Dear Baby: Week 33

DEAR BABY,

WE SAW THE DR. YESTERDAY AND EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD AND HEALTHY AS USUAL. I'VE GAINED 2 POUNDS IN A MONTH, SO THE GROWTH SPURTS ARE SLOWING DOWN. THIS WEEK I GOT MY VERY FIRST STRETCH MARKS THOUGH, AND I COULD CRY. THERE'S A TINY CLUSTER ON EACH OF MY HIP BONES AND ALTHOUGH YOU CAN'T SEE THEM UNLESS YOU'RE REALLY IN MY BUBBLE, IT'S ALL I CAN HELP BUT NOTICE WHEN I'M DOING MY DAILY COCONUT OIL RUB DOWN IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR. WHEN I THINK OF WHAT I'M TRADING THEM FOR I FEEL BETTER. THEY'LL EVENTUALLY FADE AWAY AND I'VE GOT YOU FOR LIFE! YOU'RE STILL MEASURING AT A WEEK LATER THAN WE ARE ACCORDING TO MY DUE DATE, SO MAYBE YOU'LL BE HERE EVEN EARLIER THAN WE THOUGHT! PEOPLE KEEP TELLING ME FIRST BABIES COME LATE THOUGH, SO THIS MIGHT PUT YOU RIGHT ON TIME. WE'VE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO SEE YOU MOVE THESE DAYS. MY WHOLE BELLY SHIFTS FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND POPS OUT ALL OVER AND YOUR PAPA REALLY GETS A KICK OUT OF THAT. I'VE ALWAYS GOTTEN THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ABLE TO FEEL YOU SO I THINK HE LOVES THAT HE CAN GET IN ON IT TOO NOW. I HAVEN'T HAD ANY OF THE DREADED PREGNANCY DISCOMFORTS OR COMPLAINTS I EXPECTED TO HAVE BY NOW BASED OFF WORD OF MOUTH, AND I JUST KEEP WAITING FOR THE HARD PART. NOT THAT I'M ASKING FOR IT, IF YOU WANT TO KEEP MAKING THIS BREEZY FOR MAMA, PLEASE DO! I THINK YOU'LL BE HAPPY AND MELLOW AND LOW MAINTENANCE LIKE US. YOUR HEARTBEAT WAS THE MOST LOUD AND CLEAR IT'S EVER BEEN WHEN WE LISTENED ON THE DOPPLER THIS WEEK. THERE WAS NO MORE WHITE NOISE AROUND IT, JUST A CLEAN, STRONG BEAT. SOME OF YOUR GRANDPARENTS ARE COMING TO VISIT IN THREE DAYS! WE ALL HOPE TO SEE YOU IN 3D IF THE DR. WILL ALLOW US, BUT I READ SOMEWHERE THAT IT'S NOT RECOMMENDED AFTER 34 WEEKS (WHICH YOU'RE MEASURING AT), SO WE'LL SEE! I'VE REALLY BEEN GETTING EXCITED FOR YOU TO COME OUT SO I CAN DRESS YOU AND ENTERTAIN YOU AND TAKE YOU EVERYWHERE! WE BOTH WENT THROUGH A FEAR FAZE BUT ALL THE SHOPPING AND PREPPING FOR YOU HAS US READY AND ANXIOUS. I JUST WANT TO SEE YOUR SWEET FACE AND GET TO KNOW YOUR PERSONALITY! WE LOVE YOU LITTLE BOY! XOXO MAMABEAR