Beyond - Legends A Mother's Journal--Diary Challenge (AU Fels, Skywalkers, Solos)--Complete 1/3--Co-Winner!

There are many things I love about Great Uncle Luke, but currently my favorite is how he acts around children. He is one of the very few people who are exempt from my ?Touch My Enormous Belly Without Permission And You?ll Lose A Hand? threat. He knows this, but he still asks every time. You get just as excited about the contact as he does, and I swear the two of you have conversations with each other.


Liked that. Well done, Big Fatty.

 

Love her reflections on Luke.

There are many things I love about Great Uncle Luke, but currently my favorite is how he acts around children. He is one of the very few people who are exempt from my ?Touch My Enormous Belly Without Permission And You?ll Lose A Hand? threat. He knows this, but he still asks every time. You get just as excited about the contact as he does, and I swear the two of you have conversations with each other.

You would think Luke Skywalker had never seen a pregnant woman before despite having two children (granted his daughter is adopted), six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren with the way he acts around me. He always asks how you?re doing and how I?m feeling. He?ll then seek permission to probe you with the Force and rest his hands on my stomach to see if he can feel you wiggle around. I can?t say no to him. Despite the white hair, his eyes are still vibrant blue and sparkle with excitement at the chance to get to know you better. He?ll gently press his wrinkled hands on my stomach and touch you with the Force. You?ll play along with a kick or a punch and a giant smile will spread across his face. He?ll then play like you?re giving him a message about what kind of food you?d like me to eat, and the scary thing is Luke is usually pretty accurate with the guess despite me also joining in the game and throwing up some mental barriers.

Wonderful!

 

Jag4Me: Thank you. I miss my grandparents, too.

dm1: Yes, I can't see Luke ever wanting to impose or make someone uncomfortable if he can help it.

Daena: Thank you.

VaderLVR: Thanks

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[b]Entry #17[/b]

We?re now a couple of days away from your due date. The healers say you?ll probably won?t be born for another week; seems like you?re pretty cozy in there. I guess I should be happy that term could apply to at least one of us. Because while I do love you, I?m ready for my body to just be mine again.

I haven?t worked at the Academy in the last week-and-a-half. Mom?s been helping make sure everything is ready here for your arrival. It?s funny and almost nonsensical to me to think of all the preparation that?s going into this knowing full well that from here on out life will be a series of surprises and events that could never be anticipated.

Airen is driving me slightly crazy, but I?m told first time fathers are like that. Anytime I grimace, he?s ready to fly into action. He apparently doesn?t understand that I feel huge, you feel huge, and I haven?t been comfortable in weeks. I know he?s concerned about me, excited to see you, and loves us both very much, but if he asks one more time, ?Are you okay?? or ?What?s going on?? I might break his nose. It?s been one of the very few instances where I wished he was Force-sensitive in a bad way, then he would just [i]know[/i] what?s happening. But then again I complained about this to Great Aunt Mara and she said that it never stopped Great Uncle Luke from behaving the exact same way, so I guess I should stop mentally whining about it.

All of my family has found a way to either be on Ossus for the next month or extremely nearby with the exception of Nik. His squadron just got orders yesterday that they?re going to be moved from Denon to do training exercise for a month on Mon Calamari. He looked so sad when he told me it was so sweet. It?s going to be a huge contest not only to see who gets to hold you first, but who is the first family member to get you into a cockpit of some sort. Only in our family.

So for now, it?s just more waiting for you to decide you?re ready to show up. I hope it?s soon, but I?m also terrified of the thought. And not just necessarily for the childbirth process, but for the thought of you being out and exposed to the galaxy. Everyday it seems that Airen and I have a discussion about the merits of the place and time we live. He?s always quick to defend how good things are and the positive qualities of the beings around us while I play Sith?s advocate. Thankfully my husband is smart and kind enough to know that I really don?t think the galaxy is an awful place?at least not all the time?it?s just that I need some reassurance every now and again that starting a family was the right decision to make.

I?m sure once I?m holding you that I won?t have to doubts anymore, but until that time I have to still wonder just a little.

 

But then again I complained about this to Great Aunt Mara and she said that it never stopped Great Uncle Luke from behaving the exact same way, so I guess I should stop mentally whining about it.

That was my favorite part, right there.


Good entry.

 

Loved this latest installment.

