CBB Exclusive: Melissa Joan Hart's final pregnancy journal

Together with actress Melissa Joan Hart, 31, we bring you the final installment of her pregnancy column.

Melissa is now in her 39th week of pregnancy. Click below for the last entry, including outtake images from our exclusive photoshoot!

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So we are really in the home stretch now! We had a crack-of-dawn doctor’s appointment to check the baby’s size and head to make sure this labor would be a bit smoother than the last one. All is in place and ready to go! So far this baby is totally average size, which makes me relieved and yet nervous at the same time.

If Mason is so perfect in my eyes with his health, strength, looks and brains, then if this one is smaller than he was (9 lbs), will it be very different from him? I always imagined all my kids looking alike and being similar in personality, and it has started to hit me that they will be very different in all sorts of ways.

Continue reading for the rest of Melissa’s journal entry.

I started reading books like Raising Siblings and Baby Makes Four: Welcoming a Second Child Into the Family ($11), trying to prepare myself for the double duty life I am about to lead. Mark is leaving on tour April 1st for who knows how long, and I am scared to death of being home with an infant and a 2 year old.

I am well aware that I am not the first person to have more than one baby– I mean, there are eight in my immediate family! — but at the sametime, I am so lost in a world that is hurtling toward me faster than Ican blink. I know I will figure it out when it comes down to it, butmeanwhile I am just trying to get a leg up before the day comes that Ibring the bean home.

Right now I have every stuffed animal in the wash and I have sterilized just about everything I can think of.Mark and I even shook out the curtains the other day to rid the houseof any unnecessary dust! We have ordered a duct purifier to clean theair we are breathing and have wiped down every door handle and lightswitch.

Am I paranoid? Yes! But I know once we get home from thehospital this will be the last thing I will have time for. And I feel alittle relief knowing it is done!

Meanwhile I am missing my ‘work life.’ I have been busily preparing to head back to work the second the baby pops out, as if that is what I am really gonna want to do.Funny that my two main projects work well with my lifestyle right now.

I am preparing to do an online show about scrapbooking and assist in bringing newcomers to the hobby by helping them pursue it through the use of the internet. I will be creating my own line ofscrapbook products for the modern woman who loves to make memories likeme! Here I am at my dining room table with Mason’s scrapbook, surrounded by my supplies!

My other project is directing an independent film about a prima ballerina who wants to make a comeback after having a baby. For now, it’s titled Tiny Dancer.As many of us can relate to, I believe this movie is extremely currentas our generation was told we should take care of ourselves, get goodcareers, make money and be independent, then we can have familieslater. Well, as we know, it is difficult — if not impossible — to doboth well.

I know as a career woman I am completely torn between giving myfamily all my attention and getting back to the job that makes me feel important. I really applaud those women who have done both andchoose to be at home raising their families. I know how truly blessed Iam to have a career where I can do my job for a month or two, and thenhave the time between to be with my family. I bow at the feet of thecareer mom who has a 9-to-5 job every day of the week, but the mom whochooses to stay at home and be the caregiver — like my sister Liz –is my idol!

Well, that’s all for now. I will keep you posted on the baby news. I’ll be sure to let you know the sex, name, size and some of thedetails of the labor as soon as the little angel arrives! God Bless!

Melissa

Click here for the previous entries to Melissa’s pregnancy journal for CBB.

Photos copyright Jennifer Parris/Gabbeli Photography, shot exclusively for CBB in late January. Useelsewhere is prohibited. Hair & makeup by Douglas Martucci.

Comments

Good luck Melissa!!!!

- Tracy on February 26th, 2008

I can’t wait to hear about the new baby! I am a scrapper so I am so interested in her scrapping show and products too! Mason is a doll and I have a feeling she’ll have a girl this time.

- Amber H. on February 26th, 2008

I don’t think we’ll be waiting very long. Sounds like she’s already in nesting mode.

I can understand her anxiousness about being able to deal with two infants. I was exactly the same.

- Carlie on February 26th, 2008

Oh Mason is just adorable! But I guess I am a little biased because he looks just like my identical (obviously) twin boys, Tyler and Killian. I mean the resemblance is amazing. They could be triplets haha

- Brooke on February 26th, 2008

I also thought my second child would look like my first. I know they were individuals but I was truly surprised for my youngest daughter, to have brown hair and blue eyes even though I have brown hair and eyes. My oldest daughter looks just like her father with blonde hair and sky blue eyes. Their personalties are also totally different. The oldest is more serious and emotional while the baby is easy going and carefree.

- Cindy on February 26th, 2008

Melissa looks great! Mason is such a cutie!

Can’t wait to find out whether they are having a boy or a girl (I think it’s a boy though)!

hope her delivery goes smoothly.

- Nicole on February 26th, 2008

i feel melissa’s anxiety over having a newborn and a 2 year old. i’m in the exact same position and the closer i get to my due date the more freaked out i am! she seems to be really level-headed and sweet so i’m sure she’ll do just fine!

- erica on February 26th, 2008

Cindy, I thought my youngest daughter would look like her sister when she came too. But it’s surprising how different they are. Don’t get me wrong, you can tell they’re sisters as they have some of the same facial features.

But my eldest has blonde hair and blue eyes and looks like a female version of her dad. While my youngest has brown hair and brown eyes and looks like me.

