Dear baby,
Back in the fall when we first discovered you existed, I started to make space for you in my mind and in my body. This week I started to make space for you in our house.
I put your clothes in our dresser, your bottles in our kitchen, your nail clippers in our medicine cabinet, your sleeper in our bed, your carseat in our car. I thought I had gotten used to the idea of you, but when I see these baby things scattered among our stuff, I am not so sure. I wonder how I will ever make enough space for you in my life that is already so full. I think about how sad I am to have to share my drawers and shrink my space, shrink my job and my disposable income and my alone time with your dad. I worry that I will have just shrink into your shadow to make it all fit, but the parents I know tell me it doesn't work like that. They assure me that the rest of life just grows and grows to make room for babies. It must be true, because I can feel the heart expansion starting already...
Here's some of what happened in your 38th week:
Gibson's opened a new store in Westgate, and we secured a new tenant for the downstairs. We worked and ate happy hour pizza and went to our first downtown farmer's market of the season. I also had my last prenatal appointment with Nurse Brenda, though she'll be back soon to check on you!
This week we made four trips to Lowe's (oh the joys of new homeownership!), and during one of them an employee pointed at your bump and said, "Didn't your parents warn you not to swallow watermelon seeds?" Hehe.
Today your dad accidentally watered our coffee plant with my Gentle Birth herbal tonic. I'm afraid the jokes about plant fertility will never end...
And of course, we waited for you, hoping for an arrival despite our overall lack of preparedness and the statistical improbability of early delivery for first-time moms. What can I say? We are looking forward to meeting you!
Love, Mom
