the jellyball family blog

Dear Jellybean,

We are officially in the home stretch! With just ten weeks left in what's considered a "normal" pregnancy, we are starting to really get anxious about your arrival.

This pregnancy has seemed to really fly by - I feel bad that I haven't spent more time documenting every minute detail of the pregnancy in this blog, though I have definitely not been ignoring you in person. I feel your presence with me every minute of the day. Your usual "hour of power" has turned into belly-shaking movement at all hours of the day, though I feel you the most during the evenings when I'm moving around a lot less.

Your father and I are convinced that you are doing much more moving around than your brother, which already signals to us that you are your own little guy with a mind of your own. Despite having the same starting ingredients as your brother Caleb (i.e. Mom + Dad), we know that you will be a unique little individual with your own special traits. Evolution is a funny thing!

I had my first big leg cramp this week, but (knock on wood) it's the only one I've had so far. With the previous pregnancy, I was plagued with leg cramps all the time, but perhaps because I'm still so physically active, I haven't had much trouble with them this time around. I haven't felt the usual muscle aches and pains as much either, though it does help to be married to the best masseur in the world.

We haven't had to buy much gear for you since we're already pretty well stocked in the baby department, though we do have a few items we still need to get before you arrive. One of these items is a double stroller - yet another stroller to add to what seems like an already big collection of single-purpose strollers. Your brother is a seasoned walker, though when we go out, he still sits in the stroller for most if not all of the outing. And of course, since you'll be far from walking, a double stroller is a definite must.

I started thinking about packing a bag for the hospital. I remember this exercise being a complete mystery to me before, but now that we've experienced a stay in the hospital (my first) I have a better idea of what to bring.

Interestingly enough, my thoughts go straight to food - I started thinking about baking muffins. I vividly recall munching on snacks that your Grandmaman brought for us (nuts, muffins, etc.) at all hours of the day and in the middle of the night. Not to mention the fact that your father had to worry about his own meals. We hadn't factored in that while I would be getting hospital food at regular meal intervals - he wouldn't. Maybe it's my foggy pregnancy brain taking over, but at the rate I'm going, we'll show up at the hospital with a bag full of food and no clothes.

Everyone seems to be helping me to indulge in my sweet tooth these days, with the argument that "Oh, you've only got a few months left - why not enjoy being able to eat whatever you want?"

My friend Yumi showed up for a recent visit with a tin full of jellybeans (I know, cute!) and Hershey's kisses, stating that no pregnant woman should be separated from such treats. My mom showed up today with two tubs of caramel popcorn and some of her homemade lemon ice cream cake - two items I have been craving lately. It's not like I have been depriving myself of little pleasures - far from it! There's definitely a small indulgence of some kind every day, plus I've been eating well during each meal. I suppose I really do have to take advantage of the opportunity to be celebrated for being fat while I can.

Your father and I have more or less settled on your name, and we've even started using it within the walls of our home. We've decided to keep it a secret for now... even from our own parents! On a few occasions, we've almost let it slip! I'm not sure we'll last until the birth, but for now it's a fun little secret that we're enjoying.

Your French-Canadian grandparents have been trying to guess the name for months now, to the point where they'll casually throw a name into the conversation to see if we react (i.e. "So, how's little Darius doing today?") I use "Darius" as a very real example, because we mentioned that we'd chosen a name that happened to also be biblical, prompting your Grandpapa to rattle off every biblical male name he could think of. When he mentioned Darius, I laughed and told him I wasn't going to name my kid after the lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish. We may as well name you Hootie if we were going that route.

We can't wait to meet you in person, even though we feel like we know you a little bit already. We talk to you every day, and we rub you whenever little body parts poke out from my belly. It feels like we interact a little bit already, especially when your father talks to you and you kick back.

Well Jellybean, I hope that you continue to grow into a sweet, beautiful little baby. We can hardly wait for these last remaining weeks to fly by and for you to join us in person.

With love,
Mama and Papa