Dear Baby Boy, Another week down...

21 weeks

We made it another week. You're definitely moving around a lot at night now. I can feel you when we read to you and Daddy felt you, too, this week. We got a CD player for your room and have been listening to music at night when we read to you and when we fall asleep. Maybe it will be familiar to you when you're in you're own room. Daddy and I have been reading our own books at night to try and figure out what to do with you, and it's funny to feel like we're "studying" again. Hopefully a lot of things will come naturally for us, but just in case, we're reading up. (Be very afraid, little one.) We went to an infant CPR class this week, and I can't imagine having to use that someday, but hopefully I'll be able to recall it if I need to.

Daddy finished painting the closet, and it looks so good. I can't wait to put things in there.

Your Aunt Collyn told me that Cousin Alyssa is so excited about you. Everytime they go in a store, she finds something she wants to buy you. So sweet. I talked to Kamryn on the phone this week, and she asked how "my baby" was doing and if you were getting big. She always remembers to ask about you which I think is pretty thoughtful for a 6 year old. She informed that there are not enough cousins to hold you or Amber's baby because the 4 "big cousins" will be need to carry Brody, Blaze, Kinley, and Kassidy. Don't worry. That leaves 3 uncles, 3 aunts, and Mimi and Pop to carry the 2 of you!

What you were up to this week:

Your eyelids have finished forming this week, and you are very busy moving around and swallowing amniotic fluid. As you swallow amniotic fluid, your digestive tract is continuing to mature. You also receive some of the caloric intake from the amniotic fluid.

Up until this point your length was measured from the crown of your head to the bottom of your rear end (CRL). Now you are measured from crown to heel (CHL). You have grown to over 8 ½ inches long and weighs about 12 ounces.

My prayers for you this week:

That your little kidneys work just fine, that I get plenty of rest and exercise so you can grow strong, that Daddy and I will "just know" some of the ways to best care for you.

Love,

Momma

Dear Earth Box, You've proved yourself...

I was quite skeptical when The One ordered you. I wasn't sure if you would work out. But The One enjoyed finding you, planting you, and watching your progress so I softened. And now? Now that you have produced your first crop, I am no longer a skeptic. Well done!

Dear Baby Boy, You were just taking a leak I think...

20 weeks

We went to the Dr. again, and you are doing well. He mentioned that your ureters were slightly enlarged, which likely is because you were urinating when the measurements were taken. He's going to take the measurements in several weeks to make sure. Other than that, you're looking great!

Daddy has been working on painting the closet, and it's so fun to see parts of your room coming together! I can't wait to get your furniture in there. I have been so good and haven't bought you anything, but I just couldn't resist this week. I was getting Cousin Landry some things for his birthday, and they just had some irresistable things on sale at Gymboree! I had a coupon, and it was all next to nothing so I indulged a bit. I just could not resist this. The saying is so synonymous with little boys to me! And this little shirt will be just perfect for July 4th (which Daddy and I love celebrating by the way; it makes him think about his Granpapa). And finally, for just $6 (with my coupon), these little overalls could not go unpurchased! That's it for the clothes until you come (except for your coming home outfit and some Christmas outfits, of course); I promise.

We got some presents this week! Cousin Denise sent me the book Happiest Baby on the Block, and she sent you a book, too, Oh, Baby, The Places You'll Go. So sweet of her. We have continued to read nightly, and you usually move around when we do.

This is the first week I've felt icky in a long time. I think my body is just stretching to accommodate you (which I'm glad about), but it sure doesn't feel good.

You keep growing, and next time wait to go to the bathroom until after they take your measurements!

This is what you were up to this week:

Nothing much to write about this week, little one.

These were my prayers for you this week:

That you are a strong but sensitive little boy. That you don't arrive too early. That we help you be a content baby. That some other momma somewhere is carrying, has carried, or will carry a little girl for you to partner up with, and that she's praying for her as I hard as I'm praying for you.

Love,
Momma

Dear The One,

This is completely belated, but....

