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Dear Holly: I Want Mommy to Go into Labor Tomorrow Night

39 ½ weeks.

Dear Holly: I Want Mommy to Go into Labor Tomorrow Night

Dear Holly,

Here we are, 3 days before your due date on the 21st, and just 2 days before my birthday on the 20th. So you can imagine what I want to happen:

I want you to be born on my 35th birthday.

For that to easily happen, Mommy needs to go into labor with you late Tuesday night (the 19th) and then you can be born on Wednesday (the 20th). Even if Mommy has a long labor with you like she did with your brother Jack (20 hours), you would likely still be born within the 24 hour time frame of April 20th.

The stars are aligning for this to take place. Today begins Mommy’s 4 month maternity leave; plus, Grandma (Mommy’s Mommy) flew in from California late last night.

Therefore, Mommy has so many reasons now to finally be able to relax…and have a baby!

And that brings up another reason it be nice for you to be born on the 20th; Grandma specially had her flight moved up by 36 hours to help ensure she got here before you did.

Even if you’re not born on my 35th birthday, our birthdays will still be close so I’m happy about that either way.

That’s the way it was with Nonna; my own Mommy was born on April 11th, just 9 days before my birthday.

So ultimately, even if you’re not born on my birthday… you, me, and Nonna will all have April birthdays!

The strangest thing happened today on the home when I stopped to get gas. The lady across the pump from me asked me to help her unscrew the lid on her portable gas container. I then complimented her on her Honda Fit; which I want to be my next car.

As we were talking, I mentioned that “my wife is about to have our 2nd child in a few days.”

She immediately responded with a confident smile, “Your wife is having a girl?”

With amazement, I said, “Yes… but how did you know that? Did I already tell you?”

She told me she just could tell; even though she was just looking at me. I hadn’t show her a picture of Mommy or anything. I guess it’s even further fascinating that she followed up with, “And your first born is a boy.”

While I started to imagine she might be an angel walking among us, she told me she is a school bus driver named Darlene. She said she’ll be looking for me on my way to work each morning now, since her route is the same as mine. Her bus number is 69, so I’ll be on the lookout.

We are so happy and so ready for your arrival! While the whole labor process is obviously on the chaotic side, it’s something that Mommy and I are officially looking forward to now.

I am ready for our family to grow, by about 7 pounds… hopefully on Wednesday.

Love,

Daddy

3 Comments Posted on Health, parenting, Pregnancy, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Holly: Mommy’s Big Bruise a Week before Your Due Date

39 weeks.

Dear Holly: Mommy’s Big Bruise a Week before Your Due Date

Dear Holly,

On Monday morning, Mommy casually bumped her leg on the side of the bathtub. She noticed it left a bruise.

By the time she got home that evening, she pulled up her pants leg to see if that little bruise had gotten any worse.

As you can see from this picture, the bruise got much worse. It looked like she just smeared black ink over her leg.

I’m assuming blood circulation must be worse in her legs right now during the pregnancy, for such a massive bruise to come from just a minor bump.

So when you read this letter, you’ll know that this was what was going on in our lives, exactly one week before your due date: She had a huge bruise on her leg!

Yesterday Mommy went in for what I assume will be her last visit before you will be born. The technician mentioned that there were pockets of fluid that looked a little low, but that a radiologist would review and make the final assessments on the report. The ultrasound showed you as being 7 lbs. 3 oz., though the technician said that is not very accurate and it’s generally about a pound off.

I suppose our family is as ready as we can be for your arrival. We all got haircuts. Our overnight bags are packed in the trunk. Grandma is flying in from California on Monday. And Nonna and Papa are “on call” for the moment we leave for the hospital.

There’s a very real possibility that since your due date is a week from today, the next letter I write to you will be about your birth!

I’ll be telling how hopefully short the labor was… and how hopefully Mommy went into labor in the morning time so we all had a full night of sleep before you arrive.

We’ll see how that works out, though.

Love,

Daddy

4 Comments Posted on marriage, parenting, Pregnancy, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Holly: Mommy is Feeling Miserable Right about Now

38 weeks.

Dear Holly,

Dear Holly: Mommy is Feeling Miserable Right about Now

With your due date being just 2 weeks from today, I get asked by other people on a daily basis how Mommy is feeling.

I always answer honestly and directly:

“She is feeling miserable; as I suspect most women do when they are 8 and a half months pregnant. She can only sleep for a few hours at a time, she’s getting contractions, and she either feels too hungry or too full.”

As much as I hate to see Mommy in discomfort, I have assurance in knowing these are all good signs that you are healthy and growing inside her tummy.

