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Dear Holly: Mommy is Feeling Miserable Right about Now

38 weeks.

Dear Holly,

Dear Holly: Mommy is Feeling Miserable Right about Now

With your due date being just 2 weeks from today, I get asked by other people on a daily basis how Mommy is feeling.

I always answer honestly and directly:

“She is feeling miserable; as I suspect most women do when they are 8 and a half months pregnant. She can only sleep for a few hours at a time, she’s getting contractions, and she either feels too hungry or too full.”

As much as I hate to see Mommy in discomfort, I have assurance in knowing these are all good signs that you are healthy and growing inside her tummy.

I’ve asked her if she would prefer you be born a few weeks early, but she reminded me that’s not ideal because Grandma (her Mommy) doesn’t fly in from California until the 16th, which is 5 days before your due date in 2 weeks

So if you were to be born early, it would be nice if at least Grandma is here to help. Granted, Nonna and Papa are on call and can be here within about 3 hours too.

I feel that mentally, both Mommy and I are ready for your arrival. I personally am not nervous or anxious about it.

This isn’t our first time to have a baby, so we’re better prepared this time around.

I’m at my worst when I don’t know what I’m doing. But when I am trained on it, no matter how challenging the situation, I can live in confidence knowing I have authority on the subject.

With your arrival, I will not feel like a bumbling idiot trying to figure out what to do. I feel I will be able to appreciate the whole experience that much more.

Obviously, you’re a girl, so there will be new material for me to learn. But as for the basics, I doubt I’ll be in major culture shock.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: We’ll Definitely Be Dangerous… We Just Won’t Get Hurt

5 years, 4 months.

Dear Jack:

Dear Jack,

I suppose it’s safe to say a new weekly ritual is in full swing. This makes the 3rd weekend in a row where you and I have gone exploring in the surrounding neighborhoods, using a creek that begins in our backyard
as our road.

Dear Jack:

Before Mommy left the house to get her “pre-going into labor haircut” and then to Kroger to buy groceries, she smiled and told me, “Be safe. Don’t be dangerous out there.”

I smiled back and promised her,

“Oh, we’ll definitely be dangerous- we just won’t get hurt.”

About 20 minutes later as you and I were about to turn out of our neighborhood in my Honda Element, I asked you, “Jack, where you want to explore today?”

Dear Jack: I Will Be Serving as Your Guide to Danger and the Unknown

We decided to pick up where we left off last week, this time following the creek in the opposite direction. You quickly found the wooden plank you discovered and left behind on Sunday, deciding to take it with us for today’s entire journey.

The plank served three purposes:

#1. A shovel to help you make “chocolate milk” in the creek.

https://familyfriendlydaddyblog.com/2016/03/24/dear-jack-our-new-canon-powershot-g7-x-camera/

#2. A portable table to help you see your instantly growing rock collection.

Dear Jack:

#3. A bridge to help you get across the creek when you didn’t feel like jumping.

https://familyfriendlydaddyblog.com/2016/03/24/dear-jack-our-new-canon-powershot-g7-x-camera/

The further down the creek we trekked, the more exciting and potentially dangerous things became.

You had to make your way across the rocks and the water of the creek by depending on half-rotted boards that were already placed there by other adventurers.

Dear Jack: I Will Be Serving as Your Guide to Danger and the Unknown

And then when we finally came across a more legitimate bridge, even it was crooked; like something from a cartoon movie.

Dear Jack: I Will Be Serving as Your Guide to Danger and the Unknown

Even as I’m telling you this now, it sounds like some kind of weird dream we both experienced.

When we go exploring together, we never really know what surprises await us. Well, fate would have it that we just happened to be aligned with these two tunnels leading up to the bank of a pond…

Dear Jack: I Will Be Serving as Your Guide to Danger and the Unknown

So we crawled through one. Once on the other side, you found an old pumpkin there in the water. I’m not sure why, since this is March, not November.

Dear Jack: I Will Be Serving as Your Guide to Danger and the Unknown

After that, we clumsily journeyed back to the street and found my car; you were exhausted by that point. But we still had about 45 minutes before Mommy would be home, so I talked you to in to letting me take you on a drive.

Dear Jack: I Will Be Serving as Your Guide to Danger and the Unknown

You and I have wondered for over a year now, since we moved to Spring Hill, about that that big blue water tower we had been seeing in the distance.

So we checked it out.

Dear Jack: I Will Be Serving as Your Guide to Danger and the Unknown

We were high up enough where we could even see our own neighborhood and church.

I’m glad you like exploring as much as I do. I suppose it’s becoming a mutual hobby for us.

And though we were slightly dangerous the whole time, we came back home to Mommy without any injuries.

Love,

Daddy

 

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Dear Holly: Your Newest Sonogram Pictures

33 weeks.

