Dear Georgia

Dear Georgia,

We're getting to excited to see your face!  You had the hiccups this morning and its all I could do not to wake up your Dad and make him feel because I thought it was so awesome to know what you were doing at that moment.
I wasn't sure what to call you for a while.  I really liked the name Selah (Say-luh), but really really liked the name Georgia.  I was worried for a few days that giving you such a strong name would put pressure on you to be the President or something, but I decided that you'd be whomever you wanted no matter what I call you :)  Nicknames flow freely now.  I could not be happier.
Your middle name still eludes me.  I've had some beautiful suggestions, like Grace, from aunt Susan.  I like the idea of two "G" names, because I'm going to call you Gigi anyway, and a double "G" in the initials would make that one all the more prevalent.  BUT- Neomi's middle name is Grace, and I want you to have your own.  I was considering Paris, but then remembered that your first name is Georgia.  I LOVE the name Sophia, and Georgia Sophia sounds just... like you, but Sophia was the number one most popular name of 2011, so I'm steering away... if I can help it.  We'll see.

Grandma's best friend Shannon passed away last week, on Friday.  I (we) went to her funeral on Saturday, and heard Glenna Bradford sing Master the Tempest is Raging- it was so beautiful.  She had planned her whole funeral, and it was all planned to be comfort for us.  The opening song was I Believe in Christ- she bore her testimony to us from the other side.  Shannon was one of the best people I've ever known.  When they talked about how stalwart she always was, how enthusiastic, how kind, how thoughtful and hardworking and prayerful, I just kept thinking about how often I pray that you will be all of those things.  There were hundreds of people there celebrating her and all that she gave to all of us.  I've thought about Georgia Shannon, quite a bit.  I'll sure miss her, and so will Grandma.
Sometimes you kick me so hard that it knocks me to one side or the other, and I'm so proud of you for being so strong!  Other times you kick a lot when I'm talking to people and I like to imagine that you're trying to get my attention, or that you think I'm very funny.  You're very calm when its time to go to sleep, though, and really appreciate that. ...and I hope it continues.
I want you to know that everyone seems to be interested in you.  Your cousin Memphis already sings to you.  I sent everyone a link to a video of Jami Foxx and Alecia Keys singing your song, and now Memphis sings it to you whenever we're around.  Tia and Austen were explaining to Ambrie and Memphis that you're still in my tummy, and Ambrie, in her cute little voice asked, "So... you ate yo baby?"  Nope, but I sure eat a lot of other stuff.

The ladies at work were asking about you the other day and asked how we were feeling.  I said, "Crowded."  You're getting so big that it feels like we're sharing a duffel bag, and its starting to get a little tight.
You're around 2 or 3 lbs now, depending on which website I check.  The time got away from me, and if the tracker on BabyCenter.com wasn't keeping track, I wouldn't believe that you're 12 weeks away from being due.  If you were born today, you'd most likely make it.  But keep on baking.  We want you to be nice and golden brown before you come on out.  
I've been reading... a lot.  My reading list consists of:  Father Need, The Birth Partner, The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, The Happiest Baby on the Block, The Diaper Free Baby, Birthing from Within, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way, Husband Coached Childbirth, and a 300 page binder with supplemental information for our Bradley Birth classes.  Its SO COOL to learn things about how you might be and what I might do about it!
Registering for all of your stuff has been overwhelming!  I wish I could just ask you what you'll need!  I finally bought you something, though, and I cannot WAIT to put your little head in it!  Its  fuzzy leopard print hat with ears on it... you're already so stinking cute I don't even know what to do.  Hats are going to be your thing :)  Unless all of my wishing works and you have dark curly hair.
I'm sorry about the spicy food today.  It was a shock to me too, and a humongous disappointment.  I waited a little too long to get lunch so I was walking around walmart in an hungered stupor and finally shuffled out when I realized I couldn't decided anything until I ate.  So I went to the only place that sounded good enough (Cafe Rio) and for the first time in like 10 years, ordered a burrito instead of a salad or tostada.  I used to be intimidated by Cafe Rio because they yell at you and ask you questions and don't give you options for the answer- you have to know what the options are.  Well I got used to the questions eventually.  Pork!  Black!  Everything!  House!  No guac!  No Pico, no chips!  No drink!  I do not know the questions for Burritos.  So when the lady asked me what sauce, I said "...House!"  She shouted it back.  Or so I thought.  I watched her pour red sauce all over my beautiful pork, knowing that she knew what she was doing- that I could trust Cafe Rio Lady.  I took it home, and 1/3 of the way into our precious burrito, could not breathe.  Hot.  Not House.  She said Hot.  There is was, right on the receipt.  I never order "hot" anything.  I had to give it to uncle Sean.  And now?  Well now I'm going to end up with a $20 pork salad, because I have to order what I originally wanted so as fix the disappointment of (speaking through trembling lips and gritted angry teeth) hot. sauce.  (the infernal, horrid, pointless thing for masochists who actually want their food to hurt them.)  Disappointing food doesn't count. Diminished emotional capacity.  A ruined Cafe Rio experience is a terrible thing.
I love you, sweet Georgia Brown.  See you soon.
Love, Mom