We did it. We've kept Wren alive and reasonably well for an entire year!
We celebrated our little bird's first birthday last Saturday with an early "bird" breakfast and cake along with both sets of grandparents and Mark and Jordan. Wren was intrigued by her birthday cake, but didn't know what to do with it until Papa dipped his finger in and introduced her to the joy of sweets.
Wren got lots of fun presents, including a cash register from Zsa Zsa, cool clothes from Nordstrom from Babcia and "AB to Jay-Z" from Aunt Poppy!
Afterwards, I had to work an event at UT Dallas, so the whole family came. Wren watched her first basketball game and was mesmerized! She was still napping when they brought her into the stands, so when she woke up and opened her eyes, she was surrounded by crowds of people and the excitement of a fast-paced basketball game in front of her.
As many of you know, we had a very challenging newborn stage with Wren. Her milk soy protein intolerance (MSPI), reflux, and the pediatricians' failure to diagnose her until she was several weeks old led to stress, anxiety, and lots and lots of tears (from both Wren and me). During the early weeks of Wren's life, I longed for the days when she was happy and healthy.
I don't want to be cliche and say that I hardly remember those days anymore, because they are still extremely vivid. I'll never forget the sadness I felt not being able to soothe my daughter or feed her the way I wanted, and the exhaustion I felt from days, weeks, and months of sleepless nights. I felt guilty, depressed, and overwhelmed.
If I can put a positive spin on those awful first weeks, however, it would be that now I do not take the precious moments with Wren for granted. I am so grateful to have this curious, funny and joyful human being in my life. I now feel so much joy watching her explore the world and discover something new every day. My heart warms when bits of her loving character shine through, e.g. when she shares her food with her family (Oscar included). I feel immense pride at being her mom. When I watch her from a distance at daycare or at swim lessons, I want to point and tell strangers, "She's mine! She's my daughter!" I feel butterflies in my stomach at the thought of seeing her at the end of the day.
Wren, my sweet little bird. You are the light of our lives. Thank you for teaching us how to be parents this past year. I hope every year forward brings joy, lightness and love to you. <3
We celebrated our little bird's first birthday last Saturday with an early "bird" breakfast and cake along with both sets of grandparents and Mark and Jordan. Wren was intrigued by her birthday cake, but didn't know what to do with it until Papa dipped his finger in and introduced her to the joy of sweets.
Wren got lots of fun presents, including a cash register from Zsa Zsa, cool clothes from Nordstrom from Babcia and "AB to Jay-Z" from Aunt Poppy!
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| With my boss, Dr. Calvin Jamison |
I don't want to be cliche and say that I hardly remember those days anymore, because they are still extremely vivid. I'll never forget the sadness I felt not being able to soothe my daughter or feed her the way I wanted, and the exhaustion I felt from days, weeks, and months of sleepless nights. I felt guilty, depressed, and overwhelmed.
If I can put a positive spin on those awful first weeks, however, it would be that now I do not take the precious moments with Wren for granted. I am so grateful to have this curious, funny and joyful human being in my life. I now feel so much joy watching her explore the world and discover something new every day. My heart warms when bits of her loving character shine through, e.g. when she shares her food with her family (Oscar included). I feel immense pride at being her mom. When I watch her from a distance at daycare or at swim lessons, I want to point and tell strangers, "She's mine! She's my daughter!" I feel butterflies in my stomach at the thought of seeing her at the end of the day.
Wren, my sweet little bird. You are the light of our lives. Thank you for teaching us how to be parents this past year. I hope every year forward brings joy, lightness and love to you. <3
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