celebrating LIFE (literally)

I am slowly rebuilding my strength after a very sick first trimester and various ailments that come with pregnancy at the youthful age of thirty-six. Boo to that. Regardless, I am resolved to be physically and mentally strong - even if it must happen with certain modifications. I am also recovering from the darkest, rainiest winter on record in Seattle. There is nothing to say about that except that it was brutal.

Most of all, my heart continues to grieve the two babies we lost in the fall - at the beginning of the longest, darkest winter I have known, literally and metaphorically. One of those babies would have been due yesterday. It has been a heavy week and also one full of life. I have grieved and cried, thrashed and wailed. And I have filled our home with flowers and love in celebration of the very short time we had with Baby Sweetgum. I love and miss you so much, little one.

Likewise, I am drinking every possible moment I can this week with our little Bear and the baby Starling that grows and wiggles inside me. S/he is indeed on the move a lot of the day, which is a magical feeling. There have been many sweet moments with these two this week. The highlight of that was today - an impromptu mountain hike and the first one of the season for us. Here we are - all THREE of us! (Poor Papa has to work while we have all the fun. Ok, it's definitely not always fun on the home front. But today was amazing.)

By the way, her crazy "bangs" were created by way of burning a chunk of her hair while blowing out a candle. I don't have the patience to groom her hair every five seconds between her adventures, and she likes her hair to be "free." And thus, a wild child from a wild mama. So be it. She is also stoic at times, refusing to pose or perform for pictures, others, etc. - another inclination that is familiar to me. ;)

 Wild Child at her finest.

When I thought our morning couldn't get any sweeter... As we approached the final twenty feet of our hike, Naomi ran ahead excitedly and said: "Look! 'M' for Mama! Look, Mama! 'M'!" Oh, my heart. Not only do you see letters in the curling root of a tree, but you see "'M' for Mama!" - the most grateful Mama that ever was. I love you, little Bear. I'm so happy I get to be your mama.