Dear Jack

Dear Jack,

This weekend hit the 3rd trimester mark for us, which is kind of hard to believe. I'm always hoping that I'll have more time to write like I did when I was pregnant with your brother, but honestly, life looks extremely different than it did 5 years ago. Between work, preparing things at home for you and getting back into "baby mode", running after your very-active 4 year old brother, hockey, taking care of an old-allergy-ridden dog and everything else in between it's all I can do most nights to not conk out by 8 PM.

Okay so sometimes I do conk out by 8 PM.

The doctor's office called Monday to confirm you are officially scheduled on the books for delivery. It happens to be a very special day not only because you'll be joining us, but its also your Papa's birthday. It seems fitting that you would be scheduled to come on his birthday, seeing as how you are partially named after his mom.

Your big brother is really excited for you. I get to wake up most mornings to him crawling into our bed, hugging my tummy and saying "Good morning Baby Jack." He attends every doctor appointment with me and says your heart sounds "like a car engine."  When he talks to you, you respond with thumps, and it sends him into laughter. I'm pretty sure you recognize his voice, and he thinks its pretty awesome. He's been insisting on sharing a room with you, but I'm sure that will be pretty short-lived the first time you don't stop crying at 1 in the morning.

As for you, well, you're a mover, just like your brother. It feels like some days you never stop. You are the most active around 3 AM, so you know, thanks for that. During this pregnancy I've lived for avocado toast on sourdough bread with veggie bacon and a veggie omelet. I've ate it practically every morning while pregnant with you, and sometimes for lunch. I'm not going to lie, I could eat it for dinner too and be totally fine. When we play music you roll around a ton. Right now you're breech, so the wonderful jabs to my ribs are actually your big 'ol noggin with your feet in the lower position to my left. You move when you hear your daddy or brother talking close to you.

I recently pulled out all the baby clothes we kept and washed them. When I stood back it was a little surreal to see tiny little baby clothes next to your brothers big boy clothes. Its still hard for my brain to piece together the fact that you will be here soon. There have been so many times that I've just stopped in the middle of making dinner, or walking through a store, driving in the car ... and looked at your dad and said "We're having another baby. Like, we're actually really-really having another baby. Sully is going to be a brother and we're going to have TWO kids." He just laughs. I love when your dad leans over and whispers "Goodnight" to you before bed and feels you kick his hand.

The fact you're coming, well, it blows me away every time.

There is so much I want to put down that just swirls in my head  throughout the day ... but there's practice to get ready for, a sink full of dishes and a toy siren wailing in the house that Sully is playing with that hasn't stopped in 5 minutes that I must put an end to.

Keep growing little man, we'll see you soon. Just, not too soon.