Everything is different now.
On December 26th, at 11:00am, our family officially changed. Once four, we are now five. Once "Mike, Amy, and the boys", we can no longer use the gender-specific term for our children. Once finished with those early childhood stages of parenting, we're now back at the starting line.
Yes, on December 26th, we welcomed into the world Kaelyn Grace Pilato, our beautiful new daughter. Weighing 7 lbs. 15 oz., and measuring 20 1/4" long, she was no small package. And that's appropriate, as her impact on our family dynamic will likewise be nothing short of monumental.
Christmas was a pretty normal day, really. We opened gifts with our sons, enjoyed an awesome home-cooked meal at my grandmother's house, and then settled into a family viewing of the movie Epic. At some point, Amy left the room to use the bathroom, and didn't return. She eventually called to me, at which time we determined that her water had broken.
Normality terminated. It was go-time for a hospital trip.
Thirteen hours later, Amy was ready to deliver. And deliver she did. The sounds of her strenuous pushing were replaced with those of a crying baby girl, and Kaelyn was born.
Naturally, the local-area grandparents were quick to meet the family's new addition.
And to say that Kaelyn's big brothers are completely smitten by her would be a massive understatement.
Mom and baby — both in great health — returned home Saturday, December 28. (Home itself is different now, too. Once all but devoid of pastels, it now has way more pink and lilac in it than we ever dreamed it would!)
So welcome to the world, Kaelyn. Our family which seemed so complete as a foursome is complete again as a party of five, and already we begin to wonder how it could possibly have been any other way.
On December 26th, at 11:00am, our family officially changed. Once four, we are now five. Once "Mike, Amy, and the boys", we can no longer use the gender-specific term for our children. Once finished with those early childhood stages of parenting, we're now back at the starting line.
Yes, on December 26th, we welcomed into the world Kaelyn Grace Pilato, our beautiful new daughter. Weighing 7 lbs. 15 oz., and measuring 20 1/4" long, she was no small package. And that's appropriate, as her impact on our family dynamic will likewise be nothing short of monumental.
Christmas was a pretty normal day, really. We opened gifts with our sons, enjoyed an awesome home-cooked meal at my grandmother's house, and then settled into a family viewing of the movie Epic. At some point, Amy left the room to use the bathroom, and didn't return. She eventually called to me, at which time we determined that her water had broken.
Normality terminated. It was go-time for a hospital trip.
Thirteen hours later, Amy was ready to deliver. And deliver she did. The sounds of her strenuous pushing were replaced with those of a crying baby girl, and Kaelyn was born.
Naturally, the local-area grandparents were quick to meet the family's new addition.
And to say that Kaelyn's big brothers are completely smitten by her would be a massive understatement.
Mom and baby — both in great health — returned home Saturday, December 28. (Home itself is different now, too. Once all but devoid of pastels, it now has way more pink and lilac in it than we ever dreamed it would!)
So welcome to the world, Kaelyn. Our family which seemed so complete as a foursome is complete again as a party of five, and already we begin to wonder how it could possibly have been any other way.
