A lot has happened in the last month, and I haven’t filled you all in lately.

First, we finished up Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. I have a fun blog to share with pictures of how we honored Archer throughout the month.

Second, Stryder has yet to be liking food. Theo and I consulted our pediatrician, and we want to get him seen by Speech Therapy to ensure that nothing is ‘wrong.’ We are not worried but want to get ahead of anything [we can be doing] or discuss how to pique his interest. We are trying a mild version of baby-led weaning; he’s had some noodles and teething wafers. (There is still a long way to go, but it’s progress.)

Lastly, Stryder started to crawl and sit up on his own. We are now in unchartered territory…

If you don’t know, Archer didn’t crawl in his lifetime, and he would sit up with some assistance. We didn’t think anything was wrong developmentally, as sometimes first children are slower at meeting these milestones, or as first-time parents, we weren’t as comfortable trying and pushing him to do it as quickly. However, Archer rolled himself everywhere. We would be in another room and hear some constant ‘thunking’; when we’d check on Archer, he would be across the room trying to get where he wanted.

I don’t know how to explain the feeling of watching Stryder do things Archer never did. While it’s so fun to watch Stryder develop, it is also a constant reminder of what is missed. We are definitely in a very bittersweet season.

Archer –

I cannot describe how much I love and miss you. I miss all the moments we never got, and I miss the ones we did. Your smile and snuggles are so missed. Some days, I pray that I could just hold you and see you one more time.

I love you beyond words!
-Mama