Three

Three years ago today my life changed. Three years ago today I discovered a kind of love I never knew existed; the kind of love I didn't even know was possible. Three years ago today, we met our beautiful baby girl, and I became a mother.

It was a Sunday. I'll probably never forget this because Jason was so excited that everyone got free parking at the hospital. The night before, five days before my due date, Jason made us a nice dinner after which we sat down to watch Pineapple Express. About four minutes into what I found to be the world's stupidest movie, I said aloud, "I hope that I don't go into labor now, because then this dumb movie is going to be in our lives stories forever." Sure enough, about an hour later, after witnessing Seth Rogen toke his billionth dubbie, I felt a contraction that hurt and was very different from the rest that I'd felt. Jason packed his bag, and suggested we go to bed to try to get some sleep. Both of which I doubted were necessary- after all, who has their first baby early?- but we did anyway. Neither of us slept a minute. The contractions continued, and we timed them and read the books and when it all matched up like they said it would, we read the books again and timed them again just to be sure. At about 6am we called the doctor on call and she confirmed that we should in fact come in. So we both took showers, tidied up the house, called my parents, threw a few last minute things in the bag, washed the dog, took some pictures, and then went to the hospital. We called Molly on the way, and she was so excited that she and Bri took a cab from Wicker Park all the way to Evanston. I'll never forget that. She was the first to arrive and she stayed all day. My parents were next, then Lindsay, and Jake and Katy, and Jason's dad and Aunt Vee and Uncle Bob. Everyone stayed all day keeping me company, playing games and wagering bets on whether "the baby" was a boy or a girl.

I pushed for a hour, Jason and I were laughing and cracking the jokes the whole time. Jason was incredible. There was a SNL skit that year that was a satirical spin on McGiver called McGrover. Jason kept singing "McGrover" and we were cracking up. My doctor arrived at the very last minute to deliver Marin in his street clothes, and at 9:14pm, Marin was born. Jason turned to me and said, "It's a girl!!" I will never ever forget the immediate pride in his voice at that moment. Doctor Miller asked if she had a name, and Jason replied, "This is Marin Jane." I held her immediately and was awestruck by her teeny tiny wonderful features and fell head over heals in love with every single wrinkle right down to her fingernails. I held her close to me and promised her aloud to be the very best mom that I could be.

After Marin was weighed and measured and cleaned off, Jason went to the waiting room to announce that she was here! Shortly there after everyone came into the room to meet her, and we passed her around and snuggled her and introduced her to the most important people in her world. My mom immediately started planning shopping trips and outings to the American Girl store. Jason started calculating the costs of proms and her wedding. :) We all stayed there for a long time all together, admiring our little miracle, giving her all the love in the world. It was the best day in my life to that point.

Somehow three years have passed and today that little baby is a bundle of energy who literally dances everywhere she goes with a spring in her every step. Marin loves being a big sister and entertaining her friends. She is a happy little sweetheart who loves big and has a bit of a dramatic streak. Can't imagine where she gets the from.

My due date with Marin was February 12th. During my pregnancy with her, everyone would comment on how it might be a Valentine's Day baby. We honestly never thought of Marin as a Valentine, but she is definitely our little sweetheart.

It has been an incredible three years. Becoming a mother has been my world's most amazing, most challenging, most rewarding journey yet. Three years has gone so quickly. In three more years she'll be SIX! But today I'm not thinking about that. Today I'm taking the day to just hug and love and okay spoil just a little, my amazing little three year old miracle, Marin Jane.