the jellyball family blog

Dear Meatball,

We have a confession to make... we haven't been calling you Meatball a whole lot lately. In fact, we've been test driving a name out on you. We've been asked a lot if we've picked out a name for you - and the truth is, we've had a name in mind for quite a while! Something that your Papa and I both liked early on. Since we already know you're a bouncing baby boy, we figure we'll keep one surprise - your name! - until the birth.

(But you know you'll always be my meatball.)

And quite the meatball at that! Just over two and a half pounds now and 15 inches head to toe -- that is, if you were your average meatball...

I do know that I haven't been growing at the same rate as most mommies do. I went through several periods of rapid growth, and then things kind of smoothed out. About 6 weeks ago, most people thought I was big for my stage in the pregnancy. I haven't grown a whole lot since then so now apparently I'm looking more "normal" (whatever that is!) for our 29 weeks.

Sometimes the only way I can tell that I've grown is by checking my bellybutton. I'm not an outie yet, but I assume it will happen at some point. I'm definitely seeing parts of my bellybutton I've never seen before!

This last trimester is a big one for you - your bones are hardening, your brain is getting bigger, and you're generally growing in both length and weight - so you'll be needing lots of energy. My appetite has been great and I'm quickly earning a reputation as the best eater in the family. Some days I even beat out Alain, your aunt Julie's boyfriend - and the guy works in construction for god's sake!

You have been really active lately and a little more predictably so. I absolutely love feeling you move - the hiccups are terribly funny, your incredible kicks and stretches remind me every day that you are getting stronger by the day.

I hope you don't get tired of your Dad and I incessantly telling you that we can't wait to meet you - but it's really true. We are starting to get a sense of your cheeky personality and we love what we know already.

Till the next kick,

Mommy

Dear Meatball,

Congratulations, little man! We are in our third trimester. Can you believe it? Good work! Gimme a high five! (With your feet, that is.)

You are now able to open your eyes - which now have eyelashes - and are sensitive to light from the outside. You are now just over two pounds and measure about 15 inches head to toe. If you follow suit with the other Tourangeau males in the family, you'll probably be a big one, so you still have a few pounds to pack on before the big day!

You have become so active lately - it's been amazing how your movements went from little tickling bubbles to light kicks to now full-on, belly-shaking karate chops. I can actually see my belly bulge when you're doing whatever it is you're doing in there. In fact, you're doing it right now! Cheeky monkey.

You have taken a liking to 8pm movie time - we've been watching movies in bed on the laptop and you are usually dancing away during most of the movie or cheering on the good guy.

Our second set of prenatal classes started last week and we really like our instructor! She has a dry sense of humour that we really find very amusing. She mentioned something really interesting last week - about how you may continue your sleeping and waking routine once you're born. That wouldn't be so bad, considering you seem to sleep during the night and kick during the day, so I could definitely get used to this!

It's time for Mommy's early lunch now. Isn't it about nap time for you?

Love,
Mom

Dear Munchkin in my Belly,

Hey there, my little man! We had a pretty crazy week. We had a bit of a scare this week... your dad and I were driving to work one morning when we were rear-ended by another car. We walked away with only a few aches and pains, but the thought of anything happening to you shook us up more than anything. I guess we are really becoming parents after all. You are so real to us - even though we haven't even met you in person yet. You are someone we already feel compelled by instinct to protect and adore.

Aside from the craziness with the car accident this week, you and I also went to go visit the doctor for our routine check-up. So far the pregnancy has been going so well and the doctor is so happy that you are just humming along like a perfect little baby.

Speaking of overachieving - as part of our check-up, we did the routine test for gestational diabetes. I'd heard some pretty fantastic horror stories about this sickly sweet drink I'd have to chug, so I was mentally prepared for the worst. The nurse gave me five minutes to drink a good-sized bottle of what looked and tasted like sweeter ginger ale. I was so hungry from having fasted for the test, and so pleasantly surprised that it was not all that gross, that I drank the whole thing in less than a minute. The nurse was surprised that I was done so quickly. I guess I really drank those other pregnant ladies under the table.

