But as everyone annoyingly tells you, things change after you have a kid. I've never missed our families more than the week Isaac was born. I desperately wanted Isaac to feel a part of a collective bigger than our family of three.
Since Isaac was born, we've been lucky to build a community of friends here.
First up, our friend Amy--one of the kindest most compassionate souls I know and one of the best friends I've ever had. I am so fortunate to have her in my life--but this isn't about me, it's about Isaac. And Isaac looooves Amy; he has since he first met her when he was just days old. At this point, I think he really believes that he owns her: he demands that she read him books, share his toys, and give him food (a privilege previously reserved only for Mama and Daddy).
For instance, Isaac (in 100% cuteness mode--more about him in the dinosaur costume later) insisted that Amy rake leaves so he could sit in them. I'm so glad he has another adult figure here whom he trusts and loves so much.
One of our colleagues' kids has taken an interest in Isaac since he was only a few months old. Yuri has been incredibly patient and gentle with Isaac, even when Isaac is being a bit bratty. It's only recently that Yuri's really seemed to get anything in return: Isaac now says his name and wants to play with him, and even runs after him when Yuri heads home.
Clearly Yuri's going to be someone Isaac looks up to, and he's a great role model.
Isaac also has friends his own age, of course. His closest is Eleanor. I love the story how we met: when Isaac was six months old, I was walking to the consignment store with him in a baby bjorn; Lee had Eleanor in a baby carrier too and was walking in the opposite direction (towards us) to the same store. We've been having playdates on an almost weekly basis since them, and it's been so amazing to watch the two of them grow develop together.
They play really well together--especially considering that they're toddlers. Here they were playing hide-and-seek with each other in the curtain. Occasionally they would get irritated with Lee and I for watching them. I can totally see the teenagers they'll be in the this photo.
More recently, we've joined a larger playgroup, and it's been amazing to get talk with other moms and see Isaac interact with other kids. Here's everyone dressed up to go trick-or-treating on Main St. this Saturday. Eleanor and Isaac were going to get candy together, so we were meeting her and Lee there; the others came in by happy accident.
It was delightfully choatic and a complete joy to watch the kids racing up and down the ramp and their general excitement over candy and costumes.
When I think back to that impossible first week of Isaac's life, I wish I could have known then that we would find a community here--a family of sorts of our own making.
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