25 Weeks - Happy Valentine's Day

A man walks into a bar. A woman immediately notices him. She does nothing but look into his eyes as he passes her, hoping that he will sense her stare. He notices her, looks straight into her eyes and utters two words that would change their lives forever: "Nice hat."

You know how they say you can't possibly meet your soul mate at a bar? Well, Jason and I beg to differ. If it wasn't for that bar, for Jason's slight intoxication, and for my stylish flat cap, we would never have found each other. 7 years ago fate and the good Lord above brought us together. And now, fate and the good Lord above have kept us together: loving, supporting, embracing, and humoring each other. We have a bond that I had only dreamed I would find as a little girl. Jason is the first person, beyond my immediate family, who showed me unconditional love. Without him, I wouldn't be as close to the woman that I am today. In fact, most importantly, I wouldn't be able to be the mother that I am without him.

A second child brings anxiety. People lament over finances, emotional stability, and time-management. I, however, have little to no anxiety about having a second child. As long as Jason is by my side, I know that we can make it through anything life throws at us. And I absolutely cannot wait to have the opportunity to raise another child with the man of my dreams. Our son and daughter can go on through life knowing that they were conceived and brought into the world by two people who were absolutely head-over-heels crazy about one another. Yes, sometimes my office mates can hear me on the phone, yelling, "Schneider!" when he does something I consider stupid. And he's not one to hide his 100 pet peeves with me. But that's what is so great about us - we have conflict, but we work through it. And in the end, we end up laughing about it. He is my rock, my foundation. My Hallmark card to him couldn't have said it better:

"You're my husband, my partner, my friend.
We've been together a long time now.
We've laughed and cried and seen each other through our best and worst and everything in between.
And whenever I look at you, I feel even more love than I've ever felt before.
You're my partner, and you're my best friend, and I ask nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you.
Happy Valentine's Day."

And I would be remiss not to include his Hallmark card to me:

"My love,
I followed my heart, and it led me to you!"

Jason Matthew, I love you now and always.

Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it all...

Our Little Eggplant

It's time to make it official, Leonardo Matthew. That is your name. But of course, you knew that because we talk to you constantly and call you Leo. Did you enjoy the book that Lidia read to you the other night? It's almost as she lulled you to sleep. We got to visit the doctor yesterday to get an update on how you are doing. The doctor stated that your heartbeat was perfect, and that mommy's belly was beautiful. You are doing absolutely wonderful in there. You're growing, moving, and hitting all of your fetal milestones. The doctor did let us know that this time around, we would have the option to be induced at 39 weeks. This means that we would actually get to choose the day that you would be brought into the world. While this idea does seem appealing, mommy and daddy are going to once again attempt to have a natural, unmedicated birth. We want you to come into this world when you are ready.

It's time for mommy to sign off now, my love, my Leo. We started calling Lidia, little Liddie Lou around this time. I think my little Leo lion sounds pretty good for you, son. Keep growing healthy down there and we will keep praying for you. Sweet dreams!