Sweet Sadie,

In about one hour, your due date will be here. The last nine months have flown by, but towards the end time does seem to slow down significantly. We are all so eager to meet you! Abigail is very excited to be a big sister, and your daddy and I are looking forward to watching our family dynamics change with the addition of a second child.

It's hard not to assume that you will wait until April to be born, as your sister was nearly two weeks late to the day. But there is something really special about your due date, tomorrow, March 27, 2013.

It is a full moon. It's called the Full Worm Moon, but has also been known by other names:

Full Worm Moon – MarchAs the temperature begins to warm and the ground begins to thaw, earthworm casts appear, heralding the return of the robins. The more northern tribes knew this Moon as the Full Crow Moon, when the cawing of crows signaled the end of winter; or the Full Crust Moon, because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing by day and freezing at night. The Full Sap Moon, marking the time of tapping maple trees, is another variation. To the settlers, it was also known as the Lenten Moon, and was considered to be the last full Moon of winter.- Farmers Almanac

Of course, no scientist will officially say that the cycles of the moon have any real effect on childbirth. But it has been proven by countless testimonies from women that there can be no doubt full moons have been known to bring on labor. And out of curiosity - especially because my labor with her seemed to come out of nowhere, and the timing of it never made sense - I did some research and discovered that Abigail was indeed born on a full moon - the Full Wolf Moon, January 19, 2011. Coincidence? I'm not so sure!

In either case, whether or not you are born tomorrow or not is not what's important (not that we're not hoping for it...because we totally are). What's important is that you know what a special time of year you are being born into. Spring, the bearer of new beginnings. Warmth. Light. Life. What's important is that you know how unique you are. And that whenever you do come into this world, you will be welcomed by a family that already loves you so much!

Here's to your good health, safety, comfort, and happiness. Love,

Mommy

We are one week away from #2's due date, and it's official...she is going to be a Spring baby! Hooray!

This final hour, so to speak, is so emotional. It just hit me the other day that we are about to become a family of four. I mean, we were already a family...but now we're a Family, with a capital F...know what I mean? And it's kinda like, Whoa. Now we will be responsible for the well-being of TWO human beings - aside from ourselves, that is (but what parent really does a great job remembering how to take care of themselves?). This means caring for them, teaching them, helping them grow physically, mentally, spiritually...doing our best to both shelter them and prepare them for going out into the world, all at the same time. Which was a heavy commission with just one child, never mind two!

But we've chosen this path, come what may. We've chosen to give Abigail a sibling, regardless of how much extra work it might be, or whatever fears it will bring. For me, i worry about two things: Losing my closeness with Abby, and not having that closeness with Sadie. I know that these fears are normal, but they're the type, I think, that won't go away no matter how many other mommies promise that everything will be fine. Dont get me wrong, it helps to hear it. I don't think anything helps a mommy feel more reassured than talking to other mommies.

But still.

So for now, I'm trying to focus on making sure my relationship with Abby is solid. That she knows how much I love her. That she is as prepared as she can be for such a major life-changing event.

I've been working on her room. Well, Their Room now. She just got her big-girl bed, kindly donated by Jeremy's parents, and actually sleeps half the night in it! I'm so proud. Proud, but missing my snuggle buddy...so I'm secretly glad she only stays there half the night. ;) I wanted to make this bed as special as possible, so that she would love it enough not to miss her crib (not that she's ever spent a full night in there either). And I guess I have my own unique ideas about what makes something like a bed special for a toddler. I know that not everyone will understand my choices, but in the end I think my daughter will, and isn't that what matters?

The sheets I chose for her bed are grey. Yes, grey. They are organic cotton sheets (I didn't particularly buy them because they're organic, but it was certainly a plus), and they're the same sheets Jeremy and I have on our bed. And that's why I chose them. Silly as it may seem, I thought Abby might be comforted by the familiarity of the sheets she's so used to sleeping on - ours! I know most people associate toddler beds with cartoony bedding, but here at The Farm we feel there is such thing as over-stimulation (our girl gets plenty of exposure to Dora the Explorer movies and Sesame Street figurines during the day), and that bedtime stories and playing with our stuffed animal friends is fun enough anyway.

The rest of the bedding was a splurge...we're actually still waiting for it to arrive as I write this...but i truly feel that it was worth every penny. I ordered a custom rag quilt from a seller off of Etsy. It will go nicely with the grey sheets...eventually the grey sheets will be loved by all, I promise!...and it's so beautiful that I almost wish it were mine! Lots of earthy colors there: sage, buttercup, dusty blue, navy blue and teal blue, and grey, all in different patterns and most with flowers. Very feminine, and yet not super girly at the same time. Which is so Abby! I also purchased a block print throw pillow from another Etsy seller, a little yellow fox that just begs for cuddling. You can't help but fall in love with him!

The bed, along with a mushroom night light we got recently, her beloved star lantern, and a sweet, meaningful piece of framed art my friend had someone make for me, will all work together, I think, to help Abby with this transition. It's a start, anyway. As soon as possible I'll take pictures to share. It makes me happy to know that my girls are going to have such a beautiful, thoughtfully designed room to grow up together in.

As for Sadie, I hope that she, too, will experience the best of me as a mom. I hope that she, too, will know how much I love her. And I look forward to doing special things for her just as I do for Abigail.

One week. :)

My sweet Sadie Leona,

Hello again. We are three weeks out from your due date, and I just can't stop thinking about you. How can someone you've never seen or met manage to take up so much space in my heart and mind? I'm sure I wondered the same when I was pregnant with Abby, so I guess it's just one of those questions that will never be answered.

We are suffering from cabin fever here, in the final weeks before you arrive. It has been a long winter. If we weren't caged in by one blizzard or another, it was simply too cold to try and brave our time outdoors. Which is sad. But it's one more reason we are so anxiously waiting for you to come, because your birth means the arrival of Spring, and warmer weather and sunshine and birds. We are big, big fans of birds.

Well, I hope you're cozy and happy in there, as you get ready to surprise us with your REAL due date! I just wanted to say that I love you oh so very much.

Love always,

Mama