12.22.2012

Parenthood.



As I write this we are 6 minutes away from the end of the day the world was supposed to end. It's 11:54 PM and today has been fairly unremarkable and mostly uneventful unless you count the massive mound of laundry I washed folded AND put away.

The hubs and I exchanged our christmas gifts tonight and his were much more thoughtful than mine considering he actually took time to purchase things and I just blurted out at lunch that were were buying him an iPhone 5 whether he agreed to it or not! We both wound up pretty happy - me with my new guitar pick-up, DI cord, DI box and him gushing over the sound on the headphones, loading apps, and getting to know his new BFF - Siri.

I have been watching my list of things to do before bébé arrives grow shorter and shorter and I'm not 100% sure if it's giving me a sense of ease or a sense of panic...Our nursery is mostly decorated. Attic, cupboards and closets purged and organized. Birth plan written. Doula hired. Christmas gifts bought. Birthing classes completed. And I know those things weren't keeping the little one at bay, but with each item crossed off my list it feels as if less and less is standing between the closing of this beautiful care-free married couple chapter and the completely new and mysterious chapter of parenthood. Being a mom and dad. Nurturing and raising up a little human that will have a life and a path of it's own and will flip our world upside down from it's very first breath on.

I. can't. wait.

I'm terrified and so excited all at once. Everything is so unknown, but I feel as ready as I possibly could and I am bursting to see the smushy newborn face of a half-me/half-Josh baby. Honestly, one of the things I'm looking forward to most is seeing what an amazing Dad Josh will be. He is the most thoughtful, caring, wise-beyond-his years man and I know I chose well when I married him 5.5 years ago. Seeing his giant man-hands gently holding a fragile newborn will melt my heart. And navigating this adventure side by side with him is a dream come true.

Come out, baby! But maybe wait till we get back from Bloomington, IL for Christmas...I really don't want to labor 6 hours in the car.

I leave you with a couple of pictures from our maternity shoot 4 weeks ago.




Happy Christmas.

12.10.2012

Two

The weekend started with the sound of rain sloshing under car tires on the street in front of our house and a gentle pitter patter on our bed room window. We slowly woke up around 10 am on Saturday facing one another, kissing good morning and realizing this may be one of our last times for such a lazy snuggly Saturday just the two of us.

Without schedule or agenda we left the house and wound up at Cracker Barrel for breakfast where we indulged in pancakes dripping in maple syrup, thick cut bacon, over easy eggs and fluffy biscuits. Then we spent the afternoon holding hands and moseying through the bustle of Christmas shoppers in Cool Springs. Impulse buying every holiday movie we saw, people watching, running errands and relishing in our two-ness.

In early evening we both dressed to the nines and stepped out on the town for Josh's Casino-themed work party. Side by side the whole night we learned the ropes of Black Jack, lost our chips in Roulette and crossed two pairs of fingers for an iPad mini during the final raffle drawing but, settled for a gift card for lunch for two at Maniacs.

As night turned the pages of the calendar we lost all sense of responsibility and stayed up to the wee hours watching "Home Alone" and writing thank you cards for those who love and support us as our two morphs to three in 5 short weeks.

Sunday our alarms went off too early for our liking, but we rose together to eggs and toast made with love, worship set final plans and cozy matching grey sweatshirts and cardigans. One broken car let us spend more time together on the way to the Vineyard Franklin where Advent celebrations and space for the King to come set peace in this pair of hearts.

Afternoon naps without alarms and no plans for the rest of the day. Sunday slipped into darkness barely noticed by these sleepy heads. Some finishing touches put on the room for the third member of our family and a clean kitchen were productivity enough for us before snuggling onto our couch for a late dinner and movie. Christmas lights reflected from our short, fat, pregnant-looking tree while big hands rested on a growing belly to feel little kicks and reflect on our past while dreaming of the future.

Heads meet pillows and fingers intertwine with the soft thump heartbeats in our fingertips, indistinguishable from each other. Breath rising and falling as rain grew heavy on our window pane and thunder rolled across our sky rocking the two of us to slumber. Closing a chapter with bright eyes for the great things that 2 + 1 will look like.