The Mellen Patch: 'Twas the night before Jacob

It's unique and fun to have a scheduled C section and know that you're going to have a baby tomorrow. As this day has approached, Mike and I have been really contemplative about how the time leading up to Lukas and Nicholas coming into our lives. I don't know that either of these stories have been recorded before... so here goes...

I was a few days post due date, pregnant with Lukas, and went to bed at 10pm. I woke up around 11:45 with terrible back pain and needed to use the bathroom. I was perplexed at the pain and wondered what it could be!! It took about an hour before I realized that those were labor pains! A little later, I woke Mike up and then we got ready and went to the hospital. As Mike and I were saying, it was so different then though... life before kids is barely remember-able at this point! Truly, I can't recall what I was doing or thinking in the days leading up to Luke's birth!

With Nicholas, I had been in California for several days. Actually one really special flash back that I just had over Memorial day weekend was when I was making deviled eggs... Nick's birthmom and I made deviled eggs on Thanksgiving at her sister's house, and it was hilarious because neither of us had ever made them before (her sister hadn't asked if we knew what we were doing!) but we muddled through and they turned out pretty delicious. So anyways, the day before Nick was born, we ate an enormous amount of sushi with his birthmom and then we spent the overnight in Labor and Delivery room with her! Talking with Nick's grandmother, and sleeping sideways in a hospital chair, thinking/hoping/praying that her labor would finally progress!

In both cases, we had to wait many hours after labor "began" which were full of anxious excitement. It was fun, beautiful, and tiring.

As we await another arrival, these last few weeks, we've been on an emotional rollercoaster that seems to ebb and flow. I've gone from anxious and nervous about all the ways things might still go wrong. I've felt a little guilty that I'm still so guarded. But I've also been really excited too. We can't wait to see how our family of five looks, how we will all grow together in the most beautiful and unexpected of ways. We're so much more humble this time around, I really think... we know that we don't have a clue. We know how to change diapers and all of that, but we don't know what's in store for our family -it'll be another great chapter in this adventurous life and we cannot wait.

Throughout this time, we've been enveloped in thoughtfulness and love by several of our closest friends and family! For example, Great Grandpa Pfeiffer wrote this week, "I just want to say how happy all of us are for you carrying this baby to full term. The power of prayer is so important. I, among others have been praying for you daily. We are all anxious to hear the news of Jake’s arrival."

Mike and I agree that this day, which is finally coming tomorrow, is certainly going to be surreal. One of the best parts of the last couple of weeks has been Lukas' excitement over Jacob's coming. In his words today, he's "100% sure he loves Jacob so much." He's been counting the days, hoping Jacob comes early and marveling at how he can love someone he can't even see. He's also "tired of looking at Mommy's belly!!" Which he doesn't hesitate to mention, either, on a nearly daily basis. Nicholas can't talk much yet so he mostly expresses his excitement by slapping my belly whenever he sees it bare! It kind of hurts but is very cute....

So, my master plan actually ended up working out today. We had a beautiful family wedding this saturday and then I spent most of sunday napping in recovery! Wisely, we both took off Monday together to spend with the boys. This afternoon after Nick's nap, we went to Zoo America at Hershey Park. As usual, the animals all came out to see their buddy Lukas (we call him the zoo animal whisperer!) and we had the chance to see lots of animals up close and personal. Plus it was a perfect spring weather day. We capped the afternoon off with dinner at Houlihans (all of this courtesy of Ellen and Danny's generous Anniversary gift, so we didn't spend a penny!). Again, the perfect weather was our best friend and we got to sit on the deck and enjoy some delicious food, and the kids were both super well behaved too which was a treat. (God is SO good.) Finally, when we got home, Lukas and Mike got his bike out again (it's been without training wheels for a few weeks now but today was the first day he rode outside the driveway! He's a natural, has great balance and only a little trouble stopping.

So here's the highlight reel: