20. Halimath 1368

Dear Diary,

I had knitted scarves for my entire family, a vest for Drogo, a woolly hat for my little one and a cloak to put around my shoulders in the colder months, before Gilda allowed me to be up and about again. I thought I would scream if I saw another ball of wool.

Where are you, little one? Gilda says you should have arrived by now. They have let me up from bedrest to encourage the labour, but obviously you are unwilling to leave that cosy womb of mine. Yet I do not think it is too cosy in there, is it? You must be lacking space by now because, my dear, you have grown a fair amount in the past weeks - I can tell by the weight of my belly and the pain in my back.

Bilbo arrived three days ago, eager to see my child. He is even more impatient than Drogo and I are. Gilda, when she arrived, told him to go stay at the Hall until my baby is born and I am glad. His itchiness made me even more nervous than I already am.

Still, I am pleased that Bilbo came over to Buckland to have a look at the new Baggins. And two days before his birthday at that - a fact he keeps joking about saying that my child is waiting until that date to be born. I wonder if he is right. After all it is ironic that, after being so eager to see this world last month, my baby won't come now that it is time to. A cousin Bilbo is, yet he acts more like an uncle, speaking of all the tales he would tell my child and the adventures he would go on with him. Adventures! Not with my child, dear Bilbo! Not until my baby is a lot older anyhow.

Gilda is, with some help from me, running the hole at the moment. She arrived this morning and, after sending Bilbo away and Drogo with him, started tidying. With me being bedridden until last week there is a lot of tidying that needs to be done. Not that Drogo isn't capable of looking after himself, but he'd rather be at my side than see to the laundry or the kitchen - which is in quite a state, I can tell you! I am not happy with the mess I have had to leave Gilda, but, despite my suspicions to the contrary, she says she enjoys doing it. Though I am so glad she is with me. She is a calming influence and I am much more at ease with her here than I was before. She will stay until my baby is born, to look after things and to help keep me from going stark raving mad from boredom.

All is ready now, my child. You can arrive at any time you wish.