Dear Charlotte
You may remember Sam and Boone from their pregnancy announcement pictures back in October or so.
For those of you who regularly read my blog, you may remember the origin story of my friendship with Sam. For those of you who don’t, (you should start) here is a synopsis (Sam, this means a summary of sorts…):
Shelly enters high school as a scared little freshman. Shelly tries out for the cheerleading squad and makes the team. Sam is a cool upperclassman who, for some reason, chooses Shelly to be her sidekick on the squad. Sam takes Shelly under her wing and teaches her things like: how to do a DIY French manicure before a dance, how to Nair every hair off the entire human body, how to wear clothes in an appropriate manner (apparently just because a shirt fits like a crop top, doesn’t mean said shirt should be worn as a crop top…ever). Shelly blossoms into a slightly less awkward version of herself. Sam nods approvingly.
Fast forward several years (through various boyfriends, college, other major life events) and Sam meets Boone. At first I’m all, “Sam…who is this Boone character? He’s from the mountains of Montana, and his name reminds me of a county in Iowa…what gives?” And she’s all starry eyed and in love.
Then I meet Boone and it all makes sense. Boone finds Sam funny and endearing, he supports her endlessly and lights up when she smiles. It’s a fairly tale meets Disney meets Montana sort of love story. And Sam can be 100% herself when she’s with him. I had this feeling that Soone (or Bam…you choose) would be a thing for a long time, like forever.
Fast forward through Maid of Honor duties (and a speech that will forever go down in infamy), and a few years of marriage, and I get a text message one September day (September 15th actually), with an ultra sound image at which I just stare for a few minutes. Then I realize what is happening, and I actually leave my shopping cart in the store and exit Target, only to come to the realization that I need the things I abandoned in that cart, and go back in to retrieve them. I had a pretty emotional experience in the mouth wash aisle that day with a wide range of emotions from laughing and stifling squeals to choking back tears.
Let’s do some more fast forwarding to this past weekend. I get the call that Sam is in labor on Friday. I head over to see her later Friday night after work, and she’s just bouncin’ on her weird birthing ball bein’ all “this isn’t so bad!” and Sam-like about the whole thing. Long story short, Sam is in labor for SEVENTY HOURS before the doctors make the decision to do a c-section. IT IS TIME TO FINALLY MEET BABY BUG.
I will tell you a little secret…when we were younger, I totally pictured Sam having a family full of boys who play baseball and do things of athletic significance. And yet, I don’t know why, deep down I had this feeling that this baby was a girl, and I would finally get the opportunity to bestow upon her all the important life lessons her mama taught me.
Finally, after what seemed like weeks, Boone walked out to an anxious waiting room and verified my gut feelings. Sam gave birth to a perfect baby girl.
To my girl Charlotte,
When your mom is driving you crazy, or tells you you can’t do something, I hope you come to me.
When you run your first marathon at roughly age six, I’ll be on the sidelines cheering the loudest.
When you lose your first tooth, I’ll throw a party.
When you get your permit, I’ll let you drive.
When you accomplish great things, like I know you will, I will brag.
When you fall, I’ll dust you off and tell you to get back after it.
You will always be amazing to me, and I love you more than you could ever know.