Dear baby Luka:
Hello. It has been a while since I last wrote you... you are now only about six weeks (in two more days) away from your due date! Does that scare you? It scares your parents a little, too; I�m a little nervous about your mother, because she is going to be in a lot of pain for a while; but I�m sure we�ll make it through this all right. You are starting to get really big, and you are running out of real estate in there. Your myriad of movements are becoming super strong, and it is wonderful for me, because feeling them really brings it home to me that you are real, that soon we will have a little baby added to our home and family. I�ve also continued reading to you, everything from Dr. Seuss�s books to Harry Potter (and I love seeing you kick when I�m reading).
Your mom and I have been very busy working on projects together, preparing our home for you. We really have done a lot of work�we put in new floor tiles in the kitchen, installed a new living room/kitchen table, prepared your nursery, and put together your crib and stroller. You�re going to have a lot of very nice things�your nursery is amazing, and so your crib and stroller. Your mother, father and aunt Sandra (or Tia Sandra) worked on the nursery for almost an entire weekend, and painted the walls, and created a �sun and moon� theme. The sun and accompanying clouds was painted on one side, and the moon and stars on the other. It really turned out well, (and just between you and me, your mother did a top notch job on the sun and the moon). You�re going to have a super duper stroller, the BOB ironman stroller which so many of your family members pitched in to purchase for you�your grandmother, Carlene, your great grandmother, Gloria, and your great aunts, Susan and Diane, just to name a few. This yellow and black stroller is amazing, as it very well made, looks great, and yet is easy to fold up and maneuver.
Speaking of the stroller, it was given to us at our baby shower. The shower was planned by Sandra and yours truly, your father, so your mother was surprised (sort of). It is very difficult to surprise her completely, and a friend of ours had a big slipup (�So when are we setting up tomorrow?�), so she unfortunately knew she was going to have a baby shower that day. However, she was completely clueless about the location, and was totally surprised by the people that were there, so it wasn�t a complete mix-up. And the shower was simply spectacular�we played fun games, had good food (including a delicious cake), got amazing gifts, and most importantly, had a lot of fun. One of the more memorable moments was when we received the stroller gift. Lulu was completely shocked when she opened it up, and she made some great faces and expressions (and yes, we got it all on tape, so you can watch it, too). I hope you have inherited at least some of your mother�s facial expressions, because they are truly amazing.
Finally, your mother and I have begun to attend the very important childbirth education classes. Yes, it is true, I missed the first one (shhhhh�.let�s keep this very quiet, we don�t want to bring this up in front of mommy�I missed it because I was cruising Alaska) and was late to another, but I have learned a lot. And I�m not complaining that I missed the two most graphic moviesJ I am learning loads of stuff, like the stages of labor, reasons for emergency c-sections (which I desperately hope will not apply to us), and most importantly, ways to keep your mother as relaxed and focused as possible during labor (and maybe even distract her from some of the pain). Well, I�ll get to make good use of what I�ve been learning pretty soon, now (depending on when you decide you want to come out), and then we�re going to finally welcome you into the world and take care of you. It�s not far away now, we are entering the home stretch, and it is very exciting. I love you and I�ll see you soon!
Love, Your Father, Karl
Dear Baby Luka:
COME ON OUT!!!! WE ALL WANT TO SEE YOU AND SHOW YOU OUR LOVE!!! Especially your mother and I. And just between you and me, your mother is getting somewhat uncomfortable with your ever increasing weight on her belly (you are somewhere between 8 and 9 lbs); she is ready to stop being pregnant. So what are you waiting for? I know it�s nice in there, but you are missing out on all the love that going to be showered on you out here. All these family members are flying all the way out here, to Delaware, just to see you J There�s your grandmother, Carlene, your great aunt, Diane, and your great grandmother Gloria (all from my mother�s side); and your great grandmother Joannie, your great aunts Cindy and Gwen (all from my father�s side). And we are growing tired of waiting. It has been 10 long months of waiting, and now that you are so big and so visible even inside the belly (with your punches/kicks/kneebuts/elbowing), you are beginning to torture us! Come on, now; get on with the program, baby Luka!
Actually, it looks as though you may not come out of there without medical intervention. You are now three days past your due date, and there have been practically no signs that labor will begin anytime soon. Our doctor has set-up tomorrow for inducement, so it seems likely that you will be born that way. But COME ON! There�s still one day left! You can make it happen in one day! Your mother and I would much prefer you to come out naturally (without medical interference), mostly because it would probably be easier on your mother. Speaking of your mother, what a trooper, what an inspiration she is. You are lucky to have her as a mother. You don�t know this yet, but I have no doubt you�ll be told when you get a little bit older. Your mother has been a pregnancy STAR. Her energy, determination, perseverance and patience have been MONUMENTAL and nothing short of REMARKABLE. At 10 months and past due, she still is moving around (ok, maybe hobbling, but doing the best she can), doing quite a bit of work for her job (and still helping me get things ready around the house). Today, at 3 days post-due-date, she got up and went to a two hour morning meeting. She has more energy, STILL, today, at 10+ months pregnant than I will ever have. Even more remarkable, she still goes about her life smiling and laughing often. And even though I know that this labor will be extremely challenging for her, I know, somehow, that she will meet the challenge with the strength, determination and pride of ten normal laboring women. Yep, Lukaroo, your mother is a special one; she is an inspiration. You are indeed lucky to have her as a mother. It won�t be long until you can find out for yourself.
We welcome you into our home and into this world with open arms and lots of love. We can�t wait to see you, baby. We hope you have a safe (and quick) journey tomorrow; we will be waiting with much anticipation on the other side.
Love, Your Father, Karl