23 weeks

Dear Elliot,
On Friday we hit 23 weeks. Only a week until the 'viability' point, and just another two weeks after that until we pass the week that Stevie died. I can definitely feel myself getting more and more anxious as that milestone approaches, but I am really starting to think God must have known I was going to be a nervous wreck this pregnancy, and decided to give me a crazy baby who makes his presence VERY known. Seriously kid, what are you doing in there?! You move more often, more pronounced, and more consistently at 23 weeks than your big sis ever did, even at 26 weeks. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love it, I'm just trying to figure out when you have time to sleep! :)

I am so in awe of how much of a personality you have already. Not surprisingly (given who your mom is ) you seem to be a stubborn one. I have been trying to get video of my belly moving around like 20 times, and every attempt goes something like this: you're kicking like crazy, so I get the laptop all set up to film. As soon as I hit 'record,' you stop kicking. I record for 2-3 minutes, waiting for you to start up again. I finally give up and hit 'stop.' Then you immediately start moving again. One of these days I'm gonna catch it, I swear!

You also seem to be over my super paranoid-ness at night. The other night at around 3am, I had a freak out because I poked you a couple times and you weren't waking up. So I went downstairs and downed a caffeine-free Mountain Dew. When I lay back down in bed, you not only woke up, but proceeded to stay awake and kicking the crap out of my insides for over an hour. Sorry Baby, I totally deserved that :)

Anyway, here is the most recent belly picture, at 23 weeks, 2 days. Your dad took the picture and when I saw it I said, "whoa, I look huge!" He responded with, "yeah, you kind of look like that blueberry girl from Willy Wonka in that shirt." How sweet!

It's finally looking and feeling like winter around here. This probably sounds really weird, but I've been super excited for snow season to start because that makes it seem like March is just around the corner! Seeing that this is Minnesota, there's about a 99% chance it will still be snowing when you are born. So we've now made it through half of summer, all of fall, and are into the season in which you will make your big debut :)

(apparently your dad was so excited about the snow he couldn't help but make this weird face)

Before I go, I just have to take a minute to brag about the girls (our dogs). They can be naughty--barking at doorbells on TV, begging for everyone's food, randomly deciding to take fun little runs around the neighborhood when we are stupid enough to let them out to pee off-leash--but they are so, so good when it comes to the things that matter. They love little kids, and are so totally chill and nonagressive that they have no problem when said little kids pick them up, pull on their tails, etc etc. I am pretty certain both of them have somehow known about you for a long time (maybe even before I did!). Since being pregnant, they are pretty much permanently attached to my belly. I seriously can't wait for you to meet these sweet, crazy little creatures!

I have my 24 week growth ultrasound at the perinatal clinic tomorrow morning. I'm both incredibly nervous (as always) and excited to see you again. I'm hoping maybe they'll switch over to the 3D mode to give us a glimpse of your face :)

I love you little boy!

XOXO,

Mom