Congrats on your first 13-er! I'm glad you had as much fun on your guys' only trip as I did on my girls' only trip. I understand what's so fun about getting up at 5am to climb a mountain about as much as you understand what's so fun about watching people sing and dance on a stage, so I'm glad we have friends we can do both with!

While I'm not thrilled that you have another hobby to add to your long list of money sucking, time sucking hobbies, I am thrilled that you had such a good time.

May this hobby:

• Last longer than mountain biking,

• Not last as long as tennis, and



• Be less expensive than bow hunting!

Love you,

Dear Bud & The One,

Thank you for transforming Baby Boy's large closet, with very inefficient access:

To a gorgeous, functional space that's easy to get to:

You are ridiculously talented, absurdly generous, and the best big brother a girl could hope for! (Hubs--you aren't so bad yourself!)

Your little helper? Adorable!

Your entourage? Scrumptious!

I love you,

Dear Baby Boy, You're gonna have a partner in crime...

19 weeks

Guess what Baby Boy? Your going to have a partner in crime! Your cousin is a baby boy, too! How fun will that be? I'm so excited for you! And here I was thinking my kiddos wouldn't have cousins their age because I put kids off for so long. But Brody Parker will be just a little over 2 and half years older than you, Blaze a little over one and a half years older than you, and Baby Bozeman will be just days apart from you! How much fun with the four of you have??? Sounds like trouble to me! I can already imagine football games at Thanksgiving. And with these even numbers now, the boy cousins can play the girl cousins a little game of basketball...5 on 5!

It's been so fun knowing you're our little man these past few days. We haven't officially named you, but I'm so ready to. I want to call you by name! We alternate reading to you at night, and Daddy always starts off by saying, "Alright, little Buddy, here we go." We go back and forth reading Guess How Much I Love You and the Jesus Storybook Bible. Can't wait to read to you when you're here. I hope you love books as much as I do.

I finally felt you move on Monday! Hurray! I only feel you when I lay down at night though.

We had a productive week and got your room cleaned out, and the closet torn out so Uncle Bud and Daddy can get some work done this weekend. I worked on making the guest room an office/guest room combo while Daddy worked on the closet. It's been fun making preparations for you.

We get to see you again next week when we go to the Doctor. Can't wait! Keep growing strong!

Here's what you were up to this week:

While you continue to grow, the development that is occurring is very specific. For example, the kidneys are making urine, and hair is beginning to sprout on your scalp. The parts of the brain that are responsible for the senses are specializing.

You have grown so much during these 19 weeks, but you're still a little under 7 inches long and weigh about 7 ounces. (This is wrong for you little Buddy. The tech said you're already 12 ounces!)

These were my prayers for you this week:

That everything would look good on the sonogram---that all the parts of your brain would be there, the 4 chambers of your heart, 2 hands and 2 feet. That my body would continue to accommodate you. That you would have a curious mind and love to read and learn.

Love,
Momma

Dear Baby Boy, It's official...

It's official that you're our little man! You left nothing to the imagination!

Your heart had four chambers, your kidneys looked good, all your brain anatomy was there, 2 hands, 2 feet, we saw your tiny hiney...you're looking just great!

Your heartbeat was 157bpm, and you weighed 12 ounces. On the big side, little buddy (they said you're only supposed to be between 7-8 ounces)! The technician commented on how tiny your legs were and Daddy said, "they won't be for long. If he has thighs like us, he'll be able to squat a house." I couldn't stop laughing! So very true.

Something one of Daddy's friends said made me laugh, too...when Daddy told him you were a boy, he said, "You should be glad. When you have a girl, you have to worry about a lot of peckers out there. But when it's a boy, you just have to worry about one." Well said!

Keep growing strong!

Love,
Momma

Dear Bri & Kam, When you're big, remember the lessons from when you were small...

How fun it always is to have you come visit! Oh, how it made me smile that you wanted to use these...

