Pregnancy Update - Week 25 day 3

Hi my darling boy,
Yesterday we had quiet a scare. I went to the hospital to have you and I monitored. My ankle shouldn't be swelling only on one foot. Also I've been having a rib pain only on the right side for weeks. The doctor's were worried it was pre-eclampsia. Thank God it wasn't. You and I were releaed and checked out fine. I got to hear your heart for an hour. I managed to record it. I am not sure if it will work but I am going to try and post it here.
Son, yesterday showed me just how important you are to me. I prayed so hard for you, I didn't care what happened to me, as long as God took care of YOU. Your little life is so meaningful to me, I care about you so much it rips my heart to shreds just thinking that anything could go wrong during this pregnancy, especially because of me! You're doing fabulously and had a few little spikes in your heart rate yesterday but that's normal from what I understand.

I love you so much little boy. You have no idea.

Your mommy

Pregnancy - Week 25

Dear Baby boy,
Wow today we're 25 weeks pregnant! Only 15 more weeks to go! I can't believe it. This past week you've gotten considerably stronger. The other day you kicked me so hard it made me double over and catch my breathe. Daddy and I both got a little scared. I was worried I'd see your little foot sticking out or something! Now I can lay down and watch you play. Your movements are still very fast and jerky but sometimes, I can tell you're stretching out because it feels like a coordinated stretch. Its really very cute.

I'm running out of clothes that fit me anymore. I seem to be wearing the same things over and over again. But honestly I don't really want to buy too many more clothes because I will be losing weight after your born, and that extra money could be money I could spend on you instead! I've read that by now you should weigh about 1.5lbs, and should measure anywhere between 9.5-13.5" which is quite a bit longer than I expected, but it makes perfect sense because you have incredible reach. I can feel you at one side of me and at another side at the same time. Although you typically like to stay in one spot and play around there.

I'm still workig these days, and I'm horribly uncomfortable trying to sit in a chair for 8 hours. I will start working from home in about 10 weeks, which in my opinion can't come any sooner. If I try to lean forward in this chair you kick a litttle hard, if I lean back my bottom hurts, and you still kick, not hard but like you want me to move.

My feet and hands are SUPER swollen. Last week I had to take off my wedding rings. :( I was getting worried that they'd have to be cut off because my fingers have grown about 2.5 sizes. I've put on about 28lbs. to date, and most of my shoes don't fit me anymore without any discomfort.

I know it sounds like I'm this big complainer, but it all brings me back to you. Sweet little you. My son Sebastian. I relish in the thought of caring for you and holding you near me. I so look forward to the day when I can listen to you coo in your sleep and make those funny pursed lips like when babies remember that they're supposed to be sucking. I love you baby.

Your Mommy

Pregnancy - Week 24

Dear baby,
I was hoping to have an ultrasound picture of you today to post here, but I'm out of luck. In fact, I'm terribly disappointed with that whole doctor's appointment Daddy and I had this morning. You were fantastic, your little heartbeat was chugging as normal, but our doctor is rather rude, and rushes us all the time. The good thing that came out of today is that Daddy and I got the Whooping Cough vaccine, and I got my blood tested for all sorts of things that could be dangerous for you. So I'll have my results by tomorrow morning.
I didn't realize how important it was for me to be able to see you. I feel like crying about it now. I want to see how big you've gotten. I guess I'll just have to wait. Baby, the love I have for you has grown so much these past few months, not because I never loved you, but because I didn't expect to feel this way, so protective, so excited and so full of honest anticipation of you. I want to see you so badly it's eating away at me. I can see you kicking, raising your little body parts through my skin, and I can feel when you turn, do rotations, and have hiccups, but your face. I want to see it. I've dreamt of you so many times already. I'm sure your face as the rest of you will be perfect as pie. I just have zero patience.
I'm really tired today baby, and I don't feel like myself. I worked 14 hours yesterday and I'm so exhausted. I can't imagine the exhaust I'm going to feel after you're born and still not sleeping a full night. God help us all. I've been so cranky that I'm even aggrivating myself.
The good news is, you've given me a new-found resolve. I seem to be very productive these days. Procrastinating drives me crazy these days, so when I'm faced with something that needs to be done, I'll do my best to just get it done without putting it off. Procrastination has been a struggle of mine for many years. So thank you baby, I can see you changing me already! Also, I haven't been getting anxious at all, I'm more eager now than anything. I'm trying to slow down and enjoy our time together as one. Everyday I try to talk to you or sing to you, so you can get to know my voice. I don't know if it's working at all. I know that when I tap you sometimes, you tap back. So I know you can feel me. That's what's so cool baby. You can feel me too. At least when I directly touch you. You don't seem to like it much when I sleep on my side, but I have to according to my doctors. Being on my back for too long can limit your blood supply and restrict your oxygen. Plus it makes Daddy nervous, and I don't want to do that.

I love you son, and I'm so excited for the day that we meet.