Doesn't matter whether they can read you or not, those men get in "protective" mode! And it's not just the first one, either, although my husband was out of country when our first was born; baby was 10 days early & didn't want to wait for daddy to be home 12 hours later! So maybe he substituted for the second one. That one he had to meet me at the hospital; I went into labor as soon as he got to work; his pager went off while he was settled on the "throne," and it took him a moment to figure out what that weird vibration was! His father actually drove me to the hospital, and I think that sped up the labor; he must have hit every pothole on the way! The third was the only one he actually got to drive me to the hospital, come to think of it, and he nearly missed that one, too. He wanted to go to the newly opened Trader Joe's and was just getting ready to walk out the door when I suddenly stopped him.

Still, he was very solicitous. Every little ache could be labor, you know!

 

lol. loved it. can not wait for the next post.

 

Very realistic exploration of those last days before having a baby!

 

DaenaBenjen42: Thank you.

Jag4Me: Glad you liked it.

dm1: I'm glad he got to make it at least once. Thanks for sharing.

Tatooine_Ghost: Just scroll down...

VaderLVR: Thank you.



So this was supposed to go up last week. Apologies to Nawra for making her wait an extra five days...

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[b]Entry #18[/b]

Begin audio recording.

I know normally that it's your mom writing to you. So sorry for the switch up of me--your dad--actually talking to you instead. There are two reasons for this. One--my wife refused to give me access to the journal she's been writing to you and made me record an audio file that can later be embedded. Two--your mother is currently asleep and too tired to write to you at the moment. For the record, you're asleep, too. In my arms. This is so weird.

You certainly took your time in being born. Nawra is far more unhappy with that than I am. I didn't enjoy waiting, but it was nothing compared to your mother's impatience about you showing up two weeks after your due date. There were a handful of times I had to hide her lightsaber for fear she was going to attack the comm station if one more person called to see if you arrived yet.

Nawra was supposed to be induced last night, but you with your semi-humorous timing sent her into labor yesterday afternoon. We came to the medcenter thinking it was just another false alarm and fully prepared to have to kill a couple of hours before coming back here for your actual arrival, but you had other plans.

We knew it was going to be yesterday that all of this started, but bumping our itinerary up by even a few hours was enough to make us lose our cool. Well, enough for me, your mom on the other hand...

I have great respect for women--I am Corellian after all--but your mother is simply amazing. I still haven't figured out why she wanted to marry me. Watching her for the last nine months... and she said she wouldn't be a good mother. From the start she's been protecting and loving you. You're a lucky kid.

Sorry if my thoughts seem distracted. Like I said, it's been a long day. Nope. Two days. We came in yesterday afternoon. You were born this morning. I never knew something so disgusting could be so amazing. Nawra got to hold you first. I didn't really think that was fair since she's been holding you for the last nine months, and she tells me you two already have some sort of Force-bond thing going on. But she did do all the work. And she was amazing at it.

After saying hello, she passed you on to me while the medics finished working on her. I'll never forget that moment for as long as I live. You were still shrieking when you got to me. Shavit, I'd be crying too if I'd just gone through that. Oh, um, don't tell your mom I just swore while holding you, okay? Anyway, I started talking to you about who knows what and awkwardly rocking you, and you stopped crying. You looked up at me and my universe was turned upside down, for the better.

They took you off to clean you up and run the standard tests. You're a healthy, bouncing baby boy. Mate--your mother's artoo unit--took care of alerting everyone about your arrival. Nawra and I decided that we'd go in age order for people to hold you. That meant your Great-Grandpa Soontir was first in line, followed by Luke then Mara. My father-in-law has never been happier to be older than your Grandma Jaina than today. After your grandparents, there was your Great Uncle Jacen and your Uncle Gavin. The only family member who couldn't be here today was our uncle Nik. But I think your Grandpa Jag was able to arrange a comm conference for the end of the week.

Everyone left a little while ago. Your mother was already asleep when they left, as were you. I should be too, but I don't want to miss anything even if it's just watching you sleep. But I know tomorrow is going to be another big day of introducing you to people.

Welcome to the universe, Rylan

 

Found this today and devoured the first six entries LOL I love this diarist and Airen is a trip. I'm going to enjoy this very much... and when I'm through I'm gonna read the prequels... I'd love on your PM list and am so thrilled you've given the Skywalkers/Solos a better future than DN and LOTF. For that you deserve Wookiee huggles!!!!!!!

 

^^ Seconding what Jade_eyes said about a better future...

For the record, you're asleep, too. In my arms. This is so weird.