- Carlie on February 26th, 2008

I can’t believe she is still pregnant. Some celebrities their pregnancies fly by, like jlo, brooke burke, keri russell’s, etc and others feel like forever lol. I guess it depends since jlo didn’t confirm it till november neither did brooke, so by the time you realize it, they’re like 5-6 months already lol. Anyway, mason is adorable.

- gabriella on February 26th, 2008

Nicole,

I think it’s a boy too!

- Becky's Daughter on February 26th, 2008

Gabriella- That is so weird that you mentioned pregnancies that fly by. I was just thinking about that. What’s funny is that I thought J-Lo’s pregnancy seemed like FOREVER! While MJH’s pregnancy seemed super quick to me. I agree with you on Keri and Brooke though. I felt like Katie Holmes was pregnant for years! Jessica Alba’s seems to be going fast. Maybe it just depends how much you like the actress or how much media attention is focused on her. Sometimes I just get tired of hearing about a certain person. Oh well… sorry… that was totally off subject.

- Melissa on February 26th, 2008

She makes you feel like you can relate with her on a more personal level. I think that’s what I like most about her interviews, like you’re reading a letter from a good friend and not just a celebrity. But I did laugh when she talked about cleaning everything in sight…lol. But hey, nothing wrong with being prepared.

I can’t wait to see this baby. I adore Mason, and I am excited for this second one to make his/her presence known!

- FC on February 26th, 2008

she calls the baby bean!! it makes me laugh because that is how i refer to everyones baby when they are pregnant!!

- Hannah on February 26th, 2008

Congrats and good luck Melissa. You seem like an genuinely fantastic and loving mother and this new baby is lucky to be born into such a great and loving family with you, Mark and Mason.
x

- Ava on February 26th, 2008

I think she is having another boy, because I don’t think she would be questioning a smaller size baby if she was having a girl.

- lora on February 26th, 2008

I love how real and down to earth Melissa is! I feel like she could be my neighbor, hardly the hollywood diva we see in so many others.

She’ll do just fine with two babies, mine were 23 months apart, and I went in with a positive mindset and I think that helped in those early days. At least in your mind, you can pretend you are in control ;0)

Good luck Melissa, happy, safe, and fast labor to you!

- heather on February 26th, 2008

I am a Pottery Barn Kids associate and Mason’s room is done with Pottery Barn Kids decor. Mason has the Speedboat bed with trundle, wall letters in Navy, Lucas bedding, red classic stripe window panels and the personalized step stool in red!!

- Danielle on February 26th, 2008

I don’t hve children yet, so I’ve never thought about if they would be alike or different… But I have brown hair and eyes and my younger sister is blonde with one blue eye and one green eye! I always thought it was cool that we were a bit different, we resemble different parts of our family, but still get told we look alike, we are sisters after all!
Our personalities are quite different too, but we do like a lot of the same things.
I’d like my kids to have brown hair and brown eyes like my partner and myself though…

- Emma on February 26th, 2008

I love how all their names start with ‘M’! It’s a shame she doesn’t want to continue the theme, the new baby might feel like the odd one out.
I’m named after a family member and my sister isn’t and I think she always felt sad about that.

- Eliza on February 26th, 2008

I wonder if she’ll have a leap year baby? It’s only 3 days away.

- Estelle on February 26th, 2008

I remember panicking about what my baby would look like the two or three weeks before he was born — and then crying myself silly for being so “shallow!” My mother had to intervene and alas, all was fine. He’s gorgeous of course Oddly enough I think you do picture a little version of yourself — born bald and dark eyed — imagine my surprise when Oliver was born with a thick head of light sandy brown hair and huge blue eyes! My father’s blue eyes skipped four children but my little one lucked out!

Can’t wait to meet the newest addition – I think boy!

- brannon on February 26th, 2008

I bet Melissa is having a girl! I think they should name her Mariah, Mirra, Mya or Makayla. Good luck Melissa!

- kaylee on February 26th, 2008

Love her! In fact, I’ve loved her since “Clarissa” She’s so down to earth. I wish her, Mark, and Mason the best!

- amy on February 26th, 2008

Love love love MJH since I was a kid watching Clarissa on Saturday mornings with my sister & the sound turned down so our parents wouldn’t wake up too early, hope she as such conscientious kids! Seriously though, best of luck!

- Labgirl on February 26th, 2008

I loved Clarissa as well! It was one of my favorite teenage shows (so was Sabrina!)

Best of luck to you Melissa! I am sure you will do great!

- Elyse on February 26th, 2008

I love how she’s so open and candid Her little boy is adorable!

P.S. Does anyone get the feeling that someone’s going to deliver on February 29th? there are a few possibilities…melissa joan hart, brooke burke, maybe even halle berry?

- nicky on February 26th, 2008

Good luck, Melissa! Best wishes as you have your second baby … I can hardly wait to hear who you have given birth to!

- charsmom on February 27th, 2008

Congrats on the baby… and can’t wait to see the scrapbook show. I’m a fellow scrapper… and my son has always been called “Bean” too!!!

- Sandie McCarthy-Roberts on February 27th, 2008

I absolutely LOVE her! She’s an awesome mother & person in general. Can’t wait to hear all about the new baby!

- Leslie Engle on February 27th, 2008

My mom had 3 girls and none of us look or act anything alike. It’s really funny, but just goes to show how different siblings can be.

- terri on February 27th, 2008

Hi Melissa, your son is so adorable! So are you! Best wishes with your new baby and your future projects. “Sabrina” remains one of my favorites. Keep scrapbooking, Maria

- Maria on October 13th, 2008