Time to move on (a bit, anyway)

As difficult as it is for me to admit, I think it's time to take down the 1-hr.-old baby photo of Jonas that has been on our refrigerator since the day we came home from the hospital. It's faded and "wavy" and the edges are beginning to curl.

Our wonderful neighbors had left that photo and a nice note in our kitchen, beside a magnificent flower arrangement from Joe's mom, to welcome us home from the hospital.

At various points during the year, I've said to myself, "You know, Liz, I think the baby photo can come down now. Jonas is already X months old!" But, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. It felt treacherous, somehow.

As we are nearly upon his first birthday, I'm coming to grips with it, and seeing things in a whole new light. That little boy in the photo is now this little boy:













He's active, and cuddly, and inquisitive,




sometimes willful, demanding and mischievous,





often exploring and observing,










and adorable.

And that is what you can't see in the photograph of Jonas in his first hours "on earth", because he's grown into the little person he is today over the course of this year.

So, I feel better now about taking it down and putting it into this baby book. Every time I look at it, I'll always remember the day we first welcomed him to the world and brought him home. I'll always have that memory. But life moves on; kids grow up; and so I guess it's time for me to take a step forward, too. Jonas sure isn't wasting any time.