2 years ago today

Two years ago today the Critter made her entrance into our life. Butt first, peeing all over the doctor before issuing a hearty wail. I remember it clearly, waiting for that wail. The signal that it just might all be ok, finally, for once.

Of course, then she ended up in the ICU for a few days with some pretty major jaundice. And then we endured breastfeeding trials, mastitis, and some bumpy hormonal post-partum crazies. And her first solid foods, sitting up, teething, cruising, babbling, walking and talking.

Here we are, 2 full years later. The Critter has become, as we have told her now, "no longer a baby, now you're a big girl!" And she is. She has been talking so much, lots of 3 word sentences, real subject-verb sentences, maybe with an adjective thrown in. She has been peeing in her potty every night (that whole potty training thing deserves another post - suffice to say, I'm not ready to start for real til after we move). She has a sense of humor, and loves nothing more than to be "a silly goose" to make Mama laugh. She loves music, to dance, to sing along with Rock-n-Roll Elmo, his microphone in her hand.

Putting her to bed tonight, after our fun-filled day of a birthday balloon, Gymbo class, lunch with Nana, a cupcake with two candles, and lots of singing Happy Birthday, my heart just swelled. We are so lucky to have such a sweet girl, such a great disposition she has. I am so lucky to stay home with her, to get to witness her daily growth, all the new things she does. I could not be more happy to be her mother, for her to be my baby, even if she is becoming a big girl.

Today is a lucky day. Just as it was two years ago. Luckiest day of my life.

Happy (belated) New Year

I'm a terrible blogger. And I state the obvious way too much.

Moving on.

A new year. I'm very curious to see where this year will take us, our little family. The years of IF torture, well, they were stagnant years. Wanting to move forward with our lives, but couldn't.

Then the Critter, my sweet, wonderful girl came into our lives - 2 years ago next week. And we have been getting used to the new normal, the new lives we inhabit now as a family of three (really four, including Umps the cat). It has been great. Simple as that.

But this year, 2013, it may hold the biggest changes we've been through yet. Mr. P is getting his career in order, and will have much more flexibility in his current job, while also pursuing a start-up thing on the side. I'm proud of him, he is taking some risks, and so far things seem to be paying off. He will be around more, more involved in our daily lives, which is always a good thing.

We are also moving to the 'burbs. In like 3 weeks. On my birthday. OMG, we are going to be suburbanites. My dear Mr. P has never lived outside the city limits before. Seriously, he has lived in a very urban environment his entire life. I think he is more excited than anyone. I'm looking forward to more space. I will actually have a pantry - I cannot even begin to describe my excitement over having a real honest-to-goodness pantry. My heart flutters just writing that. So yeah, major life change happening there, in just a few weeks.

And then there is the whole baby-making thing. I am thinking I am ready to try IVF, the one more time. I know I keep waffling around about this. But I guess right now, in this moment at least, it just feels like things are lining up that we could really give it a try. The Critter would just be such a good big sister, I feel like for her at the least, we need to try.

So yeah, this could be a big year for us. Exciting times.