To my sweet Julia Lane
-born at 3:33am on June 15, 2014-Father's Day. Weight: 5 lbs 13.5 oz, Length 19 inches
I had great plans during my pregnancy to document it all, have the perfect nursery prepared, all my t's crossed and i's dotted for your arrival if you will....but the past 37 weeks have come and gone, and here you are, my perfect third child...with no great documentary or nursery, some t's crossed and most i's dotted....and while I feel a tinge of guilt about that, what I can promise you is that for the past 37+ weeks you have been loved by me and your daddy, and that love grows each day.
Let's back up a few years...your dad and I have been dating seriously for a while, and talks of our future were something I loved to discuss (I am Type A with a capital bold A and love a plan). We always talked about having a big family...3-5 kids was my dream, your dad...the middle child of three...has always said it had to be an even number, making 4 the compromise.
Fast forward to you, my third baby girl....making her momma's dreams come true! (The verdict is still out on if your dad's dream will come true. I think at the moment that dream might have been modified to an uneven number). We found out we were expecting you a week before your big sister Hannah's first birthday. We were super excited for our third baby, and keeping the secret was very hard for me. I talked a lot to your Daddy after the girls were in bed about how much fun it would be to have two babies so close together...to watch become friends and play together. Already seeing your sister Hannah love on you, hold you, crawl on top of anyone and anything to get to you...it is so sweet (and very scary). I had some fears too...two under two sounded like serious work (and it is)...that meant two in diapers, two who need so much of me, three who want so much time from me, and there is just. one. me. Three weeks in, and there are times of the day I feel like I can do it all...and there are times that I feel like I can do nothing right. I look forward to our quiet moments...when I can look at your sweet face and smell that sweet baby smell, I quickly become overwhelmed with all that we have been blessed with, and in that moment I am encouraged to try even harder the next day.
(I love this picture. The moment Hannah saw you she claimed you as "her" baby. She was not happy about Elizabeth touching you...and screamed and cried big crocodile tears the first time we took you from her lap)
Your arrival was so very different from your sisters. Elizabeth's was exciting and new, I didn't have any expectations b/c she was my first. Hannah's was like a hurricane...and makes her nickname even more fitting. There was no epidural, a room full of people hustling around trying to comfort me, preparing for Hannah, and lots of noise and commotion. Your arrival was calm. It didn't start out that way. About 8:30 that evening at home I thought my water broke. The same thing had happened a few days earlier, and I was sure I didn't want to take another trip to the hospital unless I was coming home with you. But this time, the contractions got stronger real quickly, and in a pattern. I took a shower, your Daddy grabbed our bags, we called our friend who lived down the street to come stay with Hannah who was already asleep (not sure Hannah will ever forgive us for that...), and we headed to the hospital. The drive there was a little scary b/c the contractions were so strong, and I was worried b/c you were not suppose to arrive yet. I was only 36 weeks and 6 days. By the time we got settled in a room I was 90% effaced and 6 cm dilated. The doctor gave me some medicine to try to stop the contractions, and gave me some medicine for pain....but within the hour I was dilated to 9 cm. I received an epidural...and then fell asleep. At 3:00 in the morning the nurse woke me up and asked if I was ready to meet my baby. In the delivery room was just me, your daddy, one nurse, and the doctor. It was quiet. I don't think they even had all the lights on b/c I had been sleeping. Your daddy held my hand and helped me through some contractions/pushes-and you were born at 3:33 am on Father's Day. You were quieter than your sisters upon their arrival. I think I even asked your daddy what we would do with such a quiet baby. He is convinced Elizabeth and Hannah will wipe out any quiet in you by your first birthday. We will see. Maybe you will be the calm and quiet one, just like your arrival. Quiet or loud, we already love you more than you can ever imagine, and we will love you even more each day. Let the journey as a family of five begin...
Our first picture
Father's Day 2014
My Family
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