The months of Doc: TWO!

We're two months into life with this little fella and he's already grown three inches, visited practically every playground and library within a half-hour drive of Hamilton, NJ, seen the ocean, napped to the sound of its waves, and sleeps more soundly than his sister did when she was two-years-old. (Thank you, Jesus!) By my third trimester with him, he was so strong and wiggly that I was actually self-conscious that his brazen movements would be noticed by my coworkers through my clothes. Even so, we were surprised when he rolled over onto his stomach when he was less than 30-hours-old and he hasn't stopped rolling since! Every day begins the same way-- with Mary Allison hopping out of bed and running to his bassinet to give him a serious squeeze around the neck while she says, "I love my baby brother so much!" She asks us at least twice a week if he can run, and jump, and eat broccoli yet, but for now we are all happy to eat up his gummy smile, darling babbles, and endearing spirit.  

on sharing parenthood

Life with two little children is very full. Full of hysterical tales from the three-year-old, full of new smiles that cover the newborn's whole face, full of playgrounds, bubble baths, sidewalk chalk, sweet coos, and tight squeezes around the neck. It's also full of early bedtimes, never-ending sentences that begin with "I want," and behavior that hinges on hunger levels and the number of hours slept. So for young families, like ours, having friends that join in the hilarity, the irritability-- the unremitting responsibility of parenthood-- we are grateful. 

We ventured to Avalon, a friendly beach town in south Jersey, with three other young families this past week. Five kids, three and under, two pregnant mamas (both in their third trimesters, no less), and one 65-pound dog all under one roof. We ate at one big table at every meal (while toddlers came and went), juggled each others' babies on our hips, learned from each others' parenting strategies and patience, watched each others' kids delight in the sand, gag on mushrooms, and meltdown as bedtime ticked closer. We listened to baby monitors from the balcony as our kids slept (and woke and cried and slept and woke and cried and slept) while we ate entire pans of Trader Joe's brownies with heaping spoonfuls of ice-cream, drank Old Fashions, and shared stories and laughter without our favorite tiny humans hanging off of us. Then we crawled into beds with our little ones, remembering all of the good from the day. Community is so good for the soul. We are grateful for ours.