mercurial scribe

(This series of posts are inspired by Dooce’s monthly newsletters to her child. I thought this was brilliant but, like always, had to start ahead of myself. These will be weekly until Miriam Rose is born and monthly once she arrives.)

Dear Miri,

What a week it has been!

For three weeks now, I’ve been able to feel you move as I sit and write at my desk and write for 9 hours a day, which has given me great comfort to know you are active. But then, quite suddenly, you stopped moving. From last Saturday to Monday, you moved maybe once a day to the point where I could feel you and I was so scared something was wrong. But then, sure enough, two nights ago you became the dancing Squishy I’ve known you to be.

One of the greatest joys of being pregnant with you was being able to feel you inside of me, doing your jumping jacks or dancing the funny jig you do. I’ve even learned that certain foods make you behave certain ways. You adore sugar, especially chocolate - I know this because I eat it and you do jumping jacks for a good hour or two. (Daddy says “I wonder where she got THAT from!” See’s Candies’ Lemon Truffles are my greatest sweet weakness and apparently you’ve inherited my enthusiasm. I’d apologize but I’m secretly thrilled you won’t be one of those strange people who doesn’t like chocolate. Blasphemy!) Soup makes you move around - especially that of the vegetable variety - but turkey sandwiches must leave you sleepy because you won’t move at all!

Daddy and I suspect that you are just like me - active and probably gregarious. Grandpa B says he’s passed on the family curse and that I’ll have a child *imagine a booming, doom-filled voice* just like me. But you know what? I’m prepared for that. If you’re shy, that would throw me for the biggest loop. And your Daddy… well, Daddy manages me just fine and I know he’ll adore your endless chatter too. In fact, like your Daddy you like voices. If you get too kick boxer-esque, I start to hum or sing or talk and you calm right down. Now if only Daddy would talk to you more so you could get to know his voice. It’s a nice voice - you’ll like him. He listens well too, just like you, so when you start to “talk” you can coo at him all you want and he’ll be delighted to listen.

In other news, Daddy was kind enough to pass on his cold to me while you grow and give me heartburn and stretch marks. Wasn’t that nice of Daddy to share? But as always, he’s made me tea, warmed up the homemade chicken soup I made him (he’s almost all better) and passed the tissues while I sniffle and sneeze on the couch. You don’t seem to mind one bit - you’ve been somersaulting and jiving to your heart’s content which makes my cold seem not so bad. What’s one or two days of mindless television anyway? I think that’s needed now and again.

Grammy has been very excited about you and keeps trying to give me her “fat clothes” since my belly keeps growing and I don’t fit into much anymore. But one can only have so many pajamas until one feels, oh, lazy. I keep thinking I should look at least semi-presentable to the outside world!

Grandpa H has also been getting ready for your arrival. I’ve seen him look at kiddie books (he likes the ones about boats) and he’ll call me just to talk about toys for you. Oh, Miri! You are going to be so gobbled up with all the love your grandparents are going to lavish on you! It makes Daddy and me so glad to know how much you will have because we didn’t have as much in that way growing up than you will.

Zoë is also anxiously awaiting your arrival. The bigger I get with you the more that dog refuses to leave my side! Daddy and I think she’ll be like Nana in Peter Pan with you. She loves playing with little children, so I know you two will have a lot of fun as you grow up.

I still can’t believe how much our lives have changed in these last 22 weeks. It’s brilliant and scary and I still have hope that you will be born with a $50k a year job that has benefits and a 401k. No? Well, we’ll work on that one…

Love you bigger than the sky,
Mommy

How you look: