Greetings from Fay and Vergil best, 36 days until your birth

Emmett

Well, Hello Emmett, this is the first time your Great, Great, Great Aunt Fay and Uncle Vergil has written to you. While we pray for you and your Mommy almost every day. We are anxiously awaiting your arrival.
    
We know that you will be a very special boy and that we will love and treasure you as we have for your mommy, who has been a delight ever since she was born as well as your grandmother Wendy and her mother Sue.

We have to warn you, we like to spoil special kids and we already know you will be special.

Emmett, we have been praying for you most every day, asking God to help you grow up to be a man of God and that God would have His hand on your life.

One concern we have is that we live in San Pedro, California which is the other side of the U.S. from where you will be in Florida, so we will not get to see you very often.

You are fortunate to be born into the Bass family, they will love you unconditionally and take very good care of you.

It has been good to write you and introduce us to you. We want you to know also that we already love you and look forward to your arrival.

Our Love,
Vergil and Fay Best

45 days for you and less then 10 Days for Laura

Good Morning Grandson,

The girls and I are sitting around this morning chatting, eating breakfast, and planning our list for the week to come. We still have a lot of things to do before you get here and the time will get away from us if we don't pay attention.Yesterday Momma and Grandma did some shopping and came home with most of the remaining furniture for your room.

Who is Laura? Laura was a 13 year old girl living in the Netherlands. She and her Father hatched a plan to make her the youngest person ever to circumnavigate the earth alone in a sailboat. Problem was the Dutch Government wouldn't allow her to take the trip because she was too young. She wouldn't accept that business, got on a plane and flew to the Caribbean Island of St Maarten where she started fitting here 38ft sailboat "Guppy" for the long trip.

This crazy idea wasn't a new one. The first guy to believe it was possible and willing to give it a try was a 51 year old Sea Captain named Joshua Slokum. A life long seaman, Slokum had commanded some of the finest Tall Ships of his day.  The book about his attempt to be the first to go around the Globe solo was published in 1900.  "Sailing alone around the world" is a wonderful true story of his trip aboard "The Spray". In April 1895 Slokum departed Boston Harbor on his quest to leave a mark on Maritime history. He returned more then 3 years later after logging over 46,000 miles and becoming the very first person to complete the circumnavigation alone. 

Many have tried this trip since 1900. Few try it non-stop which is the "Holy Grail" of sailing achievements. Others are content just to have done it a little at a time over their lives. Some go eastbound and some west. Start points cover the map. Some say you must round Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope, while others say the Panama canal is the way to do it safely. Families, groups, racers and the soloist all go round. First Female, Youngest, Oldest...I guest there is a category for your own record. Most make it these days but many have died trying.

In the mid 80's a story about a young troubled teen named Tonia Aebi, and her 26 ft Contessa named "Varuna", hit the press. She was 18 and her Father, an eccentric adventurer, gave her an ultimatum. Go to College or be the youngest to sail around the world alone. This scared young girl left New York City with almost no experience and chronicles her adventure in her book "Maiden Voyage". Tonia is the same age as your Grandma and I.

There has been a flurry lately of teens chasing the record of "Youngest". Two siblings from Southern California, Zac and Abby Sunderland, tried a few years ago. Zac finished the journey earning himself the title of "Youngest Solo Circumnavigator" only to have the title taken 2 weeks later by Jessica Watson, of Australia. Zac's sister Abby tried to regain the title for the Sunderland Family but failed to finish. She was rescued by the Australian Navy about 2000 west of Perth, in the Southern Indian Ocean. She clung to her capsized boat for 3 days before she was rescued.

The latest Solo Circumnavigation challenger is the young Dutch girl, Laura Dekker. We have been following her blog site for almost 2 years and enjoying her daily entries and pictures of the trip. We even donated 20 dollars to help her fund the trip. She is about 1000 miles from the finish line and will be the youngest person to circle the globe alone in a sailboat. She is only 16.  

As I finished reading this entry to your Momma she informs me you will never be allowed to do anything this crazy. I wonder if you will try.

I have a giant list of people to tell you about...ALL CRAZY, ALL TRAILBLAZERS.

The story behind these young brave adventurers are their amazing parents. Fathers and Mothers willing to challenge and brave enough to let go of their young Superstars. What a blessing it will be for us to support your dreams.


Love,

       Poppy

47 days to Emmett!!

Good Morning Grandson.

Enjoy this video of your home here in Florida.

You will be born in 47 days and today the girls are painting and decoration your room.

Love,

           Poppy

52 Days to go...Florida dream'n

Good morning Grandson,

I'm sitting at my desk after a wicked training session on the radar here at the airport. It's been a while since I worked that many airplanes so I'm a little sweaty and looking for some coffee. last night I went to bed about 8pm to get enough rest for today's 5am start time but didn't sleep well.

52 days to go and I've started dreaming about the big day. I dreamt I forgot the Leatherman to cut your cord and had to go home and get it. I tried and tried but couldn't get home so you had to grow up with your cord instead of a belly button. All because your Poppy failed you on your most important day. I guess I could have just went to a local sporting goods store or, god forgid, use the sizzors they have at the Hospital. OH!! and I totally forgot about biting it...sorry Mrs "C".

