Totally on Purpose

Dear Baby TOP,

Today is December 14. You are 23 weeks and 1 day cooked.

You're still giving my back a lot of grief but I have noticed it less because of the other things going on in the outside world. A pregnancy book I dusted off last night says you are spending a good deal of time in REM sleep these days. Good call, TOP. May I join you?

I had to take off my wedding and engagement rings this morning because of some pretty impressive swelling called edema. Sounds worse than it is (she reminded herself)... Almost couldn't get them off, which was unsettling (and painful). I'm also puzzled about the scale. I know I will curse myself for saying this in the coming months but I seem to have stalled out on weight gain. It's certainly not from an over abundance of exercise or an under abundance of calories.... Maybe my scale needs a new battery? That's my guess.

Your big brothers and Dad are totally exhausted. We are in Tech Week for A Christmas Story and last night kept us at the theater until 9:30. That doesn't sound late, maybe, but we got there at about 5:30 and the boys get up and 6AM and had school all day and... well, it was a lot for all of us. It's almost 7AM right now and Tommy & Elliott are still asleep, which is unheard of.

The best news that comes from all of this running around is that GUNGAH & PAPA ARE COMING TODAY! So so so so so happy to have them coming. (You'll feel that way someday soon, I promise.) Gungah doesn't care and completely understands about bathrooms that aren't clean and laundry that's not done when you're in the middle of a show week. Gungah, in fact, unceremoniously just HELPS and hugs and commiserates and empathizes. Papa? Well, Papa makes witty remarks and gives Napping Seminars and is at-the-ready for last minutes runs to pick up milk or batteries or whatever odd thing we NEED and don't have. They are simply THEE best.

This is the fastest post ever. I promise more insight and tangible love coming at you soon!

I love you,
Mom