When we returned home from the hospital with Vivian on Saturday night, Chris continued a tradition he started with the arrival of Evelyn nearly four years ago: he put together a fun dinner with many of the foods I’m forced to go without for 40 weeks, including oysters, raw milk cheese, prosciutto and beer.  The meal was rounded out with crusty bread, roasted garlic, fig spread and shrimp cocktail.  Yum! It was a perfectly indulgent meal and a wonderful celebration of new life.

As Chris and I enjoyed our delicious dinner together, I realized that this would likely be our most relaxed evening for the next year.  Evelyn and Mack were at my parents’ house and little Vivian was sound asleep.  It was just Chris and me.  And it was wonderful.  We talked about how grateful we are for the life we are creating, and we both agreed that we couldn’t feel closer or more in love with each other.

Giving birth to a baby is a wonderfully overwhelming experience, and I am so glad I have shared it three times with the most amazing man on the planet.  And, having a cold beer with that man is one sweet reward!