Part 1: The Marsolis went down to Georgia

Saturday, October 4, 8:35pm

The minute my phone rang Saturday night, I knew.

"Don't hop on a plane just yet," our surrogate tells us. "Let's see what the hospital says and I'll call you back."

I hang up the phone and look at Rob.

"Let's pretend we're getting on a plane in a few hours," I tell him. "Because we probably are."

I just know it in my gut. Mother's instinct? Maybe.

So we do all of the things we were going to do over the next two weeks: 

• Finish packing suitcases (packing = throwing anything we could get our hands on into the suitcases. "I don't even know if I have enough pants!" from Rob and "Are white jeans are still weather-appropriate in Georgia?" from me)
• Get Vito's stuff together for the kennel
• Do my time sheets for work
• Freeze and save all of the groceries we had purchased that morning

Then the moment of truth: we check out the flights for first thing Sunday morning.

"Slim pickins'," Rob sighs, scrolling through the flights.

Awesome.

"Maybe we should leave now and drive?" I suggest.

Rob shoots me the 'are you crazy, woman??' look. 

Guess that's a no.

Saturday, October 4, 10:30pm
phone call from surrogate

"I'm progressing a bit. They said they can keep me here overnight to monitor me. If I continue moving in this direction, then we'll know."

"Stay put! And keep us posted!"

After a few hours of the 'What centimeter do you think she is now?' game, we give up and head to bed.

Sometime around 1:30am, we miraculously fall asleep.

Sunday, October 5, 3:38am

"Hello?" 
It's amazing how you can be in a deep sleep but the minute your phone rings you can answer in a voice that's totally normal. 

"Good morning," our surrogate replies. "How would you feel about your baby having an October 5 birthday?"

And that, my friends, is when shit got real.

3:39am-4:30am

Scramble out of bed.

Book a 7:30am flight out of Bradley, via Atlanta, landing in Augusta at 12:11pm.

Change our rental car reservations.

Call the grandparents-to-be.

4:47am

Holy shit, we're having a baby today.

5:00am

My dad arrives to pick us up. 

First stop: drop Vito at my in laws so they can bring him to the kennel. 
Second stop: airport!

5:15am

Last family photo of just the three of us.

Rob's face says, "I can't believe this is happening."

KK's face says, "Let's get this show on the road!"

Vito's face says, "Why the hell are we up this early?"

7:30am

Take off!

12:11pm

DING! "Welcome to Augusta. It is now safe to use your cell phones."

Text to surrogate: 'Landed! On our way! Hang in there!'

a blue ribbon on our suitcase for our baby boy!

****

to be continued...