Family of 5

A friend of ours had her third baby today.  A little girl.  She already has two boys about the same age as my kids, her oldest is a year younger than G and I think her middle is six months older than D.  Now her daughter is five months younger than J.

It has me thinking about our transformation into a family of 5.  A complete set.  Finished.  Finite. Fin.  It's crazy how in the space of five years, three whole new people can be brought into existence.  How is that even possible?  There were no people there, and then, poof ... there they be.

I can't even remember the day the above photo was taken.  I know I took it.  I don't know what we did.  I'm sure I could look back at pictures or this blog and dig it up.  But in my brain it's gone.

I can not remember a time when Julia wasn't here.

This was only five months ago.  But it feels like a lifetime and at the same time like no time at all.  I can't really explain it.  I remember her delivery.  I remember her hospital stay.  But two seasons have passed since her birth.  Which in Texas is saying something because really she was a true winter baby.  It snowed the day she was born then again two days later and then again a week later.  I mean that's pretty much the frozen tundra as far as Texas winters go.

And then spring came.  And I know I took her to see the pretty flowers at the arboretum, and I know we did some things out and about.  I know we went to Miami when she was six weeks old.  But really it's all a mish mash.  Is she really about to be five months old?

Was there really time before she was born?

It is amazing how your heart changes when new children are born.  I remember with David I was afraid I'd never love another child as much as I love Grady.  Absolute hogwash.  I love them both extremely much, for very different reasons, and at times in different ways.  Your heart doesn't split, it grows.  I know someone much wiser than me said that.  And it's so very true.

It's both a sadness and a relief to be finished with the baby growing portion of my life.  It's a relief and a sadness to feel like a complete family.  All done.  Finite. Fin.

It's such a special thing to be able to grow a baby, and bring it safely into this world.  I know we all take it for granted.  But it is.  It's a special thing.  And I know every day that I am lucky.

Even when they are (as now) driving me crazy.