We’re still here!

It’s August!  Just like that!  I am behind!  Over the last couple of weeks I have had so many that-should-be-a-blog-post moments, but I haven’t made it to the computer until now and so of course the moments escaped undocumented (unless my memory counts for anything?) but no less loved.

In a little over a month, Asher will be one.  As in, a year will have passed since he took his first breath out here in the world and kicked off the rest of his life.  There’s no elegant way to say what I’m about to say, so I’ll just kind of blurt it out: I pretty much start to cry every time that I think about this.  Our year of infancy, our year of getting to know each other, our year of long nights, of monthly check ups, of breast feeding, of first smiles and first teeth, our year of rolling over, sitting up, and now standing, our year of cooing, of hours spent staring, our year that changed everything and indelibly marked us as parents, this most remarkable year, is coming to a close.  I’d like to be all nonchalant about it, but that’s not me.  Instead I’m somewhat predictably overwhelmed with all of the feelings that come with this incredible anniversary, with the heavy (but awesome) weight of all of the years to come pulling my minds eye forward, and with ALL of the memories that we’ve made this year.  Last night I broke the rules and let Asher fall asleep nursing and rocked in him my arms staring at him until it was too dark to see the pudgy outline of his gorgeous face anymore, and just tried so hard to burn the feeling of his perfect weight into the memory of my arms.  I rocked, and the poignant images of this past year just ticked by in my imagination, and for the first time I really got why every single other parent laments that it goes by so fast.  Asher will never be an infant again (I mean, whew! but also…) and while I can’t wait for everything that’s ahead of us, I can’t get over how much is quickly falling behind us too.  I know that I am going to be struck by this over and over and over throughout Asher’s life, but this is the first time that it’s really happening so hard, so bear with me.  What can I say?  I’m still a new parent.  Kind of.

As far as the details go, we’ve had such a fun couple of weeks!  We enjoyed Floyd Fest so much and made it through completely unscathed and, if I do say so myself, pretty durn proud of ourselves.  It felt good to let our inner dirty hippies air out a little, and spend a weekend getting our feet dirty (like, disgustingly dirty!) and catching up with friends.  We were in the woods next to the main stage (ironically titled “Quiet Family Camping”) which was great because the babies fell asleep to the likes of Levon Helm, and we could zip in and out of the shade as needed.  All in all, it was a success, and we can officially dub Asher quite the little camper.

We’ve had a lot of family visits this summer which has been great.  Since I last posted, we got in a great visit with my little sister Julie and stepmom Ruth, and we just said goodbye to my sister Shelle and her family this week.  The next big family event will be the birth of our niece, expected in early September!  She will be the newest addition to Drew’s sister Ashley’s family, and given how much we love her big sisters, we cannot wait to be introduced to this newest member of the world.

So that’s the skinny.  We’re still plugging along, my sappiness is probably keeping kleenex in business, and we’re starting to daydream about cooler days and the golden hues of Autumn.  But not before we get a couple of more watermelons.  I wouldn’t by lying if I told you that I have personally consumed at least three whole watermelons in the last month.  Who admits to such a thing?  I have a watermelon problem, and I know it, but don’t bother trying to stage an intervention, there’s nothing that will keep me from them.  Just. one. more. piece…