9 months of Norah.

This little girl.  How can I possibly express what her life has brought?  Our days are filled with her precious smiles and cackles, "buh" and "duh" and "ma-ma-ma," and the joyful sounds of both daughters playing together (nicely, most of the time).  It brings so much more life to our home!  She points at everything, loves to tear apart toilet paper, does a happy dance at the sight of an avocado, already stands on her own without holding on and has taken one step, loves to try to lick shoes and the dog's bone, and sleeps in our bed, which I don't regret one bit. 

Yes, of course the days are exhausting and like every other mother, I feel tired and inadequate and desperate for time away.   But mostly, I find myself wanting to drink in every second of this little one's life, realizing that what everyone said is true: time passes much more quickly the second time around. 

I've never been so sick as when I was pregnant with her - so many days of begging God to take the sickness away while simultaneously pleading with him to keep my baby growing healthy and strong.   When I was that sick, barely able to take care of my older daughter most days, I had no idea who Norah was, if she was even a boy or girl.  For months, we were sure we were having a boy.  But this precious girl was preparing to come to us, to join our family.

Because of you, Norah Jewell, I feel more vulnerable than ever.  Another piece of my heart has been given away, and there's not a single thing I would change about that.  I'm truly reveling in the days of having another little one - these exhausting, difficult, beautiful, fleeting days.