A Letter to Baby, On Your Due Date

WARNING - CONTENT BELOW IS SAPPY. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.

Baby, thank you for giving me 40 beautiful weeks to get to know you. You’re already a great little baby and I’m so proud to call you my own. You might not know it, but you and I have already become quite good friends. So before you make your official entrance into this world, and all the details of our first 40 weeks together are replaced by your smiling face and daily milestones, I thought I would share with you a few of memories that we’ve already made.

- I remember “knowing” I was pregnant with you.
- I remember when you were just Mommy and Daddy’s little secret.
- I remember falling in love with your tiny little hands when I saw the little lines on your knuckles at the 20 week ultrasound.
- I remember walking home from work along the 3^rd Avenue bridge and daydreaming about the baby and person you would someday be.
- I remember seeing the profile of your face at the 33 week ultrasound – you looked so perfect and peaceful – it even looked like you had long eyelashes.
- I remember how you would entertain me at night when I was in bed reading – you would bounce from one side of my tummy to the other, even knocking the book itself out of the way.
- I remember how easy you made pregnancy for me. Thank you.
- I remember how excited all your grandparents were when we told them about you.
- I remember daddy and I making big plans for you – things like taking you on walks, to the pumpkin patch and having you meet Santa for the first time.
- I remember the moment I fell head-over-heels in love with you. I was driving over the Hennepin Avenue Bridge and listening to Beyonce’s song “Halo.” In later months you would kick and dance every time we would hear that song.
- I remember feeling like you were never going to kick (you did, right on schedule at 20 weeks).
- I remember wondering if you would ever stop kicking.
- I remember seeing your smiling face in my dreams.
- I remember trying to get you to wake-up so I could feel you move – you were a sound sleeper.
- I remember daddy buying you your first gift – the “Little Husky” outfit from St. Cloud State.
- I remember my eyes welting up with tears the first time I heard your heartbeat – especially since it took the doctor a few minutes to find it.
- I remember how you would save all your big movements only for me. I don’t think daddy believed me when I would tell him how strong you really were.
-I remember imagining what you would look like and what you would be like someday.
- I remember worrying every single day about your health, safety and happiness (don’t expect that to change).
- I remember folding your little clothes and putting them in the dresser drawer imagining the baby that would soon fill out those tiny onesies and footed pajamas.
- I remember pouring over hundreds of names, but always coming back to the ones I’ve loved for years.
-I remember doing your laundry, so scared I would ruin your little clothes or dye them pink. I remember daddy thought I was crazy.
- I remember dragging daddy to the laundromat on a Saturday afternoon so I could wash our bedding, and him patiently understanding that I was nesting.
- I remember the crazy dreams. Sorry about the ones where I wasn’t feeding you or changing your diaper.
- I remember daddy putting his hand on my tummy at night and saying goodnight to you.
- I remember tears stinging my eyes while thumbing through all the children’s books I’d someday read to you.
- I remember seeing your little arms punching and feet kicking at the 13 week ultrasound – we knew we had a feisty one on our hands.

- I remember Dr. Roxie telling me you were a “wild and crazy baby” at my 39 week appointment – despite her experience, she couldn’t even tell what position you were in.
- I remember asking you over and over: “Are you a little boy or are you a little girl?” I would even try to get you to kick when I would say the correct one. You never seemed very interested in playing along.
- I remember feeling your little stretches and trying to guess which body parts I was feeling.
- I remember you liked to hang out on my right side – and whenever possible, poke at my ribs.
-I remember waking up and night, scared of everything yet hopeful and happy.
-I remember you lying like a closed book – knees to face - at the 20 week ultrasound. I remember thinking that couldn’t be very comfortable.
-I remember wondering what day you would be born – hoping I wouldn’t have to wait another day.
-I remember how much daddy and I loved you – even before you were born. 

With every day and every breath, you are one step closer to where you belong - safe in our arms. To my baby on your due date, I wish you a long, healthy and beautiful life.

Love always,

Mommy