Tuesday, November 30, 2010

19 Week Appointment...Almost Halfway!

Dear Baby Bug-

How are you doing in there? Today was a day like any other except for the fact that we got to see Dr. Hamburg again! He was very busy today and we had to wait a long time to get in, but boy was it worth it. He told me that I am looking good and that everything seems to be going "perfectly." I got to hear your heartbeat again and it is beating strong at 146 beats/minute. The best part of the appointment came when he gave me the slip of paper that we have been waiting MONTHS for...the order for your 20 week ultrasound! We now have the key to hopefully finding out what you look like now and whether you are a he-bug or a she-bug. Now that we have it, I don't know how we are possibly going to be able to wait to schedule that appointment. Daddy has a basketball game now, but I am DYING for him to get home so we can figure out a good day in the (very) near future to get this ultrasound. I am so excited to see you,Bug, and to see how you are developing. I know you've come a long way since the little gummy bear in the first ultrasound and you will actually look like a real baby this time. It's hard to believe the miracles that can happen in just 20 short weeks and the many more that are still to come when it comes to you and your development. If I every ask you to do anything in your short life, please follow my instructions now: COOPERATE DURING THAT ULTRASOUND!! It is way too early to start disobeying your mother, so I have no doubts that you are going to just lay spread eagle during that ultrasound so that we can tell just who we are dealing with in there. There's no use in fighting it because if you don't cooperate the first time, we'll just have to try again. We can't wait to meet you in person, Bug, but right now this ultrasound is the best we can do for another 20 weeks. Behave in there, keep kicking away, and we'll be seeing you (or at least your picture) soon!!

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend, Bug!

Dear Baby Bug-

Hello my sweet little baby! We had a very big long weekend which started on Wednesday with traveling home to Grandpa Rand and Grandma Cindy's house to spend Thanksgiving break. Daddy couldn't come because he and his team were busy winning their first game- how exciting! He didn't miss too much, though, because once we arrived at Grandma and Grandpa's we ate dinner and then I fell asleep. I'm just not much of a night owl these days.

Thanksgiving Day was great because it started off by sleeping in. I've been sleeping a little better lately and was actually able to sleep until 9:00 which is unheard of. Shortly after getting up, Grandma, Grandpa and I were sitting around the table when the doorbell rang. There was Daddy, Rudy, and Zoey there to surprise us and to spend Thanksgiving! I have so much to be thankful for and I was so happy that Daddy could be there to spend the day. Once we were able to get ready, we headed to Great Grandma and Grandpa Walter's house for the Thanksgiving feast.

Oh, Bug, it was so good to spend time with family! Most of the Walter family was at dinner and we spent the day eating, talking, and sleeping. Aunt Molly commented that by this time next year, you'll be 7 months old and may even be crawling around! That will be great- you can help us work off our dinners! She also brought up some neat coincidences. I was born the year that Aunt Molly graduated from high school and now you will be born the same day that her daughter, your cousin Mattia, graduates high school. Also, Aunt Molly was 30 when she had her first baby and I will be 30 when I have you! So now she thinks I am destined to have 4 girls...we will see about that! :) Once we had eaten ourselves silly, we helped clean up the dishes and went back to Grandma and Grandpa's house for the night. Daddy, Rudy, and Zoey had to go home but it was nice to be with them for the whole day.

Friday was a full day of running around with Grandma Cindy. We visited a bunch of different places in Shipshewana to look for gliders for your nursery. We found a couple that I liked, but it was more about spending time with Grandma Cindy than actually finding the glider. That evening, we went with Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Rand to eat dinner and to see the movie Unstoppable. It was really good and we had a great night.

Saturday was a very busy but fun day. We were able to sleep in again and then we headed to Fort Wayne to do some more Christmas shopping. I am so proud of myself- it isn't even December and I only have two more people to buy for- hooray! After we shopped for a while, we met your Uncle Glenn, Aunt Sharon, and cousin Sarah for dinner at Texas Road House to celebrate my birthday. It was so much fun to sit and catch up. We are so close with them and Sarah and Mommy have been great friends since we were babies. It is not very often that we are able to spend chunks of time together but when we do, it is a lot of fun and much appreciated. After dinner, we headed back to the mall for a little more shopping and even though we got home late, it was totally worth it!

Now it is Sunday, the last day of Mommy's break. Even though I am sad it's over, it has been a lot of fun and pretty relaxing. Today was probably one of the busiest days of all. It started with church in the morning and then we went to McDonald's for breakfast with Grandma Cindy, Grandpa Rand, Great Grandma and Grandpa Walter, Terry, Adam, and Lindsay. After breakfast, Mommy had to head for home so that I could make it back for Becky and Randy's baby shower. I made it back just in time and the shower was perfect! I can't wait for you and Baby Hoyle to meet and be good friends, just like me and Becky. I have a feeling we will all spend a lot of time together. The shower was a lot of fun and they got a lot of really neat stuff. It is so exciting that Baby Hoyle will be here in just two short months...and you will be following just two months later!! Holy cow!

After this long weekend, Mommy is ready for bed. We have a big week ahead of us with a doctor's appointment on Tuesday and my birthday party on Saturday plus Daddy has two big games. I think the time between now and April 23rd is going to fly by and I just want to enjoy feeling you grow and kick inside of me so that I can enjoy you even more when you are here! We love you, Bug!

Monday November 22, 2010...Birthdays and Basketball







Dear Baby Bug-

Today was a big day for many different reasons- it was Mommy's 30th birthday and Daddy's fist basketball game as a head varsity coach! Mommy's birthday was pretty much like any other day. I got up, got ready, and went to school. Becky was super nice and brought me a blueberry bagel and hot chocolate which was much appreciated. For some reason, hot chocolate ALWAYS sounds good these days but I very rarely drink it. Later on the in the day, Mommy's work friends shared cake and ice cream with me and gave me some pretty neat gifts. Daddy also had some beautiful flowers delivered to me at work- pink and purple, two of my favorite colors!



After school, I tried to take a nap so that I could get ready for Daddy's game. I have so many great friends and family members that it was hard to sleep because people kept calling to tell me "Happy Birthday!" I heard from your Grandpa Rand, Grandma Cindy, Aunt Molly, Great Grandma and Grandpa Walter, and Great Great Aunt Lou and Uncle Bernard. A very special person that called me was Carrie, and she let me know that she was going to drive all the way to Frankfort to sit with me during Daddy's game. She has no idea how happy that made me and she is such a good friend. Right after I got off the phone with Carrie, the doorbell rang and a man delivered some BEAUTIFUL flowers from Rob and Carrie which are pictured here in this blog. Mommy has some pretty special friends!

When it was time to go to Daddy's game, Grandma Carol came over so that we could drive together. We don't really get to see each other very often so it was nice to spend some time together in the car going to and from the game. Once we arrived at the game, we watched as Daddy's team fought a hard battle but ultimately lost. (Don't worry, Bug- there's good news! Daddy's team won two other games later in the week!) Carrie arrived right after the first half and she surprised me with some super yummy cupcakes that we enjoyed at dinner after the game.

The one thing I can say, Bug, is that I am happy today is over. You will really enjoy birthdays, but once you get older you will realize that they are days full of expectations (even if you don't think you have any) and pressure. I was very happy to crawl into bed and remember what is really important- you growing in my belly and getting ready to come out. You're the best gift that anyone could give me and I am so happy to have the chance to be your mommy!!

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Christmas Shopping Has Begun!



Dear Baby Bug~

Boy did we have a busy weekend! Every year your Grandma Cindy and all of your great aunts take a whole weekend to go Christmas shopping and this weekend happened to be it for this year! Mommy always wanted to go on this trip but was never really "allowed" until last year. You will really enjoy all of your great aunts and Mommy really enjoyed the weekend away with them.

