Week 6

Today I am six weeks along, so you were conceived four weeks ago. One month. I have only known you have been growing in me for a week and a half now. It seems like I have known forever. It is going by so slow. I am sure when birthing time comes it will seem like it went by so fast, but for now, it is dragging by. I am enjoying this time, the best as I can - because you seem to have some negative effects on my body, but I am really trying to savor every moment because I know I can never get this time back. I just can't wait until you are bigger and the risks for miscarriages are lower. I am a very worrisome person and I am sure I will be an extremely worrisome mom, but I promise to try my best to provide you a life with balance. You will have choices, rewards and consequences. You will be disciplined but also encouraged to be yourself and have fun. There will be boundaries but we will want you to live life and push the limits. I hope to provide you with everything you want and need to become a responsible, healthy person.

It's not raising you that is worrisome to me. I know your dad and I will do a good job with that and we will work hard and try our best. I know there will be times we have no clue what to do and we will feel like screaming. I can handle all that. Now, I am just so worried about getting you here. I am worried about miscarriages and birth defects and getting sick. I worry about everything that could possibly effect you right now. It's making me crazy but I am doing my very best to ensure that you are as healthy as I can make you. I'm even trying to occasionally gag down some protein shakes. Yuk.

This week you will be getting bigger. You will also be forming your chin, jaw, nose, ears (holes), cheeks and your brain cavity will be forming. You will start to form lungs and could get up to 1/5 of an inch long. So much is happening right now and that truely amazes me!

Grandma Maez is having a BBQ today for my uncle Bill. He is getting remarried and a lot of our family from grandma Maez's side will be there. I don't think many of them know about you yet, but I plan on telling them all today while we are there. I am really excited. Even though we aren't really close to that side of the family, they are all really good people and I think they will all be excited for us too.

Keep growing.

Love you,

Mom

Week 5

Dear Baby,

Today I am 5 weeks. My books says you will be growing to be the size of an orange seed this week. That is so small, yet so precious! Grandpa Maez said they bought you your first Teddy Bear today. That was nice.

I went on a zip line today. Guess I gave you your first big thrill. It was scary, but a lot of fun. It is ok to take risks and challenges in life, or you won't ever have any excitement.

Love,

Mom

Everyone Knows!

Dear Baby,

So, everyone knows! All of our close friends and family know that you are baking in my belly. You should know that they are all so supportive and they will all love you so much. You are going to have so many loved ones around you that it will probably get overwhelming, but you will love them all, they are all such great people! I have learned during my life experiences that family is the most important and BEST thing in the world. They will always be there for you, no matter what!! I feel really good having you come into this world with a family like that!

Love,

Mom

Spreading the Good News!!

Dear Baby,

Today we continued telling our family about you! Everyone was really excited. We went to breakfast with Grandpa Wootton. He opened the binki bag and it took him a second to figure it out. He seemed a little nervous but was happy.

Then we went to your great grandma/grandpa Mattsson's house to tell Grandpa Mattsson and your great grandparents (that sounds really weird to me) the news. He opened the binki bag and was very confused. He asked, "what is this for?" I asked him if he had any idea what it meant or what it could mean and he said, "no." Then your great grandparents caught on and they were all really excited. You will be the first great grandchild on that side, the first grandchild for Grandma/pa Fratto and first grandchild for Grandpa Mattsson so that is a lot of firsts.

Then we made our way over to Grandma/pa Maez's house. They were unloading from camping so we waited around there forever! Finally Grandma said, "have Savannah open her gift so I can see what it is before I shower." She 'knew' that the gift was for Aunt Savannah because it is her birthday in a few days and it is also our anniversary and we would be too busy this weekend, so we were bringing her gift early. I dont know how she came up with all of that, but she thought she had it all worked out. She was surprised when I gave her the bag to open and once again they were a little confused for a minute. Even after they said congrats and started talking about babies, Savannah said, "I still don't get it." It was really funny.

Overall everything went well and everyone is really happy for us. Over the next week I plan on telling most of my friends and co-workers and neighbors and the rest of our extended family. It will be a fun week and I will share any funny stories.

Love,

Mom

Welcome Aboard Little One!!

Dear Baby,

Today I found out I am pregnant! I am overjoyed and can barely contain my giggles.

I have been off birth control for a year and three months now and we have been "trying" to conceive for about four months now. I have been feeling nauseated and not myself for four days, so I decided to test this morning when I got up. Dad was still asleep, which is just the way I wanted it because I wanted to surprise him if I was pregnant and I didn't want him to think I was overreacting about my symptoms if it was negative. So I took the test and within twenty seconds both lines were present, meaning I am pregnant!!

I took some pictures of the test and made it into a surprise for dad. I didn't tell him this morning when he got up. I had plans to meet a friend for lunch and run some errands, so while I was out I got some balloons and the pictures of the test developed. I had made a picture frame a few weeks ago, getting prepared because I knew it would happen one day. I put the picture of the positive test in the frame I made and wrote " 'positive' proof that in 9 months you will be a GREAT DAD!" I tied the balloons around it and waited for him to come home.



He walked in the front door and I walked in behind him. He saw the display and said, "Is this true?" I was shaking like crazy and was so nervous for his reaction, although we knew it would happen sooner or later, I just was nervous to see his response. Then I started crying. As you will find out, I am a very emotional person. We laughed a lot and I kept asking him, "what do you think?" He looked excited, but still really shocked. I think he is just as happy as I am but doesn't know how to show it yet. I can't wait for you to come join us in this world.

I am approximately 4 1/2 weeks today. I read in my book that you "are the size of a poppy seed but much sweeter." So small, yet so many changes are happening. Right now I am calculating that you should be coming to join us around March 20th, 2009.

We told Grandma and Grandpa Fratto today and Aunt Megan. We gave them a binki wrapped in tissue paper in a bag. Megan opened it and yelled, "I knew it!! Shanda's pregnant!" They were all so excited. I cried again. They were almost as excited as I was. You will love them so much, they are such great people and will probably spoil you rotten!

Love you,

Mom