My beautiful Daughter Chloe, and my handsome son Caleb, because of you, this has been the best year ever; even with a global pandemic, sadness, anger, and chaos going on around us. This is the year you blessed me with the title, “Mom”. Despite arriving a bit sooner than we expected, you both made your grand entrance into the world mid March on a Saturday evening just after the 20th hour of the day. We had our challenges as you were both in the NICU and the Covid 19 pandemic was just kicking into high hear around the Chicagoland Area.
You both came into the world fighting. Caleb had a breathing tube placed moments after birth, and Chloe was whisked away to the NICU shortly after as well. We all fought our way through the NICU, and came home mid April. Grandma Patricia Lloyd (your Great Grandma) jumped in right away to help out. Chloe needed some extra attention due to frequent spit ups, and a need to keep milk down to gain weight; Great Grandma Patricia, was just the person for the job. Chloe, she held you all day and made sure you gained that good weight, while Mom and Dad “held the fort down” at night. We spent our days at Grandma Theresa & Grandpa Paul’s house to get the help we needed from our family. You both were lots of work, but also a complete joy and a blessing to have. I have never felt more joy in my life until I came to be your Mother.
Summer came, and we spent plenty of time outside when the hottest times of the day had passed, as the heat would’ve been too much for newborns to safely handle. We saw plenty of sunsets together in Indiana. There was lots of erosion in 2020 along the shoreline. There wasn’t much beach to enjoy, as a result, we enjoyed our Lake Michigan sunsets from afar. Mid June, I returned to work full time at University of Chicago, working in the OR with the Electrophysiology Team. It was challenging as I missed you both so much.
The fall was a good time as well. We started to get in a groove as a family, with both myself and your Dad working full time. Your first Halloween was spent with at home with us and Grandma Bernadine, and Grandpa Kurt as the Covid 19 pandemic was in full swing, and raging on. We did however, have plenty of cute, festive Halloween outfits to put on you both. We had our first Thanksgiving, and Caleb ate mashed potatoes and frosting. It was quiet as we still weren’t seeing extended family, but it was nice. Your first Christmas was lovely too. Grandma Bernadine and Grandpa Kurt came over Christmas Eve, and we had a nice dinner cooked by your Dad and Grandpa Kurt. We ate in the dining room and had a relaxing evening.
Christmas Day was fun, but chaotic. We were at Grandma Theresa and Grandpa Paul’s house. You didn’t take your regular naps and were so crabby and tired by the end of the night. Your Dad and I were crabby too. We got a personalized visit from Ole Saint Mick, you had a covid free Santa visit thanks to Great Grandma Patricia and a 30 something year old Santa suit still in really good shape from Worth, IL. By the end of December, Chloe was doing Pincher grasp, and spontaneous hollow rock exercises, while Cabe was starting to make moves to crawl and put blocks in their matching shape hole. You both are drinking out of cups with assistance. Caleb really enjoys drinking out of a cup. We are ending the year on a tired note as we are working on sleep training at night and during your two daily naps.
In summary, despite a global pandemic, mass social chaos, and illness/death in the family, you helped make this one of my favorite years, as this is the year you made me a Mother. I love you babies so much and I’ll see you this evening after work. ✌🏻💜😘💚🥰
Crushing milestones!
@TwinMomDiana 