1-I am so happy I documented the pregnancy and arrival of Ryder
2-I need to get back to it so when I forget some of these precious details, they will be right here
What a whirlwind it has been since Ryder's birth. I will start by saying he is the most joyful gift Kelsey and I have ever been blessed to have. Love for a child is like no other, and I am so gracious God blessed us with such an amazing gift. Every stage has been new and exciting, and as he reaches each new milestone we are reminded not to take even a second in life for granted. He continues to teach me new lessons just as much as I teach him, and the lessons learned have been priceless.
I think the biggest lesson he has taught me so far is a lesson my own father taught me in his wedding toast to Kelsey and I. That lesson is: Don't sweat the small stuff, and in the whole grand scheme of things, most of it is small stuff. It's amazing how Ryder's laugh can encourage me to take a step back and just take it all in. I have found new meaning to the saying "stop and smell the roses." It is a joy to view the world through a toddler's eyes.
This has been a good lesson for us, as we have had significant life changes over the past 20 months of Ryder's life. Once Ryder was born, I made the big decision to not return back to my pharmaceutical career. For someone who believes a job is just a job at face value, this is no big deal. But for an individual who puts their heart and soul into their work, this IS a big deal. Ryder's first lesson for me: What you do is not who you are. With my leaving my job and salary, we had to tighten things up a bit. No more pedicures, facials, eating out whenever we wanted, shopping just to shop. Now it was about sticking to a tight budget, cutting coupons, and wholeheartedly appreciating the meaning behind the word "free." But you know what? We as a family couldn't be happier. Lesson number two: Money does not buy happiness. I started to teach yoga, pilates, and spin and was given the opportunity to learn from and train with some of the best teachers in the country. And I LOVE what I do! And in this stay at home process, I was able to connect with and make some of the best life long friends a girl could ask for.
Then, this spring we were given the opportunity to move back to Greenville, SC where family would be much closer. As much as we loved Boston, we knew this is where we wanted to end up. We said yes and then began the long, stressful process of selling and buying a home in a down economy where no bank, buyer or seller is feeling generous. I won't go into all the details, I'll just say it was a nail biting, foot stomping experience! But you know what? Through all of this craziness, there was Ryder continually bringing joy into our lives through his giggles and great sense of humor. Lesson number three: When you have your health, a shirt on your back, food on the table, and shelter over your head...it's really not as bad as it could be.
Which leads me to why I'm posting again. Ryder is going to be a big brother! We are at 17 weeks now and ecstatic. We are excited and nervous. Excited for obvious reasons, but nervous because I question my ability to multitask and handle a 2 year old and an infant. Nervous because I want this little one to have an equal opportunity to be loved just as much as his/her big brother. Nervous because every child is different and therefore we will need to stay on our toes and be flexible. Nervous that Ryder will have the daunting task of adjusting to no longer being the only child in the home. But beyond all of this, the excitement is way larger than all of this!
Besides, look at all the lessons we have learned so far from having our first child! We keep going at this rate, this second baby is going to make us enlightened:)
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