Awwwwwwww....

There were a handful of times I had to hide her lightsaber for fear she was going to attack the comm station if one more person called to see if you arrived yet.

That stuck me as funny... him reading her moods and just knowing she was frustrated about it all...


Well done and wonderful entry, BigFatty. Loved it to peices... (One for the road: Awwwwwwww.... So, so cute!)

 

Awwww....

After saying hello, she passed you on to me while the medics finished working on her. I'll never forget that moment for as long as I live. You were still shrieking when you got to me. Shavit, I'd be crying too if I'd just gone through that. Oh, um, don't tell your mom I just swore while holding you, okay? Anyway, I started talking to you about who knows what and awkwardly rocking you, and you stopped crying. You looked up at me and my universe was turned upside down, for the better.

Loved it! My first baby was 19 days late. I thought I'd be pregnant FOREVER! So I can relate!

 

loved it. can not wait for the next part of the story.

 

All caught up. Loved Nawra's list of all the things she was sick of in Entry #11. That was so sweet in Entry #13--after all the nursery stuff was assembled... a very Mommy thing. Entry #16--sweetness seeing Luke with all those grandchildren and great-grandchildren--very much in character that he'd bond to another to be born youngling But Entry #18--total preciousness... Airen's love just flowed. Squee!!

 

Jade_eyes: Welcome to the story and thanks for "devouring" it! It's always great to pick up a new reader and you can of course be added to the PM list.

Daena: Thank you very much.

VaderLVR: 19 days late?! Wow. I'd be thinking I'd be pregnant forever, too. Thanks for reading.

Tatooine_Ghost: Thanks. It should be up soon.



The next update should be up within the next 24 hours. Hopefully it will be up today, but I don't want to jinx myself. Speaking of not wanting to jinx myself (but possibly going ahead and doing it anyway), I've decided to take on Nanowrimo, and my friends talked me into expanding on The Family Album universe. The story I have in mind will start out twenty-five years after the events in Nawra's diary take place. There will be new and very old faces, and hopefully I can hammer out a story you all will find worth reading.


Current PM List:
diary_challenge_sock
VaderLVR64
dm1
Lola64
Twin_Saber
emerald54
TelannaTani
Tatooine_Ghost
DaenaBenjen42
Jainasolo101
Jade_eyes

 

Entry #19

You are ten days old today. The past couple of weeks seem like a whirlwind in my mind, but that may be the lack of sleep. But before getting into that, I guess I should give you a run down of what you look like.

You have a head full of dark hair, you can thank or blame me for that. Your eyes are a dark blue. Mom said she thinks they?ll turn brown (also from me). I was kind of hoping you?d get your father?s blue eyes, but I?ll be satisfied in knowing that you got his dimples. Also from your father is your tall and thin body. I?d call it lanky, but he positively despises that word.

You?re an excellent sleeper, unless is 0400. You have it stuck in your head that that?s when it?s time to be awake and get to know the universe, and I?m sure on some planet it is, but not on Ossus.

There has been a steady stream of visitors coming over to meet you. I think next week when Airen?s paternity leave ends, he wants to take you in to work at the local Intel office and ?introduce? you. What he means by that is show you off, which is his new favorite thing to do, not that I can really blame him. Most of the Jedi that I work with have already come over to the house, but then again most of the Jedi I work with are family members, so that makes things easy.

The bad news about having visitors over is I look awful and the house is a mess. The good news is we have dinners for a month stashed in the freezing unit. Mom came over yesterday to help me clean up around here, and she did it last week, too. I felt bad, but then she would start telling me stories about Grandma Leia and Grandma Syal coming over and helping her out when I was first born.

I would write more, but you and your father are taking a nap together and no one is coming over for the next few hours, so I think I will go join my boys and get some shut eye while I can.

 

Good idea, get sleep while you can, who cares about the house? I've learned a few tricks, though, to make it look like you're in control. If you set the table for dinner, it looks like you've got dinner going, and you've done a lot, even if nothing else got done. Trust me, I've used that one a number of times (after all of my kids were born), and they never guess that it's the only thing you have done all day! It just looks so inviting...

Also, accept help when offered, but you should designate what you want/need done. The food for a month thing is so, so true! It's great for those days when everyone has gone their own ways, and all you get to do is set that dinner table!

Nice update!

 

Visitors should not only expect a messy house, they should volunteer to clean it!