We left home on Friday right after school and met the rest of the family in Mishewaka at the Fairfield Inn which would be our home away from home for two nights. Once we checked into the hotel, we all went to Houlihan's for dinner. It was good to get some food in our systems, because after dinner we hit a bunch of stores to get started with the shopping madness. Mommy was able to get a bunch of birthday cards for various people, Great Grandma Walter's birthday gifts, some gifts for people at work and for Great Uncle Mike, Great Aunt Debbie, Great Uncle Chuck, and Great Aunt Sue. We had only scraped the tip of the iceberg, though, because there was a lot more shopping to be done the next day.

Once we returned to the hotel, Great Grandma Cindy and all of our aunts surprised Mommy with a birthday celebration complete with chocolate cake and coffee (for everyone but me- I had water!). It was so nice of them to think of me and we had a great time talking and eating. It must have been too much for Mommy to handle, because I fell asleep as soon as I ate my last bite of cake. Everyone else stayed up to talk until well after 1:00, but I had to get my beauty sleep for the big day to follow.

Saturday started early with breakfast at a place called Nick's Patio. It was super good and we had breakfast with 14 family members! You would think that 14 people would be hard to organize for a shopping extravaganza, but everyone agreed to go their own way and split up to different places. Mommy, Grandma Cindy, and Aunt Sharon started at Toys R Us and were able to find great gifts for your cousins. We then stopped at Bed, Bath, and Beyond before hitting the mall for the rest of the day. It was a loooooong day but Mommy found so many great gifts and had a wonderful time spending quality time with Grandma Cindy. We got to be together for the entire day which doesn't happen very often. At 5:00, we met the rest of the shoppers for dinner and more shopping. We finally made it back to the hotel around 10:00 where we ate more cake and Wendy's frosties. What a great day!

Sunday I returned home to see Daddy, Rudy, and Zoey. Daddy was able to make it out to Babies R Us to pick up your furniture and boy is it BIG!! Right now, your crib is in a box in your room and your dresser is in a box wedged between the couch and the lamp in the living room. Let's hope we can get it into your room! Tomorrow is Mommy's birthday and Daddy's first big game. It will be an exciting, full day so I had better start getting ready for bed. I love you Bug!

Monday November 15, 2010...An Early Birthday Celebration for Mommy





Dear Baby Bug-

I know that age doesn't matter much to you right now, but Mommy is about to turn 30 in one week from today. When you are 30, you'll probably be driving a hovercraft like Judy Jetson and have kids of your own...I can't even think about it because I know that it will go too fast! People keep asking me how I feel about turning 30, and I just keep saying that it doesn't bother me. I am at a wonderful place in my life; I'm married to your Daddy, we have two wonderful dogs, and we are expecting you...what could be better?

My "Griffith" friends offered to take me out to dinner tonight for an early birthday celebration because Rachel and James are home visiting from Ireland this week. James has a very big interview in Baltimore on Wednesday and so they flew in to spend the week and visit family. We were so lucky to be able to find a time when we could all get together, and tonight is when it all came together.

Beth, Betty, Becky, Rachel, and James met Mommy at TGI Friday around 6:00 and we had a great time talking, laughing, and catching up. It's amazing how far we have all come in the 6 years that we have known each other. We have all gone from being single and crazy (not too crazy, Bug. I'll tell you about all the crazy days some other time!) to meeting our significant others to getting married to moving away from each other (some of us across the ocean!) to now planning for and having babies. It's nuts to think about when I look back at this time in my life and the whole new chapter that Daddy and I are beginning by having you. I love my friends and they are very supportive of me and, like I keep saying, they can't wait to meet you!

