What a Wonderful Baby Shower!!!

Our amazing friends from work threw us an absolutely wonderful baby shower! We are so blessed to have such an amazing and thoughtful group of friends and extended family around us. Here are some pictures from the even and of Mommy at 28 weeks!

Mommy at 28 weeks!

Oh, look at Daddy and Mommy....we're so happy about you!

So many cute baby clothes...I hope you'll get good use out of them!

Grandpa surprised Mommy at the shower!

More great baby clothes!

Wow the 4th grade team really outdid themselves!

Look at this adorable wreath of baby essentials things! It must have been hard work putting it all together!

Kelly, dear friend and master of party planning! What a terrific day!

Dear Sweet Baby Boy,

We have officially made it to the third trimester. Yay! At 28 weeks you are about 2 and 3/4 pounds and almost 15 inches long. You can blink your eyes which are now sprouting eyelashes. You can even see light that flashes into Mommy's tummy. Neurons are developing by the billions in your brain and you are continuing to put on more "baby" fat.
Daddy and I are noticing and feeling you kick and twirl more and more in Mommy's tummy. On Sunday morning you woke me up about 5:30am dancing up a storm. Daddy enjoyed feeling you and seeing Mommy's tummy bounce around for about 30 minutes. You started up again at 9:00am that same day! An active day for you! It made us feel so connected to you and comforted us, know that you are doing well.
This past weekend Grandpa's best friend, Johnny came down from NYC for his yearly visit. He and his wife were so happy and surprised to see Mommy and her growing belly a year after attending our wedding. We spent lots of time reminiscing about that day and shared our wedding album with them. By this time next year they will get to meet you!
Mommy and Daddy are really looking forward to this coming weekend, we are so excited to order your nursery furniture and to celebrate our 1 year wedding anniversary as well.
Keep kicking away! We love you very much!

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Dear Sweet Baby Boy,

Well everyone has been telling mommy how pregnant she is looking now. It must be the glow or my growing belly! I seem to follow it these days. :) It even bounces around a lot now that you are so actively kicking and moving around. What an incredible feeling it is both physically and emotionally to feel you now. The bond I feel with you grows everyday, so much so that words are not enough to describe the feeling. It makes me so happy so sit and feel you move, letting me know that you are doing well in there.
I also can't believe how quickly time is going by and that I am almost 7 months pregnant with you. Sometimes I feel like I haven't even had the chance to embrace all that is happening and all the changes that are coming our way. But I promise to continue to take the time to reflect and enjoy these moments as I know it will all continue to go by too fast.
At 27 weeks you weigh about 2 pounds and are about 14 and 1/2 inches long. You are sleeping and waking at regular intervals now which I am trying to keep track of, especially the times that you wake me in the middle of the night ;). You can also open and close your eyes now and follow a light if pointed at my belly, pretty remarkable! Your brain is extremely active now but your lungs are still developing as they should be at this time. All that hiccuping that I feel is very common of your movements now as well.
Daddy and I have been spending lots of time out doors, at the beach, walking around, and enjoying the sounds around us so that you will get use to them. We can't wait to have new experiences with you and share in all of life's wonders together. Our love for you grows more and more with each passing day. Keep growing healthy and strong little man!

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Dear Sweet Baby Boy,

At 26 weeks you are becoming quite active! I can even feel you in the middle of the day when my students are working quietly on an assignment. You are incredible and definitely letting mommy know when you are awake. :) Since your hearing development has reached a higher sensitivity, you should be able to recognized Daddy and I talking. Good thing he read you a story last night before we went to sleep. You are also helping your lungs development by inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid. This creates breathing movements which I can often feel. A very strange but neat feeling. It is great practice for your first gulp of air on the "outside". You should now weigh about 1 and 2/3 pounds and measure at 14 inches from head to toe. It seems that you are putting on some baby fat and should continue do so throughout the rest of your time inside Mommy. Plus all your "boy parts" will be developed by the end of this week! Good news! :)
Since the weather is getting hotter here in Florida, mommy is definitely doing everything she can to stay cool; AC, lots and lots of water, and swimming as much as possible. I have a feeling it's going to be a long hot summer, but I also know that it will all be worth it!
I love feeling you move and kick around. It's a wonderful way of knowing that you are growing strong! Keep up the great work!
We love you very much!

oxoxox,
Mommy and Daddy

Happy Mother's Day Weekend!

Wow, Daddy and I had such a wonderful weekend! Friday night we went out for yummy pizza and happened to sit in an area of the restaurant with two other pregnant women, two babies, and our waitress was also pregnant! It was very amusing and the pizza was delicious! On Saturday we walked around downtown, went to lunch at our favorite cafe, and really enjoyed spending some much needed time together reminiscing and talking about what's to come. To top it all off, Daddy surprised mommy with a Vera Bradley baby bag in honor of my first official Mother-to-be Day! Plus an absolutely beautiful card (your Daddy is terrific with words) and some chocolates! The best part of the day was in the evening. Daddy and I were relaxing on the couch, watching a movie when all of a sudden I felt you kicking! I took Daddy's hand and placed it where you were moving. He waited patiently to see if you would continue. Sure enough you started tumbling and kicking for at least 30 minutes! It was amazing and I was so happy that Daddy could feel you moving around! You are starting to have some pretty strong kicks and the next morning you were going again. It seems that you are going to be quite an active little one. :)
Later, on Sunday Grandma and Grandpa even gave me a sweet card, very unexpected. Before we went over there, Daddy and I went out to Lido Beach and enjoyed the beautiful ocean! We spent lots of time in the water which was so refreshing, walked along the shore collecting shells, and talked about how much you will love the ocean like mommy does since that's all I want to do these days. We saw lots of babies splashing away at the shore line and laughed at how cute it will be when you are big enough to do the same. I am so grateful for times like this, it truly makes me appreciate our lives together and all the we have to look forward to with you.
I'm enjoying you so much already!

Love,
Mommy

Dear Sweet Baby Boy,

Oh wow! You are starting to kick! I can't believe it. It's still very light but I am sure that it will be getting stronger as time goes on. I'm also feeling you hiccup and according to Dr. Doyle maybe some rhythmic breathing. It's pretty incredible!
On Tuesday I went for a checkup. Dr. Doyle said that you and I had a growth spurt! She is right, my belly has grown! Though she was very happy with it and said that's what we need to see, I personally hope that you grow more, but not me :)
Considering the growth spurt, you are now about 13 1/2 inches long from head to toe and about 1 1/2 pounds, about the size of a growing eggplant. You are beginning to gain some baby fat so your wrinkly skin will smooth out. Tiny capillaries are forming, giving you a pinkish glow and you are soaking up antibodies for your immune system. So, I'm trying very hard to stay healthy. My students are being sanitized constantly! :) If we could see inside, daddy and I might see your head full of hair and would be able to tell what color it is, for now! No wonder I've been having heartburn! Tums is my new friend :)
Daddy and I went to your Aunt Leah's college graduation last weekend. We had a great time taking a ride up there, sharing lots of laughs with your uncles Adam and David, and of course celebrating Leah's accomplishments. Daddy and I were daydreaming and talking about how you will be bouncing around with us to David's high school graduation in two years and many other family occasions that we will be celebrating. It was fun to picture it all and giggle about it. So keep growing healthy and strong "little guy", we can't wait to see you! We love you very much!

Love,
Mommy and Daddy