WELCOME JULIA!

From: <therichman@rjgeib.com>
To: <julia@rjgeib.com>
Subject: welcome to cyberspace; we cannot wait!
Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2007 19:34:46 -0800
Organization: Richard Geib

My Dearest Julia,

These are the first words I have directly addressed to you, and it feels somewhat strange to do so. And strange it also is to look back to the first ultrasound images we have of you at approximately eleven weeks when you were about the size of a peanut. How much you have already changed! How far you have already come in life! Last week you had the hiccups inside your mother’s womb, drinking amniotic fluid, and I was shocked at how powerful were your movements as registered by my hand on your mother’s stomach – at 39 weeks you are already a full grown baby, ready to emerge and breathe oxygen on your own, on the point of emerging from the womb, poised to put forth your first full-throated scream of life.

And tonight, at 5:20 p.m. PST on March 1st 2007, you went online with your very first email address. I will take the liberty of being the first to email you.

I have chosen to do this exactly one week before your due date. Your mother and I are equal parts terrified and excited at becoming brand new parents. Yet the excitement begins to crowd out the fear, as for nine long months we have waited and watched and speculated at how you might be, and finally we can actually meet you in the flesh. I have looked forward immensely to ultrasound appointments at the doctor’s office, as it would give me something at last to see. Your birth will change everything and your mother and I are most excited. We started our family relatively late in life, compared to most other people; and after having finished our educations, established our careers, got married, and bought a house we so looked forward to our baby daughter, Julia Emerson. Everything is ready for you – a fully furnished nursery, stacks of diapers and lotions, strollers and car seats, innumerable toys and books, and baby clothes of all shapes and colors.

For all modern science’s capacity to quantify, understand, and explain, nobody knows why and for what reason a pregnant woman goes into labor at one moment and not another. We do not know exactly when you shall arrive, and your mother and I are apprehensive, to say the least. It could happen at any moment! Maria has her bag packed for the hospital visit, and I travel nowhere without my cell phone. Today your mother starts her maternity leave. She will rest and prepare herself for the stress and difficulty of childbirth. (They don’t call it “labor” for nothing!)

Here we are, Ms. Geib, waiting for you to make your grand entrance onto the stage of life.

The next few weeks will be full of difficulty and exertion: the pains of birth -- breathing oxygen, adapting to life outside the womb. Surely it will not be easy. Your vision, hearing, and understanding will be limited, as your still immature brain works to adapt to gravity and motion. You will find yourself suddenly in radically changed circumstances. Your most sensitive and perceptive organ will be your skin, and your mother and I will be on hand continually to hold, sooth, feed, and love you. When distressed and overwhelmed, your skin will feel our skin as we hold, kiss, feed, caress, and clean you. Even if you can barely communicate with us, you will feel our love and support through that most basic of sensory receptors, the skin. Rest assured of this, my daughter: your baby cries will not go unheeded.

Oblivious to the outside world, you don’t know how many persons already love you and await your arrival onto the wider world. It makes me feel warm inside to acknowledge this fact, as it augurs well for a person’s future when they are so wanted and so loved at birth.

We all await that moment which signals your birth and the start of our lives together!

Love,
Your Father, Terrified and Excited

--
_____________________

Richard James Geib "Be a friend to thyself,
therichman@rjgeib.com and others will befriend thee."
http://www.rjgeib.com/
" Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?"
T.S. Eliot

From Dick Geib <dickgeib@gmail.com>
Date: Monday, March 05, 2007 8:42 AM
To: julia@rjgeib.com <julia@rjgeib.com>
Subject: Birth

Dear Julia,

How lovely that you will be joining us very soon now! You indeed come "trailing clouds of glory" from God who is your Creator. It has been a long and often difficult wait for your parents, especially for your mother. But as your Uncle Tom said at the recent "shower" held on your behalf, "That Julia is really a lucky girl: she has parents who are smart, educated, healthy, and mature enough to have planned for her and want her in their lives." And, I add, she will also have parents who are decent, caring people.

Once upon a time, in the cold mid-winter of a distant city, your grandma Maggie and I also became parents to a little girl. We named her Katie and watched as she met or exceeded our expectations for achievement and goodness. (You will meet her soon.) I know your parents have great expectations for you as well, and that you, guided by their steady hands, will excel and be good. I pray that you will also be happy during your visit in this world of ours, while knowing that happiness is elusive and tricky.

I, your grandfather, am now 67 years old. It saddens me to think that my worldly visit does not coincide very well with yours--I will be 88, for example, if I am still living when you graduate from college. It would be wonderful if I also lived long enough to see you marry a good and strong man.

There is no end to the things that I want to tell you. But I will save my wit and wisdom for the many one-on-one encounters that we will share over the years. I do hope that we will "connect" and that I will become an important player in the drama of your life. Know that I will always be there for you and that I am an excellent listener. Perhaps I will also be allowed to spoil you on occasion.

Be well and prosper, little one!

Love, Grandpa Geib

From: "Trudy Rideout" <tarideout@gmail.com>
To: <julia@rjgeib.com>
Subject: Before You Arrive
Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2007 23:21:26 -0800

Dear Julia,
I am happy to write to you before you arrive to Mommy Maria and Daddy Rich.
Your mommy and daddy really love you so very much already and spend lots of time talking and reading to you. You listen to classical music and I think you dance too!!

I touched your little foot or arm when you were kicking or stretching inside mommy. You are very active and happy.

I am very excited about your birth and Grandpa and I will be close bye in Ojai March 8th and 9th just in case you decide to come a little bit early. Your Mommy isn't teaching now because she is waiting for you. We are all waiting...Oh my goodness! We are waiting for you because you are such a wonderful baby girl.

Next time I write to you will be after you are here and lots of times on birthday cards. Each year will be special.
I really look forward to getting to know you too.

Storing up lots of hugs 000000000 and kissesXXXXXXXXX for you.
I love you.
Grandpa's Trudy

From: "Mrs. Maria Geib" <mgeib@geibtechforlearning.org>
To: <julia@rjgeib.com>
Subject: my little girl
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2007 19:44:12 -0800

Dearest baby Julia,

I cannot wait to hold you in my arms and know you from the outside. As of today, you are still under my heart, kicking and wriggling and reluctant to begin the labor process. I am excited and scared to go through with the process, but my life, your daddy’s life, will be so much richer and more fulfilling with you here with us. So, when will you come, little one?

So many people are waiting to meet you and already love you very much. I have received many phone calls as to your whereabouts and still you linger inside of me. Well, you shall arrive when you feel most comfortable, but I can say I hope that day is very soon!

Love and kisses from,

Mommy

From: "Rodic, Fritze" <frodic@humnet.ucla.edu>
To: <julia@rjgeib.com>
Date: Friday, March 16, 2007 12:55 PM
Subject: Welcome to the world from your Mormor

My dearest little Julia,

I have met you when you were just two hours old, and I am so much in love with you already. You are a true miracle, a product of your mother’s and father’s love for one another. Your adorable little nose, your mouth, feeling your breathing and the beating of your heart makes my heart and spirit sing. You look a lot like your mother when she was born – so beautiful and lovable. We will have a lot of fun as you will grow, and I will be there when you need me.

I can’t wait to love you, kiss you and hug you when I see you again.

PS. Make sure your Daddy reads this e-mail for you!

Love,

Mormor