Dear McLane,

I was going to wait until you were born to start this blog, but you should be here any day now and I may as well start. I was laying in bed tonight watching you in my belly just moving around and I was overwhelmed with emotions. I love you so much already and I haven't even see your face or looked into your eyes. It's so funny because now that I am becoming a parent I understand the love a mother has for her child, I didn't know before. I hope one day you understand the amount of love I have for you already.

Like I was saying, I was laying in bed. I was watching Cupcake Wars on the Food Network (my FAVORITE channel!) and I had oatmeal raisin cookies baking in the oven. Your dad was in the living room playing his Christmas gift, Madden 2012, and listening for the timer to go off on the oven for me. And I was distracted, by you, in my belly. Just moving around, I guess getting comfortable, or maybe restless because of the handful of tiny oatmeal raisin cookies I had been "testing" either way...you were moving, and it completely and utterly amazes me. I am about to tear up just typing this out.

You are a miracle. I never really had any friends or family members, no one close to me to ever be pregnant for me to experience it with them so everything we are going through together is a first for me. I have heard "pregnancy and child birth are beautiful miracles" and (though I haven't experienced child birth yet...) it really is. I just stare at my belly every chance I get and I can't believe I have been so lucky and so blessed to carry you for these past 9 months. I have taken very good care of you too :) you have made it easy on me :) thank you!

It's only the 3rd of January, and you are due on the 19th. I absolutely can not wait!! I'm hoping you'll debut this week...I'm guessing the 8th. I am already dilated 2 centimeters, but they say you can stay 1-3 cm for weeks, but I don't have weeks! We only have 17 more days!! The doctor did say she would let me go only a week past my due date, which will be the 26th. So you will have a birthday at least by then. (The 26th is Amanda's birthday. I will have to tell you about her.) Maybe not tonight, because it's already almost 10 and I am pretty tired. I worked, had a massage (first one ever!!) and cooked/baked tonight. I can't wait for you to be here and I have so much to tell you, you've got some catching up to do. I love you with my whole heart and can not wait to kiss you and hold you!!

Love you always,
Momma