Dear Rebecca,
                     Hello, my beautiful baby girl. I guess you got all the news that is news from your Daddy. I am so sorry that things had to work out this way; but maybe this is all in God's greater plan. I can't wait to hold you. Daddy and I are so looking forward to you being here with us that we can barely stand it. Daddy and I are so glad that God blessed you with us and we are so happy that you will be here with us soon. I was hoping for you to be here before the twelfth but I don't think that is going to happen unless I go into labor between now and then. Even if I go into labor, the doctor may very well give me a C-section anyway. There is a big chance of shoulder and hip dysplasia with babies born to diabetics from getting stuck in the birth canal. We don't want that!
   I hope that all is well with you; I can't wait to see you. You and Daddy mean more to me than anything in this world; we wanted you for so long. Daddy gave you all the important news, so I guess I don't really have much else to write other than I love you. I love you SO much. So does Daddy. We are waiting patiently for your impending arrival. We know that it will be the happiest day of our life.

Dear Rebecca,
                  Well, officially there's only 19 days until you are due. And today you are officially a term baby. So if you came tonight you wouldn't be a preemie. Your mother went to the doctor today and he said that if you didn't come soon he would schedule a c-section for around the twelfth. So I reckon that's your new unofficial due date.
   Well, this doesn't come as much of a shock to you, being as how you know where you live, but we have decided to sell the house. We've been mulling it over for quite awhile now but everything has come to a head and opportunities that we have to take have presented themselves to us so this is our final night in this house. I'm sorry you never got to see the room that your mother & I worked so hard on but I'm sure your next room will be just as nice. We decided that you deserve more than we could give you making an $1,100 a month house payment. I only clear $2,100 a month as it is. We are both sad to be leaving here but also very excited about a future with you in it.
   This is what has been bothering us both for so many months. I know that you have detected it in these writings. Now you know. We move tomorrow. This is our last night in the house that I have owned for almost a decade. Yeah, a little sad. The new place is so much nicer than this house. Kristie now has a dishwasher and tons of closet space. Our house was only 1,000 square feet and the new place is 1,300 square feet. The house had three bedrooms and the new place has two bedrooms so you can imagine how huge these rooms are.
   Well, your papaw is helping us move tomorrow and you know how he is. No half measures with that man. If it's gotta be done let's just do it now. No sense waiting a half minute. So I expect to be toatlly moved in by this time tomorrow night. We'll have a whole lot of work to do this weekend and I don't know when the phone will be transferred so I don't know when we'll get to put a blog post on the internet again. It might be a few days.
   I reckon I'll be seeing you sooner than later. I can't wait. You've been the only thing that has kept up my spirits these past few months and for that I am forever in your debt. I love you so much, Rebecca. I can't wait to see your chubby little face. And you are chubby; nine pounds at 37 weeks.

Dear Rebecca,
                     Only 26 more days until you are due. Big happenings going on today. I will explain it all to you in a post script on the hard copy of your blog. I'm sure you know that this little journal was originally on the internet. Posted for the world to see. Your mom hasn't slept very well the last couple of nights. There's been so much stress on her lately. Not only from being pregnant but from other sources as well. I just wanted to check in with you today. I love you and can't wait to see you for the first time. See you soon.

I just noticed that your mom wanted me to post the cute little poem that she wrote for me from you for Father's Day. It was really cute.

If you never rope the moon for me Or snag the stars in the sky I'll still love you, unconditionally You'll always be my favorite guy. If you never serve me Venus or the world, On bright, shiny, silver platters, I'll still be Daddy's Little Girl, And that's the only thing that matters. Just give me all your love & devotion, And all of your attention, All of your best emotion, And all your money, I forgot to mention! I love you Daddy, Love Rebecca

Dear Rebecca,
                     Hello, baby. It's been a bit since I have posted and I wanted to let you know all about the baby shower they gave Daddy at his work. Some people really bought you some very nice things. You got all kinds of very nice clothes, things from Dillards and JC Penney and even some Tommy Hilfigger shirts. You got a really nice layette set, a crib pad and a sheet to match. There were some beautiful dresses and onesies and pants outfits, and a lady that works with Daddy knitted you a beautiful Afghan. She is also the same lady that made you your patch work teddy bear. I wonder if I will be able to put any of that stuff up for you or if you will drag it and gnaw it to pieces by the time you are three. Oh well, either way, do whatever you want to do with it. It is yours!
We looked all over the place for a white wicker basket for your laundry basket and could not find one ANYWHERE. But low and behold, today when Daddy went to work he got yet ANOTHER present for you, (he has been getting them all week long), and it was a WHITE WICKER BASKET. How lucky is that? A lady that works with Daddy made a beautiful cake for the baby shower. Daddy got to take some pictures. Maybe some day you can look back at them and see them. I will try to print as many as I can out and put them in an album for you.
   Well, Daddy is wanting me to have you so badly now. I keep telling him it is still a little too early but he is getting SO excited. I am glad, too. Daddy doesn't really get excited too much these days. I love your Daddy with all of my heart and I know that he will be a wonderful father to you. Well I just wanted to tell you some about Daddy's at-work baby shower. He really works with a bunch of wonderful people, for them to do this for you. Also, tonight when Daddy gets home I am going to have him post the poem I wrote for him from you & I for Father's Day. I love you, Rebecca!

Dear Rebecca,
                  Only 30 days until your due date. My family leave came through yesterday so we are good to go. I drove a forklift this week and it was rough, mainly because it's been years since I have done it. I had to search for things that the regular drivers already knew where they were at. I signed a bid on a regular material handler job yesterday. I don't know if I'm gonna get it or not. It would be another 35 cents and hour or so. Of course my regular job isn't all that bad. I'd be pleased either way. We had a huge scare this week. In addition to your mom's false labor. Maybe I'll tell you about it one day. There was a revival at church this week. We only went to last nights meeting. That job really kicked my tail. We're going again tonight.
   Your mother wrote another poem about you. She wrote it early this month. I don't know why she hasn't posted it yet. I think it's one of her better ones. Here it is. It's entitled "Tiny Pink Dresses"

Tiny pink dresses, And tiny pink bows. Pink ribbons in your tresses, Tied up with a pretty pink rose. Little white patent shoes. With little white tights, Trimmed in pinks and pastel blues, Oh! What beautiful sights. Watching you spin round & round, As you throw your head back and smile, Singing "London Bridge Is Falling Down" Laughing, laughing, all the while. I dream of you just this way, Always playful and happy, But I know that someday, You'll turn into a woman before me. But right now I have my dreams, Of my precious little girl, And after wanting it so long, it seems, God has given me the world. To Rebecca Love Mommy June 2, 2004

   Pretty good isn't it. Your mother has a gift. Your mamaw, Aunt Lynn and everyone is just so impressed with your mom's poetry. I'm sure you will be as well. Only I know you are going to be so much more talented in all things than your mother or I.....LOL. No pressure. Well, that's it for now. See you soon, little girl of mine. We both love you so very much and can not wait to hold you in our arms and to look upon your face.

Dear Rebecca,
                     Hello my beautiful baby girl. Well, you gave us quite a scare last night. Daddy and I thought sure you were coming. Mommy was having some very painful contractions for almost three hours. They wound up being six to eight minutes apart at the end.. then they spaced out when we got to the hospital and the doctor and nurses got me resting on my side. They did not want you to come out just yet, because 35 weeks is too early. You need at least a couple more weeks to fluff up some. Then you will be as good as gold. I hope that you do come a little early, I just don't want you to come THIS early. Besides, Daddy doesn't even have his family leave yet. So fortunately it all just turned out to be a false alarm and they let me go at around two thirty this morning. Daddy went to work SO tired today. He is in bed resting now.
   So I suppose that was mine and Daddy's practice run. We love you so much and we are SO excited to see you. We just want you to hang in there long enough to be PERFECTLY healthy. We love you and we only want the best for you. Well, I know we will be seeing you soon. I love you, Rebecca.

Dear Rebecca,
                     Hello sweetie. Well, it's not long until you will be here with us now. At the ultrasound the other day in the doctor's office, they said that you already weighed six pounds and two ounces. There are full term babies that are born smaller than that. At least I know you will be big enough to be healthy. I am so excited to see you. I know Daddy is too. He has got the new Daddy blues and he is nervous but I know that once you are here he will not have time to worry about anything but staring at and caring for you.
   I had to reschedule my appointment with the doctor for this week. Right now Mommy doesn't drive and it's difficult getting an appointment when other people like Mamaw and Aunt Lynn can take me. I got it rescheduled for 2:50 on Wednesday. I hope that someone can get me there. They were doing the appointments on Thursday and Dr. Youkilis is only there for half a day on Thursday. So all they could give me then were morning appointments. I really can't do morning appointments. People have kids and have to work. Well, hopefully I will get everything with my driving situation straightened out really soon. I am going to call the lawyer back and see if he has heard anything.
   I am wondering now more and more what you will look like. I cannot wait to see your beautiful face, and hold your tiny hands. I am so glad that God blessed me and Daddy with such a wonderful gift. You will never know the level of love we already feel for you... and it only gets stronger. I pray every night that you will be healthy and happy every day for the rest of your life. I know that Daddy and I our going to do our best to make sure that you are. '
   Aunt Mary said she caught Papaw Lawrence looking through a rack of baby clothes at Wal Mart the other day. When she asked him if he wanted to get you something he said he didn't know what to get... I think it is very cute. He is very excited about you too. You are his very first grand daughter. He has Dylan as a grandson but he never got to meet him. Papaw Lawrence will get to know you and I know that he will love you. You are a very lucky little girl to be so loved.
Well I am going to fiddle about today because I don't have that much energy left in me anymore. Daddy is right, you are wearing me out more and more these days. I can't wait until you are here, because I know you will wear me out even more. And I know it will be worth every minute of it. I love you, Rebecca.

