When we first told your Aunts and Uncles that we were pregnant, your Aunt Jean asked what we were going to call you. I asked, “What do you mean, what are we going to call the baby? We don’t even know it is a boy or girl.” She then informed us that all growing babies needed a name, and if we didn’t pick one she was going to call you Cletus the Fetus. Well, I wasn’t going to allow anyone to refer to you as “Cletus the Fetus!” I then informed her that “Super Baby” or “Baby Awesome” were acceptable names for you.
When Uncle Joey came home from college for Christmas, he made sure everyone knew the first name we had given you.
We think your first given name suits you just fine!
What a day the three of us have had. It started at about 5:45 yesterday morning when I woke up feeling a little crampy. I didn’t want to wake your Dad yet, in case it was nothing, and he would need to get up to go to work. As I laid there the crampy feeling continued. I couldn’t help feeling excited that this might be the beginnings of your entrance to the world.
Daddy’s alarm finally went off and I let him know that he should probably stay home. He looked at me with a disbelieving smile and asked, “REALLY?!” We got up, dressed, and decided to go for a walk since we had been told that this could help move things along. It was about 20 degrees outside but sunny with snow covering everything. Just the kind of day I imagined you were waiting for . We tried going about our day as contractions came and went. By 2:30 pm the contractions were coming about every 4-5 minutes, and by 4:30 pm we decided it was time to go to the hospital.
I wanted to walk in, but had to stop a few times for contractions. There were mostly funny smiles from everyone we passed, since it was pretty clear what we were doing there. By the time we got checked in, I was dilated to 5 cm. We passed the next several hours walking the halls, sitting on a yoga ball, and trying to relax in the tub. It was 12:00 am on December 2nd when I started to push you out and into our arms.
The next couple hours were tough for both of us, and Daddy helped us through with coaching and lots of hand squeezing. At 2:14 am (one minute before nurse Mindy predicted) you entered the world with one tiny cry and then eyes wide open to examine your new surroundings. Daddy cut your cord with the help of Dr. Harris, before they dried and weighed you.
After waiting and wanting you so much- you were finally in our arms. We could not believe that we had created such a miracle. I wish every moment could last a lifetime as we watch you change and grow. Welcome to the world Emilia, we are here to give you all the love we have.
I have loved every minute of being pregnant with you, but I am going to love getting to know you even more. These last days of waiting for you to come are the hardest because we are so excited to meet you. You have grown a lot in the past couple weeks and can give me a pretty strong kick to the ribs when you want to. You always let me or Dad know when we are encroaching on your space too much- by giving a nice strong push back. You usually do this if we rest an arm over you. I take this as a good sign that you already want to make yourself known. You also get the hiccups quite a bit which feels like fast little flutters. Friends and family are anxiously awaiting to meet you, and you already have so much love to welcome you into this world. We have been busily preparing for your arrival and now all we need is you.
We took a trip up to Duluth with Matt to visit Gooseberry Falls today. Your mom was climbing around on the rocks like a gymnast, and all of the other people there were looking at her and wondering if she should be doing that.
It’s hard to slow your mom down, and I’m guessing that you are going to be hard to slow down as well.
We were so excited to share with everyone that our family was soon going to be growing. We did not know if you were a boy or a girl- but we already loved you like crazy knowing you were going to be unique, wonderful and ours. When it came time to tell your grandparents- we wanted to tell them in a special way.
It was close to the time of your Grandma Kjellberg’s birthday- and they were going to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with some friends. We decided to buy her a special picture frame and send it to be opened on her birthday.
Grandma was always saying that she was not old enough to be a grandmother, but really we knew she only wanted us to wait until we had enough time and energy to give you all the love you should have. We knew that she, and Grandpa K, were going to be thrilled and surprised to hear that you were on your way. She opened her gift first thing in the morning on her birthday – May 20, 2008.
The next weekend, May 23rd, we headed up to the Cabin to see Grandma and Grandpa Colianni and Uncle Joey. We told them we were bringing a friend. We got there pretty late, about 10pm, and they were all waiting for us. We were giving everyone hugs when Grandpa C asked if we decided not to bring a friend. Your dad and I looked at each other and smiled, and then pointed to my belly saying, “No- our friend is right here!” They had been asking about grandchildren for years and were happy to know that you would be here soon.
We wanted more than anything to have a baby. We spent a lot of time dreaming, hoping and planning. When we finally found out that you existed, however, our minds were elsewhere. We had just gotten back from a trip to LA to be with Matt and a very tiny Madeline- who was born almost 2 months early. Madeline’s mom, Liz, went to heaven the day after Madeline was born and we were terribly sad, since we loved her very much. It was hard to leave Matt so far away with his new baby, and without Liz. I knew that I did not get my period that week, but thought it may be due to the stress. When we got home we were very tired and collapsed into bed. I got up to go to the bathroom and decided to re-check a pregnancy test. A week earlier, I had taken a test because I had to order a bridesmaid’s dress for your Aunt Andrea’s wedding by March 20th. I knew would need a different dress if I was pregnant. The test was negative and I ordered the dress she had chosen.
This one, however, was . . .
When I got back in bed, I leaned over and whispered to your dad, “guess what? We’re having a baby.” We hugged each other and cried. We knew that Liz was somewhere smiling with us. I called and changed my dress order the next day.
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mom
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dad
Grandma was always saying that she was not old enough to be a grandmother, but really we knew she only wanted us to wait until we had enough time and energy to give you all the love you should have. We knew that she, and Grandpa K, were going to be thrilled and surprised to hear that you were on your way. She opened her gift first thing in the morning on her birthday – May 20, 2008. 
