Friday, April 5, 2013

Hop Along or Lil' Bunny?

Dear BWNo.3,

So I've been wanting to write to/about you for some time now as you've been on my mind quite a bit lately. I know it might seem like I'm pretty distracted chasing your big brother and big sister around day in and day out, but of course you are in my head and heart already, just as much as you are growing every day in my belly. That, and you're pretty hard to ignore!

I may not know much as a parent, but this I know is true - every child is unique. And you, Baby, have already proved to be an individual. Your first trimester alone was one for the books (or in this case, the blog), and that right there tells me that you will forever be paving your own way in this world. Considering that we already have two pretty strong characters in HD and RL, I can't wait to see what sort of beauty, laughter, and eyebrow raises you and your personality will add to our family.

Another reason you're never far from my thoughts is that I feel you all the time. Earlier detection of movement has to be one of my favorite perks of each pregnancy. I'm pretty sure I started feeling flutters from you by 12 or 13 weeks and full on motion by 16 or 17. With Harrison, I had no idea if a kick was really a kick until 24 weeks! But you, my soon-to-be-littlest-one, you've been kicking like crazy for a couple months now. So here we are, right at the end of the second trimester, and already I know your wiggles and jiggles quite well.

And dare I say it? I think you've been the most active one yet! When people saw your brother as a baby, they thought we couldn't have one more active. Then your sister came along and proved them all wrong. And you, you might just have a little bit of the Moore/Welsch/Jansen competitiveness in you because based on the way you literally make my belly bounce, you're set to outdo them both. But that's OK, honey. Mama's learned to love coffee in the last two years; she'll do what she has to in order to keep up with her active little brood.

In our family we have thing for presidential names (don't worry - we won't Garfield or Nixon you) and animal nicknames. The nicknames have come organically for all of you. Harrison became our Little Monkey when he wore the cutest little monkey clothes, shoes, and PJs as a baby, and he later sealed the deal when he picked a monkey as one of his bedtime buddies. It also didn't hurt that he was an active little bugger, just like a little monkey climbing and swinging through the trees! Raegan became our Little Owl because of her big, big eyes and her night owl tendencies for the first (too many) months of her life. Like it or not, she's stuck with it because we've collected too many cute owl clothes and room decor pieces to turn back now. And you, Baby? Well, I think you've kicked your way into an animal nickname before we've even seen your face or picked your POTUS.

Clearly you're going to be our Little Frog or Little Bunny. I like both not only for their potential cuteness factor in clothes and plush toys, but also that they fit your legs-a-hopin' belly mode. You are our little jumper, so it only makes sense that we'd pick a bouncy little animal to be yours. And while I'm not huge on traditional gender roles (hello, we still don't own more than five pink toys), I want to reserve the frog OR the rabbit, depending on if you are a boy or girl, respectively. I think Carter's and I will continue to be best buds if I go this route and you might appreciate it more in your teenage years, too. As if any of you are going to want to hear about your baby animal nicknames when you're teenagers! See how funny your Mama is?! No wonder you kick all the time - I'm just so entertaining!

But boy or girl, frog or rabbit, we simply can't wait, Little One. Well, I mean, of course we can wait and we will because we don't want you coming out too early (or too late!). But we are all so excited to meet you. Your daddy and I can't wait to hold you and snuggle you and love on you. Your big brother can't wait to see if you really are a boy like he thinks you should be (based on the pattern of our family thus far, of course). And your big sister? Well, OK. She has no idea what is going on, but she will never really remember any different than having you as part of her life, so of course you are already a part of each other.

So, my Little Hopper...keep on a kickin'. Each time you do gives me a reason to pause, think of you, and be both grateful and elated for your impending arrival.

Love,
Mama

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