Born February 25th, 2021, William James will somehow always be known as a pandemic baby. That is still an odd thing people say to us that we haven’t gotten used to! “Oh how old is he?….Oh he must have been a pandemic baby!” Finding out we were expecting our second child during a global pandemic was incredibly strange. We were excited, we wanted our children to be close in age. We felt ready. But of course our plans are never concrete, and the future we thought we would have was clouded by mandates, visitor limits, data and constantly changing news and vaccines. It was scary, and lonely to be pregnant during it all. We could have never imagined the world Will would be born into! This entire year was intense. And also just as blissful.

We moved about 10 weeks before he was born, which was wonderful for nesting and I throughly enjoyed making this house our home- however it was terrible for two expecting parents (one with a spine injury and one with preeclampsia) not to mention a toddler in tow! With the help of our amazing extended family, we got it done. Will’s birth was all together different than my daughter’s. I won’t say it was peaceful, and it wasn’t easy. There were moments that we felt afraid. And those moments seems to last hours. But it also was special to have only the two of us in the room. We listened to music, kept the lights low, and joked a lot, even through the scary moments. At the end, Will rushed into the world like he couldn’t wait to see us. We have said before, he was everything we didn’t know we needed. We were missing a piece to our family and once he was here, we felt complete.

As I said before, this past first year of his life was intense. Just a couple of months after he was born my husband had back surgery, which was followed by a very busy wedding and portrait season for me. Clara started preschool, and we all are still navigating how much our lives have changed in just two years from the pandemic. Through all of that, Will had a smile on his face. He is such a happy soul. So sweet and so observant. His laughs are contagious. He is overwhelmed with love for his sister who feels exactly the same way (for now <3) and also for his Harlow dog who knew what to do with a baby this time around. She has been his protector and personal maid! Always right behind him to pick up any yummy snacks he leaves for her. He has brought so much joy to our family. So much love, when we didn’t know how we would possibly share our hearts with another child, he showed up and proved just how easy it was. I am forever blessed to have my two perfect babies.

I didn’t chronicle his first year in the same complexity as I did with Clara. I promised myself I would do everything the same for them in that regard; now I understand why seasoned parents gave me a bless-your-heart smile when I mentioned my plans for life as a mother of two before I actually was one! We have very busy days, which turn into weeks that go by much too quickly. I can’t believe his first birthday is almost here, and I am still having mom guilt over not throwing the same type of celebration as I had planned for my daughter’s first! Here’s to these pandemic babies doing everything differently! We are savoring every second we can. The sweet snuggles at bedtime and in the morning when we wake up too early to think clearly. We are taking in all the firsts for him, and noticing every difference in his emerging personality and how vastly it contrasts his sister’s. For as much as they are alike in loving music and dancing, they are just as different. He is strong but content to just be hanging out with us. He loves mimicking pretend play with Clara. He is attached at my hip (and legs!) every moment he can manage. He is amazing. And learning faster than I am ready for. I will not lie, I am not ready for him to become a toddler. I want this baby phase to last and last. Since he is my last baby. It’s bittersweet.

But oh how I can’t wait to watch him grow <3 We love you endlessly Will!