I’ve asked her if she would prefer you be born a few weeks early, but she reminded me that’s not ideal because Grandma (her Mommy) doesn’t fly in from California until the 16th, which is 5 days before your due date in 2 weeks

So if you were to be born early, it would be nice if at least Grandma is here to help. Granted, Nonna and Papa are on call and can be here within about 3 hours too.

I feel that mentally, both Mommy and I are ready for your arrival. I personally am not nervous or anxious about it.

This isn’t our first time to have a baby, so we’re better prepared this time around.

I’m at my worst when I don’t know what I’m doing. But when I am trained on it, no matter how challenging the situation, I can live in confidence knowing I have authority on the subject.

With your arrival, I will not feel like a bumbling idiot trying to figure out what to do. I feel I will be able to appreciate the whole experience that much more.

Obviously, you’re a girl, so there will be new material for me to learn. But as for the basics, I doubt I’ll be in major culture shock.

Love,

Daddy

2 Comments Posted on parenting, Pregnancy, Uncategorized

Dear Holly: The Socks We Bought You Back in December 2007

37 weeks.

Dear Holly: The Socks We Bought You Back in December 2007

Dear Holly,

It truly was back in 2007 that Mommy and I first perceived the concept of you in our minds, when we bought you your first pair of socks.

Mommy and I were dating at the time, but it was just a couple of weeks before I proposed. We drove from Tennessee to Pennsylvania, where one of Mommy’s sister’s family lives.

Dear Holly: The Socks We Bought You Back in December 2007

While on that trip, Mommy saw a pair of girly baby socks and wanted to buy them “for when we have a little girl one day.” I encouraged her to buy the socks, assuming there was a good chance there really would be a little girl in our future at some point.

Granted, many years would pass from that day in December 2007 until the Spring of 2016, when you will be born. And during several of those years, Mommy and I thought we might just have one child.

Dear Holly: The Socks We Bought You Back in December 2007

But in the end, fate worked itself out. We followed Dave Ramsey, got out of debt, saved up a down payment on a new house, bought a new house, and suddenly… we were both thinking the same thing:

It’s time to have another baby!

And now you’re almost here. These socks are now waiting for you in your drawer.

Dear Holly: The Socks We Bought You Back in December 2007

This past weekend Mommy and I visited your bedroom while your brother Jack was taking a nap in his bedroom. I guess we wanted to imagine how that former guest room will never be the same.

Instead of a guest room, it will be a little girl named Holly’s room. It’s funny how full your room already is, and you’re not even here yet.

Dear Holly: The Socks We Bought You Back in December 2007

That means that a lot of people are anticipating your arrival, not just me and Mommy and your brother Jack.

I took some pictures of Mommy with our new camera. I love that “coming soon” sticker that she stuck on her tummy.

That’s you inside!

Love,

Daddy

Dear Holly: The Socks We Bought You Back in December 2007

4 Comments Posted on Health, parenting, Pregnancy, Uncategorized

Dear Holly: You’re Going to Be a Small Baby; in the 23rd Percentile

36 weeks.

Dear Holly: You’re Going to Be a Small Baby; in the 23rd Percentile

Dear Holly,

This week Mommy and I went to Vanderbilt for another sonogram appointment. We just wanted the assurance of knowing you’re still doing okay in the there. I’ll cut to the chase:

You are. Thank God.

We were informed that everything is great; your heartbeat, your fluids, and your movement. There is no reason for concern. You are simply going to be a small baby.

You currently weigh 5 pounds, 9 ounces; with just about 4 weeks left before you’re born. They told us that if you were in the 10th percentile or lower, then it might be an issue; but instead, you’re in the 23rd.

Knowing that you “have been measuring a couple of weeks behind” for a while now had caused us to worry that something was wrong. It’s good to have some relief on that.

This is the opposite of what we experienced with your brother Jack. It seemed he was always in the 90th percentile. He was a big baby with a big head, which made his birth very difficult for Mommy. Granted, that doesn’t mean he’s a big boy now; he’s average.

They told us this week that in addition to being a small baby, you “don’t have a big head.” I’m happy because that hopefully means an easier labor for Mommy when you are being born.

If I haven’t said it already, Mommy is ready for you to come out. And I’m ready too.

This is the “misery” part of the pregnancy where Mommy just can’t get comfortable to stay asleep or even just sit comfortably. I think it’s funny that her favorite t-shirt to wear at night is the Wonder Woman nighty I got her for Christmas.

Plus, it will be nice having you outside of the womb so we can see for ourselves that you really are doing just fine in there, just like the doctors say.

We’re now less than a month away from your due date. I keep reminding myself that when you’re finally born… we’ll actually have a little baby girl!

I know that part seems kind of obvious, but it’s how my mind works right now.

Love,

Daddy