baby mamas

Something was in the water circa 9 months ago, because people are popping out babies left and right around here! My two closest friends in Chicago are among the crew, and finally the babies are HERE! It's been a privilege to ride the wave with both girls all the way from pre-conception (when should they go off birth control? are they ready to have a baby?) to baby showers (butt paste! thanks so much!) to present day (wait what do I do with this thing?). Both babies are officially born and officially adorable. Each girl was significantly different in her approach to prepping for the baby, so it was interesting to hear their rationale and wonder of course...is that what I would do? 

playing civilized at the baby shower for Jess

welcome Lily! she came out with a full head of hair and couldn't be cuter

first big post-baby date night in the city for Jess...feels good to be back in action!

I find myself scanning a lot of "new mother" articles in hopes that maybe I can pass them along to either friend, and the one thing I've picked up from them is that there are hardly any right and wrong methods to parenthood - that most actions and decisions fall in the nebulous gray area, and that as long as it works for your family, that's 100% okay. (Also, it's a scary world out there on the world-wide-web...don't go there anytime soon).

Yay for these brave mamas, taking on such humbling, exhausting, and exhilarating roles in life! Already I don't know how they do it. But I have to say, I'm happy now that a handful of close friends are experiencing motherhood before me, because they can skim through all the crazy out there and hopefully have some great, sane advice by the time it's my turn. Right? You guys are going to do all that pre-work for the rest of us, right? And then it'll be 10x easier for us? Excellent!

"Baby-Q" for Kim (oh, and Mark...)

baby Jude! fresh in the world two weeks ago! so far he's super snuggly :)

highlight of my week visiting Jazzy & Jude