It Takes A Village

Being finally pregnant I didn’t know what to expect. I knew starting a family will be expensive so I wrote down a list of things that we were going to need. Since I am also pregnant during Covid, I knew I wasn’t going to make a baby registry or have a baby shower, so we knew we were going to buy everything ourselves which we didn’t mind doing. I was just bummed because I knew I wasn’t going to get to throw a huge celebration for our daughter.

My friend asked me if I was going to have a registry or do anything for my baby. I told her I wasn’t. I told her I didn’t feel right making a registry and not being able to give back by throwing a party for everyone. That’s just me. I’ve always been a giver, a host, and someone who likes to see people happy. I would give the shirt off my back to someone if that was the last thing I had. She then asked me, if she was having a baby during Covid, how would I feel if she made a registry for her baby knowing there wasn’t going to be anything in return. I told her that wouldn’t matter to me, I would still get her anything she needed. Then she told me I shouldn’t take away a celebration for my baby.

I talked to my husband about it and we thought what we can do. I wanted to incorporate games somehow so we looked online and came up with a “Well Wishes For Baby” cards and “Guess Baby’s Stats/Advice For Parents” cards. We also included a returned stamped envelope so people can send it back to us. We also created a baby registry for all the people that asked. My husband and I were just excited to receive the cards back so we can sit together and read what people wrote for us. Some were funny! Some got us teary-eyed.

We didn’t expect much because we understood how Covid affected a lot of people. We were just looking forward receiving the cards back so we can show our daughter what people wrote for her when she’s old enough to understand. My husband bought a box for her so we can put special things and give it to her on her 18th birthday. These cards are for sure going in there, along with her ultrasound and other things.

Even though we didn’t expect anything, we got a huge blessing in return. We received gifts from our family and friends. Things we were going to buy ourselves. We even received our cards back with checks and gift cards inserted as well. Before the baby shower idea, my husband and I talked about what we were going to do and how we were going to buy all these things for our daughter. We already spent a lot on our IVF procedure and we were debating on another withdrawal from our house fund/savings account to purchase the things we want and need or selling some of our stocks. We didn’t do either. Even though my husband was tired, he signed up for overtime. Since Baby K is our first and only baby, we wanted the best things for her. Your generous gifts let me have my time with my husband. He didn’t have to work overtime because of you.

I now understand what it means when people say, it takes a village to raise a child. I have such a supportive family/friends who has been there from the beginning of our journey. People who watched us go through our 6 failed attempts of our clomid procedure to our successful IVF procedure at Stanford. I wanted to thank each and every one of you who has been there since day one. Without my family/friends, I’m not sure how I would have handled seeing negative pregnancy test month after month. You all are my backbone, my ride or die, and someone I can just cry in front of and talk about how my emotions is taking the best of me. Thank you for being here during one my greatest events of my life and also during my darkest days. It’s not easy putting my life out there, but opening up made me feel a lot closer to all of you.

Baby K will never forget she’s loved because you all are going to be in her life.

Mahalo mau loa makou- I am forever grateful.

Oh yea, for everyone who asked what our daughters name is, my husband wants to keep it a secret. However, for those of you who know. Please don’t spill the beans. I told a few people before I knew my husband wanted to keep it a secret. 🤦🏻‍♀️