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In the past I wrote about the specifics of what’s going on in the pregnancy for the week as a separate entry, but since today was the due date, the day itself was inextricably tied to expectations of a delivery.  I think that until she gets here, I’m going to write directly to Milly.  Here goes.

Dear Milly,

The day started off with your mom and I going to church, as per usual.  She lectured you about being on time after she got out of the shower, telling you that being on time is something she’s really big on and you might as well learn that now.  I agreed.

After church we were going to run some errands but wanted to waste some time until shops opened without having to go all the way back home yet, so we ate at Cracker Barrel.  We also figured it would be the last time we’d get to do that in a while, since you’ll be with us soon and going out to eat with a tiny baby isn’t the easiest thing in the world.  Not that we’re complaining- I’d have given up breakfast in a heartbeat if it meant you were here.  So anyway, we ate and ran some errands then went on back home for a little bit.

As a side note, everywhere we went people wished us a good day.  I told your mom I actually wouldn’t mind having a day with a little bit of pain and stress.  Your birth- get it?  Oh, and according to a Facebook horoscope, today was to be your lucky day, Thursday is your mom’s and Friday is mine.  We liked today being your day, but didn’t like the idea of waiting until Thursday or Friday for you to get here.

We spent a bit of time just waiting for things to happen.  After a while your mom decided that a walk on the beach might do some good towards hurrying you along, so we went to Wrightsville Beach to do that.  We walked to the jetty then to the pier and I took some pictures.  As you’ll see below, we had a nice time.

After we came in I went back out with your Uncle Michael (who had come by), Uncle Barry and cousin Hannah Frazelle and Brian Davis, a friend of hers, to go surfing.  Uncle Michael and I went pretty much straight out from the beach access, but the others headed upshore a bit.  The waves were better there, but it was so much more crowded.

The waves were mostly mushy, but when they did come in they were of a pretty decent size.  I caught some good ones, but I had to concentrate a lot just to stay up because the board was getting pushed around a lot.  If you take to surfing like I’d like, you’ll be much better than I am when you’re my age.  You’ll have gone with Hannah and Barry and made people get out of your way.

I forgot two things, going out there.  First, I forgot to take off my rings- my wedding ring and my “practice” ring, which your mom gave me before we got married.  I’d never really worn a ring before, and this one had a scroll design similar to my wedding band, so we called it my practice ring.  I usually take them off just in case, but they stayed on just fine.

The other thing I forgot was the sunscreen.  Your momma reminded me before I went out, but I didn’t think of it again until I got to the water, and by then I just didn’t want to go back.  I thought maybe I’d be alright, since I’ve got a decent base tan.  Well, I’m pretty much burned all over now, so when we bother you about putting on sunscreen, make sure you listen, okay?  It doesn’t hurt right now, but I’m pretty sure it will tomorrow.

After we got home and I realized I was burned I walked to the store and picked up some aloe.  I want to do what I can to get over it as soon as possible so it doesn’t interfere in any way with your big day or the time directly after it.  As  I was walking to the store I saw the setting sun behind the clouds and thought, “Man, this is what Milly’s missing.”  Afterall, I reasoned, “Surely a sunset is more interesting to look at than the inside of a womb after 40 weeks.”

So now it’s past 11:00 at night and there’s been no sign whatsoever of you coming today.  I mean, for you to make it right on your due date that would have to be one really fast labor.  We’ve been told by enough people that the first one is usually late, so I don’t think your mom or I were terribly upset about you not coming today, but we’re both just so looking forward to finally having you really be in our lives.  It’s a little disappointing, you know, but I don’t think either of us was too fixated on it having to be today.

And you know, now that this day is over, it’s a little bit of a relief, almost.  I feel that each day that passes now brings with it that much higher a probability that the next day will be the day you arrive.  And now that the due date has come and gone with nary a bang (or a contraction) it’s almost liberating.  It frees us up to not having a date bearing down on us and makes whenever you do come that much more of a surprise.  That’s how I feel anyway.

We can’t wait to see you and hold you in our arms, Milly.

Dad

P.S.
Wow, that’s the first time I’ve ever written that word as an actual title for myself.  I’ve written it referring to myself as soon to be one, but not with a capital “D” as in a name or title.  What a profound feeling it was to write that.