To Mom

I have been spewing love all over the place on this blog lately. I guess I'm just overflowing with happy hormones! I started to write my mom a post and then remembered... I actually did that over a year ago!! I re-read it today and it really does sum up my feelings for her. The only thing I will add is how wonderful she has been over the past nine months and how INCREDIBLY excited I am for her to be Greer's grandmother (grandmother name still TBD - in true Mary Neal form this is a very important decision). 

I love you so much, mom! I am feeling especially connected to you in these last days of waiting to become a mother myself. Also, I cannot wait for you to get to town and clean my house. Haha. Moms are the best!

Mom Post - July 15, 2011

To Will

I realized after my letter to Greer that I have mostly talked about the pregnancy part of Greer being on her way and, in doing so, have left Will out more than I meant to. Anyone who knows him will not be shocked at all that Will has been the most amazing husband throughout this pregnancy. So, I wanted to (very publicly) thank him for some of the things I have appreciated most over the past months...

Will,

• Thank you for getting so excited and saying all the right things the morning we found out I was pregnant. I know you were a little shocked and scared at the weight of it all but you were so sweet and SO funny and that helped me tremendously. Your prayer that morning - that included thanking God for this amazing gift AND asking God that maybe my mom wouldn't move to Nashville RIGHT away - is my most precious memory from that morning.
• Thank you for taking me off of the ski slope and not totally freaking out yourself when I had a COMPLETE hormonal meltdown 100 yards into our second run. And for letting me bow out of skiing for the rest of the trip with absolutely no guilt trip. You were already a professionally supportive dad-to-be just days after we found out we were expecting.
• Thank you for waking me up for dinner during my first trimester when I would go to sleep after work. And then letting me go right back to sleep after we ate. You never made me feel bad for taking care of myself and that was so appreciated.
• Thank you for being excited that Greer was a girl. I was (secretly) DYING for her to be a girl but I was so nervous because I really thought you felt the same way about us having a boy. But as soon as the ultrasound tech said she was a girl you were beaming. And that meant everything to me.
• Thank you for letting me off the hook every time I've apologized for "complaining." Pregnancy has been great for me but it has come (as it does for everyone) with lots of physical discomfort. Every time I've said my back hurt or it was hard to walk or I was tired or I was just generally uncomfortable you have been nothing but supportive and NOT ONCE did you tell me to suck it up. Major husband points for that one. 
• Thank you for going to see Hope Springs with me on our babymoon because I wanted to see Meryl's new movie. I'll never stop feeling guilty for that one. Anyone who has seen that movie totally understands. Anyone who hasn't seen it... keep it that way.
• Thank you, first of all, for supporting (in every sense of the word) me staying at home with Greer. That decision will affect so many facets of our lives and I love you for your willingness to be the sole bread winner. And thank you for also standing behind my decision to give my notice at work so early. That was a sacrificial decision but I can't tell you how much it has put my mind and heart at ease these past months.
• Thank you for cleaning the house before our families were here a few weekends ago. You have helped around the house all along (even pre-pregnancy) but the big cleaning job before visitors meant a lot to me. Our house has not been as clean as I want it throughout this entire pregnancy (and thank you for never saying one negative word about that!) so having it cleaned before we had guests really made me relax. And my mom commented on how clean the kitchen was - official seal of approval.
• Thank you for taking on some of the big "getting ready" responsibilities like picking the car seat, setting up our pediatrician appointment, our tour at the hospital, etc. And thank you for going to every single one of my doctors appointments. Every one of them. And asking questions at all of them, too. ;-)
• I could go on forever... so thank you for being the man that I married. The man that I look up to, that makes me laugh literally every day, that makes me feel special and loved at all times and the man who is going to be all of that and more for our little girl. You are going to be the ultimate dad and I am so excited that I am about to watch and support you through that journey.

You are my best friend and you have my heart,
Caroline

To Greer

To my precious baby girl,

You are due to arrive in a month. These past nine months we have spent together, in one body, have been some of the most precious of my life. I keep fixating on how excited I am to see your sweet little face. I think I want to see your face because I feel like I know you so well otherwise. I feel you move and kick and roll, it's like we communicate already. I know that you're feisty and strong and sassy. I know that when you get the hiccups you get mad and kick around until they go away. I know that first thing in the morning you like to bump and nudge me... It's like you say good morning but you're a little groggy, too, so you don't kick as hard as usual. I know you'll be cuddly because you're very still if I rub your back when it's out against my tummy. I know that you hate when I climb stairs or walk too fast... Okay, that's probably me.

We have one month left sharing this body and I want to savor every minute of it. I truly can't wait to see your beautiful face but I also know what that day will bring... Lots of people to share you with. There are so many people who already love you beyond measure and cannot wait to meet you. So for now, while it's still just you and me, I want to tell you that this year has been wonderful and it only makes me more excited for all the years to come with you!

Love,
Mommy

Five Weeks Left!

Well, we are five weeks away from Greer's due date! Being able to travel has come and gone. Showers have come and gone. Visits from family before the "it's time" phone calls have come and gone. So now it feels like... we just wait. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely still things to do. AND we have two weddings for people we love dearly that I am so excited about in the next few weeks. But it does feel like we are now in the holding pattern stage. Just waiting on this sweet girl to decide it's time to meet her mom and dad.

So, just to ease some people's minds after my last post... We now have diapers! Haha. I know that made some folks nervous and so you can all rest assured that we now have 100+ newborn and 100+ size 1 diapers. Also, I am currently washing our (mine and Greer's) clothes for the hospital so we will be packed by tonight! I have charged our video camera and regular camera and they are in my bag. It's really starting to feel like she'll be here so soon!

This weekend was so special with mom, Gigi, Susan, Sug and Carolyn in town for my shower here. It meant a lot to me that my family got to meet some of my friends. Kathleen, Christin and Cameron seriously outdid themselves planning such a beautiful day for Greer and me. I have gotten SO many compliments on the food and specific recipe requests - the definite sign of a successful shower!

I just cannot get over how unbelievably blessed Will and I are as a family. As if having this baby isn't wonderful enough, this has been a time that we have been so overwhelmed by the love and generosity of our family and friends. And I don't just mean gifts (although the gifts have been amazing -please know that I'm not the fastest thank you note writer but I am truly thankful for all of the useful and beautiful things for Greer). What I'm really referring to is people's love they have covered us with and their generosity with time, prayers and acts. Sometimes I just can't process how fortunate we are. We are about to start a crazy adventure that will last the rest of our lives and I so appreciate that we are jumping off this cliff feeling so supported. Thank you all for your love. We feel it. Trust me.

I hope everyone is excited about fall's arrival and that you had a great first cool weekend! Next up on the blog will be pictures of the nursery! Yay!!

Cabs