The evening before Astrid's first birthday

Today marks the one year anniversary of the day before Astrid's birth (as tomorrow is her one year birthday). Uwe and I were reminiscing about what we were doing one year ago today, the day before we became parents.

I worked up until right before my due date finishing out the week, with Friday being my last day. On Monday, my first day off, I had a doctor's appointment. Uwe and I went into the doctor's office prepared to tell him that I had decided to have a c-section birth (an elective c-section), thinking that he would schedule the birth/surgery for that Wednesday. Uwe and I had even discussed the night before how Wednesday wouldn't be ideal because it was Hitler's birthday. But thinking that it might possibly be Wednesday, Uwe also mentioned that there were probably a lot of good people who were born on that day as well. So that Monday (4/18/2005) both Uwe and I were taken aback when our doctor said he would schedule the surgery for the next morning (Tuesday 4/19/2005). Wha...wha...what?! Say again?

Since I was to have surgery in the morning, I couldn't have any food in my stomach for 10 hours prior to the surgery, so I had to have an early dinner (and I wouldn't be able to eat breakfast in the morning). We went to an Italian pizzeria in Larchmont within walking distance from our doctor's office. Uwe felt so bad for me because he had wanted me to have the best food and restaurant of my choice before I was to give birth to our child, but instead I got bad eggplant parmesan (that I only took one bite of) with a side of spaghetti. I didn't really care about the food, but I was bummed that I didn't have at least a day or two to just relax and enjoy Oprah and spend some time nesting.

After dinner I rushed to the nail salon to get a manicure and pedicure. It felt weird to be thinking "what color is right for giving birth?" I went with a dark pink. (Uwe said no one would even notice, but after he posted a pic on his blog of me holding a newly born Astrid, he received a comment saying that the mommy had a nice manicure. So people do notice!)

While I was at the nail salon, Uwe was at Target buying a bassinet. We had a crib already but we wanted the baby to be close to us to be able to make sure the baby was okay and to attend to the baby's needs quickly.

Later that night I think we watched some TV but I can't remember what we watched. My mind was thinking about the birth of the baby and preparing myself. I had packed a diaper bag and a small suitcase so I was prepared in that sense. (I even packed a tiny teddy bear for the baby so he/she wouldn't be lonely. Uwe agreed with my thinking. We both still laugh about that.) I also took a shower and blow-dried my hair that night before going to sleep so that I would be able to get a good night's sleep and not have to rush in the morning.

Uwe and I kept saying, "We're going to be parents tomorrow." It felt so surreal.

Now one year later, here are tonight's pics of Astrid in the bath, the evening before Astrid's first birthday.