Last year, during these very hours (January 23rd), my wife went full-on into labor.  We visited the midwife, did some last-minute grocery shopping, and came home to chill out (as best as our Hypnobirthing techniques enabled us to do).  By three in the morning on January 24th, our son Dashiell had taken his first breath of air on our lovely little planet.  As I write this, he's asleep on our bed, more than midway through his afternoon nap.  My wife and I blog, enjoying our brief moments of daytime respite.  Then, I think, there are some dishes to do.  We have to get ready for this weekend's guests.

me and tummy

So the Birthday Celebration is going to be on Saturday, a couple days after the "actual" day of Dash's birth.  I don't think he'll mind.  It occured to me that today and tomorrow are really, at this point, more significant for Tonya and me - recognizing how much our lives have changed, how much we've grown, how much we've had to adapt whatever we thought about life pre-baby to the reality of life with baby.  Over the course of the next twelve-ish hours, the whole world disappeared, narrowed to this tiny little point of focus, until Dash came onto the scene to forever alter the landscape of our lives.  Every day I'm reminded of how miraculous it is.  Every day I marvel at his sense of playfulness and discovery in the world.  Every day I thank the universe that Tonya and I are sharing this miracle together.

me with dash during his first moments

You know, if I had known that the night of January 22, 2007 was going to be my last full night's sleep for at least a year, I probably would have gone to bed much, much earlier.  At this point, I've gotten used to waking up every few hours (granted it's a bit easier for me than it is for Tonya, on whom Dash's middle-of-the-night comfort seems to be dependent for the moment).  That's not the only change, of course.  Not a day goes by that isn't impacted in some way by this little being.  My whole current path, of playing music for kids, was inspired by his arrival, and his spirit continually helps me connect with the kid inside of me, with my own sense of joy at being here in the world.  So while I often talk about the impact of the "little things" on our lives, allow me, today, to honor a "big" thing - the miracle of a new life and the woman who brought him into being.  And then ate him up.

mom eats baby

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DASH!