Emerson Jude is about 15.7 inches long now, and he weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him, but that volume will decrease as he gets bigger and takes up more room in my uterus. His eyesight continues to develop, though it’s not very keen; even after he’s born, he’ll keep his eyes closed for a good part of the day. When he does open them, he will have 20/400 vision.

We’re sick! The Littlejohns have all caught a cold. Gigi’s is a little disconcerting as it is carrying a low fever with it, which makes me think some kind of infection has settled in…

Other than that, I am feeling better than I have in weeks! My back is not hurting right now (knock on wood), my gallbladder is being quiet (again, knock on wood), and my varicose veins are just chilling, not a word from them in a while. It is good. PLUS I have popped out there quite suddenly. My mom was surprised when I sent the picture of my bulging belly to her. She had seen me the week before and I wasn’t showing all that much. I guess Jude is in a totally different position. I’m loving it! The other interesting thing that has been happening are Braxton Hicks contractions. For a while I thought the baby was just in an ‘interesting’ position for a few moments. Suddenly it dawned on me that they are those lovely preparatory contractions. This is all fairly new to me. With Guinevere, I didn’t show until about the last week, she hardly ever moved, and I had nary a contraction until I was finally induced well after her due date had come and gone. This pregnancy is the total flip side: wiggly baby, big tummy, daily contractions… Will there be an early arrival? I guess we’ll have to wait and see if all the opposites come to fruition!

I have spent a good part of my weekend filling out paperwork and writing our birth plan for the hospital. It seems strange that we are close enough to delivering that I am needing to take care of the necessary forms. Next week I have my final monthly appointment with my doctor. Then we move on to every other week. How exciting!

I started teaching again last week. It was really nice to be back, though terribly exhausting. I was in bed or napping in the early evenings several days last week. I love teaching though, and again was so grateful for this class I am teaching. They are so kind and sensitive. I can’t say enough good things about how supportive and helpful they are to me. I am blessed.

Suddenly, over the past few days, we have been getting grief over the name we have chosen for our son. I know that we are not naming him a typical name, but it is the best most beautiful name we can think of for him. It is hurtful when people are critical of this, the first gift, we are giving our child. The criticism also makes us just want to share less. It is the name Guinevere would have had were she a boy. People questioned that name as well, but have admitted as time has passed that it is an incredibly fitting name for her. Emerson Jude’s name will be the same. We are blessed enough to be able to use both of those wonderful names. And what’s with all the pressure to name a boy after somebody? Because he is a boy does not make him an instant carrier of ancestral names. If that were the case, men would be walking around with all sorts of awkward names like Abernathy and Ichabod that have been passed down through the generations. He will already carry Littlejohn. He will be Emerson Jude. And we love that name.

Quite cutely, Guinevere has begun to carry a baby doll everywhere sh goes. He is imaginary Baby Jude and he goes everywhere with us, to the mall, the stores, and always buckled tightly in the car. At home, he is in the baby swing, the bassinet, the highchair, and is frequently placed on my lap to be nursed. I suppose this is Guinevere’s way of getting used to having a baby around. It is very sweet how careful and protective she is of her ‘little brother.’

So anyhow, blessings to all.

Stay healthy, wash your hands, sneeze into your elbow, all that good stuff!
Tami


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