Dakota

"Spread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat. Then fold second base down to home and set the baby on the pitcher's mound. Put first base and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together. Of course, in case of rain, you gotta call the game and start all over again."~Jimmy Piersal

When your little and the teacher asks you, "what are you going to be when you grow up?", many young girls answer, "I'm going to be a mommy." I, on the other hand, had a different response believing that I was going to be a singer. But, it's funny how we all go from being in a preschool class to eventually growing up on different paths with different life goals.

My friend Danielle is pregnant and about to become a mommy. Danielle and her husband, Brandon, will be having a beautiful baby girl in August. I am so excited for them, I know they will be great parents! Yesterday was the baby shower for her baby, Dakota. Danielle was beautiful and glowing. She had her close friends and family there to celebrate her exciting new venture into mommyhood and we all brought gifts to spoil the baby that is on the way. We played the "guess the baby animal name" game, "guess the measurement of Danielle's tummy" game, and "how many diapers are in the diaper cake" game. All of Dakota's gifts were so tiny and cute. When I first found out that Danielle was pregnant, I was so excited to start shopping for tiny baby items. I found myself getting distracted and making a detour to the baby section every time that I was at a store because everything was just so darn cute! Basically, I had a new addiction, it was called shopping for Danielle and Brandon's unborn baby!

Hunter, Me, Danielle, and Brandon at the Baby Shower:

I guess I'm at that age where many of my friends are getting married or having children. I grew up thinking that is what people do, they get married and have kids. But that is not always the case. I've always been fond of kids, thinking they were really cute, but somewhere down the line I came to a fork in the road and started to ask myself, "is this what I truly want in life?" I remember a doctor telling me that it would be really hard for me to carry a baby. When a baby is growing inside a womb, the baby will start to press on the lungs and other organs making the experience uncomfortable. Also, for a woman with Cystic Fibrosis, I've heard that when the baby pushes on the lungs, it makes it even more difficult to breathe. I already have compromised lungs from the disease and I wouldn't want to put myself at risk by trying to carry a baby for 9 months as well as give birth. I sometimes get uncomfortable when I eat too much, I couldn't imagine having a watermelon inside of me and feeling that I just had to take a poop and couldn't haha.

I know that I can always choose the path of adoption. I believe adoption is a beautiful route to take. If Hunter and I, down the line, ever have the urge to have a child and decide to take that route, we know that adoption is a great option. Hunter has told me that if a baby is going to jeopardize my health, he would pick me over having a baby, hands down. Thankfully, I have an amazing man in my life, that is supportive, and has the same views as me when it comes to a family. For now, we are happy being proud parents to Aiden, our fuzzy border collie. And I love our little family. :)