Week 24

My dear little girl,

If the Chrismtas BEFORE you are born is any indication, you are going to be one spoiled little girl next year. Mommy and Daddy drove home to Mascoutah last week. We were able to stay the entire week between Chrismtas and New Year's, which was wonderful. There was much exclamation over the size of Mommy's belly, although its really not all that big. Yet.

The holidays with all the family was quite nice. Even you received some very sweet gifts from your Aunts and Uncles. Not only were there Christmas gifts, but Mommy was surprised with a baby shower while we were home. Truthfully, I am still overwhelmed by it all. It seems the only thing left to get you is a crib. Everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) else was provided. I don't yet know how to thank everyone for their incredible generosity.

After all the baby related festivities, Daddy and I found out that shopping for you is really quite easy. Too easy, in fact. We had not gotten anything for you before now, and everyone else giving us things for you must have guilted us both a bit. So out we went, shopping after Christmas. Let's just say that you are going to be one very well dressed little girl. Better dressed than either of your parents, that's for sure.

Your kicking and punching has gotten stronger with each day. In fact, last night Daddy was laying with his ear to my belly, listening to your little heartbeat, and telling you what a good life you were going to have. When WHAP. A kick, right to the side of Daddy's head. You are such a good girl.

Daddy really seems to be looking forward to a house full of women. This is interesting to me because Daddy really is a boy at heart. He is all about the football, and baseball, and basketball, and hockey, etc. He has, of late, become a big fan of Title IX which is also funny. I do hope you inherit his athletic skill, and love for competition.

But Daddy really loves his girls. And we are going to work hard to remember to tell Daddy that his girls love him right back, aren't we?

We did have a doctor's visit just before the holiday, but I think I will let Daddy tell that story. Needless to say, everything is good. Although, we were informed that after our next appointment at the end of January, we'll start seeing the good Captain Gyno every two weeks. I am struggling to get my mind around the idea that we are already so close to the last trimester. In fact, tomorrow marks week 25 - only 15 more to go. The idea of being on the downward slope of this part of the journey has me pretty terrified.

In my head, I know that its silly to be scared. Seriously - have you SEEN some of the women who have given birth? I must be at least as strong as them, right? Nonetheless, I have consciously forced the idea of labor and delivery out of my head, it has me so nervous. I think its mostly because everyone has a different story about their delivery. Which means its different each time. Which means that there's just not a lot of planning I can do. You remember what I told you about Mommy being a planner, right?

Anyway, I think part of it is that you've been so easy on me this far. I figure you must be storing up for some SERIOUS discomfort at some point, right?

Love,
Mommy