Theo and Beau Welcome Evangeline

I’ve been wanting to share with you the day that we brought Evvie home, but it’s been a little raw for me up until recently. That day was so hectic, hardly the kind of serene and sweet “coming home” celebration we had hoped for, but it was lovely all the same.

I didn’t get discharged out of the hospital until close to noon, which happens to be when Beau gets out of preschool. As it turned out, that Friday was the first day that Beau was at his school alone, so we had to hustle to leave the hospital and get there to pick him up on time. My hospital bags were packed down to a science the previous three times we’ve welcomed babies, but this time that bag was a confused, mismatched mess. This made packing to leave the hospital easy, albeit disheveled. I had chosen the sweetest clothes for each of my baby’s coming home day, including Evvie, but somehow I had forgotten to pack half of hers in my diaper bag. I hardly even remember what she wore to be welcomed into our home and our hearts and lives.

I suppose that’s a minor detail in the long run.

We rushed out of the hospital and I stayed in the car with Evvie while Justin picked up Beau from his school. I was a heap of emotions, crying and sniffling all the way from the hospital to the preschool and finally home with everyone to greet Theo. The big kids (fortunately) were still in school at that time, which gave me enough time to prepare and compose myself for the next round of emotional beginnings.

Beau was eager to introduce Theo to his new baby sister. It was adorable and hilarious and completely sweet watching Beau burst with pride and Theo cock his head to the side in curiosity over the baby. Justin and I couldn’t help but laugh, a delightful reprieve from the heaviness of these new stages we’re all entering. Theo brings that sort of calm and peace to our lives consistently, he always has. It’s remarkable to me how human-like he actually is, as though he completely understands what’s going on and unfailingly remains steady, calm and supportive of all of us.

In fact, that day they napped together per their usual routine, and I completely broke down again to the point that I almost forgot to take the daily photo. I texted my mom once I finally snapped their picture and we both just cried in relief at their bond and steadiness. The calm and feeling of normalcy that this ritual has on all of us surprises me frequently, but probably none more than that first day home with Evvie.

The days since Evangeline was born have been full, and while Theo has been our one constant and steady presence, he has also been adjusting in his own way. He’s a little desperate for attention (there’s a full club already here for that), so we’re working through that as best as we can, just like we are with the other kids.

Fortunately, especially for the youngest in our crew, they have each other to rely on for that simple calming comfort of knowing their best friend is always at their sides.