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01/07/2005
Scattered showers
For your enjoyment, I offer a view of the mountain of packages that awaited us upon arrival.
107 boxes. 25 bags. Paul counted. I cried.
I don't know where to start. I am so grateful, my friends, so touched and humbled by your generosity. Detailed and personal thanks will follow when we break out the box cutter. And that will be soon — Charlie's talons need clipping, and somewhere in that beautiful slew is a pair of teeny nail clippers, I just know it.
Now, on the subject of showers, let's talk about Tertia. Today at exactly 36 weeks, Tertia gave birth to Adam and Kate. If you'd like to celebrate with her, please visit the brand-new blog of the excellent Boulder, who's put together some great ideas on how to join the party.
I personally can't wait to salute one of blogland's favorite heroines icons assholes and her brand-new twins. Congratulations, T.
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It's raining babies, isn't it?! Congratulations to all, you deserve it after the heartache you've all been through.
I second what Sarah said--you deserve it. I felt like a total dork, buying a gift for someone I've never met and never will, but I just couldn't stop thinking that you've done more for me than that little gift will ever do for you. We all owe you, and we're all so happy that Charlie is finally, finally home.
Enjoy! I hope everything is just what Charlie wanted!
Welcome back, Julie. You just brought your baby home from the hospital. What a wonderful, ordinary (okay, so your trip wasn't quite typical...) milestone after all of the anything but textbook steps it took to get this far. Warmest congratulations to your family of three.
happy friday
Save all that cardboard for when Charlie wants to build a fort in the living room.
(or for when I visit... you and I can build a drive thru dacquiri hut like they have back home)
No personal thank yous for me, please. It will be enough that you continue to be the wonderful mother and wife that you are, and continue to make me laugh (and cry)through your stories. Write a book, how 'bout that. I'll be very upset if I get a thanks in the mail. You have enough to do!
P.S., is that a bottle of Vodka on your storage shelves? Cheers.
There are definitely some tiny nailclippers in there -- I am so VERY proud to say that I sent them. Uh, in a package with some other stuff too. Congratulations on finally bringing Charlie home!
Now the real fun starts.
Congrats on bringing Charlie home and enjoy opeing all your goodies.
Holy Fucking Crap - That is a lot of boxes!!!
Yay to the friends inside the computer!
xoxo
One of these days soon, I'd love to see a family photo of mom, dad and Charlie. I bet the smiles would light up these dark January days.
Santa did good.
Thank You Julie, for being you and writing about it.
I wish I could say I had sent something but I may still. What I want to say is wow to all the women who connect with each other and show how much they care. A big round of applause to all of you who did this for them.
Congrats! May you peacefully hibernate at home for a while.
The heap is tremendous.
Is that a bottle of champagne in the background?
Alcohol, with proper juxtaposition time-wise, can be the friend of a pumping mom. Not that I would know or anything :)
Talk about shock and awe :)
So you are going to be looking for clippers in the package stack? Probly no worse than that needle thing... Should be more fun, too...
Oh, and don't forget to check the PO Box *wink, wink* :)
I am a little giddy today-- Charlie came home and Kate and Adam made their appearance. Could there be a better day? Didn't think so.
Welcome home! What joy. I second Kat S.
Julie, you honestly do so much for no doubt so many just by keeping this site. Write a book. I would just fucking LOVE to stand in my favorite neighborhood bookseller's shop and be able to idly, casually say I "knew" you when!
Welcome Home you three!
You are loved...
xxoo
Wow, we did a pretty impressive job didn't we! Nice heap! But please don't feel like you have to send me a thank you note (and I think I speak for many of us). Just relax (eek, that word-Iknow, I know, but TRY to relax as much as possible) and enjoy having Charlie and you and Paul all HOME!!
For a minute there, I thought you were going to cut Charlie's nails with the box-cutter, and I was going to have to give you some advice about using the proper tools for the job, but no need; the rest of your compound sentence brought clarity and relief.
Congratulations on the birth of your son, your hard-won homecoming, and being the sort of person who inspires people from all over the world to shower you and your new family with love and treasure.
