August 16, 2013.

Right after Henry was born. It's mind-blowing to me to think that in less than 7 weeks we'll be doing this all over again. 

So. We have a date. And I can't even explain to you how weird it feels to know the birthday of our son, to not have those same feelings I had with Henry, the trying to guess if he would be early or late, worrying that my doctor would want to eventually induce me when he was days past his due date. It's strange to wrap my head around the fact that I will wake up on August 16th, get ready, drive to the hospital, and two hours later, have Charlie in my arms. Maybe it's considered the "unnatural" way, but to me, it feels right. Just the way it should be, for us.

I wrote and deleted a long paragraph here about the why and how I chose a repeat, scheduled c-section. I wrote about how I didn't feel I needed to apologize for my choice, and how a baby is a baby and a mother is a mother, no matter how the child arrives. But I realized in doing so I am apologizing in a way, and making something that I wholeheartedly feel is a non-issue, into an issue. So instead I will simply say this: when I was asked by my doctor what my choice was, I chose to have another c-section. And so that's why Hank and I have a big circle on our calendar, around that special day in August, the day I'll go into the birthing center in at 6:45 in the morning, and have our baby at 8:45. Our little clock is now set and now we know for sure how many more days there will be just three, before the newest member joins our family.

August 16th. So excited to meet you, Charlie.

p.s. Have you had a repeat c-section? What was your experience like? I'd love to hear about it.