The best part of my day

Every day that I go to work, I look more and more forward to 3:00.

Jackson was right!

That phrase, uttered by my brother-in-law, was the way we found out that Jackson had a boy cousin. (Of course, Jackson knew this all along. I, on the other hand, was just sure it was a girl.)

My peanut nephew Connor Joseph Ryan entered into the world a mere 5 pounds, 12 ounces. Suddenly, Jackson seemed all boy and no baby. He's a tank next to his little cousin!

 

Ever since Connor was born (nine days ago - yes, I'm quite behind), I've been trying to wrap my mind around how amazing it is that these two little boys are just five months apart. They're never going to know life without each other. I have big dreams for them to be as close as brothers...though I'm under no illusion that is always going to be a good thing. (As my three-boys-in-four-years friend Marj cautioned, "If you ever hear silence when they are playing together, be scared.")

Until then, I'm reveling in a teeny tiny baby - way more teeny than the 8 lb 9 oz bruiser we came home from the hospital with! - and finding yet another reason to go shopping.

It's a boy!

Ok, ok, I can't take this anymore. I'm going to be an aunt again any day now and the suspense over whether I will be welcoming a niece or nephew into this world is just killing me. Earlier today, we had a little tease from our new family member "Yogi," thinking that he or she might be coming into this world as soon as tonight or tomorrow. (Alas, that does not appear to be the case.)

For most of this journey, I've really thought Yogi was a girl. (I still do, actually.) But Jackson and I got to talking about this tonight and he's just certain - apparently - that he'll welcome a little boy cousin. In fact, he's so convinced that I'm starting to waver in my prediction.



PS: I am nearly certain that this screeching is a gift from one of Jackson's daycare friends. Someday this will not be charming, I'm sure. But I love it now!

PPS: After watching this video, can anyone sympathize with the way this child kicked me for nine months? :)

Mama mia

Yesterday was my first Mother's Day and, I have to say, it was awesome. It was a glorious day. I've got a big bouquet of roses and some chocolates sitting on the dining room table ("I took the nutritional information off the back so you can't see how bad these are for you," said Chad) and we spent the day going out for a leisurely lunch, taking a stroll around the neighborhood, and hanging out in the front yard until Jackson's bedtime. I even took a two-hour nap. Amazing.

Leading up to Mother's Day, I got very nostalgic thinking about all of the amazing moms in my life that I've been fortunate enough to know. There's my mom, of course. And my grandmothers. And my mother-in-law, and Chad's grandmothers. And my aunts. All of them are incredible women who have taught me little things here and there about how to raise good children and what's required in this motherhood gig. We all have our own style, I suppose, but I've taken pieces from each of them.

There are other moms as well. I never really understood before, but moms stick together. So many of my friends - and even some of my acquaintances who have become friends - have reached out with advice, thoughts, stories, and hang-in-there anecdotes. It's been one of the most surprising parts of this journey: the new bonds I've made along the way.

Fortunately, for us, parenthood is getting a lot easier and more fun. (I know, I know...soon it will get harder again, but we're enjoying this time right now!) And with several friends and neighbors soon set to join the "mommy" ranks, I'm already thinking of ways to pay it forward.

Until then, I'm remembering a great Mother's Day. And thinking of ways to make Father's Day this much fun.