raising a tiny baby and dealing with some of the longer-term affects on her health and well-being.
I hope you will stay just where you are for another 18 weeks, for the record. But I did find the words of this memoir really encouraging... it spoke to what it's like to be a parent in the most fundamental sense. Dad and I are bringing you into this world and we are going to love you so much it's scary. (Even now, writing that sentence, I still have no idea of the magnitude of its meaning.) It gave me great perspective that it's important for me to focus on the what's really important - your health - and not worry too much about the rest.
Love,
Mama
6/9/12
Dear Tiny,
Today I got a haircut and the stylist said my hair was "amazing." Thanks for giving me an excuse to take prenatal vitamins and grow a luscious head of locks. (Ha.)
Love,
Mama
Today I got a haircut and the stylist said my hair was "amazing." Thanks for giving me an excuse to take prenatal vitamins and grow a luscious head of locks. (Ha.)
Love,
Mama
6/8/12
Dear Tiny,
Something seems to have happened in the past few days... you are getting noticed a lot more. This morning in the elevator, a young woman with two kids told her son "look, this lady has a baby in her tummy." Then a few minutes later I got in the subway and a woman offered me her seat. (Ladies, by the way, are much more apt to give us a seat lately...)
And then! A few minutes ago I was stretched out on the couch reading and you kicked my book. I yelled for Dad and he came over and we could see you moving from the outside. That was so weird! I still can't believe there's a little baby in my belly.
I've been eating a little differently this week. The midwife that we met with on Wednesday suggested eating smaller meals more often, always with a focus on protein. I had a glass of skim milk and a banana the past few mornings between breakfast and lunch and Greek yogurt in the afternoon. I've also been trying to have more chicken, too. I want you to come out a healthy little guy!
Love,
Mama
Something seems to have happened in the past few days... you are getting noticed a lot more. This morning in the elevator, a young woman with two kids told her son "look, this lady has a baby in her tummy." Then a few minutes later I got in the subway and a woman offered me her seat. (Ladies, by the way, are much more apt to give us a seat lately...)
And then! A few minutes ago I was stretched out on the couch reading and you kicked my book. I yelled for Dad and he came over and we could see you moving from the outside. That was so weird! I still can't believe there's a little baby in my belly.
I've been eating a little differently this week. The midwife that we met with on Wednesday suggested eating smaller meals more often, always with a focus on protein. I had a glass of skim milk and a banana the past few mornings between breakfast and lunch and Greek yogurt in the afternoon. I've also been trying to have more chicken, too. I want you to come out a healthy little guy!
Love,
Mama
6/7/12
Dear Tiny,
Tonight we were at a cocktail party and spoke with a friend who has two sons. He was SO funny about what it's like to have a pregnant wife, raising sons and enjoying the whole experience.
The more we share our news with people, the more we get excited. We so often hear "there's nothing like it in the world" or "your life is never going to be the same... in a good way!" And while I know there will be many sleepless nights and some zombie days at work, it also feels like joining a huge team of people who have been there before. The support of other parents is definitely one of the highlights of this experience so far.
Love,
Mama
Tonight we were at a cocktail party and spoke with a friend who has two sons. He was SO funny about what it's like to have a pregnant wife, raising sons and enjoying the whole experience.
The more we share our news with people, the more we get excited. We so often hear "there's nothing like it in the world" or "your life is never going to be the same... in a good way!" And while I know there will be many sleepless nights and some zombie days at work, it also feels like joining a huge team of people who have been there before. The support of other parents is definitely one of the highlights of this experience so far.
Love,
Mama
6/6/12
Dear Tiny,
Every June there's a Greek festival two blocks from our apartment where they serve Greek food and play Greek music and usually have a bouncy castle for kids. Two years ago we took the Sarahs (because they were visiting) and last year we went with Courtney, Doug and a baby Jackson. Tonight we repeated last year's group and it was so great to continue the tradition.
Sometimes I think about next year's Greek festival and what it will be like, pushing you in the stroller while Dad buys us a couple of gyros. That's CRAZY to imagine!
