... the school bag was packed,
... and the "first day picture" was taken.
Our sweet girl started "school" this past week. How did we get here?!?! Life has run the gamut of emotions and experiences over the past several months but our greatest joy was welcoming our beautiful daughter to our family.
I found out I was pregnant in late March. My stomach had been bothering me and after a couple of negative pregnancy tests, I decided I would take one more before making an appointment to see a doctor for what I convinced myself was an ulcer. That test (and 2 extra tests ... just to be certain!) confirmed that we had a baby on the way.
Zac and I anxiously awaited the right time to tell Cael that he would be a big brother. We shared the exciting news with him in late April and his reaction did not disappoint ... he was absolutely ecstatic. We let him break the news to my family the following morning and as my mother's expression indicates, we definitely pulled off a great surprise!
Watching Cael continue to excitedly share our good news was a lot of fun. We decided to let him choose whether or not he wanted to find out if a brother or sister was on the way. He was adamant that he wanted "to be surprised when the baby got to the hospital." So sweet.
I was much more tired with this pregnancy than with Cael (Saturdays and Sundays included 3-4 hour naps for the first couple months!) but I felt great overall and enjoyed the special time with the baby.
The best part of my pregnancy was Cael's reaction. He was so excited to be a big brother and loved talking about the baby. He talked about things he would teach the baby and how he wanted to help the baby. He actively contributed ideas to our baby naming conversations (Cael, Hayden (his good buddy) and Mispen (?????) were regularly submitted). He loved on me and the baby constantly.
He hugged and kissed my belly every time we said hello or good-bye ... he could not have been any sweeter during that special time.
The weeks and months flew by and suddenly our induction date of 12/1 arrived. After a long afternoon and evening of anticipation, Cassie Lynn made her grand entrance at 10:39 pm.
We enjoyed the late night cuddling ...
... and looked forward to introducing her to Cael the next day. He came to the hospital before school and happily settled into his role as the big brother.
He also quickly learned that being a big brother came with many perks including big brother gifts!
Cael was thrilled to see his sister when he got home from school on the day we left the hospital. He was adorable as he grabbed a little chair and parked himself next to Cassie. He loved looking at her little hands and had all sorts of things to tell her.
Saturday morning cartoons had never been so sweet as I gratefully cuddled with both of my kiddos the day after Cassie came home.
Cassie settled into the swing of things in our house as the holidays quickly approached. Life seemed to move a slower and the festive season seemed less hectic as we enjoyed our littlest gift.
Cassie joined in on all of the Christmas fun and Cael even invited her to go on his annual North Pole Express adventure!
The Christmas season was special in so many ways and I feel blessed to have had that time at home with Cassie. The weeks that followed were a perfect mix of lazy cuddling and little adventures.
Cassie's first day at school came with a variety of emotions. I was sad that I wouldn't have her at arm's reach all day long and that we could no longer simply float through each day together. But I was also excited because while those first couple months were special in their own way, the reality is that life with Cassie will be even sweeter as time marches on.
I can't wait to get to know Cassie. I want to know what her favorite toys are, what foods she refuses to eat, what books she wants me to read over and over again. I want to know what her hugs feel like, how her belly laughs sound, what makes her smile. I want to know what's in her heart and on her mind.
For now, I'll savor the moments of watching my girl nap knowing that I only get to hold her for so long ...
... and I'll enjoy the anticipation of what's to come with each new day that we spend together.
