One year ago, we were one month into our life as a family of five. It had been a rocky month and we had only been home for a few days when I took these photos and wrote this update. Everything was still new and uncertain, we were finding our way and creating a new a new normal. Exactly one year later, I love looking back on how far we have come, every one of us.
Finn was a baby that wouldn't grow, relying heavily on medication and wanting to be held at all times. There was so much we didn't know about him that we do now and his future was so uncertain. Now he is a thriving thirteen month old with chunky thighs, a cheeky nature and plenty of met milestones under his belt. The biggest thing I see in common between the baby above and the one below is they both seem to have constant eye infections!
Archie is less of a toddler and more of a preschooler, he expresses himself more clearly, listens less and makes an even bigger mess than we thought possible. He is happiest in company, something that probably comes from always having at least one brother around.
Dylan has started school, grown bigger, but still looks at Finn with the same look of adoration as he did a whole year ago. He is the most wonderful big brother and I have only seen that love grow over the year.
And me, well I am a different person too. I have learned so much from parenting Finn, about losing expectations and enjoying exactly where we are now, about juggling three very different sets of needs (not always successfully) and about how proud I can be of these boys of mine. I am expecting another baby to add to the chaos and I just know we will be fine.
I love the similarities in these photographs, I still see so much of their personalities, Dylan's interest and care for his baby brother, Archie's inability to sit still or look the right way, Finn feeling right at home in the middle of them. I dressed them all in grey shades on purpose this time to recreate it, and I remember feeling proud when I took the first set that they were all so co-ordinated, and that I had full outfits that were clean for them each!
And in the photos below, I see quite how much Finn has grown, both in size and in personality. He is a huge part of the family now, one of our team and one year on from our one month in, we are happy, settled, thriving and smiling (well not for the camera if you are Archie).
