Dear Babies,

I love watching you wake up... I love the stretches, the back arches, the lip smacks, the feet curls and the arm raises. All of it is so human and I can't believe is coming from a 7 week old infant.

I love seeing you look at the world with wonder...I love how your eyes peer out at our yard, see the sharp contrast of our big trees on the blue sky and how you turn your head when you hear the birds sing.

I love watching you feed... I love that I am the sole provider of this nourishment to you. It amazes me that my body can sustain you.

I love seeing you smile...I love that sometimes those smiles are, I think, actually intended for me.

I love hearing you use your voice... I love your grunts, your coos, your gurgles and your cries. Sometime I think I understand what you are trying to tell me.

I even love your poopy diapers, your middle of the night cries and feedings, your milky spit-ups and your fussy moments where I can't get you to be happy.

Love, Mom

Dear Babies

I've been wanting to write a letter to you for a while, but didn't quite know how to begin. The day of your arrival is getting ever closer, so I thought I would just start writing and hope what comes out makes sense.

Tidy and I have been waiting for you for years... 5 to be exact. We are so very thrilled that you are almost here. I don't think words can explain our feelings right now.

For the last nine months you have gone with me wherever I go. You come to work with me every day and keep me company as I sit in my meetings and at my desk. You bounce around in there, get hiccups and sometimes even kick me in the ribs, but I smile every time I feel you. This experience of growing you has been the most amazing experience I have had in my life. I have honestly loved every minute of it and am ever grateful for our ability to finally journey down this path. I still sometimes have to pinch myself that this is really real. While I can not wait to meet you both and learn who you are, I will miss having you with me every minute of the day.

Now, Tidy and I are eagerly anticipating you arrival. We have made improvements to our home, decorated your nursery, froze some food for those first few weeks and have talked endlessly to the Pog to help her understand how good of a big dog-sister she is going to be. We are ready for you to arrive (well, if you could just wait until after Friday, that would be perfect. It's 8th grade graduation at Tidy's school and he would like be there for that event... but any time after that is just fine).

I hope that as we learn how to be a family together, we are good parents to you both. We aren't going to be perfect at this and at times are a bit scared for all of the change that is to come, but we are waiting  with open arms to hold and comfort and guide you... and open hearts to love and listen to you... and open minds to learn from you.

Please know that at this moment, I want nothing more than to hear you make your first cries as you enter into this world, hold you both in my arms, look into your faces and know that you are finally our take home babies...

All my love,

Mom

Dear Babies

I am starting to feel you move around and nudge me daily, now.  It feels like my tummy is a soft leather drum and you are gently tapping at it from the inside. While I'm doubt you are consciously trying to tell me things, these movements are so reassuring and feel like you are communicating, saying things like, "Yum! Thank you for that awesome chocolate", or "Can you please give me a bit more of space?"

I feel so lucky to have you both inside me, caring for you, keeping you safe and warm and fed and healthy and giving you the things you need to get strong and ready for your entry into this new world. It's going to be here before we all know it...

Please keep moving around in there. It makes me smile... in a way I've never smiled before.

Dear Babies

We got to see you again yesterday. It's so mind blowing every time we take a peek and see you both thriving inside me. You squirm around and hide from the camera here and there. You change positions and on your stronger movements, I can feel you nudging me. This is one of the most amazing things I have ever had the privilege of doing with my body and I am trying very hard to give you all that you need while you are here.

Here you both are at 22w1d.

There's so much more definition in your faces now. I stare at them and wonder if you are a boy or a girl, what color your hair is, your eyes... I wonder what your personalities are like and how we are going to figure out how to care for you when you enter the world. But most of all, I just can't wait to hold you, comfort you, feed you and get to know you. Tidy and I are so very much in love with you.

He left town this weekend to visit with his family. His brother's birthday is soon and he wanted to have some time to hang out with them. He left a bit after we had our ultrasound and after about an hour into his drive he called me and said how very much he missed you already...

You both have made such a huge impact on our lives in these past 22 weeks ... I can't even begin to imagine how much you are going to change our lives going forward.

Grateful that you are here, loving you more than you will ever know,

Mom & Dad
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And now, the stats:

Status: 22w2d

Weight Gain: I won't weigh in again until about 24 weeks.

Symptoms: Daily movement is still there, and a few aches and pains in my back by the end of the day. I'm so grateful that up to now, I haven't had that much discomfort. I did go for a pregnancy massage on Wednesday and it was fantastic! I'm going to try to stick with at least one a month to help with the tight back.

Cravings: None to speak of

Aversions: Again, none to speak of

Exercise: Back at it this week! Yay! Monday: 60 min spinning class, Wednesday: 45 min lunchtime yoga and 1 hr prenatal yoga. Thursday: 15 min walk with the dog. This week goal - I am getting back in the pool.

Best Moment of the Week: Tidy did get a chance to feel a little kick, just once, and the look on his face was just a split second, but so precious.

What I Look Forward to: Getting the work done on the baby room so we can paint!