The first

Well, it's been a crazy couple of weeks.  First off, my baby girl started school!
Ellie with her lunch bag and backpack on her first day of school
Ready for her first day of school

Mommy and Aiden getting Ellie off the bus on her first day or school.
She took the bus home

How did that happen? It seems like she was just born and now POOF she's in school! I'm so glad I was here and able to bring her to school, able to snap a few pictures that someday she can look back on. I know I will miss many "firsts" so for me it was that much more momentous an occasion.
Last week also marked the first week mommy and Aiden were home alone together. For the past 16 months I've had my husband here to help with all the heavy lifting (carrying baby to and from the car, up the stairs, out of the tub...) but Daddy went back to work last week and for the first time since my diagnosis it was all me, all day. I know, you're thinking "so what, that's parenting", but wow, how different things are when you add the physical limitations that come with bone cancer. When I had Ellie it was all so easy (in comparison), I didn't think twice about a walk to the park, a trip to visit family, or a hike, even just taking care of her around house. I did it all, with ease, and I loved it! So much so that I extended my mat leave to stay with her and when I first went back to work I cut down to part time. Having kids, raising a family, that had always been my dream. Now for the first time I'm confronted with just how much more difficult it is to live that dream. After one week everything hurts and I'm exhausted.

Despite the pain (both physical and emotional) I am so grateful that I was able to experience this week of firsts.  I can only hope to be able to see Aiden off to his first day of school as well, and in the meantime, he and I get to hang out together all day.
Aiden smiling, sitting on a bouncy bunny you.
Hanging out with this cutie

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