I've been getting some killer leg cramps early in the morning. I'm amazed at how quickly your dad reacts to my panicked yelping - he's awake and up and helping me stretch my cramped calf in seconds. I don't know what I'd do without him! Apparently these leg cramps are quite normal since you are growing heavier every day (as am I) and the added weight is putting pressure on blood vessels and nerves going to/from my legs.

Yesterday we met some friends for a birthday BBQ and there were plenty of good friends looking to rub my belly to say hi to you. Did you hear lots of new voices and feel the excitement? There are so many people looking forward to meeting you, especially your dad and I.

Keep up the wonderful progress you're making, my little man.

With lots and lots of love,
Your Mommy

To my little man,

Tomorrow marks the end of our 26th week together and I have to say that it's been one of the best weeks we've had together yet!

You're almost two pounds now and measure about 14 inches, though in my mind I'm already picturing you as a newborn, as a toddler, but not yet as a teenager!

The nerve pathways in your ears are developing, which means your response to sounds is growing more consistent, too. Sometimes when I go to noisy places, I feel you kicking a lot, which either means "Hey, keep it down out there!" or that you're starting your own party in-utero.

Your lungs are developing now, too, as you continue to take small breaths of amniotic fluid. The past two mornings, you've had a case of the hiccups so strong that I can almost see my belly move!

You were extremely active today, hiccuping and kicking away. It was fun - I was doing my thing, you were doing your thing, but we were hanging out together and every once and a while it was like you were giving me a little kick to say hello.

Your dad's noticed that I like to rest my hands on the top of my belly - he's right. Not only do I like the idea that my hands are close to you, and maybe you can even feel them, but it happens to be a really nice resting place for my arms! I could probably put the remote control for the TV on there too, while I'm at it.

I've so enjoyed our first week together on maternity leave and can't seem to wipe this perma-smile off my face.

Lots of love to you,
Mom

P.S. I think you are developing excellent taste in movies. We watched a particularly bad movie this week, and just as I said, "Ben Affleck sucks!", you started kicking. After which I said, "Kick if you think Ben Affleck sucks!" and the kicking continued for another five minutes. You make me SO proud.

Dear Meatball,

It's been a really busy couple of weeks! We're a little late posting our weekly letter to you, but it doesn't mean that we haven't been thinking about you or talking about you! We have been busy enjoying every kick and gurgle from my belly, not to mention daydreaming about what you look like.

We bought some furniture for your room - a beautiful crib and a very comfortable gliding rocker. These were exciting purchases and it really started to sink in that in a few months, you will finally join us here in the outside world! I will probably be putting the rocker in the living room until you arrive, because it's SO comfortable and these days, I've been feeling uncomfortable sitting in most chairs for extended periods of time.

Last week, we took possession of our new home, which is not just your first home but ours as well. We've already picked out your room - it's right next to ours - and we can finally start giving your room a little bit of thought. Everyone keeps asking how we'll be decorating... though we don't really think we'll be the type to colour-coordinate and go crazy accessorizing or theming your room. You'll be sleeping in there most of the time anyway!

This week marks the beginning of a new chapter in our lives! I will be at home full-time getting ready for your arrival from now on while your Dad is at work. We (you and me!) will be hopefully starting some swimming this week, though granted - you've been doing plenty of swimming already!

Your aunt Mai visited this past weekend and you may have noticed a great deal of auntie-love coming your way. She is already starting to spoil her "favourite nephew" rotten, having bought you three outfits from BabyGap as well as a very stylin' t-shirt and jean combo from Tommy Hilfiger. She was worried that we didn't want to plaster you with branding, but I told her that we'd just as soon rent you out as a billboard if we thought we could make a quick buck. (Hey, it would go to your university fund!)

Belly pics will be posted soon - evidence of all the hard work you've been doing lately! Apparently most babies your age weigh in at about a pound and a half but I have a feeling your overachiever genes have already kicked in, judging by the size of my belly and the gasps that I hear from most people when they realize you still have three months left of growing!

Lots of love,
Mom and Papa

Over the last week or so, the kicking has started getting more pronounced and recognizable. I finally know that they're kicks, and not something I ate for lunch! Yesterday, the kicks were so frequent that within a minute or two, Luc was able to feel at least two good kicks!