Love,
Your Mommy

Pregnancy - Week 23

Dear baby boy,

Wow the weeks are really speeding by. I can't believe we're more than 2/3 of the way through! I've been trying to clear out your nursery, wow baby you've got a lot of things now! We've been fortunate enough to receive hand-me-downs from 4 different babies! You're a very lucky little fellow. I have a big hamper of clothes sitting right next to me that needs to be folded and put away. As I fold your little things, I just marvel at that fact that sometime soon you will be wearing them!

My baby shower is approaching soon. I have about 8 or 9 people helping me out with this! My friends have been amazing throughout this pregnancy. My one friend Emma has been particularly sweet. She is really excited to meet you.

Today I was cleaning out your closet and trying to put something away into my own closet (a big plastic bin of drawers filled with my art supplies) and oh my goodness two of the drawers flew out and bonked me on the head! I even tried to duck to get out of the way and still I was nailed..Now I'm just nursing a headache. But thankfully nothing came near you. I need to be more careful. I seem to think I can tackle more than I can these days. With your due date quickly approaching, I feel like I'm running out of time!

I've been keeping track of your kicks lately. You're a very active little funny bunny. At night sometimes you'll give me about 10 kicks in about 9 or 10 minutes! Other times you keep me in suspense and wait around for about 30-40 minutes before doing anything. I've heard that at this point in your development this is normal. So I'm not too stressed about it. If you don't do anything at all, then I get worried.

Daddy and I decided to remodel the kitchen. I'm sure it will look so amazingly beautiful! I think we'll probably get started on it in October. That's my only requirement is that we get it all done before you arrive. I don't want you to have to try and sleep through construction and strange people coming in and out of our house. I want everything to be perfect by the time you get here. Plus that will give Daddy and I some much needed rest. I'm sure you'll have a very whacky sleeping schedule for a bit, so it's very possible we will be really sleep deprived. That is not a good time for any other stresses.

Daddy gets really excited when he feels you kicking. I think you two seem to have this unspoken understanding or something. Or maybe you just know who is daddy and who is mommy. I think you already know who I am because of my voice. I've been singing to you lately. Sometimes on our walks in the morning. We've been going on walks at about 7am for the past week and a half. You seem to do well on them, except for today, I must've pushed us too hard because I was in pain when I got home from my walk. That's why I'm working from home today. To just try and take it easy. I guess I'm not doing a very good job of relaxing. I just feel like there is so much to be done still and I'm barely there yet.

I need to run my baby boy. Below you will find a picture of us taken this morning. I think you're going to be a pretty big boy by the looks of my growing tummy.



I love you,

Your mommy

Pregnancy - Week 22

Dear Baby boy,
I'm just a little over 22 weeks pregnant with you. What a little spit-fire you are! You are so active and bouncy I get tired just sitting sometimes! It's amazing to me what a vibrant little source of life you are just sprouting up in my tummy! I look extremely pregnant, maybe a little too big. I'm now committing to walking as often as I can. I think it will be good for both of us. I'd stopped because you were shifting down a little too low and giving me pains.

Last week, Daddy and I went to a mid-pregnancy class. It was very interesting to learn that just at 21 weeks you were hitting milestones that babies at the gestational age of 24-28 weeks normally hit. Baby, you're developing FAST.

This week we're starting to nail down baby shower stuff. I've started the registry for you, and man is there a lot to think of! Its a little overwhelming. I wish I could just have everything I need without having to think about it, compare brands, and consider the cost. I love shopping for you, but for the fun silly things, like clothes and nursery room stuff. Nail clippers, thermometers, they just make me a little confused. I really wont' know how you will handle all this stuff until you're born and I just have to try it out on you. Eeeek, I don't even want to think about clipping your teeny tiny nails, that just freaks me out. I tried to help my good friend Veronica with her daughter Sophia and it was so difficult when she was swinging her little arms all over the place. So maybe I'll give it a try while you're napping...

Baby you're arrival is so close, I'm getting sooooo excited. I can't wait to meet you!!! I feel you all the time, except right now, I think you're napping. The other night you gave me quite a scare. I guess you were napping for a few hours, because normally you're so active and you were just quiet that whole day until late that night. Daddy and I were so nervous, I was about to go to the hospital when suddenly you gave me 10 little kicks in about 10 minutes! The nurse told me to keep an eye out for at 3 kicks in two hours. So you can see why when you're not drumming up a storm I worry. Already little one, you have me so wrapped up around your little/big fingers. I'm sure my heart will turn to mush and everything I've learned with Christian will go out the window. Poor guy has learned that I can be really hard on him, but that's only because I want him to grow up in to a strong, good young man, as I wish for you too. But I can only do and say so much with your brother. After all, I am not his mommy. I am yours. But that doesn't stop me from loving him like his mommy. Someday baby this will all make sense to you. You will understand the bigger picture. When its time we will teach you all that you need to know and then some. You will NEVER go without, not as long as your daddy and I are alive. And even after that, nonna and nonno wouldn't let you go without.

I made this classical song list for you, and I'm listening to it right now. Its so beautiful baby that it makes me want to cry. Sometimes, the sound of instruments make such amazingly beautiful sounds that words cannot depict. When you are born, I will play this for you. Who knows, maybe it will inspire you to pick up an instrument and give it a try. Whatever you decide to do in life little one, you will always have my support. As long as you do it with love and keep God as number 1 in your heart.

