Protected

Sweetest baby,
    You are so loved. You are worrying your mama sick these last couple of days. The last real "oh, that's baby!" move was three days ago and I have been trying everything to get you to give me a roll or nudge or something in the days since. Of course, I have read a ton about you and it seems lots of babes slow down about this time and rest up during a growth spurt. You have a couple more days of leisure than its high time to start reminding me you are ok in there. You see, baby, this family is already so very attached to you, as if you are already here. Your Daddy has felt you move twice in the last week and has already started rubbing Mama's belly for all the stretching your growing results in. He holds you at night while we sleep and talks about all the little baby things he can't wait to experience with you. Lucy talks to you, lays on you, and pushes you around in there every day. She tells me how much she loves you and has already asked to help with diaper changes and even offered you her baby doll this morning, big deal little one. Yesterday she brought your piggy bank upstairs to Mama and Daddy's room because she knows you will sleep with us. She is looking forward to sitting next to you in the car and feeding you bottles when Mama and Daddy go on dates. You will forever be taken care in your big sister.

 Vada is the one constantly kneeing or elbowing you. She has one time said that you are a baby boy and your name will be Otis. Speaking of Otis, he's looking out for you too. He rarely leaves Mama's side all day, which is what those quick, almost-trips are from you may feel in there. When Mama lays down to rest he is right beside the bed, ignoring his own bed a few feet away.

   I read your sisters a book that starts with the line "I wanted you more than you ever will know so I sent love to follow wherever you go." I think of you every time. You are the baby we prayed so hard for. TThe one we are not taking a single day for granted. Maybe that's why I am pressuring you to move. I need your reminders. I need the reassurance of your presence and constant growth.

Baby #3 update

Here we are between 17 and 18 weeks. I have a felt some movement in the past week and a half but it's feeling more like waves of movement than specific kicks or punches. Yes, I am actually looking forward to those :) We had a midwife appointment on Monday and baby's heartbeat was 140 (for anyone wondering, the girls were always always 160, not that it changes my mind) and we both checked out well. Not sure how I am measuring because the midwife made my week/ pregnancy/ life by saying I had abs of steel and she couldn't feel where my uterus was. Score for a mom of three! See, pilates does make a difference people! More exciting, however, was scheduling our anatomy scan for April 29, only a week and a half more!!! I still am convinced baby is a girl, as does Lucy, but James and the midwife seem to think boy. Whomever is in there is getting on a nerve, literally. I woke up one day last week with a completely numb left foot and a few days later had the same thing all down my right leg and into my foot. Stretching and pilates definitely seem to be helping and although I tried a chiropractor when I was pregnant with Vada, it hasn't gotten to that point yet. The hormones are in full swing and I am blaming my highly emotional state on baby's growth spurt that happens between 16 and 20 weeks. In better news, I now wake up feeling rested in the morning which is a true blessing. Now if we could just get the skin issues to clear up...
  Everyone in this family is so excited to be adding the next member. Lucy is already super attached to the baby and lays on my belly trying to hear something almost every day. The other day I told her I loved her so much and she said well I love the baby so much. Vada has been lifting up her shirt and saying "In here" whenever we ask her where the baby is. We have settled on names both for a boy or girl and are eagerly awaiting next Tuesday.
  I am now in the wonderfully "manageable" stage of pregnancy where my bump is the perfect size and I only get really uncomfortable right about the time the girls go down for bed. I am loving being pregnant, as always, and look forward to the next big moments of kicks and rolls and finding out just who is in there. For now, we'll all look forward to Easter weekend and a much needed mini vacation to the beach next weekend :)