Just as Nostradamus Predicted: The Great Belly Explosion of 2009!

Good evening little one!

I just wanted to check in on this the 17th week of your gestation. Things continue to go well in our household, your dad and I are working away and Skye and Tucker spend their days depositing fur and canine body impressions on our bed. You are doing an incredible amount of growing now! You are 5 inches and 5 ounces and your hearing is developing ... geeze, I'd better watch that I don't frighten you with my language ... or singing. You will find out, my dear child, that though the Stewart family has been blessed with many gifts - a nice singing voice is not one of them. Sadly, it is quite the opposite. Even more sad is that we love to sing. You will someday hear my sister, your aunt Carol, belting out many a song tunelessly in the car. Cats everywhere cover their ears with their paws. Unfortunately I'm no better. Your dad is much more musical and since we now know that you are listening, he will now sit close to my belly and play his guitar for you.

As you will recall, I had been quite chuffed with myself for not gaining weight between doctors visits. I had also been able to wear my own jeans, albeit tightly, up until last Tuesday. Since I hit the four month mark last Wednesday however, it seems that almost overnight my body underwent an incredible change. I officially 'popped'! This was unfortunately realized at approximately 4:30 this past Saturday as I rushed to get ready for a 2 3/4 hour ride to Tillsonburg for a party with our friends. My jeans didn't even come close to doing up - I tried using an elastic band to hold both sides together and all I managed to do was get my hand stung as the elastic snapped. 30 minutes later I had a pile of pants and skirts beside me and I stood in a bra and tights fighting back tears of frustration while your dad yelled for me to hurry up and 'what the heck was taking me so long?' I considered going in my cleanest jammies and expressing surprise when I got there that 'oops - why did I think it was a pajama party?' but eventually found a skirt and top that I could wear comfortably.

Everyone who I shared my Saturday night story with has said 'of course you have a belly, you're pregnant!' which I obviously know, but it seemed to occur within days, moments even. I was under no illusions that I would remain the same weight nor did I daydream of people being shocked in July that I was so-far along because I looked fantastic and 'barely-pregnant.' Okay, I lied. I have daydreamed about it. I daydreamed that I would end up with this smallish bump at the very end with no weight having stuck to any other part of my body. Like Cindy Crawford who gained only 15lbs, 8 of which was baby (*I'll explain who that is/was when you are older*). I daydreamed in the same way I have our 649 winnings already alotted for when the big day occurs - hopeful but certainly not realistic. No, my sweet baby. From not fitting into pants before a party to being taken to work via flatbed truck, this overnight bump is just the start of a very crazy journey.

We had a great time at the party. Food was eaten, drinks were drank (non-alcoholic in my case of course :) and there was a ton of laughter. You probably got pretty shook up in there with the all of the belly laughs that were had, not to mention all of the hands that reached out to touch you. Don't be creeped out, you were rubbed out of love. As you get older we will tell you not to let strangers reach out and touch you, but trust us that while you are in the womb it is perfectly fine. Many very special people, to whom you are already very important were there. Nic and Rob, Laura and Duane, Keri-Lyn and Brian, Liz, Marion ... just some of the incredible people whom you will get to know and love from the very moment that you are born. I don't know how your dad and I got so lucky to have such phenomenal friends but we are so grateful. We also received our first baby gifts!! Nikki Gundry bought you your first stuffed animal - a very soft elephant. You will come to find that after my three-month stint in India, I am elephant-crazy, in fact I would love to decorate your room with all elephants but your dad feels that it would be 'too much' (though a Jeep comforter, lamp, wall decorations and rug would not ... ahem ...). Keri-Lyn and Brian gave us a frame for our first sonogram pictures. I have never seen this before and was incredibly touched by the gesture. 17 weeks in and you are already getting spoiled!

Oh, I forgot to mention that your dad and I started prenatal classes last week. It started off innocently enough; talk of nutrients, food, do's and don'ts ... and just as we were lulled into a sense of security *WHAM* on went a birthing video. Your dad, completely unprepared for this turn of events, was traumatized (as were many of the other fathers in the room). Needless to say that when you make your grand entrance into the world, the first person you will lay eyes on will be the doctor. Not your dad. Don't take offence, it's nothing you've done - it's just that if your dad turns green and sweaty while watching a birthing video that he can turn away from, I hesitate to put him in a situation where it is full-on. I would like my memories of your entrance into the world to be void of your dad receiving medical attention after collapsing onto the floor. It's just safer for all involved.

Well babe, 17 weeks down and only 23 to go! Though I am so anxious to meet you that I sometimes feel like time is dragging, it is actually zooming past us. In three weeks time we get to see you for an extended period and take home a picture! We can't wait. You are already the light of our lives and you haven't even seen your first sunrise yet.

Love you lots. Stay safe and grow strong.
love,

Mom