I just got back Saturday afternoon from spending the week back in Wisconsin, helping my sister with her brand new baby. She was about 3 weeks early, so her arrival was a bit of a surprise, prompting a bonus trip back home for me. I washed tiny onesies and impossibly small socks and tucked them into drawers in her new nursery that still smelled like fresh paint. I cleaned countertops and lit candles and tried my best to make home relaxing for the newly expanded family. I walked my older niece home from kindergarten, holding hands and crunching through leaves on chilly November afternoons. It is the most newborn time I've ever been able to spend with any of my nieces, and I soaked up every minute - gushing about her mini ears, kissing squishy cheeks, and tickling tiny feet.
My sister and brother-in-law kept thanking me for coming and helping, and all I could think was that I was the thankful one...so grateful that my sister and the baby were healthy and perfect, so grateful to share their first week home, so grateful for the flexibility to drop everything and be with my family and love them up close and in person.
I accidentally left my camera on their dining room table, which is the only reason this post is not full of an insane amount of sleeping baby pictures. Good thing I will be back at the beginning of December. My camera will be waiting for me to take pictures of a baby who already will look completely different, I am sure. But I have those newborn pictures waiting to be flipped through along with memories of a week that I am so grateful for.
