4 Weeks

Dear Munchkin,
Today I am 4 weeks pregnant. We are 1/9 of the way through our pregnancy journey together. This coming week you will start to develop the beginnings of your eyes and ears and have little arm and leg buds forming. These next couple weeks are going to be crazy for you because you will be growing really rapidly. I feel confident that everything will develop the way it should be. Nothing is more important to your Daddy and I then bringing home a healthy baby! All of my research tells me to take good care of myself in the coming months and I am sure going to try. So far, I haven't really felt any symptoms of pregnancy, but I know you will do your best to let me feel your presence soon enough! I have been feeling pretty tired and a little queasy now and again, but all in all you aren't causing me much discomfort. I wanted to post some pictures of what I look like each month, so someday when you are old enough to read, we can go back and look at how you changed my body. Trust me when I say this is the only time that I have been excited to gain weight! Although, I may lose a little since I am trying to cut out drinking pop and any extra junky stuff I had been eating. My main focus is getting good healthy meals to you, so you are well nourished and strong.
Here's what your little Mama looks like at the beginning of your life: (Try not to laugh too hard-remember who's in charge of naked baby pictures!)

We are headed to your Great Grandma's for the weekend. Your Uncle Ross and Aunt Amber are in town and we are going to visit with them. It isn't too often that we can get together, so we are really looking forward to it. We aren't going to tell them about you until we visit them again in April. It's going to be rough to keep it a secret, but this time it isn't about me! I love you with all my heart, Mom

2nd Beta

Dearest Munchkin,
I just got off the phone with Nurse Heather, who gave me more good news. Your beta score has gone up to a whopping 330! I feel so blessed. This is a definite sign that things are progressing as they should be. And if you believe the Beta Base, it looks like there could be two of you! But right now, I am not really too concerned about it. Plus it's already in God's plan, so I can't change it anyway. Beta scores can be really subjective and as long as they are rising, that's good enough for me. Your Daddy and I will take whatever comes our way.
Nurse Heather and I got to discuss what will happen next in Munchkin world. Since it was kind of struggle for us to start our family, we will get a sneak peek ultrasound after six weeks. This Saint Patrick's Day (March 17th) we will get our first glimpse of you. Our Munchkin. Everything that I have read, tells me that your heartbeat will be good and strong by that point. I am sure it will be music to my ears. I have a feeling that this ultrasound will make things very real for your Daddy and I, as we will finally be able to see you and hear you. As excited as we are, we still worry about being good parents and the responsibility of raising you. Our dream is to help you grow into a wonderful mature person with good values. No pressure, right?
After the ultrasound comes the Health Education Appointment on March 31st. I think this has a lot to with how we are going to pay for you! This appointment isn't with a doctor, just someone "in charge" of this at the doctor's office. No worries, Munchkin, your Daddy and I have thought ahead and took advantage of a pre-tax flexible spending plan. It's looking like that's going to come in real handy next month.
Then in the first week of April, we will have our 10 week doctor visit. This will probably be a pretty big work up and the first time your Dad and I will get to really chat with the doctor. As I am sure you will figure out, your Mother (me) will have lots of questions and this appointment will set our minds at ease. After that, we will probably begin telling people about you. I can't wait for that to happen! It seems so far away now, but it will be here before we know it.
All my love,
Mom

1st Beta

Dearest Munchkin,
The doctors office called me yesterday afternoon while I was picking up your Daddy from the eye doctor (One thing you can count on is getting the bad eyesight gene from Mom & Dad). The nurse told me that they did some tests on the blood I gave on Monday and everything looked great. In fact, your Beta score was 120. That number is slightly higher than average for that day and that was very good news. Apparently you are already advanced for your age! I will go back this afternoon to repeat the test and make sure that this score is rapidly increasing as it should be. I hope and pray that this is the first sign of a healthy and safe pregnancy! Also, I posted a picture of the pregnancy tests so I can look at them and remind myself that you are finally going to be a part of our family.
I love you more and more each day.
Mom

Yesterday

Dearest Baby Beale,
Yesterday was a big day for your Daddy and I. It was the day that we found out that you were more than just a glimmer of hope in our eyes. It was a day that changed our lives forever and we are so grateful to know you are going to be joining our family. We have hoped, prayed, and dreamed about you coming into our lives for a long time now and it feels surreal that it is finally happening. I want you to know how much you are loved already. And you will be surrounded by love. There are so many people who will be so excited to meet you. You will have parents, grandparents, even great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends of your Mom and Dad, and a church family who will all shower you with love and attention. They will all love you almost as much as your Daddy and I do. Almost.
I have decided to write love letters to you throughout this pregnancy. Not only to record what is happening, but to let you know how your Daddy and I are feeling about all of this. It is going to be a wild exciting ride and I want to remember every moment I have with you, before I have to share you with the world. Right now no one knows about you except the doctors office, your Dad, and I. We have decided to keep you a secret for now until you have developed a little more and we can plan how tell our family and friends. I do know that your Grandma and Grandpa Lumsden are visiting in a couple months and we can't wait to see the look on their faces when we surprise them with our big news! You are my most precious secret and I can't wait to shout the news of your impending arrival with joy. But for now, you constantly remain in the thoughts racing around in my head. I am not so good with secrets, so this will be a test and a half for me. (More on that later).
Your Dad and I have decided to call you Munchkin until we know whether you are a little boy or girl. It is difficult for us to talk about you without a name and we have decided this will be a good interim name until you officially enter this world. Which by the way, is supposed to be November 7th, 2008. Provided the doctor's office is on the money. Just in time for the holidays. In the future, please don't be embarrassed if we shout your nickname in public for all to hear. My child, this is what parents are designed to do. Lesson one, parents will embarrass you. Tomorrow I have another blood test to make sure that you are safe and sound. Two weeks after that, hopefully you will have your first official photo taken. I can't wait. I am sure your heartbeat will be the most beautiful sound I have ever heard. I will write soon, when I have the result of lab work to report.
I love you Munchkin. With all my heart.
Mom (How weird is that?)