Babies 1, Future Parents 0

Dear Mini Hunt,
Frances, the daughter of our friends Adam and Tracey Lesser, had her first birthday party at our house Saturday afternoon, complete with cake, ice cream and Care Bears hats. Your parents thought Care Bears had vanished from our culture long ago, but they are back! What's next to be brought back, Jem and the Holograms? Please let it not be Strawberry Shortcake or Teddy Ruxpin.

Mel, Shawn and Elliot also managed to cram themselves into our little house too. Frances did her best to let us practice our parenting skills, a test we apparently did not pass. Plus, the frog was no help at all. Actually, the birthday girl was really well behaved, except for the 10 seconds we held her for a picture. Mel and Shawn brought over an amazing amount of baby stuff for you, which we are really thankful for, and Frances enjoyed catapulting herself into the box of blanket and outfits.

Jess's belly has really popped out in the past week. She is quite clearly pregnant with you now, but she's gaining the perfect amount of weight and feeling pretty good. She's at 20 weeks- halfway there! Tomorrow is a doctor's appointment with our first, and perhaps only, sonogram!

The World's Youngest Crystal Castles fan

Dear Baby Hunt, Jess was driving home from work tonight, listening to Marketplace, a finance show on NPR, when they began playing one of those snippets of songs they play between stories. Anyway, apparently you really enjoyed it, because you started doing flips in Jess's tummy like a Russian gymnast. For your enlightenment someday, I think the group is called Crystal Castles, and the song is "Magic Spells". In case YouTube is around when you are old enough, here is a video with the song:




I just love the image of you doing cartwheels in there in time to the music. Jess said you even stopped the quickening movements as soon as the music ended! I wonder if we can make it happen again?

Flippin' Out!

Hi little baby, Jess has been feeling you moving for the first time this weekend. Last night she felt like you did a full flip in there. You must be worked up about something! Apparently these early movements are called quickening, and your mom can look forward to feeling you wriggle, kick and punch your way around her abdomen. Just play nice in there, OK? Jess is at 19 weeks!

Happy Easter!

Dear Baby, Happy Easter Weekend! Jess dyed an egg for you last night at a party. In just four and a half months she will sit on it and out you will hatch! I'm not sure how the stork factors into all this, but I am sure it will all become clear in time. I guess I'll have to make sure our chimney is good and clean!

March 17, 2008

Dear Tiny H, Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Unfortunately for you, you will not get to try Guinness for quite a while. A long time- you hear me? A long time! And your Mom will not be enjoying any adult Irish beverages either tonight, even though it's Saint Patrick's Day- although she does have a fondness for corned beef and cabbage. Your Uncle Matt and someday-Aunt Kristie are having all 2.45 of us over for dinner tonight. Last night we also had another corned beef and cabbage dinner at Liz Schulten's house, where they were delighted to hear of your existence. Two dinners of corned beef and cabbage in one two nights! You have very lucky parents with high sodium levels!

This past weekend we went down to Chester to celebrate your Aunt Abbi's 30th birthday and to break in Abbi, Eric, Maddi and Isabel's new house. We went downtown, where your Dad got some practice popping wheelies with Maddi's stroller, and your Mom got practice getting up early with Isabel. Not that you will ever wake up early, right? Right? Jess is at 18 weeks!

March 8, 2008

To the little person living in Jess's tummy, This weekend was an extension of your parent's honeymoon, sort of. For a wedding present (yup, we weren't married too long ago) we were given a weekend at the Grand Summit hotel at Sunday River, which is a big ski mountain in Maine. We both took the day off on Friday and drove north, stopping at the Great Glen Trails right next to Mount Washington to ski. We had a very nice ski there, and think someday we would like to ski up the Auto Road and try to make the summit in a day.

On our way to the hotel we saw the World's Largest Snow-Woman, who was very big indeed. She had eyelashes made of skis and ears made of entire pine trees. She must have trouble finding clothes in her size.

Saturday we skiied at the Sunday River XC Center, out to a covered bridge and around their whole trail system. I don't think we saw any other pregnant women out there sliding around. Later we went in the heated outdoor pool at the hotel. Your mom didn't want to boil you like a shrimp, so we stayed out of the hot tub and instead formed our own chemosynthetic community around the hydrothermal vent of hot water flowing into the pool.

Also, this week we had an appointment with your doctors. We heard your heartbeat for the second time, which was much easier to find this time around. You need to relax though, your pulse is at 150! The doctor says your heart is the size of an almond. Everything looks great- your mom is taking very good care of you in there!

Tomorrow we'll ski and swim again before heading home again from our little second honeymoon. Glad to have you along on this one! Jess is at 17 weeks!

March 1, 2008

Dear Tiny Hunt, this weekend we stayed close to home. We went XC skiing Saturday at a new (to us) place called Northwood Meadows State Park. Your Dad got the car stuck, and of course made his pregnant wife and a stranger push him out. Sunday we did some skiing at Kingman Farm. We kept working on your new room, sanding and priming and painting the ceiling, so hopefully you will look upwards a lot and enjoy it. Your dad came out covered in white dust and looking like a ghost! Your mom also found a little time to show off her tummy, with you inside! Saturday night we went to a dance club called the Red Door in Portsmouth, and all our friends were dancing around rubbing your mom’s belly. They are all so excited that you are in there! They also pointed at Jess a lot and yelled "Pregnant! Pregnant!!" You are going to have a lot of people who will want to be a part of your life- you are not even born yet and you’re already very lucky! Jess is at 16 weeks!

