6 Months and Counting

Six months ago, our son was born.

Six months ago we were in a hospital delivery room, looking into our son's eyes for the first time. We held this tiny, delicate creature in our arms, completely awed by every sound and movement he made. In that one moment, we were thrust into this thing called "parenthood," and our lives changed completely.

The first several weeks with Aaron were, in one word, an adventure. The cute newborn who moved in with us ended up being a severely high maintenance roommate. It seemed like every hour he needed to nurse, or be rocked to sleep, or have his diaper changed. Oh Lord, the dirty diapers! The phrase "poop explosion" became commonly used in our home, and we thanked the heavens that we owned a washing machine for the endless loads of laundry. As we made our way through sleepless nights and inconsolable crying (mostly the baby, but sometimes me), we wondered to ourselves how on earth we were going to survive.

But every day was a little easier than the last. Through lots of grace, humor, and trial and error, we gradually started to figure our new lives out. Aaron became more alert and interactive, and the fun moments increased. He started smiling, laughing and babbling single-syllable baby words. He learned how to roll over, and sit up, and give "high-fives." He began sleeping through the night (woohoo!).

Sometimes it is difficult to recall our Before Aaron days. I have vague memories of abundant free time. We used to do whatever we wanted whenever we pleased. Getting in the car and going somewhere was once a quick and simple task. We could walk around the living room without stepping on toys.

While there are times when I miss that past era, the thrilling, awesome moments of parenthood far outweigh any desire to go back. Aaron is a better gift than I could have imagined, and I feel so grateful that we get to love and cherish him and be his parents.

The last six months have been full of true joy, and I am excited to continue the adventure.