Welcome, Erik!

We are officially outnumbered.

In the very first minute of our 12th (first) anniversary on November 3, 2019, Erik James joined our crew...and we've been running a zone defense ever since.

Maybe I'm still in holiday mode, but I can't help but think that, like the Grinch, our hearts grew three sizes that day as we welcomed the little guy to our family. The girls somehow knew all along but were over the moon when they learned they now had the little brother they had been hoping for.

Elsa and Lena are great big and biggest sisters. They love their brother dearly and are always willing to help, from diaper changes to entertainment,,,and may or may not have even fought over who gets to hold him at any particular time. Interestingly, the girls are much more concerned than Jon and I are when Erik is upset; Lena has even made up a song for him in these moments: "There is No Reason to Cry." It really feels like Erik is our baby, which is pretty cool.

Erik himself is pretty cool. He has recently started smiling, and those grins are irresistible. He is a charmer for sure. He's also a bit of a fighter who came out swinging; when he was born, the nurses had a hard time cleaning and measuring him because of all the wiggling and kicking. So far, that hasn't changed. Yet, he still manages to be as laid-back as a third child has to be, for which we are infinitely grateful.

He's a lover AND a fighter

As we transition to life as a family of five, I have been doing some reflecting. A lot has changed since Elsa and Lena were brand-new, but a lot has stayed the same. In fact, the other day we were looking at old photos and videos from when the girls were babies, and not only do our children look and act the same, but a lot of feelings I had during their newborn periods are the same. I just re-read the posts I wrote shortly after Elsa and Lena were born, and I was transported back six-and-half and nearly four years, respectively. 

We are still overwhelmed, and we still don't know what we're doing. I continue to struggle with my need to "do all the things" while relishing those sweet new baby snuggles. Our home and lives are certainly full of chaos and mess, but they are also full of love and laughter.