Ohh, We’re Half Way There …. {Baby’s 1/2 birthday in photos}

Today Avery is 1/2 way to one year old. Looking at the 6 month milestone in this way really makes you feel how quickly time is passing.

In many ways I feel like he was just born (many thanks to being holed up in this eternal winter), but when I really step back and look, the evolution of these 6 months hits, and it is bitter-sweet. Our family dynamic has changed in ways I would have never imagined.

It stops me in my tracks every time, and if I could bottle up those moments, I would.

It’s funny. When James and I announced we were having our 3rd, we were met with many congratulations, of course but also many different follow-up reactions– from “was this planned?” to “Is this an April fools joke?” to the stunned….”WOW. 3 kids”– to which I answer yes, no and yep!

It seems as though today 3 is the number where your family officially becomes a “crew”. Walking into stores with 3 kids, receives a much different reaction than 2– sometimes its an “oh, no… 3 kids brace yourselves, people” and other times people are falling over themselves to help me juggle my troop. Both reactions strike me as odd, because with my troop, I’ve never felt more comfortable and confident as a Mom.

With our first, I was overwhelmed. His firsts will always be our firsts as parents and not knowing if you’re screwing it up can be scary. With the second, juggling multiple kids made me anxious and I always felt like I was falling short. After both, I struggled to re-find myself in this role of Mom. But somehow, as odd as it sounds, the third just feels at home- like we are exactly where we are suppose to be.

I always felt our family unit was close, but somehow with the addition of this little man we feel closer.