mamaloo

Happy Birthday, little Froggie

One year ago today, this is what we were doing:

I will always remember my first glimpse of you. The doctor performing your birth poked you over the curtain as soon as you were born, so I could see you. You looked exactly like this picture except you were screaming (rightfully so). I'll always remember that first glimpse. I had no idea what you would look like, and then suddenly there you were.

You and I spent your first days, just the two of us, in the hospital. It was instant love. You slept in the crook of my arm. You "got" breastfeeding right away. You slept easily and never cried, until they took you away from me to the nursery to weigh you. They told me it would take fifteen minutes but they kept you for over an hour and the nurse got snippy with me when I called them to say, "bring him back NOW." It was very late and I did not want to fall sleep without knowing where you were. You were crying at the top of your lungs when they brought you back. As soon as you hit my outstretched arms, you stopped crying. You knew who your mama was.

We really didn't know what to expect when we brought you home. We'd never had a second child before, only your brother. But you were nothing like your brother, you were YOU. You were your own self.

We were unprepared for the wealth of joy you would bring us. I called you "our little joy-bomb," because you were, a little joy-bomb going off and spreading your joy around, constantly. In those first weeks and months that most mothers of newborns are exhausted empty shells of their former selves, I was enjoying my new motherhood. Because you allowed me to.

Your brother, on the other hand, wasn't entirely sure we had not made a huge mistake. But he was willing to tolerate you. You were mostly just background for him and that was good enough.

Today, you two are great pals. You are a perfectly adoring little brother. You don't mind providing the audience for your divalicious older brother. That's what's so great about you.

And now, sweet Froggie, today, you are one year old! No more a baby, you are becoming a little boy.

Thank you so much for coming into our family. Thank you for your cheer and easy-going ways. Thank you for your joy and your affection and your sweet self. Thank you for you, little Froggie, and happy birthday.

Whatever works

Some kids take their lovie to the park. Other kids take their tricycle, or their comic books, or their superman outfit.

Our kid? Takes his humidifier. Otherwise known as "steam".

Steam is very important to take to the park, you see. Obviously! You never know when you're going to need a little humidity.

When you stop to smell the flowers, steam is there for you.

That plane in the sky? Don't worry--nothing a little steam can't handle.

"Did you see how steam handled that? Whoa!! I told you, steam is bad-ass!"

"I pledge allegience to steam!"

"Whatchoo talkin bout, steam?"