We are so full of love...

that we often cry spontaneously when looking at our son. He is growing and changing every day and seems so far from the pound and half fragile little baby boy of 9 1/2 months ago. When he was born we looked our fears right in the face and decided they were not invited to this experience, that Clark was going to be just fine, thriving in fact...we knew it with all our hearts and focused only on that. We did not allow any other truth to enter our field. We did what we had to do. Now, when we look at pictures of him when he was first born, it is so hard to see it...to believe that he was really that small...that early...that underdeveloped. But he was...so, we look at him and we cry. He is so healthy and so happy...we are so blessed and take nothing for granted.

I don't think I posted about Clark's Regional Center experience. Basically, they come in and evaluate preemies and recommend therapies for them. I am happy to say that Clark was denied all treatment, and simply because he does not need it. At the time they came, he was expected to be at 4 months developmentally, which he was but was also at 5 & 6 months in many areas. The therapist that evaluated him said that in all her many years of working with preemies, she had not seen a baby born at 25 weeks do so well so quickly. We are so proud of our little warrior.

Another thing that fills our heart so completely is that everyone who meets him says "He is such a happy baby." What more could we want? His happiness is our greatest desire.

So, Clark is growing and moving and eating and learning so much each and every day. He is just over 16lbs and is 27 inches long. He is on track in all areas and ahead in many.

Last Thanksgiving we marveled at how we would have a baby with us at our next Thanksgiving. We had no idea what was in store for us over the course of the year. But this Thanksgiving, we had our little baby with us...just as we said. The word grateful doesn't seem big enough...

Thanks to Nicole for capturing Clark on his First Thanksgiving!

Gratitude

Can you guess what we're grateful for this Thanksgiving???

Clark's Got Balls

Am I the coolest dad, or what!?

Mornin'

Just saying hi! Clark will be 9 months old tomorrow...can you believe it?

He has his check up tomorrow...we'll update after!

Clark goes to the spa...

When we first got home, Clark was way too small for his spa tub....but now...check him out!

Clark and Molly

Molly is slowly starting to cuddle up to Clark...and Clark has started 'petting' her. Super cute.

At the Burbank Farmers Market

Fresh Baked Sweet Potato!!!

Little burrito

Clark goes with me every Tuesday to Yoga Blend to 'help' me teach the Mommy & Me Yoga Class. Every Tuesday morning as we are getting ready to go, Clark will be 'talking' about something...trying to communicate in the way that he knows how at this point. Jason will talk back to him saying, "alright, Clark, time to get your game face on...mama's putting you to work." Clark and I LOVE our Tuesdays together. Nothing has challenged me as a teacher like trying to lead mommies through poses and breathwork while I am feeding, changing or in other ways tending to Clark...and I LOVE IT!! It is so much fun. Sometimes, I will look up and all of the moms are doing something different and not one is doing the poses...it is so perfect. The crying, the fussing, the rocking, the talking, the breathing, the laughing, the crawling, the rolling over, the sleeping, the yoga, the singing...all of it is so wonderful. I always remind the moms that this is not a place where you need to apologize for a crying baby...it is one of their most effective forms of communication and it is ok. Society tends to be a bit uncomfortable with crying...or emotional expression in general, so the tendency is to suppress. Is it any wonder when a new soul appears, untainted by the ways of the world thus far and expresses fully...straight from the heart with no apology, that people get uncomfortable. We don't want to hear what we cannot express for whatever reason we are unable to do so. But in our class...it is all good. I leave that class a better person every week. Clark and the other moms with their babies have so much to do with that.

So, Clark...surprise, surprise...loves the camera. He poses for us for an unusually long time when we are trying to get the perfect shot. I think he takes after his daddy on this one!

This past Tuesday after class, Clark grabbed his blanket and started rolling. Once he got himself wrapped up nice and tight...he paused as if to say "I just did something really cute...better get that thing you always point at me." So, I did.

Peeeeeeeeaaaaaasssssss....

Winter squash...yummy!