Dear Rebecca,
                     It's only 36 days until you are due. Everyone is in agreement with us that you will not wait 36 more days though. I just hope that you can wait for my family leave to come through. I am so nervous about your birth. I know you will be perfect and we seem to be well prepared for your arrival but still to know that the actual event is so very close is terrifying to me. I am anxious to see you and want it to be as soon as possible but still kinda weirded out by it all. Nothing this momentous has ever happened to me before.
   It's a lazy Sunday afternoon here now. Your mother is taking a nap. You are tiring her out so easily these days. I just added your 32 week ultrasound to the blog page. I probably should mow the yard but it's so hot outside. I'll probably wait until tomorrow to do it. Your papaw helped us take a whole lot of the clutter that was in the office to the recycling center Saturday afternoon. While it's still a wreck it does look so much better.
   Well, I'm gonna let you go for now. See you soon, Rebecca. We both love you very much.

Dear Rebecca,
                     Hello Rebecca. There's only 39 days left until your due date. Your mother & I do not think you will wait until then. You have always been a big baby. Your mother has gestational diabetes so you have been running large. At the ultrasound today it was determined that you weigh approximately 6 pound and 2 ounces. You are doing great. We have another great ultrasound picture of you. Maybe I will put it up here on the blog this weekend. I am kinda tired today though. We have been super busy getting ready for you. Your room is nearly complete. Your mom wants a rug that matches the decor and your papaw is gonna make us some blue gingham curtains when we get the fabric. Papaw used to be a sewing machine mechanic so that's how he knows how to sew. As you know already we have your crib and other furniture. We put up some shelves, your mother made some very cute pictures here on the computer and we framed them and hung them on your wall, we hung your plush moon & stars from the ceiling and we stenciled your name above your crib. The stenciling was hard. I was afraid we had screwed up your wall but it actually came out quite nice. We are going to try to get all the cardboard taken to the recycling center this weekend. Your room is nearly perfect but the rest of the house is a total wreck.
   Well, little girl, I am tired. I just wanted to check in with you today and let you know how things are going with us as we wait on you. I'm gonna surf around on the internet for a little while and then I am gonna watch some television with your mother before I have to go to bed. See you soon, Rebecca. We both love you very much

Dear Rebecca,
                     Forty one days until you are due. That is only a month and ten days. It is quickly creeping upon us. We are excited to see you! So of course the month and ten days still seems like an eternity. It's Tuesday afternoon here at the old homestead. Daddy was right, this office is a wreck. I can't wait to get it cleaned out. I really haven't done that much today because my back has been hurting me very badly. I picked up the living room and made sure all the dishes were in the sink. I will take care of the rest tomorrow. I am hoping I will have all of this done before you get here. I don't know though, some things might have to be done afterward. Just rest assured that I will get them done eventually. I want you to live in a nice clean home.
   Sunday afternoon after church, Mamaw and Papaw took us to Babies R Us and bought you some baby furniture. They bought you a beautiful white crib, that turns into a toddler daybed, then into a full size bed when you get older. It is very nice. It is not the one we originally looked at. It is MUCH, MUCH better. Papaw did not like the construction of the bed that we had picked out. I don't blame him, it felt very shoddy. But I was also worried about Mamaw and Papaw spending so much money. They did not seem to be concerned with it, though. They also bought you a very nice mattress that is very firm and hopefully will be very comfortable for you. I don't know anything about babies and what kind of mattresses they like, but I like firm mattresses. Papaw then saw an even better dresser than the one we had picked out and it had a changing table right on the top of it. It has colored knobs to match your Sun, Moon, & Star Room decor'. It also has a little cabinet where I can keep diapers and wipes, and it has nice big drawers. Everyone discovered that Papaw is a very good shopper. Well, Papaw is very good at a lot of things, as I am sure you will find out. After Mamaw and Papaw bought the furniture, they came to our house and Daddy and Papaw put the crib together. It was very easy to get the crib together. It did not take long at all. Mamaw and I got your bedding on it and mounted your little mobile (which is NOT very mobile I should add) and put some of your stuffed animals inside the crib. It all looks very cute. Next Papaw and Daddy tried to put your dresser/changer table together. It was a lot harder than the crib. It got Daddy and Papaw very frustrated. But they finally got it put together and they loved you enough to keep at it when I am sure they both felt like pitching it out the window. They bought you a very nice changing pad to go on top of it, and Daddy bought you two covers for the changing pad. One is yellow and one is green. They both match your room very nicely. After the furniture was put together, the room really started to look like a baby's room, instead of a big sparkly yellow room. You are so lucky to have a Mamaw and Papaw that love you so much. When the furniture was almost put together, Aunt Lynn and Uncle Rodney showed up up see it. They liked it a lot, and Lynn made a good suggestion about your curtain. Now instead of using a dust ruffle to make your valance, we are going to use a blue gingham pattern. I think it will look very nice.
   Monday after work Daddy went to pick up the rocker to go in your room. We got a lot of nice gifts at the baby shower, and we got money too, $75.00, and your rocker was only a $100.00 after tax. So we only had to give $25.00 of our own money to get it. Daddy also got you a nice bookshelf for your books, lamps, & what-nots. He put the rocker and the bookshelf together last night. It looks very, VERY nice in there. We also got your pink Disney Princess CD player out on an other shelf beside the dresser. We are having a problem figuring out your diaper genie. I think Alicia or Lynn may have to show us how to do it. Today we are going to get some fishing line to hang your moon and stars above your rocker. We may get some bigger stencils to go over your crib or I thought about a pillow-picture but Daddy says we have already spent so much money, and he is right. We do not really need to spend any more. I am sure there are other things we will have to buy at a later date ... and that money could come in handy. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know how nice your room looked. Today Daddy and I are getting flowers to go outside to make your arrival home even more special. We love you and can't wait to see you!

Dear Rebecca,
                  It's Friday now. My work day is done. I have mowed the front lawn; the back doesn't yet need mowing. Your mother is out with your mamaw & Aunt Lynn shopping. Probably shopping for stuff for you. I am feeling very relaxed right now. My office is a wreck. Your room used to be the "catch all" room. When we had to store something for later it went in your room because it was an extra room that was very handy for storage. Well, we have had to clear out that room and it all ended up in my office. We are gonna take all this stuff to the dump. But for now it' still here. It's rained so much lately and the dump closes so early that we just haven't had the chance to take care of it. My computer desk is also falling apart. The top drawer just dropped out of it. We need a new computer desk but we also need a thousand other more imortant things so I suppose I will have to wait.
   Your Aunt Mary and Papaw Laurence dropped in last night. They spent the night. Kristie left with your mamaw, Aunt Lynn & Allison this morning at around 9:30. That's all I have to say for today. I'll let you go for now. I love you and see you soon.

Dear Rebecca,
                     Hello my beautiful baby girl. Mommy here. It's really late here on Memorial Day and I am not feeling very well. I don't know if it is a cold or the flu or what it is but I have a sore throat and I am coughing, sneezing, and throwing up, while freezing to death and burning up at the same time. You seem to know that I do not feel well because you are quite active. Maybe I am keeping you awake for a change.
   Mamaw and Aunt Lynn threw us a very nice baby shower this past Saturday. We played lots of games and there was a beautiful cake with baby booties on it that I forgot to take a picture of (boo hoo) and tons of yummy finger foods and things. Lots of people were there, like Mamaw (of course) who bought you several nice things like onesies and bath wash and a nice big beautiful basket and Lynn (of course) who also bought you tons of nice things like bottle brushes and baby wipes and a cute little pillow.. plus onesies and blankets... not to mention they have bought you several outfits already and Mamaw and Papaw are buying your baby furniture. Your great Aunt Belle Gill was there and she gave Daddy and I a $30.00 check which we are going to put toward a rocker for your room. Your great Aunt Laura was also there and she and her husband Jr. gave us $25.00, which we are also going to put toward the rocker. Your great Uncle Mike and great Aunt Chris could not be there because they were on a trip but they sent a nice card with a $20.00 gift card in it which will also go toward the rocker. The Pastor Tom Taylor and his wife Carrie bought you diapers, onesies, hair bows, and some baby shampoo. Their daughter Tammy Smith bought you some plates, bottles, wipes, and bibs. Your great Uncle Donnie and your great Aunt Martha bought you two cute little dresses. Ollie Mae, a lady that sometimes goes to our church, bought you a beautiful little dress. Her daughter, Wilma and her husband Dudley Newbie who also go to our church, bought you some adorable little outfits. Your cousin Janice bought you some very cute little overalls and a little jean outfit. Your great Grandmother Annetta bought you a beautiful little picture frame and some little onesies. My friends Alicia and Cassie and Alicia's mom Kathy bought you some clothes, onesies, blankets, and some baby orajel. Your great Aunt Lila Goins and your great Uncle Charlie Goins bought you a cute little dress and sleeper. I wrote it all down in your baby book so that you can always have it. This really shows just how much people already care about you and want you to come into the world. We are so happy that God has blessed us with you. We can't wait to hold you! I also would like to mention that your Aunt Lila is a card, she wore big panties over top her clothes all throughout the baby shower, and afterward she and your great Granny Annetta were putting them on their heads!
   I forgot to mention that Lynn and Mamaw bought you an adorable car seat and baby swing and some other odds and ends at a yard sale. The baby swing is really a neat trick because when you start crying, it automatically comes on. I have got them both cleaned up and I already have the car seat in the car. I am becoming a little impatient, it seems. The bigger you get the more pain I am in but that is not really the reason I am impatient. I am impatient cause I want to see you!!! I love you so much already and I can't wait to show you just how much! I know that Daddy and everyone cannot wait either. I really really hope I will make a good mother to you. I will do everything that I can to make sure that you always have everything you want or need. I know that Daddy will too. And you can already tell that Aunt Lynn and Mamaw and Papaw are on top of that. We are so blessed but you can bet your cute little baby buns that you will be one blessed and loved little girl.
   Well sweetheart, I am really not feeling very well at all and I am tired. The dish network people are coming to install Daddy's satellite dish tomorrow and I have to be up to let them in. I just want to let you know that I love you and that we had a fantastic baby shower.

