ZBL’s due date was June 23, and since SPL arrived 2 days early, we were thinking ZBL would have an early arrival too so we’d planned to have John’s mom, Norma, fly out on Saturday June 16.  I, being one for redundant systems and contingency plans (also a bit anal ;-), had set up play dates for SPL the week of June 11-15 too.  We are fortunate to have great friends and wonderful aunt, uncle and cousins who happily adopt SPL at a moment’s notice.  As I noted in the birth story, we knew on Thursday June 7 that we would be delivering early but had thought it would be June 14.  So we moved up Norma’s flight to Tuesday June 12 and let the June 14 and 15 play date friends, Zahra, Helen, Anne and Sonya, know that their service would more than likely be needed. 

Norma also was facing air conditioner problems in a sweltering TX summer heat so was trying to get that all squared away so her cats would survive in her absence (she was with us for 2 weeks – incredibly generous!). Very important.  Also, June 11-15 was SPL’s first full week of summer and we had planned it to be our (SPL and my) “last hurrah” week together: I’d planned on going swimming with him and to some museums. Had to let that go pretty quick. 

So in the end, Norma/Nan was in the air as you were being born.  Aunt Beth and crew stepped in to fill the gap happily though (and Helen and Diego were waiting in the wings and texting me on Monday to offer whatever support they could including having SPL sleep over) and SPL had a slumber party at his cousins’ house on Monday night (June 11) and got to spend all day with them on Tuesday June 12 attending KAR and EVR’s 5th grade promotion ceremony and tagging along to the post ceremony celebratory lunch.

Tuesday PM Nan/Norma brought SPL and Beth and Scott brought the trio to the hospital to visit us and meet you. It was incredible to watch each of them meet you and remember back to when they had met SPL 7 years ago.  You were born into a great support network Z – we are very fortunate in this and so many other ways.

Thank you all who helped us through this fire drill.  It was crazy but we were much reassured to know we had friends and family around and willing to move things up and rearrange plans at a moment’s notice to accommodate our changing baby due date.  We are very fortunate people indeed.