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| Emma's birthday cake this year: a result of an oven that self destructed (it's since been fixed) and spectacular friends. Leif made the cupcakes for Emma and Janet added the lovely frosting. I may pretend my oven is broken for all future birthdays. (Forget you just read that Janet.) |
Two things happened recently that reminded me.
1) On Emma's birthday, Braeden wanted stories about when she was a baby. He is always wanting stories. My historian.
2) My brother and his wife welcomed their second baby, a little girl, into the world. (Welcome aboard, Azure! I am looking forward to meeting you.)
I remembered the first few days of Emma's life. The day we brought her home from the hospital, I lay Emma in the middle of our bed and went about putting things away. Luckily, that didn't take me very far from Emma because Braeden covered her entire body with a pillow. He said he wanted to play hide and seek with her.
When my heart started beating again, I explained to Braeden fervently that he was never to do that.
I felt slightly alarmed about this whole mother of two proposition.
My mom came to visit and kept us fed and cared for and kept Braeden from playing hide and seek with Emma. She stayed for several days and it was lovely. I decided that after she left, I would cope with all the feeding sessions, when Braeden could potentially get into all sorts of two year old trouble, by reading to him. (Even back then, he loved stories.)
On the morning my mom left and when it was time for me to feed Emma, I settled onto the couch and instructed Braeden to bring me a book. He amiably selected a book and scampered to my side. He handed me the book and then climbed onto the couch. As he was propelling his stout legs upward, he accidentally kicked newborn Emma with one of his chunky toddler shoes. He kicked her in the head.
Emma started screaming.
I started crying.
And then Braeden did too.
As we sat there crying together, I wondered what on earth I was thinking. Why did I think I could handle two babies? I in no way had what it took.
(I still feel like that sometimes.)
But the upside is that Braeden hasn't kicked Emma in the head since...and Emma's head survived. We all survived. So far so good.
Sigh...I miss Braeden and Emma. Tomorrow I'll give you a Palm Desert update. I wish they were here too.
2 comments:
I love that photo of Braeden and Emma and I admire their sweet relationship even more. On Monday on the way to school Braeden looked up into the sunny (surprise!) sky and said something about how nice it would be for you all to fly in such nice weather--genuinely happy for his loved ones. I asked if he wished he didn't have school and could have gone too. He said yes but then followed up quickly with an "It's ok. I am looking forward to having fun with Emma and Gramma." What a great young man you have!
Have fun in the sun! We'll miss you!
I love that picture of Braeden and Emma also. How did Janet get frosting to look so lovely? Could she give me lessons. At our family dinner Sunday Desi said, "How come everyone has pretty cakes but us?"
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