Dear Rebecca,
                     Hello, daughter of mine. Well, just 51 days until you are due. The baby shower is this evening. I'm sure your mom will let you know what all she got for you. Everyone is very excited about you. Your mamaw, Aunt Lynn & Allison brought us some more baby stuff Thursday. Some clothes, shoes, cereal, a car seat and a really cool swing that starts swinging when you start crying. Very nice stuff. I think your mamaw is going to take your mom to Lexington Sunday and buy us your crib, dresser and changing table.
   I'm up to early for a Saturday that I don't have to work. I've been up since about 4:00 this morning. I'm going to have to lay down again if I plan on mowing the lawn. Lately we have had a whole lot of rain so you just have to mow when you get a chance. You can't put it off or it will get out of hand. Wow, this is boring talk, isn't it?
   Well, I just wanted to check in with you. It's Memorial Day weekend so I don't have to go to work Monday so I suppose I will be able to post another note for you before the weekend if over. I'll let ya go for now. See ya soon.

Dear Rebecca,
               We had a big thunderstorm earlier this evening. As a matter of a fact I can still hear thunder in the distance. I had written you a nice long post when "Blammo", I lost every bit of it. I was so bummed out that I decided to go into the living room and watch an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent that we had on the Tivo.
   Well, let's try to remember what the previous lost blog post was about. I haven't posted in a some time I know. I am sorry. I am not usually on the computer during the week, especially since I am on first shift now. Time seems to fly by so quickly while I am on the computer that I don't feel as if I have had any time at home before I have to go to bed. I used to be on all the time during the week but that was when i was on second shift. I was on second shift for fifteen years.
   Friday night I did log on to Fandango.com to purchase a ticket for the 10:00 a.m. Saturday showing of Shrek 2 at the Hamburg Regal. Your mom & I liked it, but not as much as the original Shrek. I felt that if I'd already paid for it we would get out of bed and go. Before we saw the film we went and had breakfast at the Golden Corral on New Circle Road and bought your coming home dress at Babies "R" Us. After the movie we went to Meijer and Barnes & Nobles for some books I wanted on babies. Your Baby's First Year, What to Expect in the First Year and The Scientist in the Crib. The first two are self explanatory and the last one is about how a baby learns. By then it was lunch so we ate at Kentucky Fried Chicken. Then we went to Sam's Club where we saw your Aunt Lynn, Mamaw, Granny and Allison. We made one last stop but I am not even going to mention that here. We got home after 6:00 p.m. after leaving the house at 8:00 a.m. so you know we were both beat.
   Sunday after church we went back to Lexington and had lunch at Captain D's. We went to Best Buy to look for you a little pink CD player. We didn't find one. We went looking at Toys "R" Us. No luck there either but we did buy you some diaper wipes. Jacob mentioned that he had seen a pink CD player at Target just before Christmas so we decided to give it a shot. We found one there. It wasn't exactly what I wanted but it'll do. It was a pink Disney Princess CD player/Jewelry box. It's trimmed in a kind of purple. I don't care much for that but beggars can't be choosers. We then went to Walmart and got some stenciling stuff, cleaning supplies and some meat. I was a big jerk Sunday. I am kind of short tempered lately and I snap at poor Kristie to much. I made her cry in both Captain D's and Walmart over really stupid petty things. I know it's not healthy for her or you to be stressed like that and I feel terrible when I do act like such a jerk. The stress is really weighing on me right now, not only from your eminent arrival but from other sources as well. Enough of this depressing talk now. Kristie's baby shower is coming up this weekend and I think you and her both are gonna make out like bandits. I can't wait to get your room ready for habitation. I think you'll like it, even though nursery themes are never really for the baby but it's what the parents think is cute and let me tell you right now that your room is just simply darling in the eyes of your mom & dad.
   I had to work over a half an hour this afternoon. I then made a house payment, took a DVD of the Last Samurai back to the video store and then I picked us up some grilled chicken salads from McDonalds because your mom cleaned on the house all day long and was in no mood to cook. I had planned of mowing the lawn after I had supper but just as I was finishing it started raining like cats & dogs. Then I decided to write a blog post and of course as I mentioned in the beginning of this post the electric got knocked out and so did the post.
   That's it for today. 56 more days until your due date. I'm going to apply for family leave in another two weeks. I want to set in the living room some with my wife and your mother. So I'll say good-night to you my sweet daughter.

Dear Rebecca,
                   Hello sweetheart. It's been a while since I have done a post and I wanted to talk to you. I had a doctor's visit today. Your great aunt Linda, and your great grandmother Annetta, and your cousin Lucas came to pick me up for it. I thought we were having an ultrasound done but instead it was an NST (non-stress-test). That is where they hook me up to a monitor and listen to your heartbeat and have me push a button every time you move. You sure did move a lot today, and I was VERY happy. Dr. Youkilis said it looked wonderful. I like it when you kick and move a lot. It lets me know that you are healthy & happy. I cracked a joke when the belt got stuck around my belly and said it was sticking in my fat roll. Daddy doesn't like when I crack jokes about myself like that but he does not realize that it really doesn't bother me. Dr. Youkilis and I both had a good laugh from it. But, if it bothers Daddy, I won't do it when he is around. I don't want to make him uncomfortable.
   Daddy and I went to eat at Burger King after the doctor. I got very low carb items. Daddy did pretty well too. He never does as well as I do but he does well all things considered. The way he used to eat he would have had two of everything. Then again, I would have too. Then I wonder why the belt gets stuck in my fat roll. (Ha, Ha) We are both doing so amazing. You really make us both want to do better, for you, for us, for our new family. We want you to be so healthy and happy and we want that for ourselves too so that we can see all of your dreams come true. After we went to Burger King we went to Micheal's (that's an arts and crafts store) to look at stencils for your room. Daddy picked out some really pretty ones. We thought they were only fourteen dollars a package but when we got to the register it turned out that they were almost fourty dollars each. And to boot we only needed the one package for a capital R. So that would have been fourty dollars spent on your R. We bought them but on the way to the mall where we went to Baby Gap (which had nothing pretty and frilly, like we wanted, it only had *hip* stuff) we thought better of that and decided to take them back. We could use that money to pay bills with or get you something EXTRA nice. I think Aunt Lynn has some stencils left over and if she has enough for your name we will use those instead. If not we will go somewhere MUCH cheaper. That was ridiculous. Daddy said it almost made him sick to pay so much for something like that. I do not blame him, it did me too. We love you and want you to have nice things but those were cut outs of letters. Something cheaper will be just as nice.
   After we looked in Baby Gap we looked around in the baby department at Sears. They had nicer stuff there but we didn't buy anything because they really didn't have anything special enough for you to wear home. I think we are going to go and try to exchange the dress that we bought at Babies R' Us for a smaller size. Daddy picked that out and he really, really loves it. I don't know if he still has the receipt in his wallet, but if he does not we will just buy it again. Your father won't be pleased with anything else. And you can wear the bigger size at a later date. I am sure you will grow like a weed. Danny's Mother (your Mamaw), is having a baby shower for us on May 29. She says lots of people are coming. That is really cool. I am sure you will get some really nice things there. Daddy says whenever it comes to buying for you he has no objections. Nor do I, after all! You deserve it. In my eyes you deserve the world. And if Daddy and I could give it to you, we would. We are going to try really hard for you. I can have five people in the delivery room if it is a vaginal delivery. If it is a C-section there can only be one. But I am going to ask Dr. Youkilis if he will make an exception and let my sister in law in the room as well because after all we are naming the baby after her. I already have a feeling that it is going to be a C-section. I don't want it to be but I am worried about my hip. I know that Dr. Youkilis worries about infection but 1. Deal with an infection that can be treated and cleared up relatively quickly or 2. Deal with a pelvis that splits open even further and not be able to walk for another three months after you are born. Gee, I pick what's behind door number ONE. There are lots of people that want to be in on your delivery but I think only a few are going to get tickets. I know that your Aunt Mary wants to be in on it but that just is NOT practical since she lives three hours away. By the time you she gets here you may BE here. Your Aunt Lynn deserves to be in there because after all, you are her namesake. I would love for everyone who wanted to come in to be able to do it but that just won't work. My friends want to come in and I know that Alicia can if it is vaginal but the others may not be able to. But family comes before friends and if anyone gives me any problems they can just turn tail and leave me and my baby alone. It just means I will more time to spend with her if I don't have to deal with them. Anyways, I am rambling. I am good at that, you will discover.
   After we came out of Sears, I bought some perfume in Victoria Secret's in the mall. It was on sale so I got a good deal. I don't like spending money when I do not have to but this was a really good sale so I could not pass it up. I got three bottles of lotion and two bottles of body spray for $30.00. And the stuff smells really good. One set of lotions and spray smells like blueberries. Daddy likes it because it smells fruity. I think he is fruity. The other stuff is called Amber Romance and it just smells good. All Amber Romance really is, actually, is the expensive perfume I like from there called *Rapture* without the vanilla. I am willing to sacrifice the vanilla for the sake of my wallet. One bottle of that stuff costs $50.00 on sale. While I was shopping for perfume, Daddy sat in the massage chair and got himself a nice long massage. Six minutes for two dollars. He loved it, said it was great. After he got it he called your Aunt Lynn to tell her how wonderful it was. She said she had already been in one at Sam's Club. That is a store that sells stuff in bulk. Which is handy for things like TP and Shampoo. He told Lynn I was in Victoria Secret's and she thought I was buying sexy panties. Their panties would not fit over my toe. Nor would they have ever. I think I was born too big for their panties.
   After we left the mall we went back to Micheal's to return the stencils. We both felt much better after that. It was time then to check my sugar so I did it in the car and it was 61, which was low, so we decided to go and get a snack. We went to Baskin Robins and got some no sugar added fat free yogurt. I got chocolate. It was good. But not as good as the fudge pops from Kroger and I could have got a whole box for what I paid for that yogurt. But I am not complaining, I needed to eat it. For the carb content. Sugar was too low!!! And that is worse than too high. Again, here I go rambling.
   After Baskin Robins we stopped and got a movie at the movie store because our Tivo remote has given out on us and we can't seem to muster the strength to watch TV without it. I had to get a new remote online and I am waiting for it in the mail. Which was even more money we had to spend. But it wasn't really too expensive. We rented a funny movie and an *epic* drama. I always hate to watch things that are deemed *epic* on the box.. it usually means it is artsy and boring. Daddy says I don't have to watch it but I am interested in the story line. Besides, with no Tivo remote, what else would I do? But sit here and chatter on to you like a drunken monkey? Then Daddy stopped and got himself a can of the nasty stuff he chews and we came home and watched the funny movie. Daddy took a shower and went to bed and I came in here to talk to you. Now he is sleeping and here I sit still rambling. So I will stop for now. I love you so much and can't wait to see you. Goodnight Rebecca.

