The day we came home.

December 23, 1999. The day was, in many ways, similar to today. That was the day we brought our bundle of boy home from the hospital.

I had the outfit he would wear picked out months before. A cute little one piece outfit that would be nice and warm in the Michigan winter.

As Mike gathered my belongings in the hospital room, the nurses were in and out doing last minute checks and paperwork. I attempted to put my jeans on. Yeah, not such a good idea when you've had a c-section 3 days prior. I wore my pajamas home.

We got Blake into his outfit, and into his snowsuit (both of which were too big for the little bugger). After much fumbling, Mike was finally able to get him strapped into his car seat. I carried vases of flowers, balloons and bags of things on my lap as the nurse pushed my wheelchair to the exit. Mike carried Blake in his car seat (it was one of those that's a carrier too).

My mom was with us... she had decided that she needed to stay to help with the baby after we got home from the hospital.

When we got to the door, we covered Blake with 3 blankets because the wind was blowing quite hard.

All settled in the car, I sat in the backseat with the boy, Mike drove and Mom rode up front with Mike.

We only lived a few blocks from the hospital. I remember looking out the window on the drive home. The sun was shining, there were huge, fluffy snowflakes fluttering down and the newly fallen snow was sparkling like a field of diamonds. It was a perfect day.

We got home and showed Blake all around his new home. Then, as I sat on the couch holding him, Mike put the star on top of our Christmas tree. We had decided that we wouldn't put the star on the tree until our star came home.

That is our tradition now... we put up the tree, decorate it, put presents under it... but the "star" (which is now an angel) doesn't get put on until December 23rd.

I wasn't able to lift Blake on my own because of the surgery, so my mom would go and get him if he fussed. She would change his diaper and then bring him to me so I could nurse him. Then I would hold and snuggle him long after he fell asleep. It's a wonder the kid ever learned to sleep in a bed... LOL!! During the night, Mike would get up and get Blake, change his diaper and bring him to the bed for me to nurse him. Then Mike would snuggle with him for a long time before taking him back to his crib.

And now, he's 9. Amazing. It seems like just yesterday we brought him home and I could hold him on my shoulder with one hand under his little padded butt. Now he stands almost as tall as me!