 

Fun update... this line was tops:
I would write more, but you and your father are taking a nap together and no one is coming over for the next few hours, so I think I will go join my boys
and get some shut eye while I can.


Sweetness!!

Squee!!! I'm gonna want to read your novel when it's finished I love the tone of this entry... so homey and sweet. You have Jaina being a great mom and grandma... how wonderful is that?

 

You have it stuck in your head that that?s when it?s time to be awake and get to know the universe, and I?m sure on some planet it is, but not on Ossus.

My mom used to say something like that to me when I would get up in the middle of the night. "They're eating breakfast in China, Ray! What are you doing?!"

Nawra is very amusing as always, and I love the entry by Airen.

Great job!

 

Aw, the long hours of the night and babies... it get's better. Eventually...


Well done, BigFatty.

 

Catching up, BigFatty.

Welcome Rylan! Love the name.

I really loved the comment you made about people spending 9 months getting ready for unpredictable chaos. Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.

Such a sweet story!

Voz

 

Great updates! (I fell just a little bit behind...)

I have only a month to go until my due date. Hopefully my little boy won't make me wait two more weeks on top of that!

I think the thing I'm most looking forward to is actually getting to see what he looks like. I hope he gets my husband's crooked little, poo-doo-eating grin. Though, it might not be as endearing on a toddler. Then again, it might be the one thing that saves his little neck in those less than endearing situations...

Here's hoping that we get some frozen dinners to tide us over too!

 

dm1: Thanks for the tip about setting the table, I'll definitely have to keep that one in mind.

VaderLVR: Sounds like a great plan to me.

Jade_eyes: Who wouldn't want to go take a nap with Airen and the baby? I'm glad you're excited about the novel. I'm approaching excitement, bt not quite there yet. I've still got to do some brainstorming and outlining before Saturday comes and I have to start writing the thing.

angry_bendu1: Cute story. Thanks for reading.

DaenaBenjen: Thanks

Padawan: Welcome back! Glad you like the name.

Blue_Milkshake: Thank you for catching up. I, too, hope that you won't go as far past your due date as Nawra did. But then again you don't have a lazy writer controlling things like that, so hopefully you should be good.


New update later today!

 

Entry #20

You?re three weeks old today. The medics say you?re doing just fine, even if you weren?t too appreciative of them checking you out.

Your father wasn?t very happy about going back to work, but thankfully you?re working your way out of your nocturnal phase. Sure you still get us up once or twice a night, but once you?re done feeding, you?re going back to sleep instead of wanting us to stay awake with you. Thank you for that.

Airen?s been showing you off to all his coworkers and regaling them with stories. I reminded him of when one of his fellow intelligence officers went on and on about his newborn and your father came home complaining, ?I?m happy for him and all, but it?s a baby. All it does is eat, sleep, and poop. How can someone talk so much about that?? Airen told me that you are a far superior baby than the other guy?s, so apparently that lets your father off the hook.

In other news, you?ve met all your relatives now. Nik and his Grakit Squadron had a convenient layover on Ossus as they were heading back coreward to their home base.

I love my baby brother dearly, but he needs to be drug out of his cockpit more often. He was terrified to hold you because he?s never held a baby since we were all kids and your Aunt Asha was born. The man can out fly anyone, but put a baby in the room and he tenses up like the greenest of rookies in their first dogfight.

Your Uncle Gavin and I say that your Uncle Nik has what is called The Uncle Jacen Complex. Nik has no clue what to do with women, but there are plenty of women who know exactly what they want to do to Nik.

And I can?t believe I just wrote that statement while addressing a newborn. I?ll blame sleep deprivation on forgetting who I was talking to for a minute.

Anyway, Nik not only looked slightly bewildered when holding you, but also when looking around our house and listening to Airen and I talk a little too much about breastfeeding and diaper changing for my brother?s comfort level. He acted like it was the first time in our house, which isn?t true. But I guess it kind of is. It?s been a couple months since he stopped by, and then the house was for a married couple who were serious about their jobs and offered a safe and adult refuge from when he needed a short break from staying at Mom and Dad?s. Now there are gadgets all over the place for a baby, as well as tiny pieces of clothes, blankets, and all kinds of other reminders that the status of the home?s occupants have changed greatly.

But despite all that, Nik was very happy to meet you. Even gave us one of his rare smiles that lights up his whole face. He offered to give you your first flying lessons, and I told him he?d have to get in line since pretty much all your other relatives have offered the same thing.