Caleb is a pretty cute thing. Which is good, because there have been some days where that's the only thing keeping us from enrolling him in boarding school.
Danielle is 2 weeks old!
When we had Caleb, I specifically remember Troy Ivey approaching me at church during the passing of the peace and taking my hand to say, "There is no peace for you anymore." At the time, I thought that was a pretty accurate statement. I can say now that he was certainly correct. Danielle has been wonderful. We took her to the doctor this morning and everything is wonderful and beautiful and healthy. The doctor told us to keep doing whatever it is we are doing, because she's putting on weight like a champ. She's already a pound over her birth weight, meaning that if she keeps this up at her current rate, she'll outweigh me by the time she's 6 years old, give or take a few days. Caleb, on the other hand, is less than thrilled about the current arrangements. In his defense, though, his world has changed rather suddenly and unexpectedly. Despite our best efforts to prepare him for Danielle's arrival, there is only so much you can tell a 2 year old. Well, let me rephrase that... there is only so much a 2 year old will understand of what you tell him. Not that Caleb has been terrible, and he's been getting better, but the last week has been trying. He states, loudly and clearly, No kicking, and then proceeds to kick. Throwing is the same way, each event followed by scolding and a tantrum. We've given him lots of attention and love, and Rachel's mother has been a HUGE help in every regard, but particularly in this one, but Caleb is simply getting used to change. None of us deal well with change. I don't blame Caleb, and he'll get over it. In the meantime, though, we give thanks for good naps and moments of peace and tranquility, for they are often disrupted. It's all so fascinating, and what a grand adventure! What a year it's been.
It's been almost a year since I've last competed in a triathlon. (Ok, maybe 'competed is the wrong word. Let's go with 'participated'.) I had registered for the Frantic Frog this past Saturday, thinking that it was a pretty small window of baby-arrival that would cause me to miss it. Of course, with the baby coming on Thursday and bringing her home Saturday morning, I missed it. Bummer. For the first time in probably 8 years, I didn't compete in a triathlon. It feels somewhat strange. I was sick for 8 of the past 11 months, meaning that my endurance and training were down the tubes anyway (Not that I could move much slower than I already did). It's been an odd year, and I'm greatly looking forward to turning the page on my 31st year of life. I think we move through seasons of life. At times, all is sunny and right with the world, while at other times it's all we can do to put one foot in front of the other. Sometimes it seems like flat, level ground with clear sailing, while other times seems like we're headed straight uphill and we don't have the strength to take another step. Sometimes, we just stand still because we're so uncertain where the path ahead might lead. Heck, there are days when we're not even sure the path exists. But life moves on in all its wonder and tragedy. There is much to mourn on this planet as we spin through space, and I've noticed that CNN's website tends to fill up daily with stories that tug at your heart and raise your anxieties. Thankfully, there is much to celebrate. The gift of new life is certainly a wondrous thing, inspiring awe and joy and curiosity and delight. Danielle reminds me of the hope that exists in the world, of the promise for tomorrow. Just because things can go wrong doesn't mean they have to do so. Just because the capability exists for evil doesn't mean it has to be realized. When dilapidated buildings are razed and a bare patch of earth sees the sun for the first time in decades, anything is possible. Life can spring up in astounding ways, surprising and delighting us all. When I see Danielle, I see that delight is alive and well. Her little hands and feet will lead her down paths unknown, but for now, I will choose hope. I will hope for her future and I will love her in the present, and that will be enough for whatever this day brings. I learned a valuable lesson today: For every picture I take of Danielle, I need to take one of Caleb. Caleb and I played around the house this morning and then went to pick up baby sister and mommy at the hospital. While we were waiting for the official discharge, I was taking some pictures of Danielle. Caleb kept climbing up into the glider they had in the room and saying something that doesn't sound anything at all like camera, but I eventually figured out that's what he meant. He even smiled for the camera! Danielle and Rachel are home now, and we're trying to make it all work! Rachel's family is in town for a while to help out, for which we're most grateful, and I know we've got plenty of other help. We'll lean on others as much as we can, trying to balance attention for Caleb with loving on Danielle. By the grace of God, we'll make it through day by day, trusting that the wisdom we need will arrive as we need it. It's been an amazing journey these past few years, and we've experienced so many different types of joy and wonder. We enjoy our time with Caleb, and look forward to continued growth in his life and the wonders (and challenges... ok, we're not exactly looking forward to that, but we still love her) of a new baby in the house. How fascinating! Danielle's first full day in the world, and she's making the most of it. By that, I mean she's spending most of it sleeping & eating, which is probably how most of us would choose to spend the day if every material and emotional need was met by others.
We brought Caleb by yesterday evening to meet his baby sister. (We'd been teaching him her name for the past few months, and he knew to point at Rachel's stomach when we asked him where his baby sister was.) I'd love to say that there was a dramatic, magical moment when he gathered his baby sister into his arms and kissed her on the forehead. In real life, he spent most of the time running around the hospital room proving the theory that hospital rooms are not designed for the safety or entertainment of two year olds. If there are any germs in any place in this room, he found them. He crawled up on the bed and looked at his baby sister, but the bathroom door captured his imagination much more deeply. We'll bring him back tonight and hope for more progress! We know this will be a gradual process, but hope to do everything we can to make a smooth transition from a family of three to a family of four. Also, I looked up September 5 to see who shared their birthday with Danielle. This was a mistake, for curiosity led me to discover that Judge Judy and Kim Kardashian both share my own birthday. The fact that Alfred Nobel shares it too only slightly redeems it. As for Danielle, she has pretty illustrious company, and not just King Louis IV of France. Take a look at this list:
Although the one that makes my heart most glad:
That's right. Danielle shares a birthday with Batman, James Bond and Freddie Mercury. Who knows what the world has in store for her? We had a pretty big morning here! They started the medicine around 2am, and the baby came pretty quickly after that! We are still spinning here from exhaustion and amazement, but we're just trying to enjoy the wondrous moments with new baby! Danielle Lillie Jones 6 lbs 10 oz. 20 inches long Born at 6:52 am Everyone is doing well. Thanks for all the prayers and well-wishes. Caleb has discovered (finally) that he can crawl out of his new bed.
Caleb doesn't function well without a nap. These two facts are colliding rapidly in our world. Saturday, Caleb didn't nap at all due to the fact that he was too busy playing. That was fairly evident around 5:00. We finally got out the pack & play this afternoon, because we all knew he's much better off with a nap. He sleeps pretty well at night, but nap time is quickly becoming play time. He's growing up too fast!! As for the baby... Thursday will be the big day, assuming that she doesn't arrive before then! Rachel will be induced Wednesday night/Thursday morning, and some time on the 5th Caleb's baby sister will make her grand entrance into the world! We're trying to enjoy this weekend together, knowing that next weekend will be a wee bit different. How fascinating! |