a little rough

Florida sky

Hi friends,
We arrived home yesterday after an emergent trip to Florida. We’ve been there the last many many days helping to care for John’s very dear and beloved granddad.

(Bella with a 5mos old baby True earlier this year)

While we were gone, our sweet Bella dog (11 yrs old) had an emergency of her own which required that most of her tail be amputated. Bella has severe bleeding disorder (similar to hemophilia) and surgery, even a simple one, is a big big deal that requires plasma transfusions, etc.

It’s been an intense couple of weeks.

When we arrived home from FL we found a surprise Santa on our porch along with Christmas lights decorating the outside of our house. Turns out, my lovely parents wanted to cheer us up and surprise us with a bit of joy. True loved it and we are now officially one of those neighbors with blow up Christmas decor. HILARIOUS!!! There is something about having a baby that makes me love Christmastime even more.

I am incredibly thankful that my parents are nearby. It’s only been a few months since they moved here and our lives have changed so much because of them. They help us so very much with the baby, with the house, with food. Sometimes I’ll come home and find a flower cut from the yard and put in a little vase, or the dishes put away, or the laundry folded, or our favorite chocolate banana bread fresh out of the oven – all little, but such significant things that help and do not go unnoticed. Feeling really blessed.

It seems impossible that our baby is now a 14 month old toddler. He is so smiley, so sweet, and just the cutest little man. He did great with all the travel and cross country plane rides. Everyone comments on how social he is. It’s true. He waves and smiles and reaches out to touch just about everyone who crosses his path. He loves to show off with all of his animal sounds (what does a bee say? a cow? an owl? and so on) and gestures (touchdown! knock, knock! and so on). He just got his 3rd tooth (slow teether) and is currently working on what seems to be several more all at once (yikes!).

It feels a little bittersweet how quickly he is growing. I already miss his tiny baby days and am just so grateful we took all those photos and videos so I can hold them close + remember. You weren’t kidding when you said that time would fly by and to cherish these times now. You weren’t kidding when you said they grow up so quickly. You weren’t kidding when you said that I wouldn’t regret slowing down, and spending as much time as possible with him.

And you were not kidding when you said babies are the most joyful, transformative gifts on the planet.