And if there isn't kicking, there's the stretching, which is the funniest feeling - it makes the lower right hand side of my belly (the baby's favourite hangout spot these days) hard as a rock.

Sometimes, neither Luc or I can believe that there's a tiny human being in there. A little person who has arms, legs, fingers, toes, and a personality! Then he kicks me in the bladder, and then it becomes all too real.

To the cutest meatball in the world,

Yet another wonderful week with you in my belly. This week, your dad said to me, "You really love being pregnant, don't you?" and the truth is, I really do! I'm happier than I have ever been. I covet my belly, but most of all, I covet what's inside of it! (You, silly.)

I'm still not sure if I'm feeling your kicks, but yesterday when I met your dad for lunch, there was a 4-piece band playing and the drummer launched into a drum solo. And I think so did you. Either that, or you were asking for some peace and quiet. Or it was just tummy rumblings.

We went to the doctor today for a routine checkup and since you've been so good to me, there wasn't anything troubling to report. She listened to your heartbeat (it's loud and strong!) and measured my tummy. I think I might have heard some springs break on the scale when they weighed me, but your dad gave me high fives for having broken into 140's. As my pregnant friend Kerry would say about her weight - "I'm in uncharted territory!"

I'm not heeding anyone's comments that I'm too big or too small (though no one has really reported on the latter), because I know that everyone's pregnancy is different and we all grow at a different rate. I'm happy with our growth, I'm eating well and in a few weeks when I leave my job, I'll be taking lots of walks and getting more exercise.

So the moral of this story is - GO TEAM!

Love,
Mom

Dear Sweet Meatball,

Things have been busy with your mom and papa lately, which explains why this letter to you is a little late. On Saturday, we completed our 22nd week! You are now almost 11 inches and almost a full pound.

Though, you'd think at the rate your mommy is eating, you'd be putting on more weight. I never really used to be one to clear my plate but these days my appetite seems to be bottomless. While your dad clutches his belly and moans that he ate too much, I'm scrounging around his plate for leftovers. After eating, my belly rounds itself out. Sometimes I feel full, though most times I just feel really, really big.

We're getting ready for our big move to the new house, so while we may be running around like crazy, we often stop to think about how we're so looking forward to meeting you. Your dad says it almost every single day.

And I think you've started kicking, but I'm not sure yet. Give me a few more, just for good measure, ok?

Love,
Mom & Papa

Dear Boy-Meatball,

I can't tell you how great it's been since last week when we found out that you are a little boy. I catch myself doing the he/she game, and now I've firmly settled into the masculine pronouns.

The other day, I put on a pink shirt and wondered whether you would mind. (I put it on anyway. I call the shots here, bucko. Plus, it's not like I was dressing YOU in pink.)

You looked really big during the ultrasound - if only because you are a fully-formed baby with fingers on your hands and piggies on your feet. But really, you're just 10 and a half inches long and 3/4 of a pound.

It seems as if we've fallen in love with you all over again since we saw you on the ultrasound. When your dad or I rub my belly, we can picture you in there! You may have noticed that the belly rubbing has increased significantly since last week. We just can't wait to meet you in person so that we can smother you with kisses and make silly faces at you.

We're halfway through this journey! In the next few months, we will be busy moving into our new home and getting it ready for your arrival. In fact, since we found out we were pregnant, everything has been with you in mind. Your father often thinks about how he wants to be a good role model for you, and show you how to be a good man.

For now, though, even though you're still just a meatball in my belly, there is certainly more than enough love waiting for you on the other side.

Love,
Mom & Papa

The ultrasound was pretty frickin' amazing. We saw arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, toes, belly, heart, head, nose, lips... and... a wee wee!

The baby, as we'd hoped, was a real exhibitionist... in fact, there was really no doubt when we saw the ultrasound... he was showing it off, loud and proud!

You can see the little one sucking his thumb there:

I have to admit that I kind of had a feeling, but didn't even share it with Luc until we were in the car on the way to the hospital.

We're pretty overwhelmed with emotion and neither of us can stop smiling.