1d

Merrill Elizabeth Reed

May 19, 2009

12:56 p.m.

4 lbs. 12 ozs.

17 inches long

Details to come....

34w6d

Last night, as I attempted in vain to find a comfortable position, I had a moment where I wished my husband could take over the rest of this pregnancy. When I mentioned that to him, he immediately said he'd be happy to. I get the sense that if this were actually possible, and I were able to hand him the baby to carry for the next five weeks, it would probably result in him being pregnant for about a week before gliding into easy labor and delivering Ferris without breaking a sweat.

When I think about the things my husband (or any man, for that matter) will never understand about being pregnant, I feel it necessary to share them with him:

• The ability to put your pants on like a normal person will completely escape you.
• Peeing constantly gets old, fast.
• Carrying around an extra 30 lbs. is harder than you'd expect.
• When you can't get comfortable, climbing out of your body seems like the only available option.
• Hormones. That is all.
• Feeling pretty when you are bloated, nauseous, exhausted and hot is amazingly difficult.
• There will come a time when you think you can't possibly drink another glass of water. Drink one anyway.
• The fear that you'll do something wrong and hurt the baby is crippling.
• If you love to be the center of attention, you'll love being pregnant. If not, you'll often be overwhelmed and anxious.
• At the end of a long day, when all you want to do is enjoy a few drinks, you can't.

Now, I know that list doesn't make pregnancy sound appealing at all - but it's not all bad. There are also the wonderful moments a man will never experience:

• Being able to talk to your baby and feel it kick in response is better than watching your team play in the Super Bowl.
• Having a free pass to indulge in your cravings without being judged is liberating.
• The knowledge that you are carrying the child you've created with the person of your dreams is incomparable.
• You'll never love someone you've never met the way you'll love this person.

On second thought, I take it back - I don't want to give up these last five weeks.

34w4d

So here we are, with just a little over 5 weeks to go. I'm not entirely sure how this is possible, and I can't decide if I'm ready or if I want to stay pregnant forever - both emotions grip me at any given moment. One of the most common questions I get now is "Are you ready?" - and my answer is always the same: "Physically, yes - but beyond that, I'm not sure."

Ferris is wildly active at this point - and I like to think that the triggers are indicative of what our little squirt's personality will be. I went to a Patsy Cline tribute at the Ryman Auditorium on Friday night, and every time the music ramped up, so did Ferris - leading me to believe that our baby will have great taste in music. Yesterday we went out on the boat for a while, and as Ferris rolled around and kicked, I sighed with relief at the thought that we'll have a little one who loves the water.

Mother's Day in our family is usually celebrated the same way every year - my grandmother comes into town from Mississippi and joins my mom, my sister and I for the weekend. This year we were lucky enough to add my mother-in-law to the mix and it was so inspiring to look around the table at all of these women who have helped shape me and mold me into who I am. I give each of them credit for showing me different things: an insane sense of humor, the ability to multi-task, the tendency to be laid back at all times, fierce determination, stoic patience, and unconditional love - just to name a few. I feel lucky to be a part of this family of strong women, and I know they'll be here for us as we build our family...learning as we go and leaning on them for advice and support.

33w6d

Today's ultrasound provided mixed results - a very healthy Ferris, although a very healthy Ferris that is still a bit too small. Growth is in the 24th percentile, which is lower than last time - although Ferris did gain a little bit of weight, it's just not the "normal" amount. We will go back in two more weeks for another ultrasound to monitor growth - but in the meantime we can rest assured that all is well.

(I have to admit that I'm enjoying the upside of these multiple ultrasounds - any chance to see this tiny little face again!)