Although it was a fun night, it was also a long night and Mommy has to go to bed. I hope you are doing well in there- I can feel you kicking every once in a while and can't wait for those kicks to get stronger and more frequent. Until then, I'll rest assured knowing that you must be pretty comfy in there. I love you, Bug!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

A Weekend Full of Baby Bug Preparation



Dear Baby Bug-

What a weekend, Bug! Daddy and I were super busy doing many things, and all of those things are to get ready for you! Let me start at the beginning. It was a great weekend because Grandma Cindy came to visit. She arrived on Friday evening and Mommy was SO HAPPY to see her. Grandpa Rand couldn't come this weekend because he had to work, but I have a feeling that he may have been a little bored if he did come. When Grandma Cindy arrived, we turned right back around and headed to Betty's house for a party. It was a great night and even though Mommy was very tired, it was fun to spend time with Betty and with Grandma Cindy.

Saturday was a VERY busy day. Mommy and Grandma Cindy got up and drove out to Orland Park to meet Daddy for lunch. We went to a place called Five Guys Burgers and Fries and it was really good. After we had filled our bellies, it was time for the big task of starting to register for all of the fun things you will use. We went to Babies R Us and were there for over THREE HOURS!! Who knew that someone so small will need so much stuff!? And we didn't even get through half of what we need to do. Registering was a lot of fun and Daddy is super excited about your strollers, baby carrier, and baby monitor. He was very patient and a good sport while Mommy hemmed and hawed over which brands will be safest for you. Grandma Cindy was also very patient and I think she really enjoyed the experience. The best thing about the whole process is that we ordered your furniture AND bought the mattress for your crib! In a couple of weeks we will have your crib and dresser and I can't wait for you to be here so you can use it! Even though we were all exhausted at the end of the day, registering for all of your fun stuff was a success!

Saturday night Mommy and I went to Aunt Julie's house for another party. It was super fun and we were able to spend time with Grandma Carol, Aunt Julie, Alice, Casey, Laney, Clara, and Cammie. Your cousins are all very excited for you to come and all want to have input on what you are named. Some of the names that were tossed around are Cassidy, Joanna, Tioed (thanks to Clara) and Gwen. I am happy that they are so excited for you to get here and think it's fun hearing all of the names that they like.

Sunday was another day full of things to do. The entire Terry family (and Grandma Cindy) went to the Munster Performing Arts Center for a delicious brunch for Grandpa Jeff and Grandma Carol's 43rd anniversary. It was so nice to spend time as an entire family and we even drew names for our Christmas gift exchange. I love the holidays because we all get to see each other more often. Grandpa Jeff told me that the next big thing to look forward to in regards to you is November 23rd when you can start hearing outside sounds. I can't wait to start reading books to you and singing to you. I bet that if I ask him, Daddy will even sing his favorite song, O Holy Night for you. It is the Christmas season after all! :)

After brunch, the major project started. Daddy surprised me and cleaned out all of the drawers in the furniture in your future room so that we can move it out of the house and make room for Baby Bug! Uncle Pete came over and helped Daddy move all of the furniture out of the house and they either took it to Uncle Pete and Aunt Carrie's or to Grandma Carol's...I'm not sure where it went and don't care since it is officially out of our house! Mommy and Daddy spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning the room and now it is totally ready for the next phase- painting, furniture, and decorations! We can't wait to find out whether you are a He Bug or She Bug so that we can start getting you a place of your very own. Only three more weeks until the big reveal!

I can't believe that you have been with me for 17 weeks now. It is amazing to think that we can know your gender in just three weeks. This week was big for Mommy because I think I can feel you moving around every now and then. I can't wait until I can feel you all the time- it is amazing to think that you are always in there, moving around and constantly growing. I hope that you are resting in there- you only have a few more months until you will arrive and be VERY busy. With all of these people who care about you, I have a feeling that you will have lots of visitors and lots of attention. Keep yourself cozy in there- it is getting cold and I look forward to when the weather turns warm...it will mean that you will be here! I love you Bug and Daddy loves you too!

Saturday November 6th, 2010...Happy (Surprise) Birthday to Carrie!




