26 weeks

From Dad…
First of all, an apology. We missed last week. Things have gone a little supernova nuts around here as we desperately try to get settled in, both for you and for our new office space and all that good stuff. We haven’t been all that good at carving out space and time to sit and reflect, mostly because we’re trying to create a nice cozy space for you and your arrival.

Speaking of cozy, sometimes your mother wants so badly for everything to be right for you that I think maybe once in a while she looks too hard at how small our little house is. It’s cozy. Really. It’s old, and it’s got its little quirks and issues, but your room is coming together, and although it’s got its tight spots, I think it’s all going to come together nicely. Everything is going to be all right. Or better than all right. You’re gonna love it. You and your mother are going to be two peas in a pod in there. But in the meantime you have to help your mother a little bit and take it easy on her. She’s taking a lot on right now. She spent the whole evening last night painting your room by herself. Two complete coats. Textbook. And she did a brilliant job. And before you go yelling at your deadbeat father for not helping paint the room, just know that I had my hands full trying to get other things settled in the house. And when your mother gets her determined face on, I know better than to get in the way of her progress.

So your room is just about ready. And it looks great. But don’t let that rush you. All things in time. For now, just be well, stay warm, and happy cooking.

From Mom…
Since Halloween is just around the corner I figure it is an appropriate time to talk about fear. Also, I just got done watch the TV show “The Office” which ended its latest episode with a little speech about fear. I would tell you about it but it may be a bit too much for your tiny ears. It was pretty hilarious though. But in all seriousness I think it is important to talk about fear. I am definitely guilty at times when it comes to letting fear get in the way of my decision-making and clarity of thought. Lately, I have fears that don’t let me rest at night. You see, we have decided to move our bedroom into the basement so you and your brother have your own space on the main floor. It has been really nice having that extra space but I sometimes worry about your brother when it’s time for bed. I am not used to being on another level of the house at nighttime. I have fears about someone breaking in or your brother sleepwalking, so on and so on. I have to constantly remind myself though that I cannot let fear play a role in certain decisions I make in my life.

One very important decision we have made regarding your birth especially cannot be fogged by fear. Your brother was born via cesarean and we have decided that even though I had a cesarean I am going to have a VBAC with you, vaginal birth after cesarean. When I first learned of this option I immediately went to all the fearful things that could happen. I put the fear aside though and educated myself about VBACs. I have read stories and talked to women who have had amazing VBAC experiences. We have also set ourselves up with an amazing Certified Nurse Midwife and her incredible birthing team. I came to realize that I was fearful of things that only have a .2% to 1.5% chance of even happening. The number one piece of advice these women gave me was to throw fear out the window and be confident in the decisions that you are making. Fear really does have the capability to stall you, in life and in labor. We are going to do this little one and I know we will rock at it. I got your back and I will not let fear get in the way.