Love,
Mama
Every June there's a Greek festival two blocks from our apartment where they serve Greek food and play Greek music and usually have a bouncy castle for kids. Two years ago we took the Sarahs (because they were visiting) and last year we went with Courtney, Doug and a baby Jackson. Tonight we repeated last year's group and it was so great to continue the tradition.
Sometimes I think about next year's Greek festival and what it will be like, pushing you in the stroller while Dad buys us a couple of gyros. That's CRAZY to imagine!
Love,
Mama
6/5/12
Dear Tiny,
Sometimes I wonder what the world is going to be like when you're in High School. I hope it's filled with friends and cars and favorite teachers and going to the local diner late at night.
Love,
Mama
Sometimes I wonder what the world is going to be like when you're in High School. I hope it's filled with friends and cars and favorite teachers and going to the local diner late at night.
Love,
Mama
6/4/12
Dear Tiny,
This morning I called the midwives because I was afraid I had overdone it this weekend and hurt things down in your neck of the world. They reassured me that I'm fine, but I took it easy today just to be safe.
You, however, did not. What's up jazzercise kid? How're all those buns of steel workouts going down there? Good to know you're feeling right at home, but I'll be charging you a monthly fee from here on out to use me as a gymnastic facility.
Love,
Mama
This morning I called the midwives because I was afraid I had overdone it this weekend and hurt things down in your neck of the world. They reassured me that I'm fine, but I took it easy today just to be safe.
You, however, did not. What's up jazzercise kid? How're all those buns of steel workouts going down there? Good to know you're feeling right at home, but I'll be charging you a monthly fee from here on out to use me as a gymnastic facility.
Love,
Mama
6/2/12 - 6/3/12
Dear Tiny,
Hey buddy! How are you doing? Did you like Chicago? Even though I was SO exhausted last night (I walked 12 miles while sightseeing, you know!), I was so happy to have had a weekend of exploring. I'm not sure how often I'm going to be able to get away like that once you're born and exploring a new city is one of my favorite things to do. Yesterday was a perfect blend of hanging out with Nana and going out on my own (well, with you, of course).
I feel most myself when I am alone in a new place, free to be curious and quiet and contemplative. Maybe you'll feel the same one day. I hope that you grow up to be social and love being around people... but you may find that there are times when you prefer to be alone. That's totally understandable! Dad feels that quite often and I think he enjoyed his time here in Brooklyn too while we were away.
Thanks for kicking more often and letting me know you're alive down there. I had my doubts after yesterday's marathon walkfest! Now we're back home to normal life again, back to feeling you growing. October is going to be here before we know it.
Love,
Mama
Hey buddy! How are you doing? Did you like Chicago? Even though I was SO exhausted last night (I walked 12 miles while sightseeing, you know!), I was so happy to have had a weekend of exploring. I'm not sure how often I'm going to be able to get away like that once you're born and exploring a new city is one of my favorite things to do. Yesterday was a perfect blend of hanging out with Nana and going out on my own (well, with you, of course).
I feel most myself when I am alone in a new place, free to be curious and quiet and contemplative. Maybe you'll feel the same one day. I hope that you grow up to be social and love being around people... but you may find that there are times when you prefer to be alone. That's totally understandable! Dad feels that quite often and I think he enjoyed his time here in Brooklyn too while we were away.
Thanks for kicking more often and letting me know you're alive down there. I had my doubts after yesterday's marathon walkfest! Now we're back home to normal life again, back to feeling you growing. October is going to be here before we know it.
Love,
Mama
6/1/12
Dear Tiny,
You and I traveled on a plane today; we both got a little shut-eye and then you decided to do a little moving around and kicking me in the bladder at 30,000 feet. How about chilling out on the bladder-kicking, mmmk? Especially when I'm in a middle seat!
Tonight I ate Chicago deep dish pizza with Nana. I hope you liked it as much as I did. Holy smokes.
Love,
Mama
You and I traveled on a plane today; we both got a little shut-eye and then you decided to do a little moving around and kicking me in the bladder at 30,000 feet. How about chilling out on the bladder-kicking, mmmk? Especially when I'm in a middle seat!
Tonight I ate Chicago deep dish pizza with Nana. I hope you liked it as much as I did. Holy smokes.
Love,
Mama
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