Dear Baby Bug-

Hi little one! We had a wonderful weekend spending time with some of Mommy's best friends. Carrie's 30th birthday is coming up in December and her sister Kelly arranged a very special weekend for all of us to help Carrie celebrate. We traveled to Burr Ridge, IL to spend the day at the Kohler Spa, relax, and have fun. Mommy had a manicure while Carrie, Kelly, and Sue all had facials. After our treatments, we all relaxed at the spa, ate yummy food, and read magazines. It was just what the doctor ordered! Mommy felt so nice and relaxed and I bet that you did too!

After the spa, we headed over to a nearby hotel to eat dinner and spend the night. Once it was time for dinner, Jess and Carrie's friend Erica met us to eat and have fun. The food was really good but the best part was the chocolate cake that the waitress brought Carrie at the end of dinner. Carrie was nice enough to share it with everyone and it was DELICIOUS!!

Carrie is so sweet- even though it was HER birthday, she still brought YOU a present! When you arrive you will have a warm, cuddly blanket to snuggle up with and you have your very first Cubs t-shirt! You should be all set now- Jenn gave you a Cubs onesie and once you get too big for that, you will be just big enough for your new t-shirt! Mommy's friends are so wonderful and I can't wait for you to meet them all. For now, just keep on growing and make sure you are ready to have lot of friends when you arrive!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Fall Break and Another Doctor's Appointment!

Dear Baby Bug-

Hey you! I haven't been able to write to you for a while because I've been busy with Fall Break. Mommy had five whole days off from school and, as you'll come to see once you're around me for a bit, those five days were packed full of things to do! Friday was a lot of fun- we had lunch with Becky, Betty, and Beth at Edwardo's where we were all able to catch up with each other. It's amazing how time flies and before you know it, it's been a month since you've seen some of the really special people in your life. Never take time for granted, Bug. It's important to value it and the way you spend it. All of my friends are doing well and it was great to hear about what is going on with everyone. After lunch, Becky and I ran some errands and then I had to come home and pack for our fun weekend in Indianapolis.

Friday night Jess, Tom, and Ethan came to pick Mommy up so that we could drive to Sara, Jeremy, Kaden, and Baby Wilking's house. It was so much fun to see everyone and to meet up with Annie and Carrie. These are Mommy's college friends and they are so important to me. Just like my friends here, these guys (affectionately called the 342 Crew) will be a huge part of your life. It was a great weekend of laughing, catching up, and having fun. I miss those guys a lot but before we know it, we will be seeing them again.

Yesterday and today were spent catching up with important things. Mommy ran lots of errands with Becky yesterday. Becky is so much fun and such an important part of Mommy's life. She is having a baby in February and we are hoping that you and Baby Hoyle will be good friends. Becky is a great friend to Mommy for many reasons, and it is fun being pregnant together. She thinks that she is my "guinea pig" because she is going through all of this big pregnancy stuff and can tell me about it before I go through it. It is secretly pretty great! :)

Today was a wonderful day- Mommy got to go see Dr. Hamburg again. I can't believe that you've been with me for 15 weeks and 3 days and that this was my third doctor's appointment. Dr. Hamburg says that everything is looking great and your little heartbeat is 153 beats per minute. He says that Mommy has a "very good attitude" about pregnancy and it's just because I'm so excited about you. Our next appointment is on November 30th which is Great Grandma Walter's birthday. Hopefully Dr. Hamburg will order your 20 week ultrasound so we can finally find out if you're a He-bug or a She-bug. :) I can't wait!! According to the things I am reading, you should be the size of a large apple by now and Dr. Hamburg says I will probably start feeling you rolling around in there in the next few weeks. That will be so exciting! Your body is now longer than your head (which is encouraging), you can now sense light, and your taste buds are forming. It is so interesting to read about what develops in and around you from week to week- you are going to be absolutely beautiful (or handsome) and we are so looking forward to meeting you. We've still got awhile to go, so stay snug as a bug in a rug in Mommy's tummy and I'll write more to you soon. I love you Bug!