My Son's First Year

Well...I guess I could have written this blog twice in 2 years, couldn't I? Ha ha - yes for all of you that may not be aware, when my sweet little Jack turned 6 months, that beautiful age when babies really start to take on a personality and you begin to see the little person in them, I discovered I was going to have another blessing in my life! My sweet baby Duke.

So it was just 14 mos ago, yes, last April, as Jack blissfully began sleeping through the night, that I discovered we would be welcoming a second baby into our world. The only word that can describe that moment is shock. Cory, Jack and I were headed to the beach at Destin, FL for a long weekend and for some reason I decided that I wanted to use up that last pregnancy test. Well...you can imagine the suprise, and although many thoughts of what I had been through in the past 6 months with a newborn terrified me into what I would be facing with another newborn so quickly, I knew God had a plan for us and knew I would be able to handle it.

So here I sit, with my second (and last) baby at the same age as his brother was when I learned of his impending arrival and I am...

Happy, because my Baby Duke, who has lived thus far so closely to his namesake, his maternal great grandfather, as a sweet, caring, never fussy, always dear child, has really begun to show such incredible personality. Amazed, that Cory and I have managed to survive such a chaotic 2 years since we started this journey of parenthood. Blessed, that God granted us the one wish to have a child after we took such great lengths to prevent it, and blessed beyond belief that he decided to give us more than we even requested from him.

But a little part of me is sad, because today I sit and realize, that my baby Jack is growing so quickly and not even a baby anymore, and my baby Duke has reached the age that his brother became his brother! I really only had one Mother's Day which I was a mother to one - and that was the year I was pregnant with Jack! Since then, my life has always been filled with 2 wonderful children who God blessed me beyond my imagination. My sadness isn't selfish, but rather for those in our family that aren't able to be with us everyday and see the wonderful, funny, amazing, crazy, (sometimes whiny!), sweet, loving, beautiful children which we are able to be with each and every day.

So stay tuned, as I have been testing out a few new gadgets that I feel with help us get closer to you all and enjoy just a little more of the "everyday fun" Cory and I experience.

And for those of you in Racine - we are headed your way! We will be arriving to celebrate July 4th 2008 so please check in with us if you can!