6.14.2010

Good examples



"Always a bridesmaid, never a bride"

I was a bridesmaid just once before I was married- and, hours after the wedding, my boyfriend proposed. I was a bride about a year and a half later- four years ago.

And then, when I got married, I learned there was a new way to be "left out". Maybe I should coin "Always the babysitter, never the baby mama"?

In the last 4 years since getting married, I've had OVER TWENTY-FIVE babies born around me, to friends, family, and coworkers (yes, I counted). At least seven more are on the way as I write this. Six more didn't make it out of utero, and I grieved with the parents at the tragedy of miscarriage.

In this time, I've seen:
  • babies adopted by their parents and babies born to their parents
  • pregnancies that were long planned and those that weren't at all
  • babies come two months early, and babies come over a week late
  • babies born at home, and babies born at the hospital
  • newborns home after just a day, and NICU stays of over a month 
  • friends get epidurals and friends birth naturally and friends get c-sections, planned and unplanned
  • babies with lots of hair and babies with no hair
  • babies that wear Pampers and babies that wear cloth diapers
  • babies who weaned in less than six months and babies who weaned in more than two years
  • baby names inspired by the Bible, place names, culture, family, and literature
  • parents who carry their baby in a carseat, and parents who carry their baby strapped to their chest
  • happy babies and fussy babies
  • social babies and reserved babies
  • toddlers potty trained at 18 months, and toddlers uninterested in pottying at three.
  • one-year-olds who talk and two-year-olds who don't
  • moms who work and moms who stay home
  • dads who work and dads who stay home
  • parents who send their kids to babysitters, and parents who babysit others' kids
  • parents who homeschool and parents who public-school
  • "bow ties" to "hairbows" in about a 2:1 ratio (Boys! Everywhere!)
Most of all, I've seen all these babies grow up in loving homes, on their way to being great people, surrounded by great parents. Watching my friends, coworkers, and family, I've learned a lot, and filed it away for future reference.

And,
after all these great examples,
now it's finally our turn.


Coming New Year's-ish. Can't wait.

26 comments:

Stephanie Wilson she/her @babysteph said...

Chills ALL OVER!!!

Congrats, this is wonderful news. Good for you!

Steph

jes said...

OH MY GOSH!!!! Congratulations! I'm so happy for you! YAY! I'm praying for a happy, healthy pregnancy and baby!

I know I don't actually "know" you, but I feel like I do and I am SO excited for you!

Jenn @ Frugal Upstate said...

Woohoo! So excited for you-I actually teared up when I saw the final picture there.

Beth @ The Natural Mommy said...

Yay!!!!! SQUEEEEEEE!!!! :-D So happy for you guys! Wonderful announcement post!

Michelle@Gotchababy said...

Oh congratulations! How exciting...thanks for sharing such great news on a Monday morning!!

Kate, aka Guavalicious said...

This is the first time I've read your blog and it's a wonderful way to start. :) I've been there and the feelings of elation when it finally happens to you are AMAZING. Nothing like it in the world.

Amy said...

SQUEAL!! Welcome to the Mommy Club :) Oh, I could not be more happy for you!! Congrats on your wonderful news! xo

Sparrow said...

CONGRATS!! Looks like you have lots of mom friends to ask for advice. :)

Anonymous said...

Oh my! Congrats. I need to get started on a baby quilt. Yay for you and Josh!

Kacie said...

OOH JOANNA! This post gives me chills. I am so excited for you and I can't wait to read more about your pregnancy and planning and eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

Unknown said...

I am so happy for you. I just found your blog via twitter, and wanted to say CONGRATS!!! That is so exciting. Great Post, and even better BFP!
~Aly
www.infertilityoverachievers.com

Caroline Eaton said...

YAY!!! I am going to be the best crazy Aunt ever!!! Promise :)

Molly said...

CONGRATS!!!

I second Jes' comment in that I don't actually know you except online, but I feel like you are a friend! I will be praying everything goes as smoothly as possible for you, and I can't wait to read updates on how it is going!

Stacy (Little Blue Hen) said...

Wow, congratulations! That's so wonderful!

(My Facebook page has had, I think, 5 births in the last two weeks? None for us yet. ;p)

Karen said...

So you're the "J" who commented on my blog! :) Congrats! I've been meaning to shoot you an email, but blah, morning sickness just keeps on hanging on. I hope you haven't been feeling too bad in these first few weeks!

Anonymous said...

I have a Parent/baby combo not on your list:

- Our baby having a baby

You and Josh are going to be awesome as "Mommy and Daddy".

We are excited for you (and us)!

Love,

"Your" Mom and Dad

Curtis Honeycutt said...

wow wow wow...congrats!

Heather said...

:) I kept reading each day waiting for this post;) Note to self. Do label all of your children's pictures because it becomes hard to identify them down the road. I had to look at the pictures that you posted twice before I could spot Kaden. Kevin jumped right out at me, but I can't believe how much Kevin has changed. "Don't Blink!" Thanks for the walk down memory lane :)

Heather said...

Editing my above comment: "how much Kaden has changed!"

Anonymous said...

Congratulations and many good thoughts for an uneventful pregnancy and a healthy baby.

I'm not a mom, nor will I ever be one, but I always get teary when folks who want to be parents get their chance.

Andrea Moberly said...

Congratulations!!! Matt told me the good news already, but I wanted to say congrats to you myself :)

Gretchen said...

CONGRATULATIONS!!! That's such great news!

ashley said...

I love this post; yay! I'm excited for you! :-)

AnneK said...

Congratulations!!! Hope you have a wonderful pregnancy and a healthy delivery.

Heather said...

This comment is from Kevin: I can't believe that you are having a newborn baby and I will finally be a cousin to someone that I remember is little.
Kevin's advice: Don't buy the wooden highchair that my mom "buyed", the tray slides out. (We got rid of it a long time ago....We bought it at a garage sale and it had seen its' better days!)

QuatroMama said...

THE BEST! Love to think that you're growing a miracle! Congratulations, Sweet Friend!

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