A New Year

Last Thursday and Friday marked the beginning of the High Holidays for us; it was Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year. Typically, this time of year is marked with prayer, reflection, and atonement.

In our family, the end of the old year and the beginning of the new have been hectic and crazy and difficult.

First, those of you who follow me on Twitter or know our family in real life already know that Grandpa has been ill. Yesterday, he showed some improvement and we are optimistic, but our family does appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers.

Mommy and I can't visit him in the hospital and Daddy has been spending a lot of time there, so we've been home alone a lot. Or visiting doctors. As Mommy's pregnancy progresses, some the same complications that she had with me have been presenting themselves; in addition to the regular ob-gyn, Mommy has to go see an endocrinologist, a nutritionist, and a hematologist. We found out this week that not only will Mommy need a repeat c-section (which we expected), but that this c-section will likely need to be under general anesthesia like with me. We are very lucky that so far both Mommy and Squishy are perfectly healthy, and there is no reason to believe that there will be any long term effects after birth, so I look forward to a perfect baby sister joining our family in January. But. Mommy was *really* hoping to have a better breast-feeding experience this time around, plus Daddy won't be able to be in the delivery room, and Mommy will be unconscious so she won't get to meet Squishy right away. Mommy is trying to focus on the positive, but processing the fact of another problematic delivery has been difficult.

We did, however, start the new year with some good news - did any of you catch it in the last paragraph? After perhaps the most disappointing anatomy scan ever (inability to see the sex AND a lack of printer paper for pictures), Mommy and Squishy were sent back for additional views. Not only does Squishy still look perfect and healthy, but *she* is a GIRL!

That? Is her *leg* up over her head - she and I will be able to start a family acrobatic team!

Mommy immediately bought a flower hair clippy and these pants this weekend. Pink AND ruffles? That will cheer anyone up.

I wish all of you L'Shana Tovah, a happy and healthy new year.