I love you baby.

Your mommy

Pregnancy - Week 21

Dear Son,
Today I am 21 weeks pregnant with you. we have 19 more weeks to go, until your expected appearance. Today, I discovered that you seem to really enjoy the group Journey. You were kicking and punching up a storm, right along to the beat of the music. It was amazing actually. Tomorrow daddy and I have a mid-pregnancy class to learn about what to expect during this time. I'm sure it will be really interesting.

We have finally picked out your name! We plan to call you Sebastian Joseph Urmeneta. Sebastian because your daddy loves this name, and Joseph because I want to honor nonnna and nonno and your great great nonno's also named Joseph. It's a family name in the Tranchina family that goes way way back. Also, your cousin Barnaby has the same middle name. :)

I can't believe how quickly the weeks are flying by. Today is probably the hottest day we will have this summer. Its currently 101 degrees outside. Christian just started school yesterday, he's a sophmore at Fremont High School. He's growing up so fast, I can barely believe my eyes sometimes. As are you my darling. I can't wait to hold you in my arms and take in your smell.

These past few days have been really super emotional for me. I seem to cry so easily. Your zia Rosie has been having some health issues, so I think that's adding to my worries. But mostly I worry about being good enough for you. I worry about change. I wish I could not worry so much. I'm sure once you and I meet, my view on everything will change completely. I already feel so protective of you. In fact I've stopped going to busy/crowded places, because I worry people will bump into me and hurt you. I'm getting really big! I've gained about 20lbs. I've never looked like this before. So, for the sake of remembering to write this, I wanted to mention that you kick a lot these days. So much, in fact sometimes it hurts, and other times you make me lose my breath because it's so hard. You kick and punch when you're hungry I think. If I go too long without eating, you seem to move around a lot like a little jumping bean, that's the size of a banana/small cantalope? I can't keep track of what size of produce you're supposed to resemble. But I think you should probably weigh about 10 oz. by now. Its amazing to feel you move around. Because sometimes when I'm working and caught up in something, you give me a little bump. It's a sweet reminder of your existence.

My friends Emma and Brenda gave us so many things baby! We have three carseats and numerous toys and so many clothes and things for you. Daddy and I have been marveling at how blessed we are to have such good friends. You are set until you are about a year or two old.

Anyway baby, I love you. I feel you a lot and dream about you. I can't wait to meet you. But take your time I need you to be fully baked before coming out. 40 weeks son, let's aim for that.


Love you,
Your Mommy

Pregnancy - Week 20

Dear Son,
What a fiesty little baby you are! You have been kicking and punching and moving and stretching like crazy! Sitting down is a bit of a challenge, moving around is even a challenge, I have to move slowly. I love how active you are because it really shows me how vivacious you are and you're just 5 months in utero!
Today I went to the doctors cause last night you gave me a scare. Coming back from lunch I think you got stuck in one position and could get out of it, it hurt me a lot physically. You felt like you were resting really low inside me. So I went home and after and I laid down, you did two rolls and stretched out. I think we both felt a lot better. I think you just need a little more space. Today the doctor listened to you heartbeat. What a strong little heart you have, it's like a chugging little train. It made me melt. Then he checked my urine and my cervix just to make sure I was tight as a drum and keeping you inside me, which I was. But with all this activity going on inside me, I feel like you've loosened things up inside me! I can't explain it very well, but I feel like its really easy for me to lose my balance and I seem to stumble around a lot. Its saftest if I am just laying down or sitting quietly.
I've been snippy lately...I've been told that your increasing testasterone is affecting me adversely. I've been really agressive and angry lately. I hope this doesn't go on for too long, cause I am not sure I even like me right now. I just keep thinking of the end result, you beautiful little you. I make daddy crazy these days. I guess he feels like he's walking on eggshells with me, cause no one knows when I'm going to blow. :( not even me, most of the time. One minute I feel fine, and the next I feel like I could strangle someone. And this is on most days.
I've been told that later on in our pregnancy the doctor will give me a kick counter to see how often you're kicking. I suppose your kicking is going to slow down a little with the decrease in space you have. You don't seem to mind it too much right now, because once you get tired of one area, you move on to the next. You seem to like kicking and poking the same spot over and over again.
I made a CD for you, all of the classical greatest hits. I hope you like it. When I listen to it, you seem to respond to the music. I wonder if you can hear the music that I hear. I know you can hear my voice. I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm screaming all the time. I'll try to keep that in check. I want you to have a safe and comfy little haven, and I don't feel like I've done a very good job at providing that for you.
I can't wait to see you again sweet boy. We have an ultrasound in about a month. I'm sure you will have grown a lot since then. Daddy and I have a few classes coming up, one is a mid-pregnancy class, and the next one is birth readiness. I think they'll teach me how to handle birthing you and learning how to breath properly, etc. I'm excited. It's like the movies. Well my darling baby boy, I need to run. We still haven't agreed on a name for you yet. I feel like I need to wait to feel strongly about one name and so far I don't.

I love you to pieces.

Your Mommy