Dear Rebecca,
                   Hello beautiful! Today we went to church at Mortonsville AG. I showed your ultrasound (the one of you sucking your thumb) around and all of the ladies there were very impressed with it. They all think you are so cute.

   After church we went down to your mamaw & papaw's house. While we were down there your dad painted a shelf that is going to hang in your room. He painted it white. I think it is going to turn out very nice. I sat and take to your Aunt Lynn and your Mamaw while he painted and your two cousins Jon and Jacob *helped* him. More like they painted him and each other.

   I have another appointment with the doctor on Wednesday. They are going to do another ultrasound on us. Your great aunt Linda is coming to get me and take me. She will probably bring your cousins Lucas and Leah and we are going to get your great grandmother Annetta to go with us I think. Well that's all I have for today my little girl. I can't wait to hold you!!! Goodnight my baby.

Dear Rebecca,
                     Well, here it is on an early Saturday morning and you are due in 65 days. I haven't gone to bed yet. Your mother fell asleep on the sofa in the living room. Her sugar was real low before she fell asleep. She had some graham crackers with peanut butter, a banana and a glass of milk so her sugar wouldn't get even lower over night. I'm going to wake her in an hour or two so we can check it again. Your mother mentioned that I have a kidney stone. I had to miss yet another day of work. It seems like I'm falling apart here.

I don't have to work tomorrow. I'm glad of that. I'm getting kind of tired of working every Saturday. It's real good money but I like my down time as well. We had a pretty full day today. We had planned on going and doing a little grocery shopping after I got home from work. Before we left Versailles we went to the bank and I filled up the car at Thortons. I called your grandmother and she told us that she, Granny, your Aunt Linda, Aunt Lynn and Allison were going to Cici's for dinner. We had never been before but everybody raves at how affordable that place is so we decided to try it out. It's a buffet style pizza place. Your mom & I ate for just under eleven dollars. That is a pretty good deal. I enjoyed having dinner with my family. Then we went to Home Depot to see if we could find some stencils for your room. We didn't find any. We did purchase two boxes of wall anchors to hang stuff up in your room. We ran into your grandmother and the above mentioned gaggle of gals at Home Depot. Then we went across town to Lowes to check on those stencils. None there either. We'll probably have to go to a craft store for those. Then it was to Walmart. Your mother had become worried about you after Home Depot because you hadn't been kicking her as much as you usually do, so she called the doctor. He called us back on our cell phone while we were shopping at Walmart. We had planned on doing a little grocery shopping for meats at Walmart but the doctor wanted Kristie to go to the hospital so she could be hooked up to a fetal monitor just to make sure you were okay. We bought some cat food for Samson while at Walmart, also Kristie bought a few binders for a home work project she was helping Allison with, a package of clothes hangars and probably something else but I can't remember what it was. As we were checking out we once again ran into the afore mentioned gaggle of gals. After Walmart it was on to the hospital. We were there about an hour in all. You were fine. You started kicking like mad as soon as they hooked your mother up to the monitor. Of course that made both of us very happy. Your mom had gotten me worried. After the hospital we went to Kroger for meat. We left the list in the car and got considerably more than just meat. We didn't waste any money though. We'll eat everything that we bought so that's okay. We made one more quick stop before we went home. I had to stop at Shell for a can of Copenhagen. Finally we went home. We finished a movie we had started the night before. It was Gothika with Halle Berry. Your mom really liked it, but of course she loves horror flicks. After that I came in here and she fell asleep so that is where we are now.

See, I told you. A full day. I'm gonna close out for now. I'm really looking forward to seeing you soon. I had a dream about you the other night. It was a very enjoyable dream right up until I dropped you twice. Then it turned bad. Oh, by the way, the last ultrasound told us you are gonna pop out of your mom with hair so that is some fun news. I love you, Rebecca. Good Night.

Dear Rebecca,
                   Hello pretty baby!! Sorry that I have not written for a while. We have been busy and Daddy was sick with a kidney stone. Those are very ouchy things. Especially for men. Women have babies and I think that trumps kidney stones.

   Well I had to go to the doctor again Wednesday. He hooked me up to a monitor and listened to your heart rate for a long time. Then he sent me over for another ultra sound. They wanted to see if you would do the fetal breathing for them again. You finally did it for them. I did not think you were going to. You are stubborn. Do you know that? I thought they were going to send me to the hospital again. Thankfully they did not.

   I could see you sucking your thumb again on the ultra sound. I think that is so cute. Well its about time for Daddy to get off work so I am going to get off the net and see if he is going to call me. I love you baby girl!!

Dear Rebecca,
                     Today I had an appointment with the doctor for another one of your ultrasounds. I got to see your cute little face again and also your chubby little arm. The tech said you also have some hair on your head. I do not know if it is a lot or not but you have some. Thank God for that, because Mommy was bald until she was three. Seriously, I was. They tried to measure your fetal breathing movements (you do not really breathe, you just practice breathing) and they could not measure them this time. So Dr. Youkilis sent me over to the hospital to hook me up to a monitor to make sure that your heartbeat was regular for at least an hour. But, as you often do, you refused to hold still for that long. They got a good trace for maybe fifteen to twenty minutes out of that entire hour. I have to go back to him on Wednesday. I am not really sure what for, but I have to go back and see him. It may be an ultrasound, and it may not. We will see. Maybe he just wants to make sure you are doing ok.

