… and I’m just not sure I can handle that!
You know what they say: “The moments are long, but the years are short.” We’ve had some looooong moments this year with mischievous little Gil; he came into our lives like an 8lb hurricane and really shook things up for awhile. But as the months have gone by, his blond curls and heart-stopping belly laugh have completely undone us time and time again, and we love him more than we could have ever imagined.
Like I mentioned here, this past week was a hard one for me. Elliott was asked to speak at a veterinary conference in the States, so I was holding down the fort with two rather small children. Lena got a stomach virus the morning that he left, and then on Tuesday both kids developed an impressive cold. I have never mopped up so much snot or said, “Cover your mouth, Lena. Cover! Cover… your… oh, never mind…” so many times in an hour. Gil in particular was severely congested, and I spent several of his nap times rocking him back to sleep every 20 minutes, something I’ve haven’t done since he was a couple months old.
But even when the going got tough, both kids continued to be loveable this week, and we toughed it out together. Also, Gil developed this adorable habit that makes everything completely ok with the world again. Before every nap, after he’s done nursing, he has started turning over onto his stomach and wedging his little head into my armpit. He murmurs and giggles while he does it, burrowing until he can’t burrow anymore and then lying there in complete contentment as I rub his back and murmur nonsense to him. Then he often climbs onto my stomach and snuggles some more, gently tapping my shoulder with his fist, cooing and giggling.
Finally, I scoop him up and kiss him, just like always, and breathe deeply of his baby curls, and lay him down in his bed, and rub his back, and slip out of the room whispering, “Goodnight, Gil-baby. I love you. I love you so much!”
P.S. Photos are all from this morning, a sweet and everyday one with just the three of us. Here are some posts from last year at this time: my last day as mother of one, Gil’s birth announcement, and Gil’s birth story.
One year already?! Happy Birthday Gil! Time sure does fly, doesn’t it? My baby turned 15 on Tuesday!
15?!?! I can’t imagine! I look at the kids sometimes and try to picture them as teenagers… but all I can assume is that if they’re cute now, they’ll probably be cute then…
Ahh, Happy {early} Birthday Sweet Gil! I can’t believe he’s going to be one. You are certainly correct, the moments can be so long, but alas, the Lord does tell us that this life is but a vapor. I have loved reading this blog and watching Gil and Lena grow older. So many of the stories you share parallel so many moments in our lives. In a way, it’s like being neighbors again! Eli does so many of the same things you’ve described in this post (belly laughs, snugging before naps, and just being so joyful). I so wish we could be closer to watch our little ones continue to grow. Love and Miss you, Becca!
Aww, love and miss you too, Nicole! So sad that our time here didn’t overlap more. You know we still have so many friends who live on Via del Mare, and I was telling Elliott the other day that maybe we should have lived next door to you after all! Kidding… kind of. We love our house, but I do value your friendship so much. Hoping for some visits up to Oregon in the next year or two. ;-)
I can’t believe a year has passed! Happy Birthday, little Gil!
What a sweet smile he has. Happy first birthday Gil!
Happy birthday to Gil! His curls are just to die for. Love all your photos!
I don’t remember how I found your blog, but I do know that it was around this time last January. I remember reading your last few posts before Gil was born, and then was so surprised when I read that he was born on my birthday! Always nice to have another little birthday-buddy! :) I so enjoy your blog, and reading it makes me miss the adventure of living overseas. Thank you for sharing your posts, and happy almost-birthday to Gil!
Thank you so much for faithfully reading along, Ali! I just tried THREE times to leave a comment on your blog but I think Google was briefly on the fritz and it didn’t go through. Anyway, at least I’ll say it here… thank you for reading so faithfully. And I’m so glad you and Gil are birthday buddies!
What beautiful photos! Our second born was also very colicky and difficult. Now that she’s 16 I realize that I’ve learned far more about parenting from being her mommy than I have with the “easier” kids! I am enjoying your blog–God bless!
16?! Can’t imagine! Yes, hope I feel that way when Gil’s a teenager too. :-)
wow a year already! It truly is the perfect saying: the moments are long, but the years are short. I have been cleaning up our photos on the computer and seeing my babies when they were babies brings back all the memories. The long nights nursing, the cute little faces they made, the places we went, trying to capture the first smile on camera. It all seems so long ago but yet so close. And I realize it has been a pleasure watching them grow up and I look forward to the looooooong years ahead ;) As well as watching yours grow up. Happy birthday Gil!!!
One very special treat for Lena is looking at “baby Lenas” on my phone… ie. looking at pictures of herself from a few months ago. Recently she got all the way back to when Gil was born, and we BOTH were mesmerized! Can’t believe he was that tiny and looked that different! Photos are such a gift.
I feel your pain about the sick babe. And holding down the fort with littles. Btdt. The wonderful part is that your littles are just adorable, and really, more couch snuggles? Bliss!
Thanks for stopping by, Heather, and for your encouraging words! I’m looking at your blog now, and it’s just wonderful! Thanks for communicating your wisdom with the world.
It goes by so quickly doesn’t it? Breathing in their mop of head is just pure bliss. Hard to stomach that one day they’re going to resist all the cuddles that they currently crave. Let’s just enjoy it while it lasts. I had a hard time believing my little boy was turning one too https://thelovelypoops.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/harry-does-his-first-birthday.html
Aww, that tribute to Harry on his birthday is so sweet! It’s impossibly hard to watch your baby turn into a kid, but also such a relief. Both you and the baby made it through the first year! And did famously! You deserve that cake as much as he does. :)