February 25, 2008

Dear Baby Hunt, we've been renovating a room in our little house on Hough Street that will be your room someday. Your Uncle Matt came over and helped your dad do some demolition: tearing down the ceiling, removing the sheetrock and boards from the outer walls, and putting insulation into the ceiling. Your mom had a terrible cold all weekend- she was so stuffed up that she lost her sense of smell! Even though she felt crummy, she still got out of bed to help strip wallpaper and apply sheetrocking mud. We hope you like your room: we will be doing the walls in an American Clay color called Taos, which is a kind of green. Jess is at 15 weeks!

February 18, 2008

Dear New Baby, our friend Ellen came up for the weekend from New York City, along with her cold, which she gave to your mom. She and your mom went snowshoeing, did yoga, and blew their noses. Your dad spent some time with your Uncle Matt, working on their project to make biodiesel for their cars. On Sunday night we went bowling with a whole crowd of people, which was really fun. Look at your Dad’s form! Jess is at 14 weeks!

February 9, 2008

Hi Little Huntling, this weekend we drove down to Connecticut to visit your future Grandparents Strauss, your future Aunt Abbi and Uncle Eric, and your future cousins Maddi and Isabel. On Saturday we visited more family in Long Island, including your great-Grandma Hilda, your great-Grandpa Sy, and your future cousin Jeanine and second cousin Michael. It was a very busy day. We had saved this weekend to tell these members of the family, so everyone was very excited. Isabel really doesn't like riding in her carseat- maybe you will more? Everyone can’t wait to meet you! On the drive home to NH we took a nice walk at Camfield Woods. Here's a picture of your Dad, practicing his parenting with your cousin Isabel. Jess is at 13 weeks!

February 2, 2008

Dear Baby, Honestly, I have no idea what we did this weekend. I’m writing this in March, and it has completely slipped out of my brain. Hopefully you will have a much better memory than your dad. We did not travel anyplace, that is for sure. So, instead of talking about our weekend, here’s a fun fact. We’re not going to find out whether you are a boy or a girl- we want it to be a surprise. So, the two names we have picked out for you are _______ and ______. Jess is at 12 weeks!

January 28, 2008

Dear New Baby, we spent the whole weekend in North Conway, NH with your uncle Matt and (someday) Aunt Kristie. We rented a condo right at the base of Attitash for Friday night, and rooms at Moat Mountain Smoke and Brewhouse –one of our favorite places- on Saturday night. On Saturday your Mom wasn’t feeling well with you in her belly, so we rested at the Attitash lodge, while your Dad read his baby book for dads. He is trying to learn a lot before you arrive! We took this picture in the afternoon. Your Mom was feeling better, so we went for a ski next to the Saco River. On Sunday we all skied the Wildcat Valley Trail, from the very top of Wildcat Mountain to the Dana Place Inn. We bet nobody else has skied that trail while almost 3 months pregnant! It was a long ski that took all day. But there was 8 inches of beautiful fresh snow, and lots of falling, laughing, and skiing was had by all. By the end all four of us were completely tuckered out, but what a way to end a weekend in the mountains! We hope that you will enjoy skiing and hiking and snowshoeing and all the other outdoor activities we enjoy so much. We are already making plans to rent ski sleds to tow behind so we can take you skiing with us! Jess is at 11 weeks!

January 20, 2008

Dear little one, This weekend was one we had been waiting for a long time. You see, when you are pregnant you’re not supposed to tell anyone for a while, just to make sure things are OK. Well, it was very hard to keep you a secret, since we wanted to tell everybody! But this weekend was the right time, your grandparents Strauss were visiting from Connecticut, and we had a big family dinner at your Grandparents Hunt’s house on the farm. Everyone was there: Matt, Kristie, Your Great-Uncle Dick and Great-Aunt Anita, Kyle. During dinner we asked your future Grandparents Strauss if they would come back up to NH on August 18th (your due date). They were confused at first, and actually it was Anita who figured it out right away. But then everyone was laughing and cheering and so incredibly happy that you are on the way! So here’s a picture of your mom and your future Grandmas. Jess is at 10 weeks!

January 14, 2008

Dear New Baby, today was Monday, when both of your parents are normally at work. But beginning Sunday night a big snowstorm came in, and by morning time there was a fresh blanket of snow of a few inches on the ground. It snowed all day, and your Mom decided to stay home from work, and your Dad’s work at UNH was closed for the day. We stayed warm and cozy inside, cooking soup and reading books. Later in the afternoon we went XC skiing at Kingman Farm, where your Mom got very tired. She is trying so hard to get lots of exercise and stay healthy while you are growing. We are both hoping to be the best parents we can be. We can’t wait to meet you! Jess is at 9 weeks!

January 6, 2008

Dear New Baby, your parent’s friend Leslie came up to visit from Boston this weekend. She stayed with friends down the street, and your Mom got a huge headache on Saturday which lasted all day, so we stayed at home. Sunday we took Leslie XC skiing at Kingman Farm, and then she and your Mom went shopping at Salmon Falls Pottery. On January 4th we met with the group of doctors who we think will deliver you, and then we took a tour of the hospital where we hope you will be born. It is a really nice place, with pretty rooms, a birthing tub, and friendly nurses. We hope you’ll like entering the world there!

January 1, 2008

Dear Baby H, we rang in the new year with Uncle Matt and Aunt Kristie and their dog Owen, cross country skiing at Kingman Farm in Durham, NH under the stars. We saw two shooting stars! Here we are with our attempt at making 2008 with the only tools we had, our fingers and Chris’s mouth.
Jess is at 7 weeks!