   Yesterday was Mother's day and at the church they had a special thing where the kids passed out awards and I got an award for "Mother-To-Be". And the church had pooled some money together for gifts and they gave us (me, and you, and Dad) a day trip diaper bag kit that had a bottle, a bottle insulator, a wipes case, a changing pad, a comb and brush set, and a fork and spoon set in it. It is very nice, and it coordinates nicely with our big diaper bag that your Aunt Mary bought me. The kids from the church also made ink pen flowers to give out to the ladies in the church and they also had roses for the men and the women of the church. It was really nice. After church we went down to Mamaw and Papaw's house. They had a Mother's day picnic. A lot of the family was there, your great Aunt Louise, your great Uncle Donnie, your great uncle Mike, all of their spouses, your great aunt Linda and two of her kids, Leah and Nicholas, which I suppose would be your second cousins, and last but not least, your great-grandmother Annetta, Danny's grandmother, whom I also call Granny. Now that I call her Granny, so do all of my friends. I don't even think they know her name. I think they might just think it is Granny. Oh well, she does not mind. She is a wonderful lady. I hope you get to know all of these people very well. I know they want to get to know you. Well Kiddo, Mommy is beat. I love you so much and I can't wait to meet you face to face, instead of ultrasound monitor to belly. As much as I enjoy the ultra sounds, I want to hold you in my arms! And I know Dad does too. I love you!!!! Goodnight Rebecca.

Dear Rebecca,

                     Well hello there once again. Gosh it seems that your father uses this thing more than I do. I know I need to write more in it but since I have been home I have been as busy as a bee trying to get the house cleaned up for you. It still isn't nearly finished.. but it is getting better. I want everything to be perfect the day you arrive. Which it is supposed to be 74 days until you get here, but I think it will be a little sooner. Daddy is asleep right now and he left this up so I am supposing he is tired of Dear Old Mom not posting like she should. I promise to try and do better.

                   Well I enjoy staring at that beautiful Ultra Sound of you sucking your tiny little thumb. I can tell you are going to be a beautiful baby. And I can also tell already that you are going to have your father's nose. It's as plain as.. well.. the nose on your face.

                     Boy you sure do move a lot, do you know that kiddo? The ultra sound tech was getting a bit aggravated with you at the ultra sound because she was trying to measure your breathing and you would not even hold still long enough. I don't mind it though. I love to feel you move. It means you are one healthy baby! Daddy got to feel you move tonight too as he was talking to you. That always excites him so much. He loves you very much. You are a lucky little girl to have a Daddy like him.

                    Well I am quite tired and it is nearly my bedtime. I have to be up to fix breakfast for Dad at 5:00 am. He threatens to wake you up to get me up when you get here. I don't THINK so. Well I love you little girl!! Nite Rebecca!!

Dear Rebecca,
                  74 days until you are due. Well, I was wrong about the overtime. I didn't have to go in an hour early. We have to stay an hour late. I wished I had known that Tuesday. I went in early and had to sit around and wait for an hour to start work. They cancelled Wednesday & Thursday overtime though. I still have to work late Friday and Saturday though. Your mother and I have a dance lesson Friday night at 7:00. I thought I was going to be off work when we scheduled that. I reckon we'll go ahead and do it.

   Your mom is watching the final episode of Friends now. That's a T.V. show that was on for years & years. I'm sure you've seen it in syndication. Probably on Nick at Nite. She is watching it using and antenna while we record CSI off of cable with the Tivo. I love my Tivo. I have made some stupid purchases in my life but Tivo was definately not one of them. I ended up paying $500 for it after hardware and the service.

   That's all for tonight. I'm gonna play around here on the computer for another 20 minutes or so and then hit the proverbial hay. I love you, Rebecca!

Dear Rebecca,
                     77 days and counting. We had another doctor's appointment today and we got an ultrasound. This ultrasound is the best one yet. We were able to see your pretty little face as plain as day. You were sucking your thumb. I was so excited to see you like that. The picture was fantastic. Your mothers amniotic fluid has decreased a little bit as well. When you have diabetes you urinate more and when mommy urinates so does baby and amniotic fluid is primarily made up of baby pee. So right at this minute you're happily sucking your thumb while floating in your own urine. Sounds nasty doesn't it? I reckon babies have been doing it the same way since babies began though.

   I found out today that I am going to be working a whole lot of overtime at General Electric. We are going to start working nine hour days six days a week. Well, 8 hours on Saturday. I have to go in an hour early, that means I'll have to get out of bed at 4:30 in the morning. I'm certainly not looking forward to that and I absolutely loathe going in on Saturday but we need the money. Also it's certainly a good sign business wise that we are working so much overtime. This time last year they were laying people off like crazy. So I'm not to terribly upset about all the overtime. At least I have a good job.

   Your Aunt Lynn & Uncle Rodney bought your cousin, Jacob a brand new dirt bike this past weekend. They paid a whole lot of cash for it. My mom & dad would never have spent that much on a big toy for either my sister or me. I'm happy for Jacob though, he's been doing so well in school that he needed a great reward. Your mom says that you'll never see a $2,000 toy.

   Well, your mom just called. She's baby sitting Alicia's baby Brady. I reckon I'll close out this post now. I love you!!!

Dear Rebecca,
    Well we had the baby shower yesterday. It went pretty well, all things considered. Only my family members showed up. I take that back, a friend of mine named Angie Easton also showed up. I met her once before when I was visiting your Aunt Mary. Frankly I was rather glad that no one else showed up. I really did not want a bunch of people I did not know coming.

    My Aunt Evon, your great aunt, showed up before the baby shower, since she wasn't going to be able to make it. She bought you a cute little dress, some cute little socks to match it, and a package of pampers. Your cousin Melissa bought you some pacifiers and a giraffe comb and brush set. Your cousin Marietta, whom is much older than you (well so is Melissa) and wants you to call her "Auntie M" bought you a cute little short set. Your aunt Carolyn bought you a burp cloth and bib set and some cute little shoes and an angel that rings like a bell so I can annoy your father with it. Your aunt Mary bought you some travel snack cups and a feeding set and some gerber roll on baby powder. Of course she also paid for all of the food and the cake that was at the baby shower. Of course she had bought us a diaper bag and a few other things before this. It was nice of her to do it.

     I highly doubt that you will ever see Hazard very much. Mommy is not very fond of that place. And some things happened on this trip that reminded me exactly why I left in the first place. Some day I will explain it all to you, but for now I just want to talk to you about happy things.

     I get to come home today. Right now I am sitting at your Aunt Mary's work. I really didn't feel like sitting at her trailer all by myself today. At least there are more than mosquitos moving about here. I had to cheat a little on breakfast today, but only a little. I needed to pull my sugar up as it was quite low and I very well could not take eighty units of insulin without pulling it up some. So I had a bite of the cake that was at the baby shower. But only a bite. So that makes two bites of that cake I had. And after I took my insulin I had a biscuit, a little bit of gravy, and two pieces of sausage. In other words, I ate normally. It really wasn't very good because I got it from the deli at your Aunt Mary's work. But it was enough to fill me up and keep me sugar at a good level.

     I am so excited to see your pretty little face. I know that you will be beautiful. I can hardly wait to meet you!! I love you so much already and only want the best for you always. I suppose I will end this post for now. I love you, my pretty little baby!!

Dear Rebecca,

   Here I sit at your Aunt Mary's house. I feel so guilty for not doing a post for so long in this blog. There has been a lot going on, and I know that is NO excuse, so I really do apologize, my pretty baby. I can't believe Daddy and I are having you. We have waited for you for so long. Well, he has waited longer than I have. After all he is 36, and I am only 26. I guess what I am trying to say is that you are so wanted. We already love you SO much.

   I miss your Dad whenever I am away from him. I don't sleep well when I know he is not around. I don't know why, I just don't. Your Aunt Mary wanted me to stay until Monday but I have a Drs. appt. Monday I need to rest up for and I also don't want to miss my entire weekend with Daddy. I am quite fond of your father, to say the least, and I enjoy spending time with him.

   Aunt Mary is supposed to be throwing us a little baby shower tonight. I am not sure how many people will show up, but she has invited a lot of people. All of my family, your Aunt Carolyn, your cousins Melissa and Marietta (her daughters) , my cousin Linda Gayle and my aunt, your great aunt, Evon. She also invited a bunch of people from her work that I do not know. She even invited everyone from the trailer park she lives in. Oh well, the more the merrier, I suppose.

   Well I have been doing great on this diet the doctor put me on. It's a low carb diet, so I have been eating a lot of rabbit food (i.e. cucumbers, lettuce, celery, broccoli) and also a lot of lean meats and real cheeses. It's the way I should have been eating anyway, but as most women do I used pregnant as being an excuse to just eat whatever I wanted. This is much healthier for the both of us.

   Daddy has been trying very hard to stay on this diet with me too. Although I know he has cheated since I have been gone. He can't help it. Men are weak. So whenever someone refers to women as the "weaker" sex around you, just remember that your father cannot resist the urge to sneak and have a cheeseburger when I am not looking. Then think about who the weaker sex really is.

   Well I suppose that I will end this post for now. I get to see you on screen again Monday. I am quite excited about that. I love you, my darling daughter. You do and always will mean the world to me.

Dear Rebecca,
                     Hello, Baby. 79 days until you are due but I think you'll be a little early. It's Saturday afternoon now. I had to work today. I am so very tired. Your mother is still in Hazard, or rather at this time she should be on her way back from Hazard. I am a wreck when she isn't here. I've become so accustomed to her being here that I'm just no good to anyone when she isn't. I felt very poorly Friday so I played hooky from work. So working today was not to much trouble. Actually it wasn't bad at all for some reason. I haven't slept well since your mother has been in Hazard. Your Aunt Mary had her phone shut off on her right before your mom went down there so we haven't been able to talk near as much as I would have liked. I'm just ready for her return.

