Story time with Mateo

Erika: 

So in my mind, my formal announcement about the pregnancy happened on our Anniversary, on our August 25th post Maybe Baby, but apparently, it was not.

 The other day I posted to my social media an updated picture of Lil Perales and a link to the last post, and that (unintentionally) ended up being the actual official announcement. Surprise! 

Regardless of when people have found out about our news, the enthusiasm, love, and support has been much more than I had anticipated, SO unexpected and SO appreciated.  

Another announcement we made this past week was to the big brother.

About two years ago, maybe longer, Mateo and I started reading Grown in Another Garden by Crystal Falk, who also wrote Sophia's Broken Crayons (the book I gave to Tina's children several years ago.) The first time I read it, he was a little over two. 

The book is great and compares pregnancy to gardening and having room for things to grow. However, it also jumps from gardening to pregnancy pretty abruptly and during that first read, Mateo's little face was stunned. I realized though, it wasn't at the fact that he didn't grow in my belly, but the fact that babies grow in bellies. Period. Lol. I had never explained that part to him and so it took some time for him to wrap his head around that idea, let alone the idea of surrogacy.  But over the last couple of years, we've continually read that book and more recently began looking at his baby album which shows photos leading up to his birth and then through his the first year of life. 

We also recently purchased Wanted by Carolina Robbiano, which explains the process of surrogacy in a bit more length and detail. Although I do think it's a bit long for Mateo, the illustrations are cute and the fact that it's bilingual is a huge plus. 

 

     So he has really started to grasp the idea of surrogacy and fully understands now who Tina is and the love that she was able to give him during that time and continues to give him now.

Since about the age of two, Mateo has continually found interest in playing with the baby doll that we used in our baby classes before he arrived. He has always played with this doll, who he typically calls his baby sister (but on occasion is his baby brother), feeding it, burping it, singing to it... all the things. 

This is Mateo with his doll at two. 

Last Fall, Mateo really started asking about a sibling. He would talk to his preschool teacher, his Nana, his Abuelita, and us about having a sibling. He's told us his plans about what he would like to teach his baby sibling: how to walk, talk, sing, and all about Star Wars. 

His other plan is to have at least two siblings.  He wants them to be twins. A boy and a girl. (You can guess what he wants to name them.) He will not back down, but I've told him repeatedly how lucky he would be to just have one.

And though the sibling dream has been on-going for the last couple of years, over the last few months, Mateo has started asking more about babies and bodies. He's asked:

How do babies get in the belly?

Why can't your body grow a baby?

How does a baby get out of the belly?

Can I make a baby?

What are testicles? (This has its own very special story that I will gladly tell you if you ask.)

So here comes the best baby book I have ever read, ever. I had actually found it years ago when I had only just started to think about what it would take to have a baby. I'd seen a little preview about 7 or 8 years ago and knew that one day I would buy that book for our kid. 

It's called What Makes a Baby by Cory Silverberg and it explains it all, without saying too much, and has been the perfect book to answer Mateo's most pressing questions in a way that he understands. It's totally age-appropriate and the illustrations by Fiona Smyth are my absolute FAVORITE.

We've been reading this book for the last couple of weeks and Mateo LOVES it. This past weekend I decided to add a surprise ending. Wait for it... It is so worth it. It's not the entire book, but I clipped together bits and pieces.

Click this link to watch the video.

"Baby,

I feel excited about being a big brother because it’s very very nice because I get to treat you nicely. I will show you how to do grown up stuff. I will teach you to talk and to walk. I will hold you when you cry and I will make funny jokes to make you laugh.

Baby, I love you so. Baby, have a good time in Florencia’s belly. Baby, I’m gonna hold you when you’re out. Come soon. Be a good baby."

Your Big Brother, Mateo

Showered With Love

 April was filled with so many celebrations.
I honestly can't wrap my head around everything everyone did for us. The food, the decorations, the gifts, the love.... It was awesomely overwhelming.  Our mothers put all of their time and energy into our shower; they called it a labor of love. Our siblings and friends worked and conspired tirelessly, and everyone's excitement was through the roof. I'm so happy we're not doing this alone. We have so much love coming from all directions and it eases up all the madness.




The desserts were insane. My friend from high school (Bella's Bakery & Boutique) and Luis' cousin made the spread and it was ridiculous.   Not to mention the rice krispy treats. And to quote my sister-in-law, "They were the best I've ever had!"

 

                                    

This guy was Mr. Popular surrounded by ladies.

see what I mean?

                                             

                        

My sister made the favors!!! Even the cute little Baby Perales pins!
And her hubby designed the diaper t-shirts. So hilarious.

    

We won!

I freakin' loved our cake.
(These are fake plastic cigarettes we used as props for our Fight Club party back when Luis turned 30.)

Today is Mother's Day, and today Baby is 36 weeks. Last May I was getting ready for my egg retrieval, and now, we are less than a month away from meeting Baby...! We have been super busy racing the clock, trying to make sure we're all ready. June 5th is the due date, and right around the corner. Father's Day is going to be amazing!!!


"OMG Baby... There are sooooooo many people anticipating your arrival! SOOOO MANY! Your abuelas and all of your tios worked so hard to plan celebrations for you. Everyone is just so excited and have been such a support for all of us. Our village is huge and I don't know what we'd do without them. Needless to say, you are in for some fun when you get here. So many more celebrations to come!" 
---excerpt from a letter to our baby

                            

Now, to get to work....