MERCY!!

Mercy!


Or "mercy sakes and lands to betsy!" (I'm not really sure what this was supposed to be....just know it was accompanied by lots of hand gestures and usually a funny story) or "laaaaaaaas have mercy" (read - Lord have mercy!) according to my Grandpa Short....


I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed this morning......


Or, a LOT overwhelmed!


I'm having a baby.....I'm HAVING A BABY! A BABY!!!


Usually with a pregnancy, you get to "ease" into the idea....fun little kicks and a cute little  belly....random people patting your belly (hey, that's cool! I'm one of those...just saying) and the ultrasound picutres...and hearing the heartbeat....


Since what we've (errrr....Aaron) has had is MILES of paperwork and LOTS of waiting....with a few pictures here and there....and by few I mean less than ten (no bitterness!)....it's kinda a shock to me that in less than a couple months (maybe 6 weeks???) we will have a BABY!!


A BABY!!


I thought my "baby days" were done.....I haven't had a baby in my house for almost a decade.....


THAT. IS. CRAZY!!


So this morning, as I put "register for baby shower" on my to-do list....it overwhelms me! Last time I did this there wasn't such a thing as amazon prime....and then I went to the store with a scanner and scanned items I wanted on my list! you didn't buy them with a click. Or maybe some people did...but it surely wasn't the norm it is today. And baby stuff is allllll different! They have squeeze baby food (sooo weird!) and pacifier holders and no bumper pads!! I'm an OLD NEWBIE! LOL How's that for an oxy-moron! Crazy......CRAZ-Y!


So give me a minute while I lose my mind!!!


And....I'm just kinda wrapping my mind around the fact that I've given up sleeping past 8 am on Saturday mornings and saying "girls, get dressed!" and having them come down ready to go...I will be getting sippies and bottles and counting diapers and taking an extra outfit in case we have a blow out and struggling to find a babysitter and worrying about choking hazards and worrying if the carseat is in right and did I mention not sleeping in on Saturdays?!?!?


Oh. My.


And I have to do KINDERGARTIN!! Learning to read and special projects and leprechaun traps and Valentine's boxes and.....I'm gonna be the OLD MOM! LOL That is too funny!! The OLD MOM! I remember seeing her when my girls were in kindergarten...she looked so OLD and OUT OF PLACE! LOL WITH GRAY HAIR! and a baby starting school!


Yep. That will be me!


Too funny.


And baby girl....sweet, sweet baby girl.....I am sooooo looking forward to it!!


The slobbery kisses and the sweet little hand patting my back as I rock you to sleep....the feeling a momma gets as her baby finally falls asleep and just melts into your arms....getting soaked at bath time....picking up little baby shoes....taking a stroller to the mall and having a little old man tell me how sweet my baby looks....hearing you try to make your first words....seeing you try to take your first steps....craft time....playing in the yard....watching your sisters entertain you! (ooooh, my heart just aches!)....holding a baby and making dinner.....reading your favorite book again and again and again....the fist full of flowers after playing in the yard....the play dough messes and tea parties and dress up....

What joy there is coming to our family!

What sweet joy!

I am sooooo looking forward to welcoming you to our family!

What a privelegde it will be to be that OLD MOM....I'm soooo looking forward to it! Because this time, I will do better....I will stop and smell the little bouquet of flowers (ok, weeds) smooshed between your pudgy fingers...I won't worry about the whole bathroom getting wet when you splash during your bath...I won't yell about the muddy footprints....I will let you take more risks....and learn from your mistakes....

I will laugh more.

And love more.

 And worry less.

Ok, the last one might be a little white lie. But I will try :)

Because you, my dear....you are the sweet girl that I've been there, done that with. The one that I already know what works, and what doesn't. The one that I KNOW what's important, and what's not. The one I've already learned the great ideas from other mommies that have gone before me....and I KNOW what mistakes I made, and what I want to do better on....


 And, my sweet one, I now know that I am not the "perfect mom" I tried soooo hard to be in my younger days. I'm not. I'm just not. I'm real. I'm full of crazy ideas. I think big! And dream big! I throw great parties and love to decorate cakes. I like big crowds and board games and talking with my friends and reading good books....but I'm SOOOO not a perfect mom. I can't be. No matter how hard I try.....and I'm finally ok with that....


 But I will love you, oooooh, how I love you already. And I can't wait to "mess you up" by having you be a part of our crazy family. Our family full of love. Our family that is ok with clutter, and likes blanket forts and PJ ice cream runs and cheating at uno and jumping out the closet and scaring each other and cuddling on the couch and that loves traditions and practical jokes and making silly crafts and our plethora of animals and, most importantly, just loves each other.

We are waiting for you....

we can't wait for you to be here....

home....with us....

and are looking forward to everything you will add to our family!

Well, let's be honest here.... Maybe we aren't looking forward to the not sleeping in part..... :)

The youngest picture we have of our little one.