   I went to see Jacob's ball game Thursday night. It started at 7:30. I didn't leave until almost 9:30 and that's what time I like to start thinking about going to bed. Jacob's team, the Pirates beat the Mariners by a score of 12 to 2. I finished a film I was watching before I left. Big Fish was the name of it. I'd been looking forward to seeing it but I was really kinda disappointed by it. It was sort of like Second Hand Lions, only Second Hand Lions was a great film, whereas Big Fish was crap. I rented a few more, but they are mainly chick flicks for your mom. They were Mona Lisa Smile with Julia Roberts and Love actually with a lot of big British stars in it.

   Well, I think I might work a little on my website and print out last months blog entries for your hard copy of this journal. Then I don't know what I might do. I hope your mother is home by then. Love you!

Dear Rebecca,
                  Hello daughter. I am still blown away with the very idea of me having a daughter. It is so unbelievable. I am 36 now. I was afraid I would never have children. Then you came along and put my fears to rest. Your Aunt Lynn is 2 or 3 years younger than I am and her oldest is almost a teenager now. Anyway, I'm just glad that I'm gonna be a daddy and I am glad that you are gonna be my daughter. I think you'll make both your mother & I very proud.

   I'm alone here in the house tonight. Your mother went to visit her family in Hazard for a few days. They want to give her a baby shower and she won't be able to travel starting next month. I miss her already. I never get in bed on time when she is not here. I probably won't go to bed until eleven tonight. I know I should get in bed earlier it's just that I simply don't want to.

   Well, I reckon that's all for tonight. I'm feeling kinda lethargic tonight. I really don't want to play on the computer, I don't want to watch TV, I don't want to read a book and I don't want to go to bed. I'm going to watch Jacob play little league baseball tomorrow. I missed Jon's ballgame monday because your mom had an appointment with the doctor. I wish I could have seen it though. His team was down 7-0 and came back to win 8-7. He's awfully proud.

   Let me tell you a little more about your mom's appointment with the doctor. I suppose it was also your appointment. They are classifying her as a pre-pregancy diabetic. He also told us that no matter how close she watches her diet or how much she exercises you will more than likely be a big baby. Your mom really didn't want to hear that. She tried every way in the world to get the doctor to tell her that being careful will have an affect on your birth weight. All he said was that by ignoring her diet she could kill you. I think that scared her a little bit. But your mom wouldn't ever let anything bad happen to you and the proof is in the very fact that you are reading this. See, if you'd died before you were born it would have been quite a trick to read this so consequentially you did not die. Your mom has an appointment every week until you make your grand entrance. The doctor also wants her to have an ultrasound every week now too. Just to keep an eye on your health. You're gonna be fine though. I just know it.

   Well, this time I am gonna close out for real. I love you so very much.

Dear Rebecca,
                        Daddy here. We went to the hospital this morning at 3:00 am. Kristie thought she was having contractions. Luckily I took a sleeping pill and laid down at 7:00 last night so I had already had eight hours of sleep. It turned out to be nothing. She was just having cramps due to an illness. So that's good news. We fought all morning long. Maybe it's because I still wasn't rested enough. I don't know. I really hate arguing with your mother. Especially now that she's carrying you in her tummy. I don't want to add any more stress onto her than she's already having to deal with. She's sleeping now. I don't think she slept well last night.

   We went to Golden Corral this morning after she was released from the hospital. I think your mother ate very appropriately considering where we were at. She consumed nothing with sugar in it. No great amount of sugars anyway. She ate mostly proteins. Good for her. I, on the other hand, ate what I wanted to eat. No harm done.

   That's it for now. Love you, Rebecca!

Dear Rebecca,

                           I am NOT trying to starve your father to death. Ok, I will admit, that first day maybe I didn't have enough food planned out for us. I am just learning this. The meals have gotten better and better and Daddy is not so hungry. He promised me he would not cheat. So far so good. He did have an extra grilled chicken sandwich at McDonald's when he stopped to pick up our salads, but I scolded him and I don't think he will be doing that anymore. Besides, He is doing really good, A grilled chicken sandwich is better than a double cheeseburger.
                           Right now I am sitting up waiting on him to get to sleep. I have to stay on a good schedule with my sugar so I have to go to bed here in a bit. I am really hungry myself and it is taking everything I have not to eat a little something for a midnight snack. Its really hard having to be on such a strict diet when you are pregnant anyway because you are hungrier than you would be to begin with. I would go have some cucumbers and tuna but I am afraid it might skew my results even the slightest in the morning. Its not supposed to but I am afraid it will. I am trying really hard to keep us both healthy and happy but I cannot deny that it is taking everything I have in me not to go and have a cheesecake blizzard at Dairy Queen. I won't though, because I love you too much. Daddy is trying really hard to be supportive of your grumpy old Mama and he is doing a good job of it. I am glad that we are having you and I want you to be healthy so I must do what I must. Well I guess I will let you go and get some rest (that makes one of us) and I will get ready to lie down myself. I love you my baby.

Dear Rebecca,
                     Help, your mother is trying to starve me to death. She fixed us breakfast this morning, 2 soft boiled eggs, a tiny bowl of raisin bran, a cup of yogurt and a glass of sugar-free orange drink. She also fixed my lunch for work today and two snacks. Wasn't much of a lunch and the snacks were kinda spartan. I am starving. Of course your mother just wants us all to be healthy and so do I. That's why she's being so very conscientious about our diet. I know I need to take off a few pounds...okay, maybe a little more than a few. Maybe I need to take off a whole lot of poundage. I'm gaining all of the weight Kristie is supposed to be gaining by being pregnant. I know I will feel better. Plus, I just found out a few months back that I also have diabetes and I haven't really been taking care of it so this is a great incentive for me.

   Well, I am tried. I didn't exactly have a relaxing weekend this past weekend so I am kinda drained after work. I am gonna go in the living room and watch Fear Factor, Las Vegas & Cold Case on the Tivo. I love you and can not wait to hold you.

Dear Rebecca,

         Hello sweetheart, Mommy here. I got to come home from the hospital today. My blood sugar is looking better and better. I am awfully upset that this happened, but it is good that we caught it so early. I am doing everything I can to try and keep us both healthy because I want you to grow up healthy and happy.
         The doctors seem to think I have full blown diabetes and it won't go away after I am finished being pregnant with you. But, if I am lucky I can come off of the medication if I am careful with my diet and watch what I eat and do right by myself. Daddy says he is going to do this with me, and I hope he does. I don't think he is nearly as motivated as I am, but he is getting there. I have a reason to be motivated. I have to keep you inside me long enough to bake. (Just kidding, by the way). Mommy is really excited that you are coming to be with us in July. I love you so much and I can't wait to see your pretty little face. I know you will be beautiful.
         Daddy is sleeping in the bedroom. I decided to give him a couple of minutes to get to sleep. I am going to have to go to bed here shortly myself so that I can keep on a good schedule with my insulin and my diet. You have been moving a lot more than you used to lately and I wonder if it is because you feel better. I know I will eventually feel better too. In the hospital you kept kicking the doppler when they tried to find your heartbeat. You stay a busy little bundle of joy. And I love you.
         Mamaw came to pick me up from the hospital today. She was really glad that I went and got this taken care of quickly. We would like a healthy full term baby. That is our goal. Mamaw wants to see you grow up healthy and happy, too.
         I have a nice big diet planned out and it looks really good. They are a bit nazi-fied (the diabetes educator) about a few things on it though. The dietician, surprisingly, told me that it was better to get my HEALTHY nourishment than worry about too much sodium and what not. She said that sodium really has nothing to do with being diabetic. It is just part of overall health and the diabetes educator likes to sqwauk about that. Well I am still going to watch it as closely as I can. I got diet caffeine free sodium free diet rite soda. I think it is going to be good. I already had one of the raspberry. I liked it. Daddy did not. I KNOW I like the white grape. It is my favorite. And best of all, it is what is called a *FREE* food. So I can have it whenever I want. Woohoo. That and cucumbers. By the time this pregnancy is over I will probably hate cucumbers. I hope not. HeeHee.
        Right now I am having to take 80 units of insulin at night and 50 in the morning. I know that sounds like a lot of insulin but I have to take it for you. You need it and so do I. The two of us have to stay healthy. Dr. Youkilis said that he would not be surprised if I had to up it three of four times until you were born. It is fine with me. I will do whatever he wants me to do. All I want is a healthy and happy you. They prescribed me Insulin *Pens* - shaped like an ink pen - so that I could easily dose myself with them. Mommy still doesn't have very good dexterity in her wounded hand and even though I am getting better and better I can't afford to be dropping full syringes. Drop a needle- fine - they are cheap. Drop a full syringe, boom, that is it, I cant use it or the insulin in it. That is not so cheap. And we are all about some cheap these days.
       Your Aunt Mary and Papaw Lawrence came to visit me when I was in the hospital. They came up to. Get the old white car I had that Daddy was supposed to sell but never could. Well she got it finally and I thought that finally we would have our daggone driveway back. Not the case. They parked the clunker they drove up here with no tags and no insurance right where it sat. I am hoping that they will come back up and get it really soon. If not I am going to have them tow it to the darn junk yard. It isn't really worth a big toot anyway.
        Well I do hope you like this blog when you get older. You might get bored with it. HeeHee. I sincerely hope not. I just want you to know all about what when on when Mommy was pregnant with you and then thereafter. We are excited to meet you and everyone is really happy that you are coming. Especially your Aunt Lynn. I caught her dancing a jig the other day. I am only kidding, she doesn't really dance jigs. She don't let on like she gives a hoot that we are naming you after her unless I am out of ear shot, but the other day I heard her tell Mamaw that we she is going to call you BECCA LYNN no matter what Daddy and I decide to call you. Well little one, I am going to go look up a diabetes website, read it a bit, then I am going to bed. I have to be up to eat my breakfast and take my insulin in the morning. I love you!!!!

