3 weeks old

Dear Baby,

You are 3 weeks old today, and I already am starting to forget what life was ever like without you. What was the world like without those sweet lips, or that tiny bottom? I stay up most nights while quietly feeding you and I memorize every inch of that precious angel face.

I thank the Lord each night for you as I stroke that long black hair. And I wonder, where did you get that hair? I look at your eyes and watch them get darker and darker each day. I am so amazed by how dazzling those chocolate brown eyes are becoming. I pray over you while you eat and ask that He take care of you, that He watch you breathe in and out each night so that I can sleep and not worry. But mostly, I talk to the Lord about who you will become.

These are sleepless times right now, but they are sweet times. Times that I will forever remember. I will never forget how you cooed when I sang a Nichole Nordeman song to you or how precious your tiny cry is, almost a deep raspy cry. Excellent for jazz I think.

Oh my love, I adore you...even when you won't let me sleep.

Love, your mama.

My pumpkin

Dear Baby,

I honestly thought we'd be able to take you to the pumpkin patch this year. I was looking forward to tiny baby pictures of you in a pumpkin patch. I guess this will have to do. We still thought of you all day as we felt you looked remarkably like a pumpkin. What fun we will have during your birthday season. It's such a fun time of year, and I am so excited to have a baby now. I've enjoyed my two summer babies. But there is just something magical about carving pumpkins, and corn maizes and falling leaves. I am so excited to give you this kind of a birthday sweet girl. I'm pretty sure, you will develop the nickname "pumpkin".

Love, Mama

Everything Hurts

Dear Baby,

I'm not trying to complain, but as I hit the 31 week mark today I am really feeling crummy. Every muscle in my stomach is stretched to the limit- the stretchmarks have once again appeared just to emphasize that. My back is killing me, and I cannot ever seem to get comfortable. To top it all off, it's been 108 degrees outside all week. Mostly, I just want to be naked all day and I truly wish that were possible.

The thing that makes all these aches and pains tolerable is the thought of you coming into the world. I cannot possibly imagine what you will look like, which keeps me in suspense. I wonder if you will have blue eyes like your brothers, or if you will have brown eyes like your daddy. Will you have those big eyelashes the Warkentin children are famous for? Will you have my nose? These things are still a mystery to me and I cannot wait to find out who you are. I just have to get past all the aches and pains until then :)

I love you baby.
Love, Mama

My little Beckham

Dear Baby,

I am almost 13 weeks pregnant with you and am so happy I am leaving the danger zone of pregnancy. Though you are just a tiny little thing, you have been making your presence known more and more. I started feeling your tiny kicks last week. At first, I thought I was being ridiculous, I mean how could I feel you kick when you are so small? But as the week has progressed, you are such a mover and shaker that I know for SURE that it's you kicking me in there. You've also been kicking my bladder a lot, I cannot believe how fast I am noticing this time.

You are full of energy but I can't help but smile everytime I feel your tiny nudge. Baby it is a feeling like no other feeling on earth. To feel that tiny kick inside your body, is really indescribably happy. Even when I'm NOT pregnant, I often feel phantom kicks and it almost makes me sad. So this time, I am going to treasure every kick, every movement. It is such a wonderful feeling and a way to get to know you better, even though I can't snuggle with you.

I love you so much baby.
Love,
Mama