July, July

I love the random, rotating photo screen saver on my Mac. I know it's nothing special in the world of computer screen savers, but it never fails to make me smile. (Except for the times it makes me ask who in the world got hold of my camera and took a picture of whateverintheworldthatis.)


Today, I got a treat. A photo from exactly one year ago

followed by one from my last download

The juxtaposition of the two made me grin from ear to ear. After all, they're both pictures of Seven--Seven as an unknown quantity versus Seven as my sweet, pretty in pink baby girl.


A year can bring so, so much. In this case, it's been 12 months of a heart expanding to make room for another person, 12 months of learning how to balance teenage hormones with nighttime nursing, 12 months of remembering how much of a fool Mr. Blandings is over baby girls. 


It's been a good year. A hard year in some respects, but one that I know I'll look back on with fondness. As I've told many people irl: I have sucked the marrow from the bone of Seven's baby days. I have lapped up every sweet moment, drank in all the good, treasured even the bittersweet in my heart. I may look back on this past year of late pregnancy, birth, babyhood and wish to do it all over again, but it will not be because I feel I've missed out. It will only be a longing to relive the beauty that has been the mundane yet vibrant living of these days.


And yes, in case you're wondering, it's long sleeve weather here in Western WA yet again. Mid-July, and I'm in my cozy woolen socks and have a hoodie sweatshirt on over my tee. I'm managing a summer skirt, but just barely. At least that first picture confirms that this is more the norm than the exception. :-)