Dear Rebecca,
                        Hello, Honey. Daddy here. I just now finished up the post that your mother wrote while she is in the hospital. I am dead tired. I really hate it that your mom has to be in the hospital. Of course it's all to make you a healthy baby. Your mom hates hospitals so you can just chalk this up to a mothers love.

   I went to Lowes after I left your mother at the hospital. I bought you some pretty outlet plates and a matching light switch plate. I hope you like them. I know I do. I spent a little more on them than I would have liked but I found a $25 Lowes gift card in my wallet so it wasn't so bad after that. I also bought some high gloss enamel paint for one of your shelves. Maybe I'll also paint the baseboards later. We'll have to see how things go.

   Our toilet seat broke this week so I purchased another one at the Wal-mart that sets right next to Lowes. I also got us two 24 packs of water, a pack of reveal light bulbs and some paper for the printer. We had run out printing this blog. Then I came home, installed the plates in your room and entered your mom's blog/journal entry and now I'm doing one of my own. I think I'm gonna try to get in bed relatively early tonight because I know your mom will be calling me early in the morning.

   Well, I'm gonna play a little more on this computer. So I reckon I'm done for now. I love you with all my heart, little one.

Dear Rebecca,
                     Hello, Sweetness. I am writing to you from Central Baptist Hospital. How, you may ask? Well, you may not, but I will tell you anyway. I am writing to you on a pad of paper the doctors here gave me. I am going to give it to Daddy and he can enter it into your journal when he gets home tonight.
                     You might be wondering, as well, what the devil I am doing in the hospital. Well, it is a funny story. This is not funny, but the story certainly is.
                     As you know, Daddy is diabetic. Last night he checked his blood sugar and it was normal. That is really great, because we all want Daddy to be healthy, I know. Well, back to the story. As you well know by now, I have a tendency to ramble. (wink).
                     On a whim, I asked Daddy to let me check mine. I had not yet had my glucose diabetic test that I was supposed to get on your next appointment, so I was oblivious to the fact that there may be any problem. I poked my finger and tested my blood on Daddy's machine. The read out came back at 397. Daddy & I thought that had to be a fluke. So we tried another finger and then another, and then another. The tests all came back upwards of 380, which is way way way to high for anyone.
                     Mommy got worried, so I called the on-call ob/gyn and he told me to take it again in an hour and see if that helped any. It did not. It was still at 350. Which is still way way to high. I called him back and he said to go to and see Dr. Youkalis this morning and see what he would have me do. So Daddy got up and called into work and drove Mommy to the hospital to see him. Dr. Youkalis then admitted me to the hospital to run some tests. It came back that my blood sugar was crap and Dr. Youkalis stopped by to tell me so.
                     All of the other tests came back OK, except for the hemoglobin level measurement they had to do on Mommy's blood. It was almost two times to high. So they decided to keep Mommy in the hospital for a few days to get her blood sugar down. They did another scan of you and you were mooning us. You are definitely a girl! We saw your parts as big as the world! You are about half a pound overweight but that is alright. Mommy really has to watch it though or you will be a big baby and a cranky one too.
                  But I will do anything for you, my sweet! Well, I will let you go for now because Daddy wants to go home. I Love You !!!

Dear Rebecca,
                        Hello, you pretty little munchkin!!! Today Alicia drove me meet your Dad so he could take me to the doctor for your 27 week check up. You are doing GREAT!!!! As soon as Dr. Youkilis put the doppler on you, Daddy and I could hear your heartbeat loud and clear. It was at 147 beats per minute. I met Daddy at the Shell station next to where he works. Our Pastor's daughter works there. She is really nice. You have moved a WHOLE lot today, but you are still too daggone stubborn to let Daddy feel you very much. However, Daddy doesn't always come to feel you quick enough. The BabyCenter website that we read says that right now Daddy should be reading to you and getting you used to his voice. That way when he speaks or comes near you are familiar with him and you will let him feel you move.
                     I am so happy that I am pregnant with you, I have always wanted a little girl. Of course I would have been just as happy with a little boy. I wanted your half brother Dylan to be a boy. And he was. So that gives me a hint as to what to do next time. Just wish for what I want. Ha, Ha.
                    After we went to the doctor visit, Daddy and I went to eat at Fazzoli's. That is a cheap Italian place that is most of the time really, really good. Today however, I did not like it. Daddy did not like his lasagna (and neither did I) and I didn't really care much for the rest of it. But Daddy wanted Italian and that place is cheap. I would have been happier at Burger King. Then we went to Baskin Robins for an ice cream. Daddy got a big chocolate dipped waffle cone with a scoop of chocolate fudge ice cream and a scoop of coconut ice cream. He made a mess with his ice cream. Then again he always does. I had strawberry cheesecake ice cream with fresh strawberries and strawberry syrup on top with whipped cream and two cherries. In other words, I had a nice big fat Sundae. You may wonder why I am eating like a horse but it is because I am ALWAYS hungry with you. Even as I speak to you now my stomach is growling for one of those Whoppers I missed out on today.
                   Daddy is sitting here on the couch half asleep. He is wore out. Mommy's friend Alicia has been over all week with her baby Brady and he hasn't really had any time to sit and relax. He gets stressed when there are people around, unless there are supposed to be people around. Alicia says she hopes you are pretty enough for Brady. I hope Brady is attractive enough for you. I think you will be the most beautiful baby in the entire world. Of course, I am biased.
                  Here in a second I am going to have Daddy rub my leg because for some reason you think it is fun to deprive me of all of my muscular nutrients so that I have terrible, horrible, excruciatingly painful, charile-horses (cramped muscles) in my leg every morning, unless Daddy rubs it the night before. So I think that he should he do it every night, don't you?
                  Well I suppose that is all I have to say for today, my pretty little girl. I do believe that I will go and get that leg rub that I need. I love you, Rebecca. And Daddy does too.

Dear Rebecca,
                     Ninety-eight day until you are due. How about them apples. I remember when you were over two hundred days away from your due date. Time seems to be flying by but at the same time it feels like it is taking you forever to make your grand entrance into this world.

   Your mom said she could feel your foot when you kicked at her once today. She was real excited about that and so was I. As your mother mentioned in her Sunday post we had a busy weekend. I went to bed at 8 o'clock last night and went straight to sleep. We went to a sunrise service at church yesterday for Easter Sunday but they had changed it from sunrise to some other unknown time and we were the only ones there. Your mom made bacon for the breakfast they were supposed to have and we took a half gallon of milk. We sat in the empty parking lot, ate bacon, drank milk and had a sunrise service of our own. Then we went back home and your mother went back to bed while I stayed up and played on the computer. It would have been funny if it hadn't been so frustrating.

   We went down to the country Saturday. We were supposed to be teaching Royal Rangers. We got Belinda's children, James & Jalen, and took them with us. I dropped them off at the church with your mom and then I went to get Jonathan & Allison. Allison wanted to help us with the class. When I got back there was no one to open the church for class so we took all the kids down to your mamaw & papaw's and had class down there. Then we colored Easter eggs and had a little hunt. As we were getting ready to leave Allison got in a whole mess of trouble by getting mouthy with her papaw. Take my advice, daughter of mine, never ever, and I mean never get smart with papaw.

   We finished putting up the border in your room Saturday night after we got home. Alicia helped us out. Your mom wouldn't have been able to handle it. She didn't feel well, plus she's not supposed to reach her hands above her head so we had to have help. It looks really pretty in there. I think you are gonna like it when you get old enough to have an opinion of such things.

   Sunday afternoon we went back down to the country. I played baseball with the boys. I haven't played baseball since I was in school. My arm is sore from pitching the ball. I had fun though. We all watched a movie on DVD while we were down there. It was "Cheaper By the Dozen" with Steve Martin. It was a pretty cute movie.

   That's all for today. Alicia just dropped by with Brady to check up on Kristie. I reckon I'll go chat with them. I Love you, Rebecca!

Dear Rebecca,

                                                Hello my pretty baby!!! I have had one busy weekend this weekend and Mommy is not feeling very well. I think I am coming down with a bug. I have been nauseated and had a sore throat and everything. But, I really did enjoy my weekend. I had a great easter. We had like three or four Easter Egg hunts!! I can't wait to see you toddling along to find your Easter Eggs!!

You have moved a lot today. I really can't wait to see you, hold you, touch you. And give you little smoochies!!!! Daddy has worked very hard on your room and he is really excited to see you too. You are going to be the most important things in our lives- NO MATTER WHAT! I make that promise to you now.

