For the record...

I'm getting really, really tired of the jokes at work about how there must be something the water, or about how people should be careful whose chair they sit on.

Yes, two people in our section will have gone on maternity leave during the same year. But if there really were something in the water, I would have saved myself twelve grand, thank you very much.

And I find the whole "chair sharing" joke a little insulting to my husband.

Dear Moe (25 Weeks)

Hello, my darling. Apparently, you can respond to my touch now - which may explain why Daddy's hands still soothe you so much. You may even be able to see a bright light if I shine it on my belly. You're about a pound and a half, and measure about 13 inches. And I love you.

It's been an eventful week here - Daddy and I attended our first of six pre-natal classes last night. I think it's going to be a really good experience. Already I've gained a better understanding of what happens to my body when you decide it's time to join us here on the outside. I've also learned about more comfortable ways to sit and a few important exercises I can do. I'm going to bring the yoga ball downstairs again and sit on it during the evenings. I'm considering bringing the other one to work.

The class is also providing us with information about all the options we have for birth, and will help us determine our birth plan. That's basically our wish-list for how we'd like things to go, Moe.

Your crib is all set up, Moe. And I've started going through the many clothes that our friends have given us - you have lots of hand-me-downs that are in excellent condition. I'm trying to sort them all by size - but I'll tell you, Moe, the sizes can be pretty inconsistent! I'm having a great time, though. And we've put aside a couple of the tiniest outfits for your arrival and trip home from the hospital.

You make me so happy already, Moe. I can't wait to discover what we'll give to each other once you're here.

So, uh...

There's a crib in my spare room. It's all set up and everything. I mean, it doesn't have sheets on it, but it's there, installed, with a mattress.

And there are bins of baby clothes on the floor, organized by size. One bin contains a ziplock bag of teeny tiny socks.

And it's pretty freaking fantastic, but also very fucking surreal.

Dear Moe (24 Weeks)

Hello, little bean! You're over a pound now, and we've made it to 24 weeks. Two more weeks, and we'll be in that third trimester. Apparently, you're still pretty skinny, but you are properly proportioned and your brain is growing quickly. You sleep about 12 hours a day, and kick the rest of the time. I've noticed that when my schedule is messed up, so is yours. And when I'm very active and tired as a result, so are you.

This past week was exciting - you went on your first plane trip. We flew to Toronto for a few days. I hope that after you are born, the flight to Halifax to meet your grandfather and his family will go as smoothly. *grin*

While in Toronto, I visited with your Aunt R., and any visit with her is always great if it involves shopping. She's an expert shopper. I was really impressed with the Thyme Maternity at Sherway Gardens. I bought myself a PJ for the hospital, for after you arrive. It will allow for easy access for breastfeeding. I'm hoping to breastfeed you, Moe, at least for the first little while. But I know a lot of women who have had real trouble with it, so I'm not automatically assuming that's how we're going to roll. But I'll give it a shot.

This next week will also have some firsts - we have our first pre-natal class on Tuesday night. I'm looking forward to finding out more about what to expect during your arrival.

One bit of news that really touched me - your Grandma has already had three or four of her nurses ask if they can be the one look after me during delivery. These are women I've never even met, but they are all rooting for us and excited for us. How lovely is that? It is comforting to know that whatever happens, we're going to be in good hands.

This weekend, we're going to get your crib assembled. Right now your room is a mess! It's full of stuff for you, but it isn't organized. We'll get that crib put together, we'll move the trundle from the trundle bed out of your room, and then we should be able to get a few things sorted out. We'll also head to Ikea soon to pick up your change table. Reg has graciously offered to pay for it - he was eager to contribute something to your room.

The list of things we have for you is growing... we still have a lot to sort out, but it is getting exciting to see baby stuff in the house. Maybe that's why I haven't brought everything up to your room yet - it's nice to see it in the hallway when I get home from work. A nice reminder of things to come.

