Thoughts on a Due Date

One year ago today, right on Annabelle’s due date, I was induced after not feeling Annabelle move in my belly for almost 12 hours. I was excited of the possibility that we would actually meet our precious bundle of joy on her due date! We listened to Mariah Carey’s “All I want for Christmas” on the way to the hospital. I was not scared – just extremely anxious as I did not know what to expect.

We were able to run home from the doctors to grab my overnight bag… thankfully we only live 5 minutes from the hospital!

Our last photo as a family of two

Thoughts on a Due Date

It’s funny how you can plan for something for 10 months, and when the day comes your expectations and the imagined scenario you’ve played out in your head over and over again goes completely out the window. I didn’t think I would be induced into labor. I always thought I would go into labor on my own. I didn’t think I would need any drugs – I had mentally prepared myself to labor naturally. I thought Annabelle would be delivered quickly after I accepted that I was going to be induced. I thought she would arrive before midnight – on Frank Sinatra’s birthday and her expected due date. The doctor said she would be small and easy to deliver. I thought a lot of things about this day. One thing I did not think about was how I would feel after it was all over…

It’s been a year since I entered the hospital just a pregnant girl, with her husband and Mom by her side. My belly was huge and some people said I didn’t even look pregnant from behind. I had grown to love my belly, but hated how uncomfortable I felt. I remember thinking my life was about to change in a HUGE way…but I was so so ready for this change.

I left the hospital the proudest Mommy, with a Christmas angel in my arms, and my husband and Mom by my side.

Now I will sit and reflect on what I believe has been the best year of my life. Tomorrow we will celebrate what I believe has been the best year (and first year) of Annabelle’s life. My heart feels extra heavy today – in a good way of course. My eyes keep brimming with tears of joy, gratitude, love, happiness, and everything else wonderful that’s in between.

If if you would like to read Annabelle’s birth story, here are Part I and Part II.