Dear Juniper

Jun Loayza

8 min readMay 8, 2017

“Jun, I felt something latch on.”

**August 21, 2016**: Our very first pregnancy test.

It was faint, but you were still a 💪 positive.

To get you nice and healthy, I prepped Mami breakfast every morning and she even started to practice meditation… meditating didn’t last long 😛

**August 30, 2016**: Our first trip to UCSF, the hospital where you were born.

On Labor Day, we traveled to Southern California to tell friends and family about you

Everyone was so happy and excited to know you were a little bun in the oven!

**September 23, 2016**: You started off the size of a blueberry…

… so I made Mami blueberry pancakes and avocado toast.

**September 29, 2016**: Mami could no longer close her jeans because you were getting so big!

**November 1, 2016**: I love this picture of you — you waived “hi” to your Mami and Papi

**November 12, 2016**: I got Mami a snoogle. It really came in handy.

Somehow, Mami knew that you were a girl.

**December 12, 2016**: We loved getting ultrasounds of you; from your cute little button-nose ultrasound to the scary 3D ones.

December 17, 2016: We played plenty of music for you and Mami broke down in dance every time.

January 13, 2017: Mami and I went on frequent run walks to stay healthy. Here we are during a run walk waiting to eat at Plow. Can’t wait to take you there for family brunch time!

Papa Jun’s Pizza

You’re our first, so to prepare, we took several pregnancy classes.

**February 11, 2017**: Mami went a little over board shopping for you. You guys are going to be a fantastic dynamic duo!

The flowers I sent Mami for Valentine’s Day

Friends

Here are a few of your future friends in baby form.

Here are baby Soraya Koko and baby Monty Caird.

Here are baby Emma Guttierez, babies Alexander and Isla Guitron, and baby Emery Chan.

We got in a lot of practice before you were born.

**March 18, 2017**: Even though we practiced a lot, it was still a struggle during the first few days of your birth.

This peanut ball was critical to your birth.

Your baby shower

**March 26, 2017**: We celebrated your baby shower on Mami’s birthday.

April 1, 2017: We test drove many strollers to make sure we got the right one for you…

… and continued to get as much practice as possible.

Babymoon brunches

Instead of taking a big trip for our Babymoon, Mami decided that she wanted to try brunches from all around San Francisco. Here are some of the delicious brunches we ate together.

You’re going to love brunches in San Francisco.

**April 12, 2017**: Here I am putting together your bassinet.

April 14, 2017: At one point we could see you trying to break out of Mami’s belly while we were watching Monk.

April 23, 2017 — Mami and I celebrated our last just-the-two-of-us Sunday

As of this writing, Mami and I have known each other for over 10 years. It’s amazing that our love grows stronger and stronger with each passing day. We took the time to enjoy our last just-the-two-of-us Sunday by eating good food and taking a long stroll around the Mission.