Keep on growing, my little daifukumochi. People out here are rooting for you and sending you their love. :)

Emails

Email from me to Janine: 

TMI, but I had to share:

I really, really hope I can get through this afternoon without throwing up because I just ate my favourite broccoli and cauliflower salad for lunch and I'm terrified that if I puke it up, I'll never want to eat it again.

Email from Janine to me:

LOLz

That's not TMI at all!

Anyway, I hope you keep it down. Is it possible that you need to increase your dosage of Diclectin?? My poor "tossing a sidewalk pizza" pandaone!

Email from me to Janine: 

I don't think I *can* increase the dosage - I'm at the max. *sigh*

Ah, well. It's a small price to pay, in the grand scheme of things. I just really hope today is a puke-free day (a rarity lately) because, as mentioned, I really like that salad! LOL.

I've been very fortunate, though, in WHERE I've tossed my cookies. So far there's only been one "not in a bathroom" incident, and that was in the privacy of my cubicle, and I was resourceful enough to pull out a plastic bag just in time.

Cross your fingers that I don't actually toss a real sidewalk pizza!

Email from Janine to me:

*nods*

And if it's any comfort, if you end up doing a technicolour yawn in a location that is not your bathroom, you can make it work for you later. When people are telling "hilarious places I've upchucked" stories, you can say "I totally ralphed in the following hilarious places...".

In the end, it'll all work out.

...and you know Moe will love it. He'll be like "Mummy, tell me about the time you threw up in that place and it was awful!" and you'll be like "It was a dark and stormy night, and my belly was full of you. I loved you very much and I was going home from work, and I stopped to watch the Shriner's Parade going by. All of a sudden, I didn't feel well and I RAN OUT INTO THE PARADE! I wanted to go stick my head into a garbage can that I saw across the street, but I was blocked by the parade!!!!"

Moe: YAAAAAAAY MOMMY!

You: "but I was blocked by a CLOWN CAR!!! And you know how Auntie Bambi feels about clowns!!"

Moe: SHE HATES THEM!

You: Exactly. So I put my head inside the clown car and I made 37 clowns really really unhappy! It was AWFUL.

Moe: MOMMY YOU'RE AWESOME!!!

Email from me to Janine: 

*grins* I love you.

Dear Moe (23 Weeks)

A quick letter this week, Moe, to tell you how happy I am that we've made it to 23 weeks. Apparently, this means you are "viable" - there's a very good chance that you could survive in the outside world if you had to. What a relief! Hopefully you won't need to for some time - get comfy, because I'd like you in there for another three months. :)

Did you know that you can blink your eyelids now, and that your hearing is well established? Do you hear my stomach growling when I'm hungry, or the sound of me laughing? I have a loud laugh - you must be able to hear it.

If you can hear me, you must know the song that I often sing to you. It's called You, by Fisher, and it played during the embryo transfer. In fact, it's been a beacon of hope for me for years. I can't wait to sing it to you with you in my arms.

Your room is FULL of stuff right now. We've got books, a crib (not yet set up), a play pen, not to mention boxes of stuff for you. Aunt Janine took stock of the situation tonight and said she's getting moving on painting your bookcase so we can start organizing stuff. It's hard to believe that someone so small needs so many things!

We're going on a plane this week - I have no idea if you'll notice. But we're off to Toronto for a few days. I'm going to go swimming while I'm there, too - although, I guess you're swimming all the time, aren't you?

Your Daddy finally felt you kicking the other day - it was pretty strange for him. I've had lots of time to get used to it, but he'd never felt it before. I'm sure he'll get used to it. :)

In a few weeks we'll be starting pre-natal classes to help us prepare for your arrival.

I love you like pancakes, little Moe. Keep growing, and soaking up our love.

Bundy, Kid and Moe

My dad requested a photo of me for the Christmas letter, preferably showing some belly. :)

We had Janine take this one for us. I love it because we look freakishly happy.