Me and your momma used to sleep in sponge rollers every Saturday night so we would have just the right curls for Sunday church! Before and after pics:But in true fickle-fashion, Bri decided she wanted hers straight after all:
Seeing you two play together and squabble with each other makes me remember being your age so much! There are so many things I wish I could freeze for you right now. So many things you know right now, that I hope you hold on to as you grow into young women:

1. You are beautiful. You flip your hair over shoulder with sass, you pile the jewelry on because it makes you feel pretty, you apply the lip gloss and smile, and you prance in high heels like you own the place. You think you're beautiful. YOU ARE. One day some girls are going to make you doubt that. They'll say something ugly about you, and you'll believe it. Someday you'll meet a boy who does not deserve you. You'll wonder if you should change something about yourself because of him. But the biggest enemy you'll probably meet someday is yourself. You'll tell yourself ridiculous things like your hair is ugly, your cheeks are chubby, your thighs are too big (or too little). It's all lies. None of it's true. You are beautiful.
   


2. Life's not fair. Oh, how you many times I've heard you say this! And guess what? You're right! Life's not fair. Sometimes bad things happen to good people. Sometimes the person who tries the hardest loses. Sometimes cheaters win. But...that doesn't mean you stop trying, stop doing your best, or stop doing the right thing because it's the right thing to do. That will develop character and integrity. And I hope you develop loads and loads of it.


3. Pray for others. You have the sweetest prayers imaginable, you love to pray for others, and once someone gets on your list, they stay on it. Your life will be rich if you continue this.
   


4. There's nothing like family. You're crazy about your momma and daddy. You love your bubba. You drive each other crazy, but you look out for each other and miss each other when you're apart. You think your Mimi and Pop hung the moon. You have so much fun with your cousins. One day too soon, your friends and school activities will take up a big place in your heart--a place that used to be reserved for family only. You'll think your parents don't know what they're talking about, and that friends are more fun than your brother and sister and cousins. You'll come around eventually, but until then, always remember that there's no love like your momma's and daddy's, there's no loyalty like a sibling's, and there's no friend like a sister.

Love you as much as the whole wide world (and then some)!

Dear Baby, We passed the four month mark...

18 weeks
August 3rd was officially the end of month 4! I can't believe how quickly time is passing. It seemed to drag at the beginning, but now that things are going smoothly, and I've gotten my energy back, it seems to be flying.

Daddy had a boys' weekend last weekend, and I had a girls' weekend. He hiked Wheeler Peak, and I shopped, ate, and went to a musical. Someday you can go to boys' weekend, but for now, you're stuck with me. Your Aunt Lori brought me a gift card for some maternity clothes.

And Christine brought you some Aggie gear. It will be just perfect for basketball season! Ahhh...little one, someday we'll tell you all about how you were born during Bryan Davis's last season. You won't remember the swats or the drama, but we'll gear you up for the games and tell you about it anyway.

Next week we'll "officially" know if you're our little man or our little princess. You keep growing.

Here's what you were up to this week:

A protective covering called myelin is beginning to form around your nerves. This covering will continue to form up until your first birthday. If you are a little girl, your fallopian tubes and uterus have positioned themselves into the correct place. If you are a little boy, then your genitals may be noticed on the next ultrasound.

You are now about 6.29 inches long and weigh 5 ½ ounces.

These were my prayers for you:

That you will embrace exactly what you were created to be (boy or girl). That all of your organs are forming as they are supposed to, and that we continue to have good weeks.

Love,

Momma

Dear Girls, What a fun weekend...

What a fun weekend with you!

First of all, hats off to...

for getting me there on time!

And...
your Tex Mex really is legendary!

And I do think William Shatner is on to something because our hotel was the perfect bank for our buck! Thank you, Priceline.

Lori and Steph, there were 2 things I banked on before arriving:

1. You would not watch the movie before you arrived. (I was right on this one.)
2. You would not stay awake to watch the movie after dinner, which I brought for you to watch on my laptop as a result of #1. I was pleasantly surprised on this one. Kudos to you!
   

Is anything better than yummy breakfast at Corner Bakery or
When you've had the chocolate croissant at La Madeleine, the answer is NO!

But dinner atis a close second!

Shopping...
the musical...
...fantastic...

But let's face it, both were just an excuse to get together and talk about things that were meant for girls' ears only, to laugh until our sides hurt, to stay up late catching up on everything and nothing, and to reconnect!