Mom and Dad, Gestating, December 2011 and into January 2012

As Dad madly finished his work at the school during the first couple of weeks of December, both of us grew more excited and prepared for our 2 1/2 week long vacation.  We visited the whole of the Jewett Clan in Michigan for the first 6 days of our vacation, then headed to Mexico for our "Babymoon".  We expect to travel with you, Junior, but we also expect that travelling will be a bit different when you're around, so we took this "Babymoon" as our last chance to travel as a couple before we become a triple.  We wrote several blogs about our Mexico travels, so check out these links for more info on the trip (Mexico Part 1, Mexico Part 2, Mexico Part 3, Mexico Part 4, Mexico Part 5).  We finished our vacation by arriving in Boston Massachusetts on New Year's Eve and were able to ring in 2012 with a friend we made in Bulgaria who is now studying epidemiology at Harvard.

I should mention that you have started kicking a great deal.  You are quite busy in there!  It's a funny feeling that I'm finally getting used to - except when you move around with gusto, then I am taken by surprise.  Your dad has been able to feel you through my stomach.  This makes you much more of a reality to us along with the fact that I can't possibly hide the fact that I'm pregnant now (not that I want to hide it).  But the truth is, I really look pregnant, and I don't even recognize my own body anymore.  This has been a wild ride and so interesting to feel and see how my body has been changing.  I finally had to resort to taking some stronger heartburn medicine because Junior, you are pressing on my stomach enough that I've had the worst heartburn I've ever experienced while carrying you around.  Luckily, Pepcid AC actually does the job.  It's all worth it though.  All the changes, and the tenderness, and the heartburn, and the hormonal ups and downs, and the fear, and the joy.  We can't wait to meet you in three month, Junior!  Your extended family members and many of our dear friends are anxious to meet you too.  We'll be having lots of visitors during your first few months (and hopefully beyond that too!).

Oh, and I guess I didn't mention this in any previous post, but during our last ultrasound (in November) we discovered that you are a girl.  So now we're trying to decide on a name.  We've gotten lots of suggestions from friends and family (we particularly like how much fun Uncle Jim and his boys are having coming up with unusual names - such as Strawberry Snowflake, or Juniper, or Egypt).

Enjoy the slideshow and the additional photographs at the end!





NEW YEAR'S DAY

Dad and Lindsay at a really cool adult "playground" next to the Charles River in Boston, Massachusetts.

Mom and Dad pose in front of the Charles River and downtown Boston, Massachusetts.

Mom showing off her big belly in front of the Big Belly solar trash compactor along the Charles River in Boston, Massachusetts.