Oh small child, how your world is changing!

My Dear Sweet Chester,
Your world is going to be turned upside down in a few months.  Some of these changes will be my fault, and some will just be your own natural progression, but all of the are part of growing up.  Watching you grown and change has been a real pleasure so far. 
The first major change is driven by my needs.  Chester has always had an odd obsession with my belly.  At first, I figured his attachment to my belly was purely a mistake.  It was soft and squishy, just like my breasts and so his contentment snuggled up next to my belly must be related to the food and comfort he expected from my breasts.  But months later he would snuggle up to nurse and then lay his hands down on my belly and pat.  He also loves to straddle my belly and jump or oddly enough, lift my shirt and lick my belly then put the shirt down and run away giggling.  Perhaps the most annoying habit during the middle of he night is to drape himself over my belly sideways and use me as a pillow.  Pete never had any of these belly-habits, so I just chalk it up to Chester's cute little quirk.  I guess this pregnancy is going to wean him slowly off the bouncing, licking, patting and sleeping on my belly.  He'll have to find some other launching pad, salt-lick, comforting pillow!  I do feel bad, but my body is a wreck right now and Chester will just have to sacrifice his special relationship with my belly.

The other big change, and one that I'm not pushing (but I'm not fighting it either!), is Chester's sudden overwhelming love of Ryan.  I mean, of course Chester has always loved Daddy, but recently if Ryan is in the room, Mommy doesn't exist.  Mommy used to be #1 in Chester's eyes, while Pete was the Daddy's boy.  Over the course of the summer, Chester has changed his mind, and now Daddy has two little buddies. Ryan used to tease that I get our boys for a year, and then when they can walk and ride four-wheelers and "tear shit up" then he gets the boys. Perfect timing as far as I'm concerned!  Pete will start school this fall two mornings a week, leaving me alone with Chester so that we can have our own special time together before the new baby arrives, and I'm home with Chester 24/7 so I know we'll still have our bond, but it's great to see Chester growing up and becoming a big boy.  And I'm hoping that when new baby arrives, it won't be as devastating for Chester to get more of his needs met by Daddy for a little while. 

These won't be the last changes for Chester, and probably not the most drastic either, but it's the beginning of the end for him.  My baby won't be the baby much longer.