Dear Will,

Hi sweet little boy. I wanted to write just to you today because your time to snuggle up inside me is quickly coming to a close. I can't believe that in just 7 short weeks, you'll be here to snuggle in my arms. The past 8 months since your daddy and I found out about you have gone by so quickly!

You have a personality all your own and I cannot wait to see that personality in your smiles, giggles, surprise, wonder, and laughter. You love to wiggle when I get still and you love it when I lay down at night. You kick and squirm and I imagine that you're settling in and getting comfy for a goodnight sleep. You are very responsive to your mommy and daddy's touches. Today, I was walking down the hall and you started poking on my tummy from the inside. I put my hand over where you were poking and you got very still for a moment. Then you started an all out punching war on the place where my hand was. It made me smile - it was almost as if you were saying hi!

I look at your pictures from our ultrasounds almost every day and I can't wait to see what you look like. Your little nose looks like it is perfect for kisses and in your last pictures, we could see you getting some chubby little cheeks! I wonder what color your hair and eyes will be, if you'll have my chin or your daddy's wavy hair. Whatever you have, it will be perfect. When we were choosing your name, we looked closely at the meaning of it. Your first name means "protector." Your middle name, though, means "gift from God." And a gift you truly are. He picked you out especially for us and it makes me smile to think of you hanging out in Heaven with Jesus waiting to come into our lives.

You are very special to us and you are very, very loved. We'll see you in 7 weeks!

Love,
Mommy

What's in a name?

After going back and forth for a few days, Greg and I finally made a decision on a name! We will be naming the little peanut William Matthew and calling him Will for short. We really wanted something classic, but not too popular for a first name. William Graham was a close runner up, but we really liked that Matthew was a biblical name, and the meaning of Matthew is much better than the meaning of Graham! :) William means "protector" and Matthew means "gift of God." He certainly is a gift from God, so the name seems fitting :)

Greg and I went to Babies R Us yesterday and completed our baby registry. It was very fun, but also a little overwhelming at the same time. I had done tons of research on the safest (and affordable) carseats, strollers, bottles, etc. So it was more a matter of finding the items we wanted and scanning them with the little gun. Will also got his first real baby items - a onesie, a Kenneth Cole leather jacket, jeans, and white waffle-weave shirt, and then a UT pacifier (courtesy of Greg!) :)

Tomorrow, I will be 20 weeks pregnant! My pregnancy is officially halfway finished. How crazy is that? Time is going so fast! This week, Will is about the length of a banana and weighs about 12 ounces. He has begun to hear sounds, which was very evident at church this Sunday! He began wiggling around every time the music would start and would settle down when it stopped. Very cute! Sunday was also the first time that I'd really felt him move - I think the ultrasound helped a lot! I was able to see him moving on the screen and then put the butterfly-like feelings together with his movements. His eyebrows, different skin layers, and fingernails/toenails are also beginning to grow in this week. All of his organs are completely formed and will just continue to grow with him until he is born. He'll be growing much bigger in the coming weeks!