Dear Holly: Your Newest Sonogram Pictures

Dear Holly,

This week our family went to Mommy’s newest check-up at Vanderbilt; even Grandma got to go with us because she is in town right now from California.

To our surprise, one of the newest sonogram pictures was 3-D. Your brother Jack immediately responded as we all saw the picture for the first time, up on the giant TV monitor:

“That picture is creepy. It’s an old rock man.”

While it’s always great to see new pictures of you, the most important thing is that the technician confirmed you are looking real good. In other words, you are a healthy baby.

We have prayed every night as a family for your health. So we didn’t take it for granted to hear that you are doing well.

On a lighter note, the technician explained to us that your butt is up high at the “top” of Mommy’s baby bump; which explains why Mommy keeps getting poked in her right side, that’s your elbows and hands.

Plus, she confirmed you are (still) a girl. I admit that Mommy and I had doubts in the backs of our minds that we might be that family who learned they were actually having the other gender baby.

But no, we won’t have to be repainting the room or changing out your wardrobe. We specifically asked the technician, and she officially confirmed, “Yep, it’s still a girl inside there.”

Dear Holly: Your Newest Sonogram Pictures

Speaking of your bedroom, with Grandma in town, your room is a little fuller.

There is now a really cool lamp that perfectly matches the hair ribbon holder, which also matches the bird decals on the walls.

And I obviously am proud of the outfit Mommy picked out for you this week: Daddy’s Sweetheart.

We now officially can say you will be born next month. April 21st is just 7 weeks away.

Love,

Daddy

Dear Holly: Your Newest Sonogram Pictures

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Dear Jack: The Baby Doll Saga Continues

5 years, 3 months.

Dear Jack: The Baby Doll Saga Continues

Dear Jack,

Last week I wrote to Holly about how you are taking care of one of Holly’s baby dolls until she gets here next month around April 21st.

Well, since then, you have only further perpetuated the idea that you are, in some ways, “practicing for your sister” with the doll.

Last Saturday night at 11:30 as I was heading to bed, I walked into your room to check on you, as is the tradition every night.

I immediately realized I needed to go get my phone and take a picture. You had fallen asleep while tightly holding on to “Dollee”.

Now, in the event anyone might think for a moment that you are “playing with dolls” like a girl would, you easily disprove that theory.

The next morning, you took a Lego chain and fastened it around Dollee’s neck. You followed Mommy and me around all morning, as we prepared for Grandma’s arrival for California.

As you did, you announced at one point: “She has the chain so she can fly… and so she can’t run away.”

Dear Jack: The Baby Doll Saga Continues

There’s nearly something poetic in there about the concept of freedom; how it can actually imprison as if we abuse our freedom or simply make poor decisions along the way that entrap us.

But as a 5 year-old boy, I’m pretty sure that’s not what you were implying.

If I were to translate, I would say you that recognize, as a big brother A) the importance of entertaining and playing with the baby [hence, the “flying”] and B) the fact that the baby must be under constant supervision to keep them from wandering into a dangerous situation [hence, the “chain”].

By the time Holly finally gets here, we may have to clean Dollee up for her. Good thing Holly already has a few other brand new dolls waiting for her in the crib.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: You Technically Traveled Back in Time 2 Weeks

31 Weeks.

Dear Holly: You Technically Traveled Back in Time 2 Weeks

Dear Holly,

This week Mommy went in for another check-up.

Mommy told me the appointment went well and the shot wasn’t that bad. Interestingly, she was only up 2 ounces from her last weigh in. (Her coat must have weighed more than she thought from the last weigh in).

She told me the nurse who draws blood and gives shots is the best one and Mommy told her that as well!

Mommy has an ultrasound scheduled in less 2 weeks (March 1st)  when her own Mommy will be visiting here in Tennessee. During this appointment, they will determine whether the placenta has moved up. (Plus, I can get extra confirmation you truly are a girl.)

This week when they measured Mommy’s stomach, they said it’s measuring around 28 weeks which is a few weeks behind, but the midwife said it should be okay—that makes us wonder if you will be a May baby after all. (Your due date has been April 21st this whole time.)

So with this week’s appointment taking place on Tuesday while you were still 30 weeks old in the womb, and today making you 31 weeks old, that means you are measuring 2 weeks behind.

The way I see it, you technically traveled back in time 2 weeks.

On March 1st for the next appointment, we can also get another confirmation you are indeed a girl.

The reason for doubt is that so many people who have seen the way Mommy is carrying you, say she looks like she’s carrying a boy.

I’m looking forward to seeing the new sonogram pictures too. I’m sure I’ll see how you still look like Mommy.

Oh, and you are constantly moving around inside Mommy’s tummy. I can’t hug her without feeling you kick me! You are so active.

We’ll be meeting you in about 2 months now. We are so excited.

Love,

Daddy