where are you baby?

I love babies. The fragile - tiny - mini - ness of them. I love newborns most of all. You're lucky if you see their eyes open, they smell like what heaven must and did I mention how every part of them is so tiny and fragile? I currently have three friends that are pregnant. I don't know when I'll get to meet their little ones, but before each of them join us in the world I just wanted to take a minute to introduce you to my friends, before they become, full-time, a little man's mother.

Marianne
Elliot
Due June 3rd

Marianne and my husband graduated together from Gutenberg, and this means they were classmates for four long, ever changing years. My husband was instantly drawn to Marianne, because he said she reminded him of me. So of course she was dubbed his "School Wife". I still remember the first time Marianne came over to our house on Hilyard. I was wrapping little Christmas gifts for our nieces and she 'n Andy were working on some school project. I'm not sure the exact record, but practically every project they were coincidentally - randomly picked to be in the same group. Of course, because of Andy's a-for mentioned opinion of Marianne, this first meeting was an intimidating moment for me. Now that five years have come and gone, I am proud to call Marianne a dear friend. Although we no longer live in the same state, we no longer have the majority of our lives in common and we were never roommates or daily conversation kind of friends she will be kept in my little box for lifelong friends.
*this is Marianne's second baby boy, her first is Soren and you can meet him here

Erin
Soren
Due June 4th

Erin has had the same best friend, Flo, for 21 years, who also happens to be one of my oldest friends, and threw her a gorgeous baby shower. I don't think Erin and I have been in the same room since Flo's bridal shower six years ago. But, thanks to Flo, myspace and the world of the blog I've been able to catch up - of sorts - with Erin's life since 6th grade when we first met. I don't know if I'll ever see Erin's son in person and it's okay. That's the way our friendship's been. We had our moments, in Junior High, of extreme closeness and of course our years of forgetting we ever knew each other (don't get feisty, we were living in different worlds, it had nothing to do with hating each other, did it Erin?) I've never hung out with Erin and her husband Karl and I haven't seen Erin's belly grow each month but, never-the-less, I can't wait to see her little baby boy. I feel a kind of overwhelming love and friendship for her when I think of this newness of life.

Jen
Zain
Due June 27th

Jen and I are friends by not any doing of either of us. Well, perhaps a little doing by each of us, since we both tamed an Andy into becoming our husbands. Our friendship is one paired with a car ride. I think every time we've seen one another, one of us has driven over an hour just to hang out. If that's not friendship, then what is? Our husbands, both named Andy, have been friends since childhood when they lived down the street from one another and her Andy's mom worked for my Andy's dad. Jen and I, correct me if I'm wrong, met at the rehearsal for my wedding over seven years ago. And, I must admit, I wasn't really into making a new best friend at the time, I was a bit pre-occupied with a little something called getting married. We have never lived in the same town and for the majority of our friendship we haven't even lived in the same state. But let me say, I have never enjoyed becoming friends with someone more than with Jen. Our friendship has grown, and I hope will continue to, over the years. We are never without a topic for conversation. And though we are all still such kids, our friendship is growing and changing with each car ride. I can not believe that the next car ride will take us to meet her new little boy. I can't wait to meet him and I must admit, this friendship has already brought me to love him, even before I gaze, in awe, at his fragile - tiny - mini - ness.


One of the best thing about babies is the waiting. I love the anticipation and the surprise when you see them for the first time outside of their mommy's tummy. No matter how well you know the parents, or for how long, the beauty of a newborn is something you can never quite imagine well enough. It's one of those things in life, a mystery you just have to wait to see.