52 Letters: #3

Dear Pregnant Friends, 

Wow there are a lot of you right now. Like a lot. I can think of one, two, three, seven, ten, twelve, and two cousins expecting babies (Congrats!). I think there were fourteen of you at one point. (And one of you is carrying three babies, so that's just incredible.)  Each of you looks cute in your flowy dresses. Each of you manages to smile sweetly when asked "how are you doing?" You carry yourselves with grace and ease and strength. I admire that. I admire you. Because being pregnant sounds hard. I'm not pregnant. But all of you are and you seem really great at it. (again. I'm not pregnant)

Pippa and Jonah are cute, sweet babies. Just to be clear: I am not pregnant. Again. Not. Pregnant. But seriously. You all are. I'm not pregnant.

I grew up with kids around (shout out to the three cutest babies in the world who are all now over the age of 21 and related to me) and still love little ones. They laugh in the most infectiously, hilarious way. They are totally fine with me asking them questions like "So if you were to grow up to be an animal, which one would you be?" Not only do they allow me to ask, they answer in the most matter-of-fact way. (Ex: Today Lila told me she'd grow up to be a buffalo. Obviously.) Plus, kids are cute, especially when I get to hold them, hug them, and giggle with them, and then hand them back to their parents when they start to cry and I feel sad with them.  

Super cute George. Aw man Hagerty family. You make really great kids. 

You ladies are going to be great mothers, some of you for the second time. Some of you already have new little ones for the first time: I can't wait to meet Vaughn, Emmett and Daisy. I can't wait to meet all these babies. BABIES. BABIES. So many new babies will enter the world this summer. 

Back in college I can vividly recall Jeff Matthews, sipping a beer on the deck of the Bowery Street apartment on a sweet, calm, hot, verge-of-summer night. He paused for a moment, holding his bottle of beer in front of him, gesturing toward the skyline, and said "Laura, this summer is pregnant with possibility." I love that notion and think of it each May since, but this summer Jeff, is just pregnant. 

Sending lots of love to you strong, pretty and pregnant women. All your babies will be beautiful. And can call me Aunt Laura. 

xo-LP