Sometimes the timing of things is surprisingly perfect. As we finally emerge from the fog of what the past four months have been as new parents, nationwide restrictions regarding COVID-19 are beginning to lift. Now that Zoe's actually interested in meeting people, we have the privilege of introducing her to family members, friends, and neighbors with masks off. Also, I finally feel like I actually have the energy and motivation to go out and be social rather than having visitors come to us. It's interesting to think about how much we've been through over the course of the pandemic in terms of growing our family. I can't believe that I was getting tested for infertility at the beginning of the shutdowns, going to appointments at the height of infections, celebrating holidays quietly at home with a big belly bump, and delivering the baby as vaccinations started to roll out. It's been a long, anxiety-ridden road leading up to this point. For the first time since Zoe was born, I've had the mental space and time to take it all in and breathe a sigh of relief. It's just been so fast-paced since her birthday, that I have not actually thought about the past very much until now. I'm so grateful that it all worked out in the end. Zoe is no longer just a figment of our imaginations--she's a real-live baby in the flesh, and she is absolutely perfect. We were just discussing that we can't imagine having a different baby, and we didn't know it then, but she was the one who we were waiting for.
