jana bear

jana and i have been friends since jr. high. this girl is spunky and full of love and life. 

over christmas we were at my friend tara's house decorating christmas cookies. jp and i knew we were pregnant but weren't going to tell anyone outside of our immediate family just yet (not for another week). but being around these girls, as well as my tara's amazing mother, cindy, and my dear friend, shalva, and having such a riot, there was no way i could let them find out over an email or a blog post or facebook. so, while we put red icing on the gingerbread man and after tara, as always, asked me about our plans for kids, i let them know we were expecting a little bean. of course, they freaked out. tara and cindy were besides themselves but i didn't think anything of it as they are two exuberant women.

as jp and chicky and i got ready to leave jana gave me a big hug and whispered, "shhh. don't tell anyone but i'm pregnant too." GAH. that was awesome news but i had to play it cool. turns out, jana had let tara and cindy in on the secret before shalva arrived. she was planning on keeping the news from me too until i let my cat out of the bag. her little one was due three weeks after ramona's due date. and tara and cindy had to continue to play it cool since shalva didn't know and they didn't know i knew. 

july 16th, the day after ramona was born, jana calls me. "when did you have your baby?" 

"yesterday," i replied, "how are you feeling with three weeks left?"

"my baby was born on wednesday!"

holy crap. cullen thomas was born three weeks and two days early. had he been born two days later (on ramona's bday), he wouldn't have been considered a preemie. 

i got to meet cullen and catch up with jana this past august on my trip to minnesota. he's a doll. she's an amazing mother (but i had no doubt about that). who would have thought that these two crazy girls would end up mothering-up so close to each other. not i.