Dear Pickle

Our sweet little pickle,

I've been wanting to write a letter to you for a while, but couldn't bring myself to do it until now.  I guess part of my was just waiting to get past the 12.5 week mark, which is when we lost your sister last year.  Yesterday was that day (finally!).  

Sometimes I can't even believe that there is a person growing inside of me.  A beautiful, amazing person.  There are so many questions that I can't wait to have answered.  Of course there are the obvious questions: Are you a boy or girl?  What color eyes and hair will you have?  Will you look more like Mommy or Daddy?  Will you have any health problems?

And then the more I think about it, the more questions come up.  What will you want to be when you "grow up?"  Will you be a touchy person or more stand-offish?  Who will be your first love?  Your first real loss?  

There are so many things I want for you, so many things I want to protect you from.  I am already dreading the day when you get your heart-broken, whether it be by someone of the opposite sex or the loss of a loved one or pet.  I don't want you to ever hurt.  Ever.

But I know that it is part of you becoming YOU.

I do pray that through anything you go through, that you always know these two things; First, Mommy and Daddy love you so very much and you can always come to us for anything.  Secondly, as much as Mom and Dad love you, it is NOTHING compared to how very much Jesus loves you.  There is absolutely nothing that you can do that will make Him love you any more, and nothing that you can do to make him love you less.  I hope that you learn this from us, that we are good examples of His unending love.

Alrighty, my love, Mommy has to go to work.  Technically, you have to go with her ;)  So let's go my sweetie!

With so very much love,

Mommy

Aaaaaaaaand I'm back...for now :-)

First of all, I think it is terrible that they call it "morning sickness."  Mine is definitely more of a "morning/noon/night/everywhere in-between sickness."  The good thing is that once I get itout, I feel yuck for a few minutes but then I feel pretty great.  Usually.

I am 11 weeks and 2 days along.  My first appointment was last Monday and it went swimmingly, as they say.  My doctor was wonderful, very understanding of our situation (ie the miscarriage) and how we are a little nervous.  He 

was very reassuring, but just to make sure WE felt as reassured as possible, he said we could do an ultrasound!!  We were hoping to be able to hear the heartbeat, but an ultrasound was more than we could have hoped for!!  

Here is the most BEAUTIFUL picture in the world, our little pickle!

Pickle was in the perfect position for his/her first photo op, so you can see the head in the left hand corner, perfect little hands/arms next, then a sweet little belly that is just BEGGING to be kissed, and finally little wonderful feet/legs.  I am so excited to meet this little one!!!

My first real craving was Sunday night, after getting an email from my sister-in-law describing her trip to a fish n' chip shop.  All of a sudden, I absolutely HAD to have Red Robin's Arctic Cod Fish & Chips (which were fabulous RR endless steak fries) with one of their AMAZING chocolate milk shakes.  The hubs and I shared both, and it was the perfect amount for both of us.  

Hmm, other than that, can't wait to find out the sex of the pickle whenever we can so that I can start sewing...clothes, bedding, whatever I can!  Oh so very exciting!