Let the Nesting Begin

Dear Baby,
Mommy and I have been very busy the last few weeks getting ready for your arrival!  About a month ago, we painted your nursery with Benjamin Moore Hillsborough Beige that we will accent with different colors once you're born.  Shortly thereafter, we picked up a three piece furniture set (Westwood Design's Stratton) for your room from a local family owned store called Kids Stuff Superstore.  Grandpa Larry and Uncle Landon helped me assemble the crib.  We have just a few more purchases that we need to make before you're here, such as a car seat to take you home in and a diaper bag for all those messes you'll be making...

For someone so small, you sure do have a lot of stuff!  Three weeks ago, Aunt Kendra & Katie threw a baby shower for you in St. Louis and Auntie Megan hosted a shower in Sioux Falls the following weekend.  We received many generous gifts from family and friends, like a Snugabunny Cradle Swing, Graco Pack 'N Play, clothes, toys, books, gift cards and much more.  It was very plain to see that you are already so very loved and that we have so many great people supporting us along the way!

Mommy and I went to Sanford Hospital the last two Wednesday evenings to learn all about child birth and what to expect when you are born.  The first class was titled, "Labor Basics."  Although Mommy said she could practically teach the class, I learned a bunch of stuff I never knew, like the different stages of labor. We also toured the Labor & Delivery floor of the hospital to see what the delivery and recovery rooms look like.  Mommy ran into a bunch of her co-workers during the tour and said hi.  The second class was titled, "It's Your Birth Experience: 3rd Trimester."  We learned all kinds of relaxation techniques and different positions to help Mommy feel more comfortable when you get bigger in her belly.  We have two more classes we plan on taking in mid-April that talk about breast feeding and taking care of you, assuming you don't surprise us and come early.

Although Mommy and I have been busy, we haven't been the ones...you've been busy growing inside Mommy's belly!  We went to the doctor about a week ago (32 wks 5 days) and she told us you were already about 4 lbs 6 oz and measuring about 54th percentile overall, 60th percentile legs, and 14th percentile abdominal.  She said you seem to be a long, skinny baby!  Hopefully all of those Oreo cookies Mommy's been eating will fatten you up a bit more!  Also, Mommy's placenta completely moved out of the way, so we don't have to worry about having to do a scheduled C-section to deliver you.  This was a huge relief for Mommy and I!

We have a few more big decisions ahead of us before you are born.  We've found two good daycare centers (Truks N Trykes and Youth Enrichment Services) to take you to when Mommy is done with maternity leave, but we are still weighing our options.  We also need to decide whether we will use cloth diapers or disposable for all your messes.  We're leaning towards using mainly cloth, but trying to decide between Bum Genius, FuzziBunz, and a couple other brands sold at a local store called Elegant Mommy.  And most importantly, we need to figure out your name!!!  Mommy and I have narrowed the list down to about a dozen girl names and about eight boy names, but we're terrible about making decisions.  Hopefully you'll have a name by your first or second birthday.  :)

Praying that God continues to grow, nourish, and protect you in Mommy's belly.

Love,
Daddy