How am I feeling?

Overall, I'm doing really well and can't complain. But I do want to keep a record of how I feel.

One interesting development has been an increase in nausea in the last week or so. Apparently, this isn't uncommon as my body prepares for the third trimester, but it took me by surprise. (OK, irony time - I hurled while writing that last sentence. Hooray for plastic bags stored in my office drawers. *sigh*) I had resigned myself to the fact that it wasn't going to go away while I was still pregnant, but I didn't expect it to get WORSE. But, it isn't like I can't eat at all, or that I can't keep anything down. So it could be much worse than it is.

I'm certainly slowing down as I get bigger. I have a hard time getting up off our low blue couch without making a grunting noise. I noticed I was much less agile than I used to be while photographing the office talent show. Normally, I can scoot around on the floor really easily, but not so much any more.

I haven't used my new treadmill yet - the basement office is still very crowded with stuff I need to go through. I always have grand plans to go for a walk on it in the evening, but my level of fatigue has increased quite a bit in the last few weeks. The time change didn't help, let me tell you. It's so dark by 5pm!

I also noticed (some time ago) that I have hair on the side of my face where there used to be none. (It's like really, really fine sideburns.) I was relieved to read that it is a pretty common thing (thanks to hormones) and that it falls out two weeks or so after birth. My nails and hair are growing much faster than they used to. I really need to get to my hairdresser soon for a haircut - I haven't been since August.

On Saturday, I was kind of freaked because the baby hadn't been moving as much as I was used to. But I realized that I had also vomited my breakfast and hadn't eaten much all day after that. I ate a nice big meal for Saturday dinner, and on Sunday everything was back to normal.

This morning, he was kicking up a storm. :)

Also, wow, I'm sweaty. Unless I'm exercising, I don't tend to be a big perspirer, but holy cow, lately I am. I haven't had a lot of hot flashes in the traditional sense, but I find that it doesn't take much now to have me break out in a sweat.

I'm going to head out for a walk now - it's apparently gorgeous outside.

Dear Moe (22 Weeks)

So, we're about 5 and a half months along, little bean! Although, you aren't quite so little anymore. My belly is definitely showing now - it's made great progress over the last couple of weeks. Although, people keep saying that I don't look 5 months pregnant. At least, they did before this week. Now they are conspicuously silent. ;)

And you're almost a pound, apparently, and 11 inches from your head to your toes.

I think you must have really enjoyed our first pregnancy massage on Monday. I was lying on my stomach, but on special pillows that provided room for my belly to just kind of hang there, uncrushed. You kicked throughout most of it - I'm sure the sensation of being in "free-fall" was different for you. *grin*

We have an appointment tomorrow morning with Dr. P. Maybe I'll get to hear your heart beating again. I know you can hear me - it's so lovely to also be able to hear you.

I brought a bunch of pictures to Costco this week - they are images from calendars that I've saved over the years. I'm having them dry-mounted, and we'll hang them in your nursery. Some of them are images of Winnie-the-Pooh and friends, and others are actual passages from the books. Your Daddy and I agreed that we want you to be surrounded with words to read. You won't have to look too far, Moe. We have tons of books for your already - we've been collecting them for years. I recently read one to your Granny - it was the story of Edwina, the dinosaur who didn't know she was extinct. I can't wait to read it to you.

I've agreed to let your Aunt Marsha throw us a baby shower. It'll be at the end of January, when she comes to town for our BFF weekend. There are so many people who want to celebrate your existence, it seemed cruel to not have a shower. We'll have guys and gals, and get together somewhere relaxed to eat and laugh.

I think we're at the point where your Daddy could feel your movement with his hand on my belly, Moe, if it weren't for the fact that his touch seems to put you to sleep. Let's hope that carries on OUT of utero, too, ok?

I love you so much it hurts, Moe-Moe. Keep growing and turning into you.