24w2d

23w2d

My sweet little baby girl,

Mommy is teary eyed as I write to you. I saw a video today of a little baby girl named Olivia who was born at where you are today, just 23 weeks and 2 days. It made me cry because she was so beautiful and I can just imagine how beautiful you already are! I am praying with my whole heart that you keep growing strong and healthy and reminding myself that you have the best protector- God.

Mommy and Daddy are still arguing about your name and I think we may be getting closer to deciding on Evelyn. You'll be named after my grandma who was a really amazing lady- I know she would be proud to know you will be named after her. Hopefully we decide, soon, though. I hate not knowing what to call you when I talk to you or write you letters.

Your Auntie Shannon and I went to Babies R Us this weekend and created a registry full of wonderful things for you. I especially love the little bath tub that we found! I cannot wait to give you baths and then wrap you up in a warm towel and cuddle you for hours! I am already so in love with you and I have never met you. My heart just feels so happy when I feel you move inside my tummy or when I get the opportunity to talk to someone about you.

Grow strong, my little sissy girl! Mommy and Daddy can't wait until February to meet you!!

Love,
Mom

22w2d

October 11, 2011

Dear Ava/Addison,

Yesterday I went to my 22 week check up to make sure you are still growing quickly and appear as healthy as possible. Dr Levine let me listen to your heartbeat which almost brings me to tears. Your little heart was beating at 155 beats per minute which is excellent! He said you are now two inches above my bellybutton, which means you are a little over a 1lb and about 11 inches long! He said that all of your features are developed and that now you just need to gain weight in anticipation for your entrance into the world in a few short months. Mommy and Daddy are getting so excited!


Next time I go to the doctor, on November 3rd, they’ll do a glucose test to make sure Mommy doesn’t have diabetes and then I’m on my way into the 3rd trimester! I filled out paperwork last night detailing what I want for your birth, who I want to be able to visit, and all kinds of detailed questions about your big arrival!! It hardly seems possible that just a few months ago you were a little bean and now you’re a person who can hear, move around and even do summersaults in my tummy!


Yesterday I was at work and a coworker came in and asked me if I had heard about Washington’s GET program- Guaranteed Eucation Tuition. Basically, it allows parents to set up a fund for their child where they can purchase credits towards college at the rate that is available today. That means mommy and daddy can start saving for you to go to college now and pay at a lower rate then will be available when you turn 18. Mommy and Daddy both went to college and feel it is very important for you to have the opportunity to go, as well. We want to be able to pay for it for you so that you can enjoy learning and planning your future without worrying about money. Both Mommy and Daddy were fortunate that our parents had sent aside money for us to go to school, and we also got scholarships. Daddy got a scholarship for playing football at the College of the Redwoods in Eureka, CA. Mommy got a partial scholarship to study psychology at Central Washington University and then paid for her Master’s at Walden. They say that when you’re a grown up, everyone will have to have a bachelor’s degree and that it will be the new “highschool diploma”. If that’s the case, we are going to start saving now so you have lots of opportunities! Another neat thing about the GET program is that your family can buy you credits towards college starting this year, on November 1st. Mommy is going to put this on her baby shower registry so we can start saving now. This will hopefully be a great idea for your grandmas, grandpas, uncles and aunts as they try to figure out what to buy you when you’re still little babe!



Mommy and Daddy love you!!



Love,

Mom

21W1D

Since we’re more than half way through, I decided it would be fun to write letters to our daughter and give them to her later on.


Dear Ava, or Addison (depending on whether Mommy or Daddy wins the name game),

You’re 21 weeks today which means in 19 weeks or less we get to meet you face to face!! I’m really starting to enjoy having you in my tummy because even when I’m in the worst of moods, feeling you kick or move around makes me instantly joyful! On Saturday night I was feeling you move around and grabbed Daddy’s hand and put it on my tummy so he could feel. No sooner did I put his hand to my stomach than you did some major dance moves in there! You moved so much, in fact, that it startled me and I jumped so unfortunately Daddy didn’t get to feel you that time. When we were at church on Sunday, though, you were bopping around during the worship music and Daddy felt you move at one point. It is so exciting!!!

Your aunts, mommy’s sisters, are getting so excited to meet you. They both came over this weekend to feel my tummy and talk to you. I showed them around your room and all of the cute toys and darling clothes we’ve bought for you so far. They both agreed you are going to be one spoiled little girl- as you should be!!! I bought you the cutest little booties and sandals for next year- and I even got you a bathing suit- it’s yellow polka dots with a ladybug on it. I can’t wait until you are a few months old and we can take Mommy and Baby swim lessons together!!! I have so many plans for us, Baby Ava (or Addison); we are going to have a blast, the 3 of us! Back to your aunties- Shannon and Brenna are so excited to meet you that they both keep threatening to come over and steal you on a regular basis once you’re born…they’ll have to fight me for you, though! You will love them; they are such fun young women and they will love you unconditionally and always be there for you! Pretty soon they will get married and have babies, too, and then you’ll have lots of cousins to play with! Actually, you already have 7 cousins from your Daddy’s side. Your Uncle Ruben has three kiddos: Jenny, Ruben and Eric, and your Aunt Crystal and Uncle Sam have 4: Christian, Micah, Grace and Baby Hannah. Baby Hannah was born in June and so you two will be about 7 or 8 months apart!

Mommy can’t wait to read to you and sing you songs! Your Grandpa bought you a Winnie the Pooh story book that we can read together and Mommy and Daddy are going to pick out a Children’s Bible for the 3 of us to read together in the evenings. My mom, your Grandma Bonnie, sang lots of songs to me when I was a baby and I am so excited to sing them to you. It will be so fun when you can sing with mommy!!!

Speaking of Grandma Bonnie, she is getting so excited to meet you, too. She took me maternity clothes shopping on Saturday to find something to cover my growing belly. Grandma and I didn’t agree on many clothes options, but we still had fun! I think your Grandma forgets that she is 30 years older than mommy so her preferences are a little different. We did find a beautiful striped sweater and a comfy pair of yoga pants which make mommy feel much more comfortable than wearing my old tight-fitting clothes!! Grandma Bonnie is looking for a house right now because she wants to live closer to you so she can visit you a lot. You will love Grandma Bonnie, she is going to be one fun Grandma!! She loves to paint and do art projects so I bet you and her will get to do lots of arts and crafts together!


Ok, baby girl, Mommy has to get back to working so she can buy more fun stuff for your room! I love you, Ava/Addison! Daddy loves you, too!

Love, Mommy