As we sat at corner cafe, hard at work, we were surrounded by young families out for brunch. Grandparents with older grand kids, single dads with kids in tow, a gay couple out with their infant daughter – all different kinds of families. As I picked up my phone to check my email and looked down at a picture of Tess, I suddenly got light-headed from the notion that I’m a mom now. We’re one of those families. I know I keep bringing up the NICU reality break, where our ‘parent status’ seems to be on hold, but every once in a while I remember that the heartache of being unhappily childless is over. it’s so engrained after years of sadness and disappointment that I literally need that reminder that, despite our lack of car seat and diaper bag, we are really and truly the proud parents of a little girl. I’m waiting for the first time we encounter someone who asks, “Do you have kids?” Right now doesn’t count, since everyone wants to know why two Wisconsinites are in Utah, and of course the answer is Tess. I mean out in the real world, where I can nonchalantly answer, “yes, a girl.”
When I stopped daydreaming, I got some significant traction on a few major work projects while Dave caught up on Tess time. He came back with a blissful smile and stories of poop and fun nurses. Just a typical day – excellent.
It’s another sunny day in Salt Lake, and some friends invited us to a great Indian spot a little out of town. We had lots of laughing, funny stories (terrible baby names, for example), and just time to relax. What a great way to spend Saturday evening before baby time! We’ve met some great people here. If they’re reading this, they’d better be planning trips to Milwaukee. 🙂
Tonight’s baby time was uneventful and blissfully domestic. She gained a little weight, slept soundly while I held her, howled when I put her down, and we left her all cozy in clothes from grandma, sucking ferociously on her pacifier and staring intently at that crazy mobile. I’m pretty sure we’d do battle for that piece of plastic seeing how happy it makes her!
Hazel is very exicted to see “baby Tess wearing a BOW!” We have a bow obsession here:)
Still loving all the updates and pictures. And yes, you ARE a Mom, and a terrific one at that<3
I love today’s pictures! Tess is getting cuter (and chubbier) by the day!
Beautiful! We love the new picture and video – God bless those space hippies and their groovy dancing! Tess really seems to dig them.
And congratulations to Tess on FOUR pounds! That is outstanding, little girl! Your parents must be so proud of you! 🙂
Four pounds! This is SO exciting!
We can’t wait for you to return home and do some of that people watching at an Alterra near US! We miss you both and can’t wait to meet Tess in person. But–of course–we will wait.
Thank you so much for your diligent daily documentation of this amazing process. It makes the distance a little smaller and means we don’t have to wait to get to know baby Tess. Three cheers for 21st Century communication tools.