If you can, sweetheart, please turn around tonight, because if you can’t your mommy’s going to have to go to the hospital to have you born there and daddy and Mama won’t get to be with you when you’re born. We love you, Layla, and we want to be here with you when you’re born, okay?”

To my surprise, Layla kicked my hand. Maggie laughed and said, “That’s my girl!”

“Okay, Layla, daddy’s going to sing your favorite lullaby and we’re all going to go to sleep now.”

“Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.”

“Okay, Layla, night-night,” Maggie said.

“Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite,” I said.

Reaching over to the nightstand, I blew out the candles, and as I held my two girls in my arms I drifted off to sleep hoping beyond hope that Layla would turn.