A Year In The Making.

A year ago, we conceived, and this blog began.

I still can't believe it some days.  I look at our son and marvel that he's really here, he's ours, and we get to keep him.

It's funny, because I barely remember morning sickness, or not being able to breathe, or any of the misery of pregnancy.  I do remember the sense of awe and serenity every time I felt him move.  I vaguely recall, but without any visceral reactions, the fear of losing him. I know there were nights Ivan had to reassure me that everything would be okay, but I don't remember them nearly as clearly as I remember the sense of anticipation, the feeling that we were in our own little club of two and that we had a secret.

It all seems so long ago and kind of unreal.  I look at the ultrasound pictures and think... wow, can that really be our son?

 

 It is.  It's him, and our life is new and everything has changed.  I am not the same person I was a year ago.  None of us are.  The girls dote on their little brother and make time to spend time with him.  We've talked more, laughed more, cried less.  Ivan is more patient, happier, more driven to not just succeed, but to excel.

With him, we are really a family.  Finally, we feel complete.


Milestones

Ivan now reaches for people as well as for things (like, toys or, just as an example, dog tails and ears).  It melted my heart when Kate was holding him and he reached for me.

He's sitting up with support so well now that Ivan has to keep telling me he's too little for a high chair.

His scooting is getting more productive, but he's still not rolling over.

He's consistently sleeping 7 hours at a stretch every night.  Naps are still inconsistent and infrequent, but twice now he's played in his bouncy chair while I took a shower.  Still doesn't like me checking email or typing while he's awake, though, and he still needs to be rocked to sleep for naps.

Smiles and belly laughs are commonplace, but we all still treat them like the priceless treasures they are.