Inspire you do, Julie my love. In so many ways. Enjoy.
Julie,
Welcome home to all of you. So happy for you all. What a great day.
On first sight, the arrows looked like smiley faces! If ever you feel down and you think nobody loves you, think again! Just remember all of us here in cyber world. we love you.
fantastic! welcome home!
Oh & Julie?
I can affirm that there is definitely a package in there somewhere that has a pair of Charlie sized talon clippers.
:)
And I was scared that I may have been the only one that liked you enough to send something...LMAO!!
Happy unboxing!
And don't worry...only half this much stuff will have to accompany you on any given outing you may take with your new baby.
So awesome!! Congratulations on having Charlie home!
I bet you're glad to be home! I was thrilled to see all the loot you got. I wish I could contribute more, but for now I will send you my love and best wishes!
Woo hoo!!! What an awesome day!! So glad you are all safe and sound and HOME!!!
Congratulations! You're HOME with your precious SON! I'm so happy for you!
You're home : )
Nice loot!
And I've never been so thrilled to give a baby gift to anyone, ever. Seconding (thirding?) Kat and Abby, I just want to say that writing out 125 personalized notes sounds like just about the last thing you need to worry yourself with right now. So, unless you really enjoy note-sending, feel free to count me in the "noteless" pile!
(Of course, there's the future autograph value to consider...maybe I spoke too soon!)
--Bugs
Damn! I really should've had a baby shower.
FTR, I believe one of my boxes does in fact have nail clippers. If you get a bunch, save them all. I swear those things like to hide. You'll still be finding some when he's in the first grade.
Bulb syringes and thermometers do the same thing. So stock up.
I'm SO excited for your whole family. I'm expecting to see tons and tons of that baby in his natural habitat in the next few days.
Welcome home!!!
I second? fifth? two dozenth? the Welcome Home to you and Charlie! That mountain is awesome. (I hope all those arrows don't mean "this end up", heh.)
Until you can dig through all your loot to find the nail clippers, try the trick my mom used on all five of us kids. Wait until Charlie is a asleep and GENTLY bite his nails. They should be pretty soft anyway. My mom was always scared she would somehow cut us with the clippers. Strange but it worked.
You really don't need to send a thank-you to me, either. In fact, the thought of sending 107 thank you notes sounds a bit onerous! Enjoy your time and post a Charlie pic when you can.
HOLY SHIT! Hope you enjoy all of it!
Just FYI, i read in the paper this weekend of a study that showed that a drop of vanilla on the pillow of premie babies reduces the incdence of apnea. Sounds easy enough to try...?
I think we've got some competition for Santa here.
I clicked on the picture of your gifts, and literally gasped and said "Wow!" while grinning and choking on the word. And then I got goosepimples. I cant believe how extremely NICE people can be sometimes. If I was you, I would have cried too :)
Happy long-awaited homecoming, Batfamily.
After you find the talon clippers you might want to open the box from me...the diaper champ!! Welcome home Charlie.
Julie,
Home! YAY! Make sure bat knows his mommy has a fan in washington state who is wishing you ALL THE BEST right now.
Nicole
I am so happy for you, I am having a little teary moment in you honour. Hurrah!
Charlie's home! Charlie's home! Charlie's HOME!! Oh, hurray! What a great day!
Julie, my husband and I have been following Paul and your story for so long. Long enough that we have a four month old Charlie of our own. We've never been so happy to hear that someone got pregnant, or that someone was born. Second only to our own Charlie.
Please don't send thank yous. We don't need thank yous. I'm just so happy that Charlie will have all the things he needs and mom and dad will feel all set up and baby-safe.
It's strange to care so much about someone you've only read about, but Andy and I really do care an awful lot about your family. Today is such a wonderful day. We whooped it up and danced around with Charlie to celebrate and told him all about your Charlie.
Congratulations!!
YOU'RE HOME!
Fabulous, Fabulous, Fabulous.
Anyone know where the family is registered at?