Dear Toot,

today, my phone tells me that you are the size of a cauliflower. Last week, you were evidently the size of a "hothouse cucumber." I'm getting a little fed up with these comparisons. Why can't they use something less variable than fruits and vegetables? When you were blueberry-sized, it was a helpful comparison, but I just cannot visualize a "hothouse cucumber." Grr...

I'm happy to say that you're at a point where I feel you moving around every day. I really enjoy this part of being pregnant. It's so reassuring to feel you wiggling around, doing your little fetus things in there. The other day, you hit me so hard that it sort of tickled my muscles. I've never been tickled from the inside before, so thanks for that. Your Dad got a big kick out of it. You move around a lot when I eat fresh carrots. As a result, I find myself eating a ton of carrots. If you come out orange, now you know why.

Don't tell him I told you, but the other night, your Dad felt his first BIG kick, and he cried a little. He would insist that "teared up" is the more accurate phrase, but I saw him wipe his eyes, so some of those tears that welled up CLEARLY made their way out. It was really very sweet. He loves you a lot.

It sounds weird, but I think I am going to miss it when I can't feel you moving anymore, after you make your big journey into the real, non-uterine world. I know that we'll be able to have a lot more fun together once you're born, but it will be different. I feel like this is our special Mommy/Little Buddy time, and I'll be sad to see it go. But I know your Dad feels a little left out, so it'll be great when he can play with you too (and tickle your feet and poke your belly -- you were warned!)

We went to a family reunion on Sunday. Everybody asked about you, and they even gave you some presents! So now, you have some books, a set of really awesome eating utensils that are made from cornstarch, a storage bin with owls on it, a baby book for all our memories, two more cloth diapers and a diaper sprayer! It was really awesome. You'll get to meet everybody next year, and you can thank them then.

I'm going to sign off now because it's almost time for me to go to my weekly trivia game. Wish us luck. We won last week, and it would be great to repeat the performance.

Can't wait to meet you!

Love,
Mom

27 weeks, 1 day in the oven