Well pretty little girl, Mommy is really tired. I think I will write more to you tomorrow when I am awake. I love you!!!!

Dear Rebecca,
                     One-hundred days until you are due. Kristie hopes you are an early baby. I suppose that would be best for her because she is carrying you around in her belly now and you'll be much harder to carry around the time you are due but I don't get my vacation until the end of July. I'd burned up all my sick and extra vacation days already this year when I was able to pick up five more vacation days by working through our spring vacation. Of course I got sick the very next week and had to burn up two and a half of those. I am gonna try to hold onto what I have left so I can be with you and your mother for a little while after you get home. I'm gonna be with you when you are born no matter what.

   Yesterday was Good Friday. Really it's still Good Friday to me because I haven't been to bed yet. It's just a little after midnight. Well, really almost an hour after midnight, but who's counting. Anyway, we got up early this morning. Not as early as I do when I have to go to work but earlier than I would have liked. We went to the bank to do some banking, then we went to the auto parts store to buy some brakes for the car, then we had breakfast at Waffle House, where your mother worked up until her accident, we cleaned the car out real good, and then proceeded down to my mom & dad's house so your papaw could help me put on those brakes. While I watched your papaw put on the brakes your mom went to Lexington with her friend, Alicia. After your papaw & I finished with the brakes we just sat around and talked for a bit. It was really nice. Then we walked over to Aunt Lynn & Uncle Rodney's house where your Uncle Rodney was getting ready to put up a light in the front yard. Your cousins got home from school about that time. So while Rodney & dad worked on putting up the light I played basketball with Jacob & Jonathan. That seemed to last forever. Your mom finally got back with Alicia and they went back up the hill to mamaw & papaw's house with Jacob, Jonathan, Allison and Alicia's little boy Brady to color Easter eggs. I stayed down the hill and played with a remote control truck. I've never done that before and it was pretty fun. See, your dad was still a big kid even in his mid-thirties. After that, while Allison hid the eggs for the boys and they hunted them I grilled some hot dogs at Lynn's. We ate and sat around awhile then Alicia took your mom back to our house. I stayed down there because Allison wanted me to wait on her to get home from doing a homework project at a friends house so I could help her with her blog. Jonathan had to take some rough medicine too and I wanted to be around to help with that and I wanted to trim your border, which I did. Then I came home. We watched a little television, I rubbed your mom's back & feet, she went to bed and I came in here to write all this boring stuff in the blog.

   Tomorrow we are planning on doing nothing at all until we go to teach our Royal Rangers class and then we are gonna put up some border. Alicia is gonna help us with that. Isn't that nice of her? Well, that's about all I have to say for the day. I love you, Rebecca!

Dear Rebecca,
                     Well, fiddle. I had a whole post half way written out when lo & behold the computer crashed. Don't you just hate it when that happens? Crappy computer. I reckon you had better learn to like this computer here because this machine will more than likely be your computer. It's still a relatively modern machine but when you finally get you little fingers on it it will be ancient.

   What was I saying before I was so rudely crashed? Oh yes, you scared your mom last night. I'll let her tell you all about it in the post below this one. She almost wanted to go to the hospital last night and I was sick as a dog. That's why I am not at work right now. Your mom has done a wonderful job of not asking to go to the ER all the time. I know she wants to go with every little sensation that she doesn't remember from your brother, Dylan, but she has made me very proud.

   You know, sometimes I'm afraid I don't talk to you enough in the womb. I want you to know me as soon as see fit to join us in the outside world. I just might start reading to you. You wouldn't be able to understand what I read but you would learn my voice and know that I belong in your life. I'm way behind in my reading anyway. Maybe I'll read you some Stephen King. Of course that will be the only Stephen King you'll get until you are 13 years old. He's much to scary for little girls.

   Well, Honey. That's it for today I reckon. Guess I'll go refresh my dip of Copenhagen and think about posting one of your mom's poems on the internet or I might just play a word game on here. I love you, little girl.

Dear Rebecca,
                           Poor Daddy is sick tonight with cellulitis. I don't really know exactly what that is except that it is an infection. It makes Daddy's leg all red and blotchy and he gets a fever. He came home early from work today and we took him to the doctor. The doctor gave him some medicine to make him feel better. He is sleeping now so I thought while he got himself into a nice, deep sleep that I would write a little letter to you.
      Being pregnant with you has not been easy, but it has certainly been a LOT easier with you than it was with your half brother, Dylan. I have had very little morning sickness with you, only in the very first couple of months did I get sick. And even then it was in the morning. With Dylan I was sick all day every day throughout my entire pregnancy. I did have the pregnancy "'roids" both times. They have only been a little worse with you than they were with him. I got so large with Dylan that I could barely walk, while I have only put on three lbs with you and then in turn lost two. So technically I have only gained one pound this entire six months. Of course, I was much larger initially with you. I hope you never have to see me THIS chubby. I want to lose a lot of weight after you are born so I can do things like run and play with you. You do kick and move a lot more than he did, but I love to feel it, and so does Daddy. Even AUNTIE Alicia (she insisted on that being put in here, Daddy is going to have a coronary, but she can be your Auntie if she wants to) got to feel you move today. You rarely kick into my ribs though, like Dylan used to. I wonder if you know in your heart somehow that they were injured. I wonder if an angel whispered it in your ear. I can't wait to meet you, my precious baby girl.
      On a funnier note, tonight you kicked me in my bladder hard enough to make me wet myself - and the floor - twice. I thought my water had broken both times. You little stinker. I was nervous!!! Well I will end for now, I will write you more later. That is a promise. I love you, Rebecca.

   Dear Rebecca,
      Well howdy, you sure are a moving little bundle of joy tonight. Even Daddy got to feel you kick some. He gets excited about that. I do too, but personally at 3 a.m. you really could refrain from kicking me in the bladder and making me have to get up and go pee.I took two whole ambien tonight (not that I am a druggie, it is just that we have to be up early for church tomorrow) and I am so sleepy. It seems that these unique little comas in a sliver have an adverse effect on you, however. I know that you will be walloping and rolling and kicking and bouncing all night long.
      I can't wait for you to meet everyone, everyone is so excited that you are coming. Aunt Mary is already making plans to get our pictures taken after you are born. However, the first set of pictures taken will only be of you. I want to take tons and tons of pictures of you and have tons taken of you. I know you will be so beautiful. Well I am awfully tired tonight and I want to get some sleep. We have to be up early early for church tomorrow. I love you my beautiful baby daughter. I LOVE YOU!!

Dear Rebecca,
                         Well, I had so much trouble out of this blog last night. I stayed up way to late trying to fix it. Something happened with the server that's hosting my website. I was able to finally get it fixed though. I was very sad about the blog not doing right. I am having loads of fun with this blog. Kristie is carrying you in her tummy so she automatically feels a closeness to you. Doing this makes me feel close to you. That and the very rare kick that I get to feel. You always quit kicking when I lay my hands on your mom's tummy. You make me sad, little girl......Boo Hoo. I don't know why working on this blog makes me feel so much closer to you but it does. Plus, it's just fun.

   I finished painting your room this morning. The second coat went on a whole lot easier than the first one did. The room looks really nice except for the occasional drip here and there.

   Dear Rebecca,
                           Hello, my little girl. I sure hope you are a girl. That's what they told us at the ultrasound but of course that's not 100%. Your mom wanted a girl. I didn't really care as long as you are healthy. But after finding out that you are most probably a girl I have become really used to the idea. I couldn't imagine even having a boy now. Of course I can still scarcely believe I'm gonna have a daughter. I will make this solemn vow to you, Rebecca, I will try to be as good a father to you as mine was to me. I know that I will not be able to live up to those high expectations but it's a noble goal to strive for. I promise you I will do the best I can toward you. I love you so very much.

   Well, it's early Saturday morning here. It's to early or rather late. I should have been in bed long ago. Your mom went out with her friend Alicia to play bingo. So I have the house to myself and when that happens I usually spend as much time on the computer as possible. I love your mom dearly but she can get annoying when I'm trying to concentrate while I am doing my computer stuff. Aren't I just terrible.

   I got the first coat on your room Monday. I kinda cleaned up a little in there this afternoon after I got home from work. They sent us home early today. I just love it when that happens. I plan to paint all day tomorrow but at this rate I may be sleeping all day tomorrow. I'll spend most of the day painting though. We went to the grocery this evening. We bought lots of yummy food and even an item or two that is good for us. Then we went to take some dvds' back to the rental store and to Dairy Queen for a Cheesequake blizzard. I had toffee and your mom had strawberry. Mine was quite good but your mother's was even better. I wish now that I had gotten the strawberry.

   Your mom had a great idea about the top border in your room. I think it's gonna look fabulous. I sure hope it does anyway and of course there are other thing I'm hoping about as well. Okay, I am getting increasingly droopy eyed. I'm gonna go in the living room for a little bit then I'm going to bed. I am real tired. I am not used to staying up this late. Plus we lose an hour this weekend because the clocks spring forward Saturday night. I love you, Rebecca Do-Little.

   Just had a frustrating thing happen with this blog. It doesn't seem to want to post to the internet as seamlessly as I would like. This is just a test to see if I can edit a post. I still love you, Rebecca!