Dear Anna Bates,
We have prayed for you before you were even in my tummy. You are such a miracle and we cannot wait to meet you. When we were trying to have a baby, my good friend Lindsey was there for me along the journey and even gave me a special necklace she wore when she was trying to get pregnant with Lilla. It was so special to me. When we went through the months of fertility treatments she checked on me every day, even though she had a much bigger battle she was facing. She had colon cancer that had spread to a lot of places and was very sick. She was the most amazing warrior I have ever met and she met each day with a positive attitude and fighting spirit. She was SO excited when we found out that the IVF worked and we were pregnant. I told her I wanted you to have an incredible role model. Someone to look up to and live your life like she did. One day we were visiting together and I told her your name would have Bates in it. That was her maiden name. She was so excited and honored. When I was 9 weeks pregnant, sweet Lindsey passed away. Her body just could not take the cancer anymore. At 14 weeks we found out you were a girl! Anna is a family name from my great grandmother, aunt, and cousins, and Anna Bates felt like the perfect name for you. I can't wait to tell you all about Lindsey, your guardian angel. You have had so many people praying for you and they cannot wait to finally meet you.
I am 37.5 weeks now...in the home stretch! You are so active and wiggly. There's rarely a time of day that you aren't kicking, flipping, dancing, or practicing your golf swing. You are already over 6 lbs and very strong! Can you tell how excited we are? Your dad already talks about how you are going to be a daddy's girl and how he will give you anything you want. We'll see about that :) Kappy sniffs all of your baby clothes and loves to walk in your nursery to check on things.
For those who have seen or talked to me lately, you know how ready I am! I know most everyone feels this way at this point in the pregnancy and things get so uncomfortable! But with the Ehlers Danlos, my joints and muscles were already loose/lax, so adding weight and the stress of the pregnancy has been really really hard on my body. It's the first time I've had hip pain since my double hip surgery 10 years ago and my back pain has put me in the hospital several times this past month. Sometimes it just gets unbearable. Other times I just sleep a lot and try to get through one more day. I see all of the doctors in the OB group I go to, but there are a couple of them who really seem interested in the EDS and how it does and will effect me during pregnancy and delivery.
Several weeks ago the docs said "any day now" because of how quickly I progressed dilating and being fully effaced. We had our bags packed and ready and waited anxiously. Then everything slowed down and Anna Bates decided she would stay put a little longer. It's been hard waiting and in so much pain. Please pray for a good delivery and for the remainder of the time to be easier on my body. I'm exhausted!
Much love
Riley