I'm sorry I let you down and hope the real thing works out better for both of us. I'm calling this my 1st training day in preporation for you.

Start streching little man it's almost game time,

Poppy

53 days and the Birthing classes begin

Good morning Grandson,

I'm headed off to work this morning while the "Ladies of the house" are off to a class. The class is about your birth. Most couples take this together and sometimes the Mom asks a friend to be her Coach. This time you will arrive with your Grandma nearby and she will be Mommas coach.

Don't worry, I will be there also. I plan to bring movies, a computer, coffee, snacks and my favorite "leatherman" tool. When the time is perfect I will swoop in and cut the cord for ya.

You are lucky you have Momma and Grandma because I don't think I could do it . We will all do are part and get this adventure started!!

hurry and get here,

poppy

54 days

Good evening grandson,

Today was a day off for our family. Your Momma was laying low and didn't go anywhere.

Your grandama and I made a short run to the home depot to get a couple things for the house. We took the motorcycle and it was super nice riding in the sun. The weather last week was cold with a couple nights in the low 30's. I guess that's cold for here. The temp today was in the mid 70's and it was amazing.

We are almost unpacked now and I have been working on the garage getting as much out of the house as possible making room for us to put things away.

We met some people in the neighborhood this week. The lady next door lost her husband about a yer ago and her name is Susan. They were adventurers like your grandma and I. Her Husband was in a car accident that left him disabled for 6 years before he died. What a sad story except the story before that story. They lived! Never afraid of life and they lived it together to the fullest. I admire her and see such loss in her eyes. They were in love and lived in the same direction. That is so rare.

The man and his wife on the other side are named Steve and Teresa. The have 2 boats and one is a sail boat and the other is a fishing boat. They are retired and are very nice. He is in charge of the racing group in the boat club he belongs to and she is a volunteer that gives Kayak tours to people visiting the area. We look forward to visiting a little more with these folks and meeting more people in the sailing community.

The guy across the street just came to town and his name is Jim. He is retired also and lives here about 5 months a year. His wife is still up north and will be here in a couple weeks. They will be here until may and also seem like real nice folks. Jim is a fisherman and has a nice boat.

Tomorrow your Momma and Grandma start their birthing classes. I am a bit sad she is alone, without your Dad, through this but sometimes life throws you a curve ball and you just have to do what you have to do to get through. She is lucky to have your grandma and I am proud of them both. You are loved and we are prepaired.

I am so excited to have you in my home and can't wait until we are all together under one roof. I felt you move in your mommas tummy yesterday.

I Love you grandson,

Poppy

56 Days until we meet!! Week 31 Medical update.

Good Morning Grandson,

This week, you are around 3 pounds and 17 inches tall.

With each added layer of baby fat, your wrinkly raisin skin starts to look more and more like it will when you're born.

The heavy news: you to gain about a half a pound of weight per week from now until about two weeks before your birth.

Your developing immune system has made some serious gains over the past weeks getting them in full gear to face our disease-ridden world o’ wonders.

Even so, a large majority of your immune strength will need to come from your Momma's milk in the first year.

Your little noggin’ (which could already be covered with luscious locks or just purty peach fuzz), is still soft because the skull bones have not yet fused together.

As disturbing as having a soft cracked skull sounds, it's pretty much a necessity for passage through the birth canal during labor.

If you are in the birth canal for an extended period, you may come out with a bit of a cone head, as a result of your skull plates being compressed while in the rather snug birth canal. It's normal, harmless and your skull will even out into a more round, less cone-heady shape in the next few weeks.


Oh, and FYI: you may have that “soft spot” on your head for up to eighteen months (1 1/2 years man time) after birth.

Cheers to you little man!

Poppy

Happy New Year Emmett!! 59 days to go

2012 is a special year. The end of Mayan (south American Native Indians) Long Count calander. The end of Kali Yuga. The winter solstice 2012 is not just any solstice but the solstice of all solstices. It is the Great Solstice - The apocalypse or END OF THE WORLD! December 12th 2012! That stinks for you because you won't even be able to walk when you see it coming. I'll put you under my arm, like a football, and make a go of it. We will have to have Christmas early for you just in case.

The girls and I spent our 2nd night in the new house last night. The weather has been amazing and we love leaving all the doors open to let in the cool air while we sleep. Last night was full of fireworks and crowded homes with plenty of celebrating going on.

I spent the evening racing my little RC boat around the canal in the back yard  I hope to find a friend close by I can race boats with. Maybe we will meet a couple or family and make this a fun event when they visit. People seem to like watching.

Your grandma and I went for a long walk and began noticing how many coconut palms there were here. We even took a few home that had fallen. We love the water inside and Grandma makes lots of great treats out of the soft white insides.

Your Momma looks VERY Pregnant with you now. She is excited to get this over with soon and so am I.

I Love you Emmett,

Poppy