thirteen
Posted on September 30, 2011
My baby boy is 13 years old today. I think I might be having a harder time with this than when I turned 40! It’s actually hard to believe how much has happened in those 13 years.
Reece was the catalyst for Andrew and I staying together….his impending birth was not only a surprise (okay, it was a shock), but ended up being the glue that our emerging, fragile relationship needed to hold it together. Of course, we didn’t know any of this then. All we knew was that we were terrified and entering into the unknown territory of parenthood, without even being married first. Suddenly, we went from dating for a couple of years to expecting a baby and moving in together. I was 27, Andrew was 26…..and we weren’t even sure we wanted to be together forever, much less parents….
Thirteen years later, we have three kids, a suburban existence and a stronger relationship than I would have ever thought possible. And it all started with Reece. The boy who would teach us more patience than either of us ever thought possible. The boy who would teach us how to be parents and how to unconditionally love. The boy who didn’t speak until age 4. The boy with the most gentle and pure soul. The boy who would later become diagnosed with Autism.
Someone told me once that having a child with Autism is like grieving for the loss of a child who isn’t dead. Grieving for the life you wanted for them, that he will never have. It’s been a tough journey at times, but watching this child grow and become who he is has been absolutely incredible. I am so deeply proud of him for all his hard work – 30 hours a week of therapy after being in school all day – for three years. Special diets and countless doctor visits, a lifetime of speech therapy, social skills classes and just generally having to work harder than most of his peers….he’s a superstar. I can’t wait to see what the next thirteen years brings. Pretty sure he’s gonna surprise us all even more.
the one and only scrapbook page I have ever created
my "man-child" ~ taken today, on the eve of his bday. he thought the coke bottle should be in the shot 
Brill Sisters
Posted on September 27, 2011
Gotta love beach sessions at the end of summer The lovely Lexee is a Senior this year, and her Mom wanted some shots of both of her gorgeous girls together. I love seeing the closeness of sisters….I don’t have a sister myself, but I’m always enamored by these relationships. There’s something very special about the bond between sisters who are also super close friends. And really….could they be any more beautiful? I have a bad case of hair envy ~ they look like mermaids
Thanks again to Jami Cox for beautiful makeup, as always.
Watch the slideshow:
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